Why Technology is

KillingKilling our Nation

Why Technology is

KillingKilling our Nation

My(space)SpaceMy(space)Space

Where have all the teens gone? Look behind the computer and chances are you’ll be able to find them using IM, email and social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Not only will you find teenagers there, but kids as young as eighteen months are starting indoctrination into computer use.

Many kids come home from school and rush to sit in front of the computer through the evening hours. They engage with friends, do research for school, but mostly use the computer for social reasons. By being stationed in front of the monitor for hours on end, many are now starting to suffer from insomnia and mental health issues. Some kids are even becoming overweight/obese as a result of computer-overuse. They tend to eat in front of the monitor and eat items that are quick. Quick usually means from a bag or box, where as fresh veggies, fruits and meats are the optimal healthy choices.

The backlighting of the screen affects the eyes and can result in headaches and eyestrain. Physical body pain, such as carpel tunnel syndrome and back pain from poor posture, may incur from sitting for prolonged computing sessions.

MySpace and Facebook encourages cliques and groups that may exclude kids from online as well as in the actual classroom setting. These sites allow for more gossip and rumors to be passed and bullying to occur at home, where children and teens should feel safe. Contradictory to their ‘social networking’ claim, these sites encourage anti social behavior with their privacy settings that can exclude. We should not hesitate to point out the danger of these sites, particularly the scandals of teens meeting older adults offline, which has lead to kidnapping, statutory rape and even murder.

Where have all the teens gone? Look behind the computer and chances are you’ll be able to find them using IM, email and social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Not only will you find teenagers there, but kids as young as eighteen months are starting indoctrination into computer use.

Many kids come home from school and rush to sit in front of the computer through the evening hours. They engage with friends, do research for school, but mostly use the computer for social reasons. By being stationed in front of the monitor for hours on end, many are now starting to suffer from insomnia and mental health issues. Some kids are even becoming overweight/obese as a result of computer-overuse. They tend to eat in front of the monitor and eat items that are quick. Quick usually means from a bag or box, where as fresh veggies, fruits and meats are the optimal healthy choices.

The backlighting of the screen affects the eyes and can result in headaches and eyestrain. Physical body pain, such as carpel tunnel syndrome and back pain from poor posture, may incur from sitting for prolonged computing sessions.

MySpace and Facebook encourages cliques and groups that may exclude kids from online as well as in the actual classroom setting. These sites allow for more gossip and rumors to be passed and bullying to occur at home, where children and teens should feel safe. Contradictory to their ‘social networking’ claim, these sites encourage anti social behavior with their privacy settings that can exclude. We should not hesitate to point out the danger of these sites, particularly the scandals of teens meeting older adults offline, which has lead to kidnapping, statutory rape and even murder.

One high schooler was quoted as saying, “If you’re not on MySpace, you don’t exist.” Quite the bold statement, but it rings true. Kids can go to school the next day and talk about something that took place on the site and if someone doesn’t have a profile page, they are left out. Think when adults gather around the water cooler to talk about the previous night’s episode of Lost. If you don’t watch the show, you’re left out.

Instant messenger use can be malicious as well. Someone could use a conversation for blackmail purposes. For instance, “Do you like Debby?” “No, I don’t like her.” With a simple copy & paste, Debby now knows you don’t like her.

A statistic from 2006 points out that MySpace is the sixth most visited website and that main users are age 16-24 are the biggest group adding to the growth.

Facebook has what now is infamously known as the ‘stalker version.’ The front page displays all news updates. If someone’s marital status has gone from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’, all their friends will know front and center. If new pictures are added, they are featured up front. Because this new information is immediately available for someone who signs on, it’s almost always immediately looked at first. Users sign on multiple times a day to check if there are any new updates or changes.

There are many add in games and features that invite the user to come back several times a day to check on. For instance, there is a pet program where a user can pick a pet, pet him, feed him (all virtually of course) and earn points to buy things for their pet. This engages users to find others with this pet and to exchange the petting and feeding services. This can lead to a lot of time petting a non existent virtual pet!

One high schooler was quoted as saying, “If you’re not on MySpace, you don’t exist.” Quite the bold statement, but it rings true. Kids can go to school the next day and talk about something that took place on the site and if someone doesn’t have a profile page, they are left out. Think when adults gather around the water cooler to talk about the previous night’s episode of Lost. If you don’t watch the show, you’re left out.

Instant messenger use can be malicious as well. Someone could use a conversation for blackmail purposes. For instance, “Do you like Debby?” “No, I don’t like her.” With a simple copy & paste, Debby now knows you don’t like her.

A statistic from 2006 points out that MySpace is the sixth most visited website and that main users are age 16-24 are the biggest group adding to the growth.

Facebook has what now is infamously known as the ‘stalker version.’ The front page displays all news updates. If someone’s marital status has gone from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’, all their friends will know front and center. If new pictures are added, they are featured up front. Because this new information is immediately available for someone who signs on, it’s almost always immediately looked at first. Users sign on multiple times a day to check if there are any new updates or changes.

There are many add in games and features that invite the user to come back several times a day to check on. For instance, there is a pet program where a user can pick a pet, pet him, feed him (all virtually of course) and earn points to buy things for their pet. This engages users to find others with this pet and to exchange the petting and feeding services. This can lead to a lot of time petting a non existent virtual pet!

iPod=iSolation?iPod=iSolation?

Have you walked into the gym lately and seen everyone working out wearing iPods (or other personal music players)? iPods have become so popular and affordable, everyone seems to have one…and they wear them everywhere! People walk around with their iPods everywhere: they’re worn on the train/bus, at the gym, walking in the mall or the city and even driving (which mind you, is illegal).

Interaction simply does not happen with those white ear buds in the ears. In the past, someone would once be able to say ‘I met my spouse on the train,’ that phrase is less likely because of iPods. By isolating oneself from the world, it’s a self addressed invitation to the anti social world. This in itself may cause depression and for a more rude, snooty society.

iPods hold music, movies, TV programs, agendas, calendars, notes, contact information, documents and pictures. If someone loses their iPod with all this information on it, they might as well have lost their Passport or credit card! With personal information on iPods, they have been a target of theft. Their small, light-weight size and uniform look only aids thieves.

Not to mention, iPods may be a safety hazard. New York City is already a dangerous city to walk in. Consider yourself a survivor if you have come away alive! By adding in an iPod, a person is unable to hear (or has limited hearing) to the surrounding sounds. They are more likely to walk into traffic if they’re looking at the iPod screen and not paying attention to the street.

Have you walked into the gym lately and seen everyone working out wearing iPods (or other personal music players)? iPods have become so popular and affordable, everyone seems to have one…and they wear them everywhere! People walk around with their iPods everywhere: they’re worn on the train/bus, at the gym, walking in the mall or the city and even driving (which mind you, is illegal).

Interaction simply does not happen with those white ear buds in the ears. In the past, someone would once be able to say ‘I met my spouse on the train,’ that phrase is less likely because of iPods. By isolating oneself from the world, it’s a self addressed invitation to the anti social world. This in itself may cause depression and for a more rude, snooty society.

iPods hold music, movies, TV programs, agendas, calendars, notes, contact information, documents and pictures. If someone loses their iPod with all this information on it, they might as well have lost their Passport or credit card! With personal information on iPods, they have been a target of theft. Their small, light-weight size and uniform look only aids thieves.

Not to mention, iPods may be a safety hazard. New York City is already a dangerous city to walk in. Consider yourself a survivor if you have come away alive! By adding in an iPod, a person is unable to hear (or has limited hearing) to the surrounding sounds. They are more likely to walk into traffic if they’re looking at the iPod screen and not paying attention to the street.

The cheapest iPod now available on the market is a 1G shuffle, for a measly $49.

iPods are constantly changing and advancing. These changes are named by their generation release. We are currently on the 3rd generation Nano which has been around since 2001. Since the boom in Apple around 2001/2002, there seems to be a major product release or update about every 4-6 months.

Late last summer, the much anticipated iPhone was released. Many were disappointed and Apple had to quickly release its 2nd generation iPhone with the errors and bugs corrected and included a few new updates. This made people very upset who had already bought the first buggy edition and could not trade theirs in or even get refunded. Some people want the newest and greatest Apple gear that comes out. This leads to a lot of money being spent those every 4 to 6 months on the upgraded gear.

Because iPods are such a popular items, many vendors are quickly producing knock off versions and selling them for cheap. As with most knock off items, they may not work. This also breaks several laws, one in particular being the copyright infringement law.

There have been many problems with iPods breaking down after about 2 years time. There are genius bars at every Apple store and they can help you. Most times though, it results in a dead iPod and the only resolution is to spend money buying a new one. In this day and age of such technological advances, why do our iPods only live for 2 years?!

The cheapest iPod now available on the market is a 1G shuffle, for a measly $49.

iPods are constantly changing and advancing. These changes are named by their generation release. We are currently on the 3rd generation Nano which has been around since 2001. Since the boom in Apple around 2001/2002, there seems to be a major product release or update about every 4-6 months.

Late last summer, the much anticipated iPhone was released. Many were disappointed and Apple had to quickly release its 2nd generation iPhone with the errors and bugs corrected and included a few new updates. This made people very upset who had already bought the first buggy edition and could not trade theirs in or even get refunded. Some people want the newest and greatest Apple gear that comes out. This leads to a lot of money being spent those every 4 to 6 months on the upgraded gear.

Because iPods are such a popular items, many vendors are quickly producing knock off versions and selling them for cheap. As with most knock off items, they may not work. This also breaks several laws, one in particular being the copyright infringement law.

There have been many problems with iPods breaking down after about 2 years time. There are genius bars at every Apple store and they can help you. Most times though, it results in a dead iPod and the only resolution is to spend money buying a new one. In this day and age of such technological advances, why do our iPods only live for 2 years?!

Get that out of your ear!

Get that out of your ear!

Yet another common item: the cell phone. Like the iPod, cell phones have become very popular and ever more affordable. Many cell phones aren’t just phones anymore…I don’t even think they make a regular phone anymore. They are now cameras, computers, calendars, alarms, games, calculators, music players and text/instant messengers.

Texting/IMing while driving has caused many accidents among new teen drivers, many resulting in deaths. Just like sitting at a computer, repeating texting can result in thumb and hand pain. Cell phones are often abused. What once was ‘just for emergency’ or ‘business’ use has now become the primary line. Many kids even have multiple lines. Pagers and beepers have long been associated with drug use and being able to reach the dealer. Cell phones are now the updated technology and become the dealer’s/user’s contact method of choice.

Just like computers, cell phones pose the same risk of gossip and rumors being spread through voice or messages. The speed at which a message can move is incredibly fast…and may be incredibly damaging. Cell phones are precious. Ask a teenage girl where her cell phone is and she may freak out if she can’t get to it in .02 seconds. If these are lost or stolen, its equivalent to cutting off a lifeline. Similar to that of iPods, cell phones carry personal information and their loss can be devastating.

When a lost cell phone is recovered, the finder may blackmail or stalk the person whose cell phone they now posses. This situation usually doesn’t end well. Police get involved and someone is prosecuted. In some worse cases, the person holding onto the phone may go too far and…I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Yet another common item: the cell phone. Like the iPod, cell phones have become very popular and ever more affordable. Many cell phones aren’t just phones anymore…I don’t even think they make a regular phone anymore. They are now cameras, computers, calendars, alarms, games, calculators, music players and text/instant messengers.

Texting/IMing while driving has caused many accidents among new teen drivers, many resulting in deaths. Just like sitting at a computer, repeating texting can result in thumb and hand pain. Cell phones are often abused. What once was ‘just for emergency’ or ‘business’ use has now become the primary line. Many kids even have multiple lines. Pagers and beepers have long been associated with drug use and being able to reach the dealer. Cell phones are now the updated technology and become the dealer’s/user’s contact method of choice.

Just like computers, cell phones pose the same risk of gossip and rumors being spread through voice or messages. The speed at which a message can move is incredibly fast…and may be incredibly damaging. Cell phones are precious. Ask a teenage girl where her cell phone is and she may freak out if she can’t get to it in .02 seconds. If these are lost or stolen, its equivalent to cutting off a lifeline. Similar to that of iPods, cell phones carry personal information and their loss can be devastating.

When a lost cell phone is recovered, the finder may blackmail or stalk the person whose cell phone they now posses. This situation usually doesn’t end well. Police get involved and someone is prosecuted. In some worse cases, the person holding onto the phone may go too far and…I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

Many senior citizens are now given cell phones by their children. These poor folks can hardly figure out how to answer a call because of the many complex features that are now on cell phones. They wind up lost in the calendar date book rather than the phone book to just send a call to their child. The numbers on phones are often flat and thick fingers or arthritic fingers have a hard time dialing numbers.

For years, there has been a large controversy about the link between cell phone use and brain cancer. There has been just talk about this, with no physical proof because cell phones have not been around long enough to tell if there is any long term damage.

Studies has been conducted on mice. In a blind study, there was 2.4 times the tumor rate in mice that were exposed to the waves. Though humans are not mice, it is a good measure. (Though I don’t condone testing on animals)

Another place cell phone companies make their money is through ear pieces. Most are around $60-$100. If you live in the tri-state area, they are required for driving while talking . Hands-free driving has become a law in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and those who break the law will be penalized with a hefty fine. Blue tooth technology may even be put in the car, allowing conversations to be conducted through the car’s stereo system, costing you another buck.

Many senior citizens are now given cell phones by their children. These poor folks can hardly figure out how to answer a call because of the many complex features that are now on cell phones. They wind up lost in the calendar date book rather than the phone book to just send a call to their child. The numbers on phones are often flat and thick fingers or arthritic fingers have a hard time dialing numbers.

For years, there has been a large controversy about the link between cell phone use and brain cancer. There has been just talk about this, with no physical proof because cell phones have not been around long enough to tell if there is any long term damage.

Studies has been conducted on mice. In a blind study, there was 2.4 times the tumor rate in mice that were exposed to the waves. Though humans are not mice, it is a good measure. (Though I don’t condone testing on animals)

Another place cell phone companies make their money is through ear pieces. Most are around $60-$100. If you live in the tri-state area, they are required for driving while talking . Hands-free driving has become a law in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and those who break the law will be penalized with a hefty fine. Blue tooth technology may even be put in the car, allowing conversations to be conducted through the car’s stereo system, costing you another buck.

Hi-Def=Slow DeathHi-Def=Slow Death

Kids come home from school, grab a bag of chips and then sit down on the couch to watch TV. What’s the problem you ask? Well, he grabbed a bag of chips…not just a portion. Chances are, the entire bag will be devoured during the time he watches any given show. Statistics show kids consume more calories than normal while watching TV.

A study stated that elementary school children eat nearly 20 percent of their daily calories while watching television. Studies looked at groups of children and found that those who watched more TV were more likely to be obese.

Another study reports: Watching television disrupts children's normal response to food - they will eat more while they're sitting in front of the tube, whether or not they're really hungry. Often, commericals showing food advertisements actually will entice a person into thinking they are hungry, and will then go eat.

The phrase ‘couch potato’ was coined for a reason. When one sits on the couch, watching TV for prolonged periods of times, they tend to start resembling a potato: round. Kids are likely to mirror a parent in anything they do. So if they see Dad sitting in front of the tube for long hours on the weekend to watch double header sports games, they will mimic the behavior. With the new law of that all TVs must be digital by February 2009, this will send some people with outdated TVs back to the store to buy bigger and better TVs.

Kids come home from school, grab a bag of chips and then sit down on the couch to watch TV. What’s the problem you ask? Well, he grabbed a bag of chips…not just a portion. Chances are, the entire bag will be devoured during the time he watches any given show. Statistics show kids consume more calories than normal while watching TV.

A study stated that elementary school children eat nearly 20 percent of their daily calories while watching television. Studies looked at groups of children and found that those who watched more TV were more likely to be obese.

Another study reports: Watching television disrupts children's normal response to food - they will eat more while they're sitting in front of the tube, whether or not they're really hungry. Often, commericals showing food advertisements actually will entice a person into thinking they are hungry, and will then go eat.

The phrase ‘couch potato’ was coined for a reason. When one sits on the couch, watching TV for prolonged periods of times, they tend to start resembling a potato: round. Kids are likely to mirror a parent in anything they do. So if they see Dad sitting in front of the tube for long hours on the weekend to watch double header sports games, they will mimic the behavior. With the new law of that all TVs must be digital by February 2009, this will send some people with outdated TVs back to the store to buy bigger and better TVs.

Many kids come home from school and head over to the TV to catch there after school specials. Time is being taken away from doing schoolwork and grades suffer as a result. Often weekends are spent watching TV show marathons and some younger kids wake up early on the weekends to watch ‘Saturday morning cartoons.’

Lives are being planned around TV shows. ‘I gotta make it home in time to watch Lost!’ What is tragic is when every evening in the week has specific TV shows that ‘must’ be watched. The obsessive watching habits take time away from doing other things. These other things could be playing with friends, bonding with family, doing school work, extracurricular activities, outer school groups such as the Boy or Girl Scouts…the fun things about living life!.

Repeatedly seeing thin ‘roll models’ on TV leads to poor self image. Gossip news programs such as TMZ are constantly show casing the lives of ‘stars.’ Young girls may look at an actress and think ‘wow, look how thin she is, I want to be that thin.’ This leads to poor self-image, low self-worth, possibly even down a road of eating disorders, self-mutilation and girls subjecting themselves to men that are not worthy of them. Because the girl’s self esteem is low, men can take advantage of her, be it financially, sexually, or any other way.

If by chance, a child accidentally sees a ‘mature’ program, they may start repeating inappropriate phrases. Worst case scenario: they have a younger sibling that starts repeating the phrase along side them. Perhaps the inappropriate scene was a more adult scene. This is a bad situation as well.

Many kids come home from school and head over to the TV to catch there after school specials. Time is being taken away from doing schoolwork and grades suffer as a result. Often weekends are spent watching TV show marathons and some younger kids wake up early on the weekends to watch ‘Saturday morning cartoons.’

Lives are being planned around TV shows. ‘I gotta make it home in time to watch Lost!’ What is tragic is when every evening in the week has specific TV shows that ‘must’ be watched. The obsessive watching habits take time away from doing other things. These other things could be playing with friends, bonding with family, doing school work, extracurricular activities, outer school groups such as the Boy or Girl Scouts…the fun things about living life!.

Repeatedly seeing thin ‘roll models’ on TV leads to poor self image. Gossip news programs such as TMZ are constantly show casing the lives of ‘stars.’ Young girls may look at an actress and think ‘wow, look how thin she is, I want to be that thin.’ This leads to poor self-image, low self-worth, possibly even down a road of eating disorders, self-mutilation and girls subjecting themselves to men that are not worthy of them. Because the girl’s self esteem is low, men can take advantage of her, be it financially, sexually, or any other way.

If by chance, a child accidentally sees a ‘mature’ program, they may start repeating inappropriate phrases. Worst case scenario: they have a younger sibling that starts repeating the phrase along side them. Perhaps the inappropriate scene was a more adult scene. This is a bad situation as well.

Guitar Hero is no Hero

Guitar Hero is no Hero

Since inception, video games have taken over usage of TVs across the world. Many homes even have TVs specifically dedicated to video game systems. Video games are portable, so kids take them wherever they go. This relates back to the problem of having a screen constantly in their face, which often leads to eye pain, headaches and body pains.

If kids eat while gaming, they are likely to continue consuming past the point of hunger and pack on pounds. Kids and teens openly admit video games are addictive and kids are constantly pursuing the next level. Once games are beaten, kids momentarily feel joy for accomplishing their goal. In the next moment, they are sad or bored. Many may try to immediately feed their addiction by finding another game or another addictive hobby, such as the Internet, where they may continue game play.

Violence has long been a part of gaming. Many blame video games as a cause behind the Columbine shooting of 1999 as well as other acts of violence. More trips to the hospital have been made because a sibling make take a game to real life and strike a sibling or friend resulting in serious injury. Games now have ratings that will show if a game is violent or sexual, but parents often overlook these ratings. Vendors overlook the age rating as well. They see turning a sale away as a detriment to the company. Peer pressure will account for kids requesting these games, by pleading: ‘all the kids at school are playing it’ or ‘Jimmy’s mom bought it from him,’ saying whatever needs to be said to get the game.

Since inception, video games have taken over usage of TVs across the world. Many homes even have TVs specifically dedicated to video game systems. Video games are portable, so kids take them wherever they go. This relates back to the problem of having a screen constantly in their face, which often leads to eye pain, headaches and body pains.

If kids eat while gaming, they are likely to continue consuming past the point of hunger and pack on pounds. Kids and teens openly admit video games are addictive and kids are constantly pursuing the next level. Once games are beaten, kids momentarily feel joy for accomplishing their goal. In the next moment, they are sad or bored. Many may try to immediately feed their addiction by finding another game or another addictive hobby, such as the Internet, where they may continue game play.

Violence has long been a part of gaming. Many blame video games as a cause behind the Columbine shooting of 1999 as well as other acts of violence. More trips to the hospital have been made because a sibling make take a game to real life and strike a sibling or friend resulting in serious injury. Games now have ratings that will show if a game is violent or sexual, but parents often overlook these ratings. Vendors overlook the age rating as well. They see turning a sale away as a detriment to the company. Peer pressure will account for kids requesting these games, by pleading: ‘all the kids at school are playing it’ or ‘Jimmy’s mom bought it from him,’ saying whatever needs to be said to get the game.

This hobby gets expensive as well. The larger gaming systems run from $300-$600 depending on the model. Extra parts like controllers may need to be purchased if they plan on playing with more than one friend. The smaller hand held models may be just as expensive, though some are less than $300. This risks the same thievery that may incur with iPods. These gaming devices look exactly the same and often come in one color. It’s much easier to steal these small units. Just like the iPod, these risk being reproduced falsely and sold online for profit.

Games get expensive as well. If a child or teen gets bored with games quickly, costs can add up fast. If a teen has a part time job, that bi weekly paycheck may go mostly to video games. When kids and teens are sick of video games, they sit and collect dust. It’s money gone to waste.

While the kids continue to eat and play violent games, personality changes ensue. A normal child who just enjoys gaming may grow into an angry, short-tempered, overweight teenager. This attitude and behavior will lead to conflict with parents and friends. It will most definitely have an impact on school work. In some cases, teens may become depressed, feeling like no one will understand them and use gaming as an escape from reality. In the game, they can be the hero, they can rack up the points. They feel their most self worth and the best about themselves when they are in this fantasy gaming world.

This hobby gets expensive as well. The larger gaming systems run from $300-$600 depending on the model. Extra parts like controllers may need to be purchased if they plan on playing with more than one friend. The smaller hand held models may be just as expensive, though some are less than $300. This risks the same thievery that may incur with iPods. These gaming devices look exactly the same and often come in one color. It’s much easier to steal these small units. Just like the iPod, these risk being reproduced falsely and sold online for profit.

Games get expensive as well. If a child or teen gets bored with games quickly, costs can add up fast. If a teen has a part time job, that bi weekly paycheck may go mostly to video games. When kids and teens are sick of video games, they sit and collect dust. It’s money gone to waste.

While the kids continue to eat and play violent games, personality changes ensue. A normal child who just enjoys gaming may grow into an angry, short-tempered, overweight teenager. This attitude and behavior will lead to conflict with parents and friends. It will most definitely have an impact on school work. In some cases, teens may become depressed, feeling like no one will understand them and use gaming as an escape from reality. In the game, they can be the hero, they can rack up the points. They feel their most self worth and the best about themselves when they are in this fantasy gaming world.