Sorry! Study shows why women apologize more

According to a new study, women apologize more often than men do. In this study, it found that it isn't because men are more reluctant to admit wrongdoing, but that they have "a higher threshold for what they think warrants reparation." Researchers have found no difference in the number of apologies between the two genders.

"The findings might have implications for how men and women communicate with each other." says Karina Schumann, a doctoral student at the University of Waterloo.

Schumann also speculates that "women might have a lower threshold for what require an apology because they are more concerned with the emotional experiences of others and in promoting harmony in their relationships."

In such cases, it does appear that women are more sympathetic and would more likely apologize than men. Although because men and women think differently, it would be better to recognize that both genders perceive situations differently.

Personally, I believe that women do apologize more, but this is also because of how their brain works. I think the reason for this is not because women actually apologize more than men, but in the way that they apologize. I think that women are more verbal in their apology than men, while men tend to apologize through their actions. According to the study shown in the article, "both men and women apologized about 81 percent of the time when they deemed their actions offensive." Therefore, it is also likely that because men believe their offensive act does not warrant an apology, causing the belief that an apology is not necessary.

I remember in AP Biology class last year, we studied about the differences between men and women's brain and how they really do think differently. Women are often stereotyped as being more emotional than men, but actually, they are both just as emotional. The main difference between the two genders, is again, how each gender deals with it. Therefore, it is likely that the reason why the study showed that women apologized more because they thought their actions were more offensive than the men thought of theirs. So, speculate yourself whether you believe women are more prone to apologize because I believe why yes, they are more likely to, because of how their brain functions.

Source:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39384763/ns/health-behavior/

Hollywood weights in on fat people

"Forget about all those scary-skinny people stars - fat is making a comeback in Hollywood."

According to the article on MSNBC, reality and television shows are featuring overweight contestants and stars on the big screens. Shows such as NBC's "The Biggest Loser", "Celebrity Fit Club", and "Too Fat for Fifteen: Fighting Back" has succeeded in earning respectable ratings and viewings. Although the most important thing to note about these television shows is the increased amount of people caring about weight loss.

In this article, there are two issues that can be pointed out. One is the issue on overweight people in America. The second issue is about how people in the entertainment industry are succumbing to the thin image.

To address the first issue, TV producers have created reality TV shows such as "The Biggest Loser" that help regular people to become contestants in a losing weight contest. The television show is broadcasted and has received a respectable amount of viewers. The amount of attentive viewers is positive in that it shows the interest of people in relation to the concept of losing weight. In addition, many other reality shows featuring weight loss has followed up on "The Biggest Loser", thus becoming popular among TV viewers.In America, where overweight is an issue, it is encouraging for shows such as "The Biggest Loser" to be broadcasted because it shows people who have set their minds on losing weight and how they reflect on how they had lived their life in the past.

To address the second issue, it is true that Hollywood is wonderful in producing the skinny and thin image. On televisions, on advertisements, on magazines, and on billboards, a skinny woman is almost always seen in comparison to an overweight woman. In the article, it says "In Hollywood, thin always will be in." There is no doubt about this statement because it is true that thin people in Hollywood are preferred. Although, in relation to the first issue, a widespread of losing weight reality television shows is appearing. These television shows are garnering attention and is allowing viewers to understand how realistic being overweight can be.

Roth from "Biggest Loser" says, "I had people say that fat people aren't attractive and that nobody wants to see fat people on television," he said. "I said, 'Well, do you know anyone who is fat?' 'Oh yeah,' they said, 'my mother is, my sister and brother is.' So, I told them that if everyone in this room knows someone who's in that situation, isn't that your audience?" Roth mentions a very good point. These reality shows that focus on weight loss have such a respectable amount of viewers because this show is for the overweight people in America. They are the audiences because there are a lot of overweight people that should be concern about their health. Unlike other shows that feature skinny people, these contestants are real, every day people that are overweight and want to lose weight. Producers of these shows want to show a realistic side.

According to Mark Roberts, who executive produces "Mike & Molly" says, "I wanted to do something with real people," he said. "People in most sitcoms live very unrealistic lives. Back in the days of Norman Lear, you had real people on television. We're hoping that real people with real issues are going to come back in style."

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Source:

Picture also take from:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39210622/ns/today-entertainment/

Price of gas down nearly a penny in last 2 weeks

Gas is important because gas is used to fuel our cars. With the rising amount of gas prices in the past years, people are spending an excess amount of their income to put gas in their car. On September 10, "the average price for regular gasoline in the United States was $2.6899 per gallon. The prices dropped down almost a penny compared with two weeks earlier, according to the nationwide Lundberg survey."

What occurred on September 10 was the oil price drop. What is significant about what happened on the day, was that the drop in oil price was less than expected. Although, that is not the main concern of the article. The article mentions that there was an oil pipeline leakage that triggered a crude oil shortage. This resulted in Enbridge to shut down the largest of its pipelines due to a leak that resulted in a supply on the main transit route in Canada. The resulted in gas prices to have risen near the Gulf Coast. Although in the higher parts of the Midwest, gas prices have dropped.

The big concern is the gas price drop in specific areas, but also the gasp price rises in other areas. Gas is after all, significant to everyone who owns a car. Gas is definitely not cheap. It is costly and even the slightest gas price drop or rise will ultimately take money out of someone's pocket. Nowadays, big bucks are being carried around in wallets in order to pay for expensive gas prices and gas is not something everyone can afford. Therefore the slightest drop or rise will have an affect on oil consumers.

Additional, the cause of the rise and drop in gas prices is the oil leakage. This is definitely not the first time I have read an article about oil spill. Oil spillage around the Gulf of Mexico or in Kuwaitt is a huge problem that effects many areas environmentally. The deadly oil is killing thousands of marine life and destroying the fishing industry as well. The horror of the oil spillage is devastating because we are the cause of the oil spills and they can be prevented. If we were to measure how big of an environment issue this proves to be, we can conjure up the image of how large oil spills have covered waters on earth. The picture is above and it is frightful. I hope that the places where oil spills have occurred will be cleaned out and the marine life saved. There are just too many disasters that have come from the oil spills to be something that can be simply ignored. Therefore, even if there is a rise and fall in oil prices, one has to consider the reason why. Is it because there is another oil leakage? How could we prevent this from happening over and over again?

Source:

MSNBC.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39135953/ns/business-oil_and_energy/

Plagiarism Lines Blur For Students in Digital Age

Vivian Cheng

AP English

06 September 2010

Weekly Blog #1

Plagiarism is a term I've first come to heard when I reached the last year of my Elementary years in Grade Seven. I remember vividly like it was yesterday. It was near out Elementary graduation day and our entire grade was in the school's computer lab. I remember this image of our teacher standing in front of the lab, gripping his stacks of paper. He voiced his words in his scolding, stern way, since we were only twelve-year-olds that time-only children. He spoke the word 'plagiarism' and asked our twelve-year-old selves meant. Maybe we were all too focused on the lure of the computer screens in front of us, or maybe we really weren't sure of the term. Nobody spoke, so the teacher told us what it was. I remember him giving him examples. It was too long ago, therefore I am unable to remember his words word for word, but my biggest impression of the word was when he told us how serious it was. He informed us that especially since we would be going to Grade 8 next year, our first year of High School in Canada, we would need to know the term 'plagiarism' because it was 'serious business'. Well, I do certainly believe it is serious business because it could become as serious as breaking the law.

According to passage from New York Times, at Rhode Island College, a freshman had copied and pasted word by word from Wikipedia and did not source this knowledge in his assignment (New York Times). Personally, I know that this is something that is wrong. If I were twelve years old now and that teacher of I mentioned earlier had asked me why I think the freshman's actions were wrong, I would have answered, "It's wrong because he only copied and pasted! He probably only spent two minutes on his assignment! I spent half an hour on mine!" The teacher would have maybe laughed a little at my childish response, but he surely would have reprimanded me on my childlike ignorance as well. Because today I am aware of that is considered stealing, when you don't cite somebody's words and claim them as your own. There are dire consequences that follow those actions, such as a failed paper, a slash to your own dignity, and most likely a disappointed advisor.

When plagiarism occurred, it was dealt with. In a college, where if a student performed plagiarism, he or she would be admonished or scolded as if he or she had stolen from Mom's cookie jar (The New York Times). Although, in the article, there is a bigger concern. Writing tutors and official representation for disciple suggest that many students simply do not grasp that using words they do not write is a serious matter (The New York Times). Going back to my reference on Mom's cookie jars, it is just like how a kid is scolded for stealing from the cookie jar, but in the kid's mind, he or she is only aware that if he or she were to do it again, Mom would give another earful. To the kid, the cookies tastes good, and only Mom and the word 'stealing' act as a barrier keeping the kid away from the cookies. As kids, they don't really understand why except that it's bad and that they'll get in trouble. Somehow, I feel like I can apply this to how young people today feel about plagiarism. They aren't able to understand the seriousness. Therefore they aren't able to reflect upon their actions.

"This generation has always existed in a world where media and intellectual property don't have the same gravity. When you're sitting at your computer, it's the same machine you've downloaded music with, possibly illegally, the same machine you streamed videos for free that showed on HBO last night." said Ms. Brookover (The New York Times). I don't doubt Ms. Brookover's words in the slightest. It is definitely true how our generation today is completely exposed to intellectual property. The easy access to knowledge is only a click away. Therefore I believe that learning how to properly cite sources is essential. Even if our generation is not used to it because knowledge is so accessible, it is something that should be regularly practiced. After all, like the words of an Indiana College student said towards relaxing plagiarism standards "does not foster creativity, but foster laziness" (The New York Times).

To wrap things up, I just want to end on the note that if students were properly taught how to cite sources in high school, they will be less tempted to plagiarize in college. Because if it is engrained into their system, then it would become a habit. It would be just like how I am used to writing my date and name on the top right corner on the pages in my notebook. Regularity with citation can be achieved, but it has to be taught.

References

Sites

"Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age" The New York Times,
Aug 01, 2010. Web. Sept 06, 2010.

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