HW 58 - Prom Interviews

The younger person I spoke to said "Personally, I think of 'em as pointless." She went on to say "I mean girls my age will just buy a damn dress YUCK), and pretty much wear it only once. It's pointless, plus, prom is something I've never been to, and never will. Just too...well, proms are like parties, and I like a good party as much as I would like a grave yard. "

Someone close to my age described them "as simple fun. " They said If you don't like to dance then you can just hang out and chat with friends. Most proms have a quieter area to do so.She said at her prom they even had Sixteen Candles playing in the background for their 80's Hollywood theme . "I believe they play movies every year, though I can't imagine why anyone couldn't handle at least slow dancing with their date!"

Another person close to my age that I spoke to said "At my first prom I bought a pretty yellow dress from a hand-me-down shop downtown. This year I'm getting a new one, but not something that's like, 300 bucks." She went on to explain how way too drastic that price was for just one night, no matter how "special." 

Older person I talked to said "I didn't go to prom. I wish I was able to experience it, but it just wasn't in the stars for me. " She talked about how it's a rite of passage for all seniors in HS, as like a farewell to life as a young person and a leap into adulthood, tho she stated "thats totally overrated, being adult has it's disadvantages, believe me" Prom she said is a place to hang out with your friends one last time as kids, care free and just enjoying that last moment.

The last person I spoke to said "I really hate dances and all that i wasn't going to go because it was way too much work to find a dress and get all dress up for it but I actually did end up going it was pretty awesome. I had a really good time with my friends. I even did the whole dress thing even though i really hate wearing them but i fell in love with mine as soon as i saw it, might of been because it was black with white designs and not all colorful but its true i only used it once. i think what made it the best night was that i spent it with my friends and we always have fun together. if you decide to go believe me you wont regret it. you should try it"

HW 57-Initial Thoughts On Prom

What is prom really? To be honest I have no idea what the positives or even negatives of prom are. Up until this week, prom was one of the last things on my priority list .But listening around school,its definitely the number one topic. Everyday I hear someone whisper under their breath, "Who're you going with?" Prom has been slapped onto numerous places; from flyers to broadcasting of facebook there's no were to hide from the prom bombardment . Everyday I've been reminded of something that so unsure about.

With such overexposure comes a certain amount of criticism's. I was taught growing up that prom was very over exaggerated and now doing it, it certainly seems that way and frankly, played out. The idea of prom we are given is a dance where girls dress up in fairytale-elegance, like a celebrity to have the fabled best night of their life with someone they love.But real life prom is all to different , prom is more like a dance that ignites jealousy and sabotage,who will be the best dress? who will be the best date? where should we get the best booze from? Prom in many ways me is very shallow and petty.

But in thinking about it more there has to be benefits towards prom, cause if not it wouldn't of hung around so long, right? If it was such a outdated tradition it probably would have been phased out of our society already, like 80's workout wardrobe. In many ways prom is prom. Of course it can get bad but it's a memory. And its one I'm sure I'll treasure even if it turns out to be a less than momentous occasion.

HW 56 - Culminating Project Comments

Comment Left On Sam Blog:

Sam really great project. I found it to be both clear and concise.A all around insightful post, and I liked out you went in depth from a cultural perspective . One thing that stuck out to me was the length the Jewish faith goes into to try to preserve the body naturally. I liked how they choose not to embalm. In feels overall like a less industrialized process. Great work.

http://cakeinyoface.blogspot.com/2011/05/hw-55-culminating-project-care-of-dead.html#comments

Comment Left On Rigel Blog:

RigeI I really enjoyed reading your post. You really analyzed what you were discussing and made some great personal insights . I enjoyed how you wrote alittle bit about how we are all connected and we're constant energy Also how you intwine technology and death was amazing. Next time I think you should stick with a main idea and run with it, so you project is clearer.

http://riggleisweird.blogspot.com/2011/05/hw-55-culminating-project-care-of-dead.html#comments

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Sam j said...

Upon reading your post i was posed with the conundrum, what do i view death as? I enjoyed your skepticism because i feel like it is the most refreshing thing to hear a person talk about, it leads to better conversation then from someone who has set beliefs and won't budge from their ideals. It works wonders on people's thought process to be presented with multiple outside sources of information. I think that the story of the women who experienced death and lived to talk about it is a story that people should hear more. I think that if you were able to come up with a story of an opposing view point then you would really be going there, but who doesn't have an interesting story from a near death experience that they had? Aside from a few grammatical and spelling errors, i think that you had a good flow of ideas, clean it up so we can all share in them with you. Good post brother man

Sam

JavonP said...

Your elevator speech was one of the view I enjoyed and defiantly lead me to reading your Blog. Throughout this whole Unit the question that was tattooed in my mind was; What is death? I enjoyed reading your post because it lead me to more questions and answered some I already had. The evidence you had was great such as the near death experience the woman experienced. Your post lacked a few things but overall was a great post similar to your elevator speech. Keep up the good work.

 

Rigel said...

You have that deep voice that gets peoples attentions during your speeches, and the topics you talk about, are interesting, which is another plus. I think the transition from you in the beginning questioning life and death, and you having your own ideas of life and death is what really matters in this unit, using what you learned and now know to achieve your own ideas, is the best thing anyone can do. Because like most peoples views, especially traditional ones such as ones that are made from their religion, we all have our own interpretation on everything, so i like that you have you're own say. You're blog had a lot of good facts, that i didn't now about before, and you used own personal idea to define what you believe. Good job, and i'm interested in reading your next to come.

COTD5

Season 1, Episode 1,3 June 2001
On Christmas Eve, 2000, funeral-director Nathaniel Samuel Fisher is involved in a hearse-accident with a bus and is killed. His family must all cope with his death.It its interesting how death makes every ones life stop.Death seems to bring upon such a ray of different emotions.

Season 1, Episode 2: The Will,10 June 2001
Chandler James Swanson has a car accident, he dives into a pool and drowns and leaves his family with a mountain of debt. Nathaniel's will gives Ruth all his money, Claire an unwanted trust fund, and David and Nate the funeral business.It weird how a death of love one seems to do nothing but leave a burden, weather that be finical or emotional. We always talk about the death in terms of the person experiencing it but we seem to forget all the people it touches.


Season 1, Episode 3: The Foot,17 June 2001
While cleaning a dough-mixer Thomas Alfredi Ramono gets caught in his aide accidentally activating it. Nate agrees to sell the funeral home, with Ruth's support but changes his mind when he hears another's view of Gilardi so is forced to reconsider if this easy choice is the best one. It was interesting the family dynamics between Dave and Nate. Both of them have different views on whats right.But it seems they both have secrets and internal "demons"

Six Feet Under is a collection of the relics of lives that no longer exist and their effect on the one around them. I think what these shows where trying to get at is that these relics are an important because they are the only means by which we really remember someone, by touching something they once wore, made or wrote.

I feel the show provides depth without always true insights, but then such things are left are true in life. But especially in death , I find that I think will all get some great insights from death but sometimes that's not true. And I think that's what this show explores that while death is a heavy thing life still goes on after it. Sometimes you don't all of a sudden get this new awakening. The show offers a different way of looking at death, and I have to say it feels more alive.

COTD2

Harold & Maude is both a celebration of death and life. .Watching this movie you find yourself laughing without thought, and you finish watching the movie with a appreciation for life .Throughout the movie Harold’s mother attempts to find her 20-year-old son a wife through a dating service,but Harold is more occupied with pretending to kill himself in clever new ways.

After an appointment with a psychiatrist, Harold meets Maude, a old woman with more spirit than anyone hes ever meant. The two thought the movie discover a similar interest in attending funerals, and develop a friendship, which eventually becomes a loving relationship. Although this movie in many respects is a comedy, I would classify it more as a dark comedy because there is an element of seriousness that underlies the entire movie.This underlining factor being "Death" ,as Maude tells Harold, is just a part of life that every person has to accept.

For Harold, that acceptance comes through Maude’s free-spirited lifestyle. “Try something new everyday.” Maude teaches Harold how life is little more fragile, a little more valuable then he ever thought before. He develops from a pessimistic young man to a compassionate adult.He learns to appreciate the beauty of life around us , even death, as it just another role to be played.

HW 55 - Culminating Project - Care of the Dead

In the begging I started this unit with a lot of questions like what is death? How do we experience death? What about life after death; do we survive? These are just a few of the big questions I started this unit surrounding death with. In many ways these are the questions people have asked and pondered over for centuries.

Death in some opinions is the end of journey, for others its the beginning of a great. adventure. So the question becomes what is the level of consciousness after death.After countless accounts of near-death experiences, dating as far back as ancient Greece, science has now been taking serious steps to explore this idea .

A Cardiologist Michael Sabom described a near-death experience of a patient of his a woman who was having an unusual surgical procedure . The unusual medical procedure consisted of making the woman experience hypothermic cardiac arrest, in order to insure that the aneurysm at the base of the brain would not rupture during her operation. Her body temperature was lowered to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, her heartbeat and breathing ceased, her brain waves flattened, and the blood was completely drained from her head.

She had no cerebral electrical activity . Ordinarily at regular body temperature the brain cannot function without its oxygen supply for more than a few minutes. So by lowering the body and brain temperature to 60 degrees F, the woman was practically brain dead. The patient later reported that, apparently while under these “brain death” conditions, she had a near-death experience in which she was able to observe and hear details of objects and happenings in the operating room with accuracy.

Near-death experiences like this are some of the most common experiences. Experiences like these leave us with the question is their life after death.Life, in many ways, is a series of deaths. We are always moving from one experience to another. The point is: we are always moving, constantly dying but where always living. In this context death in many respects becomes a very natural part of life. We simply when we die move from one room into another, a passing of consciousness after .

I believe depending upon on which side of the doorway of life where entering we label this transition either birth or death. Death and birth in all respects are one in the same from the cradle to the grave. are basically the same process. Both involve passing of consciousness. The only difference is the direction of movement.

HW 54 - Independent Research B

In Christianity burial seems to be the preferred way to care for the dead. A fundamental reason for burial in Christianity comes from Deuteronomy 32:43, “And he makes atonement for the land of his people,” this phrase suggest that burial not only honors the dead but is a sort of penance for the living.Another biblical source in which supports burial is when God pronounces to Adam in the Garden of Eden that he may enjoy life “till thou return unto the ground” ,Also when Abraham declares at his wife's,Sarah, interment , to “give me a possession of a burying –place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (Iserson, Kenneth)

There are several more arguments to why Christians prefer burial as the predominant way to care for their dead. But one big reason is the fact that Jesus was not cremated. Christian's attitudes towards the disposal of a dead body also greatly relies on what type of Christians they are. Mormons, Orthodox and Roman Catholic all disapprove of cremation while the Episcopal Church and other Christian’s denominations like the Methodist and Unitarians allow it.

There are biblical passages infact that suggest cremation to be the right choice for Christians. “In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread till you return to the ground. For dust you are and dust you shall return”. (Genesis 3:19). There are many references in the Bible that support both arguments. That is why Christians don’t have a strict death right like many other religions. Modern society has had a big impact on western Christians aswell . So for Christians, it is not only the religion that sets the standard for death rights but also the expectations, standards and rules of society.

Christians unlike many religions for better or worse support embalming in their death rituals. One of the main reasons why Christians have allowed and even embraced the practice of embalming is due to the Civil War and President Lincoln. Americans,mainly Christan's at the time, wanted their soldiers to be returned home after battle. After an officer and friend of President Lincolns were embalmed, the president allowed embalmers to embalm the soldiers after the battles. This gave American Christians time to prepare funeral services and gather family. After President Lincoln was embalmed and put on display across the nation, American Christians chose to embalm. They saw no religious conflict with body preservation. Embalming is just seen that it would just prolong the inevitable. Catholics have no problem embalming, tho the Vatican has gone back and forth on the topic.

Embalming has been referenced about several times in the bible. In Genesis “And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father” and “forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.” Infact many bible passages contain graphic descriptions of embalming.

It seems that the decision of how to care for the dead usually begins with what the person would have wanted and the religious affiliation of the person. Unfortunately as a society we have decide to start a trend where death is viewed as a "taboo" and the body is taken and removed of quickly.There is no doubt that being in the presence of a dead body can bring deep emotion and spirituality. Having to dispose of a body is the best reminder that it is our fate. It is the only thing we really have.



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HW 53 - Independent Research A

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/314353/diy_funeral_care_for_the_dead_on_your.html

This article is about how people are choosing to prepare the bodies of their loved ones for burial and hold their funeral services on their own.


http://www.iccfa.com/blogs/todd-van-beck/2010/01/07/good-intentions-aren%E2%80%99t-enough-when-faced-dead-body

This article argues how authors who write about the death industry have no real knowledge about the mode of death, or how people die.

http://www.essortment.com/history-care-dead-21141.html

This article is about the tangled history which is the care of the dead.

What I got form these articles is it appears that most religions the body as sacred.It seems that one’s family and spiritual background is how predominately the method of disposal for a dead body is taken care of. Once death has passed, what do we do with the remains? Death rituals like are preparations for the deceased’s journey. The two meager ways we dispose of a body in the United States is earth burial or cremation. Also many of the articles point out that in America, we have the choice to embalm our dead, which for some pushes the boundaries.

HW 50 - First Third of Care-of-the-Dead Book Post

Quotes:
"Death wasn't something to fear, it was something to aspire to, after the troubling business that came before it, of which there was little need to speak."(26)

"In death you're a cold, physical problem that must be dealt with."(26)

"Bake, shake, be done with it." (32)

"In the office, Richard's quick estimate, not including cemetery expenses, comes to $7,680, which he rounds up to $7,900 to provide wiggle room. Then if the final bill is less than the estimate, they'll feel like they got a deal." (page 39)


"The embalmed corpse is an in-between: both a person and an object to fear." (57)

" He doesn't want to be your friend he wants to be your funeral director something that most corporate funeral directors do not do."


Precise:
So far in "Curtains" by Tom Jokinen , Jokinens has been apprenticing with funeral director Neil Bardal, who could see that the future of his funeral home business didn’t involve nice big, expensive cherry-wood boxes. Bardal is from a long generation of undertakers, and he owns a “full-fig” funeral home as well as a crematorium.Jokinen has had to learn to receive bodies and embalm them. He's observed cremations and processed cremains. He learned from embalming artists who tackled impossible situations and made bodies look presentable for decedents’ loved ones.



Analysis:
This book has been okay for the most part. It's actually been a pretty smooth read. I like how its been able mange a wide variety of fascinating topic about death in just a few chapter's already. Its well written, and makes some good insights. I feel like its one of the many books we've read in the past an outsider's takes on a fascinating dirty job to uncover a dirty truth.Tho compared to the others its oddly more interesting. I like the dark humor,and interesting tidbits. It's kind of like reading a blog or column or extended magazine article.On page 26 when Jokinen says "In death you're a cold, physical problem that must be dealt with."Its funny but true. And this is the feeling Ive had reading his book so far. He gives the sad truth a sense of humor in his style of writing.

HW 49 - Comments on Best of Your Break HW

Comment Left For Arden :

Your Post made me think of A Grateful Dead quote "What a long strange trip it's been."You did areal nice job in this post. You really illuminated each interview . I think you and all of the people you interviewed really had some interesting points. To me personally your interviews with Robert and Hadley stood out. I could really relate to Robert when he said "is dead, it doesn't really matter to me." ,In a lot of ways I really agree with this statement because when I die, I die ,alot after that doesn't matter life goes on. While you were critical of Hadley's optimism, I actually appreciate it. Especially when she was describing the service she wants when she dies and says she wants a service "where they could come and remember me the good and the bad. You know just remember me for me." That's exactly how I would want my service to be. I don't want after my death somehow to become a saint or a devil I just want be "remembered for me" . I know as naive as it sounds but I want people to have a party at my funeral, I want music and I want all the people I use to know from way before. I think that's what Hadley was getting at also that people when it comes to death and funerals tend to be sad. Who wants that ? I know I didn't live my entire life to have people at the very end sad and make more out of me then needed. And yes spreading ashes in certain places is illegal but those are one of those times where I think its all right to break the rules. I know my mom and aunt spread my grandmothers ashes in a garden that she loved in central park now that was differently illegal but its what she wanted. Whose to say every one's final resting place has to be six feet under. You had a great post keep it up cant wait to read more .



Comment Left For Sharif:

You did a nice job in this post Sharif. I liked how you really analyzed your interviews,You did a great job At building a contrast between your mother's /father's point of view and "our view's". You also asked some great questions.

However I disagree somewhat when you say "The only reason we don’t react like that is because we are used to the idea, our understanding is much more broad. We were lucky enough to grow up in a generation where tradition isn't something that is held to as high a standard as the ones before us, which allows us to be able to accept things the my mothers generation and culture really could not, which then begs the question how much does our culture/ generational norms effect our decisions?"

I think that in alot of ways we as a generation have still been made to believe in certain taboos of death. So which your statement is more then valid. I think we are more close minded then we even realize

HW 48 - Family Perspectives on the Care of the Dead (COMMENT ON THIS)

I talked to a older friend of the family, who describes how her mother was devastated by the death of her husband. She said that her mother clung to her husbands corpse as he was dressed for the funeral,showered him with kisses. From that day on she said that her mother became a incurably lonely woman. For a long her mother would cry and talk to him as if he was their. She said that her mother had no sense of a afterlife, she had utterly no hope of ever seeing her beloved husband again. She abandoned all the faith she had after he died.

I talked to older gentlemen in my building who seemed not to want to have anything to d with the topic of death. So it was a short interview but he made some interesting points. He said that he believed that after death all that happens is our atoms return to nature and become part of other forms of life. Therefore there is life after death, it's a continual process.He said that he felt religion while in the old days was used to keep the common people in line. Now it was used to make people feel "superior" over every other form of life on the planet. When I told him that I believe their could be a god, or something bigger he said may your god go with you. I am my own god. He said the only real heaven & hell is what happens in your life, "heaven is looking at a new born baby, while hell is loosing someone you love."

Its interesting how everyone makes these choices , between faith and non faith. From everyone I talk to religious to non religious its like they all have this certainty of something they haven't experienced yet. How do you know what's after death if you haven't died.But somehow they’re all certain that they hold the truth , that they belong to to the right thinking, even though they have no clue.I feel that most, not all of course adopt these views to give answers to all of the uncertainties of life. Also a lot probably have these views based on their family, friends,situations making a lot of their "views" on the matter a matter of chance.

HW 46 - Initial Thoughts on the Care of the Dead

I feel that as a society we have devised ways for dealing with death and the knowledge of our own mortality as to ease are fear of the unknown. We use such things as complex visions of what might follow death like heaven or hell, or occupy are work days with responbilites and none sense so we dont have to think about it.

The truth is where all gonning to die. Its the one gurantee. Some people dont like to hear it so straight but its true. I personally dont worry so much about heaven or hell, or what comes after.How I see it, is best case scenario theirs a life after death worse case sceniro is its nothing where gone in a million different particules,"dust to dust".

Death to me seems alot like birth, we dont have any recolation of what we were if anything before we were born so why should we after we die.I think what is never really touched apon is not the death considered by the norm but the death that occues in many people while their still alive . When I think about death, I think of a Poem called "A Long, Long Sleep, a Famous Sleep" by Emily Dickinson :

A long, long sleep, a famous sleep That makes no show for dawn By strech of limb or stir of lid, -- An independent one. Was ever idleness like this? Within a hut of stone To bask the centuries away Nor once look up for noon?

HW 45

Matt, This letter was moving with its creative and persuasive language. From the beginning of the powerful and relevant Kennedy quote, to the atroctious statistical data and your analysis of it, I found myself convinced that I was reading a speech of a "budding activist", but like american literature, we have beautful writing but the actual action the writing is meant to provide is skewed. A question I have for you is, "if you were to begin this kind of movement, how would you account for the movement of actual action holding true to the beautiful writing provided?" Great Post! Response: First I want thank you for taking the the time to read my post. While first we have to realize that the powerholders want to keep this issue off the social and political agenda. And the public is unaware of the problem and directly or in dircetly supports the powerholders. I think first organizations need to be build to address this isssue, also linking up with current orgnization that have a simalar goals.A vision and strategy must be made like I somwhat layed out. And like I did in my project more people like you must document the problems and bring light to the powerholders’ roles. Becoming informed is the key to change. For some ideas on what you can do write your local politicans, start a facebook group, get more friends involeded. Slowly we can start a grassroots movement which over time can bring about real change to people who realy need it.

HW 44

Matt Personal And Political Blog said... Even, I really enjoyed your speech essay, you established the contrasted between the difference between midwives that just practice at houses, and midwives who practice in birthing centers in hospitals was very interesting and caught my attention. I thought the amount of background information that you put in to the piece to really further your point was outstanding. I think it's a really cruical topic and Im happy you put your two sense in. Matt Personal And Political Blog said... Steven, The statistics of home birth vs hospital births particularly were well thought out and analyzed. The information you had on the hormonal/mental advantages of home births I valued.I feel the contrast you brought up is worth digging deeper. Matt Personal And Political Blog said... I think the idea of investigating how the bond between mother and child many change due to a c-section or a vaginal birth was intreasting. Its a real worth whiled topic. Only thing I would of liked to hear is interveiws with people who expreciend both vaginal birth and c-section birth.I think this would of gave your paper even more flavour.Great Job.

HW 43 - Elevator speech

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm only going to talk to you for a minute or so this morning,Ive come to speak to you about a grave a problem which rest in our hands.Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been called to the pulped to be judge .When we are called to give testimony to our generation what will we say, when asked did we care for the most vulnerable in our society? In pain's me to say that our answer will be , must be , no. Here lie's the very troubling problem. It is my believe that our generation like so many before us will be defined on the final success or failure of our war on poverty.

In the word's of John F. Kennedy "The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life." These words were echoed a century ago and yet we have done nothing. This is evident when it was estimated in 2007 37.5 million people were impoverished.36.2 million Americans are food insecure, including 12.4 million children; single women-headed households are worst off with 30.2%. Our own single mothers and children are living impoverished. This should come as no surprise when about 90% of the wealth in America is controlled by 10% of the upper class of the population.And when the United States spends one trillion dollars for every enemy soldier killed, and only seven billion dollars on the victims of poverty, this is all a very tragic mix up. This is some very sad news for all us .It's perhaps potent to ask knowing what we know now, what kind of a nation are we ? what direction do we wish to move into?

For those of you considering the evidence I just gave you , some might be filled with bitterness, or sadness or overwhelmed and doubtful that change can be made.Now it can be easy for us to move in that direction as a generation, sitting on our hands glued in fear ,that's what they aspect from us.But I say we expect different ,we can make an effort, to understand, and to comprehend, and replace that fear with the willpower to make a difference. What we need in the United States is not two Americas,not division; what we need in the United States is not greed or hatred; what we need in the United States is not poverty , but is real policy change for unwed mothers living in these most troubling conditions.

What we need is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country. So I ask you this morning to return home and find out how you can make a difference.How we can change the plight of single mother's in poverty. Yes to make this change we will have to face difficult times.Change does not come over night. It wont be the end of poverty as we know it. But if the vast majority of us decide to live up to this ideal, to think out of our own selfish needs, to care for those less fortunate in this country ,we can improve the quality of their life.

Let's dedicate ourselves ,our generation to this, let us be the change we so desperately need. Let us give birth to a new Nation.My friends let our generation not be judged on what it wondered was wrong and never changed but let it be judged by what it knew what was wrong and had the will to act. Let them never say we never did it.

HW 42 - Pregnancy & birth culminating project

I have spent most of my life in a blind discourse, I like so many other Americans have believed theirs is one America which falls and prospers together .But I have recently seen fit to follow another course. There are indeed two Americas, One America which sets foot everyday to spend most of their lives working ,while another sits and reaps the rewards .One America who's needs and interest are being long forgotten, while the other America's every wish is meant hand and foot at the heels . One America which is trying to make an honest dollar out of forty cents,while another America can buy anything it's heart desires.One America who believes the weird injustice's happening everyday in American is normal.

One America which has bought into the delusion of the "middle class",their a are are only two classes in America the lower class and the upper class. And in this lower class lie's a problem which the other America refuse's to make true change in, this problem is poverty. It was estimated in 2007 37.5 million people were impoverished.36.2 million Americans are food insecure, including 12.4 million children; single women-headed households are worst off with 30.2% . I believe that these issues confronting us cross all party lines.

One America wants you to believe that the issues stated are false part of some agenda to temper the maintenance of peace and prosperity. The line has been often used "We've never had it so good." But I have an uncomfortable feeling that this prosperity isn't something on which we can base our hopes for the future. No nation has survived very long under the burden of despair and poverty.And yes the poverty rate is growing,another 1.5 million people are expected to be added to the poverty rolls over 2007 figures - a total of nearly 39 million representing 12.7% of Americans.But the biggest group out of these figures that is being effected by this unknown crisis is America is unwed mother's.

Their seems to be a disproportionate number of families in poverty that are headed by single mothers.Their needs to be a spotlight on mothers in poverty, theirs must be attention drawn to this unsettling topic.Their plight can no longer be ignored. Work must be done toward policy changes that would benefit them and their children. Yes it must be noted that not all single mothers are in poverty. Tho most single mothers face their own special hardships of managing a family on their own, and a lot most are able to succeed. However, for mothers of low income, the hardships can be overwhelming and many find themselves trying to survive against formidable obstacles.

Their are many factors that contribute to the high rate of poverty among postpartum single mothers, including the unequal opportunities in education and employment, the overwhelming numbers of women who work in jobs that do not provide adequate wages and or benefits, the time many women devote to unpaid family care giving,the growing rate domestic violence, lack of access to affordable child care, insufficient child support and an inadequate network of public benefits. The lives of low-income single mothers has become a series of crises In America.A juggling act of sorts , with no true alternatives. From everything to where to find safe, decent and affordable housing without spending so much of the family income so that there’s not enough left for food, or utilities, or basic clothing. But the picture is not as bleak as it appears.Their are programs which exist that successfully launch single mothers into economic self-sufficiency. All of these programs share equal characteristics, the most prominent of which is that they take a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of the poor.

Successful programs address the complete spec of the issues effecting single mothers, they combine intensive, respectful guidance with support for education, child care, health care, and housing. We have for to long in America be con into the idea of the "cowboy", that every American makes their own way , that we can left ourselves from our own bootstraps. But many families are unable to lift themselves out of poverty without government support. Public policy must encourage work, but no family with a full-time worker should have to live in poverty. Policy have to made that ease the stress of poverty and enable hard-working single mothers to reap larger benefits from working.This includes a living wage, pay equity, expanded family tax credits, paid sick leave and dependent care leave.Their must be flexible work schedules so that those that have jobs can balance work and family needs. Policymakers must at all levels , local, state and federal focus on this vulnerable population and work to ease their path to economic self-sufficiency before they fall into the cracks of the American dream .

Winston Churchill ones said that "the destiny of man is not measured by material computation. When great forces are on the move in the world, we learn we are spirits--not animals." And he said, "There is something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty." Our duty as Americans ,a people who set themselves to higher morals, as people who believe they are still the moral beacon of world, and adhere to a much higher power is to help those around us who are less fortunate. You and I in the words of Ronald Reagan have a rendezvous with destiny.

Either we will preserve for generation's to come , the last so called "best hope of man on Earth", or we like so many other's before us will throw away our moral obligations and "take the last step into a thousand years of darkness." See why must it be the government and the American people's responsibility to care for the single mothers in poverty is because a single mother who is brought out of the shackles of poverty takes her children with her.That is what we all want, That is the American dream and that is how we peace and prosperity.

HW 41 - Independent Research

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2001/feb/09/socialcare1 http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/CFW/Publications/pdfs/mapagendaforaction.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-parent http://www.adoptionservices.org/pregnancy/pregnancy_birth_mother_government_assistance.html http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/affordablehealthcare.html http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Help_for_Pregnant_Moms_Who_Can%E2%80%99t_Work_and_Need_Money http://addins.kwwl.com/blogs/thesunnyside/2011/01/a-place-of-hope-and-help-for-young-unmarried-pregnant-women I personally want to see what degree of assitance is given to unwed mothers in poverty. There appers to be little exploration into the supports that would be most useful in helping these types of women. I think in many respects its our moral obligation to give these women asstiance in finding resources she needs to parent effectively. I think such an exploration would be worth wild and somthing not touched on much in my opinon, it's long overdue.I would want for what ever I undertake on my project to not influence lower encome women's decisions and behaviors about pregnancy directly but alot like the movies we've watched and book's we've read to promote overall health and well-being and to support women's choice's.

HW 40 - Insights from Book - Part 3

So far in "Birth" by Tina Cassidy, Ive been reading about the postpartum period speacfically the importance breastfeeding.Cassidy after studuing the social and scientific approaches to childbirth gives her evidence about breast feeding's benefits. One of the agrument she used was the their is a bond created through breastfeeding.She claim's that theirs a closeness and intimacy of breastfeeding which strengthens the maternal affection.But it makes sense that breastfeeding would foster early post-partum maternal bond because in many ways breastfeeding is compelete domanance of the senses either through touch,mutal gazing, or the sounds .

I think more women should be made aware of the benifits of breastfeeding so they can make more informed decisons . The chapter also focused on the placenta , I thought this was somthing new and intresting because while we all marvel at the wonders of fetal development and micracle of birth, we often over look the miraculous organ which is the placenta. To think a womens body can make a organ which does so much that previously didnt exist , is simply amazing. The placenta grows from the moment of conception assist the production of hormones needed to sustain the pregnancy at around 12 weeks , It supplies the nutrients to for the baby to devolp.

The book focuses on how other cultures have come to see the placenta in a different light. And how some even have ceremonies and beliefs held about the placenta that are completely foreign to us, normal in indeed werid. For example, in some cultures it is commonplace to eat the placenta because its packed with nutrients.There are even meal like recipes for cooking placentas, including placenta stew, placenta lasagna, power drinks with blended placenta and others. Some people even eat the placenta raw. "Birth" made me think how crazy the value of a placenta is , it has played a main role in helping to nurture and bring forth a life, it truly is the Tree of Life. Like I said in my last post this book is both insighful and oddly entertaining. It really allows you to build up a sense of understanding about birth as awhole.

HW 38 - Insights from pregnancy & birth book - part 1

The beginning of "Birth" by Tina Cassidy talks about the different accounts of women's birth experiences she recevived.Which led her to writing her book. Cassidy really dives into both the labor and delivery procedures during the early decades and contrast them with today's "advanced knowledge". Then she goes on to claim that the real difficulty of the birthing process is infact the woman's pelvis.Her evidence for this was on page 16 whichs proves that by comparing a Homo Sapien's pelvis to that of a chimpanzee and Australopithecus Africanus, evolution has not favored the woman.

I found this book to be oddly entertaining and enjoyable to read. For me I found the info about the midwives really interesting ,this was due to the fact before this book I didnt know much about them. Like when they talked abouthow a midwife during the seventeenth century used odd-shaped large syringes for baptism in utero.It was a shock to hear what mothers in the much ealier decades had to go through .

It was also insightful to hear how much a role where the baby is born location wise plays.It was always my thought that culture has a major role in the birthing process. The book also discusses the Lamaze method,th tools of obstetricians, ultrasound, the trial of the postpartum period, and breastfeeding.

To me personelly as a male who one day may have children of his own was Chapter 8: A Father's Place. Its odd how in a werid way we all tend to ignore the importance of a father. Whether as a witness or advisor a father plays a crucial role to the mother and the baby, because this is when the baby's bonding with the father begins. It's a shame how we as a society and even the fathers themselves have been excluded from the process.

Comments & Comments Left

Comment For Arden H. (H for Haselmann):

While I don't have the pleasure of writing this from a beach I enjoyed your post very much.I liked how you made it personnel, I feel some of the deepest insights we can get is from are own life's sometimes.For me I loved when you said "My mother guessed that "he was trying to prepare himself, cope with the changes that were going to happen in his life." or maybe "he was just trying to comfort me in the changes I was dealing with" I think you were getting at something that in the mist of the birth topic is sometimes sorely missed. That not only is their a baby on the way, but a relationship that has created this life. It appears to me that the birth of a first child can either make or break a relationship. It's a testing time where both people like you pointed out our changing but also trying to be their for one another. It's weird how almost everybody goes into marriage knowing most likely they'll eventually be having a child but then when that day comes their all of a sudden like "ooo shit where having a baby". I thought you brought up a real interesting point at the end as well when you said " A plan was devised for M to before more parent equipped and then claim her baby." Ive been struggling with this idea is it right to bring a baby in this world if your not equipped, even if you accuse is it was a accident ? In my belief its not. I think in fact the problem is that where not problematizing the fact that more and more people are having children and not ready. More than 4 million babies are born in the United States each year, this number is both shocking and disturbing to me because out of that number almost 750,000 U.S. women age 15–19 become pregnant every year.And most teens I know are barely mature or cable a nove to handle themselves how could they handle a baby. This is not to highlight just teens , their are equal amounts of adults who shouldn't be having children. That's why I think your choice of wording "equipped" is right on the money. When and what makes someone equipped a nove to have a child ? . Giving life is a great power that no one has given or taken any responsibility for.Plato said "For neither birth, nor wealth, nor honors, can awaken in the minds of men the principles which should guide those who from their youth aspire to an honorable and excellent life, as Love awakens them." You had a real great post I cant wait to read more

Comment For Sharif:

In my opinion this is a really well written piece,you made some real strong and insightful insights. I thought your interview with you mom was quite interesting , espically when you discussed the "connection" your mom felt with with you as both a fetus and then newly born child. I think this connection with a mother and newborn is something special. It's something hard to miss,but the idea that it occurs even before actual birth is amazing. How the baby and mother are one in the same.Makes me think of a quote "I don’t know whether they should say “You have a baby” Or “The baby has you”." Nice job can't wait to read more.


Joshua ,My Brother:

What I liked about this was the dealtailed way this was wrote. Explaining about the cesections or C-sec for short that some wemon go through when they think they can't get the baby is amazing. This story really's give a person or at least me an understanding of how hard,and painful birth is. But what this story also incorparates is even through all that pain,the end results of this process is worth it. So that's why I have to say nice job.

Jennifer ,My Mom:

It's wonderful you have insight into the birthing process. However I wish you could have expounded on the mental transition that goes on during the process of being pregnant for nine months. The joy and fear, anxiety of another individual living inside of you, the miracle and the questioning of that miracle and it's effects on
the family compostion changing for partners or as a single women ,instead I felt as though I moved right through to some form of the birthing, and believe me their is a middle between giving birth that is as life changing as the finality. The mere conception of another person is created sometimes through preplanned wants or sometimes mistakes or mistiming, however once this life takes on its first ultrasound of a heartbeat the changes begin and the thought processes grows no longer as you the mother a solo entity in this world but has the new caretaker of another.