5) Explore what you already know. Access Leading Issue summaries ("Topic Overview" or "At Issue" Pages) and Timeline (under Research Tools) from the SIRS Leading Issue you have chosen. In 3-5 sentences, summarize the background and historical information of the Leading Issue you selected. Include main controversies, key figures, important organizations, and key events.

Briefly list what you know about your topic already. Consider the following:

• Surprising facts or statistics: Between 1980 and 2000, obesity rates in the US doubled among adults. About 60 million adults, or 30% of the adult population, are now obese.

         72 million Americans are obese; nearly 7 million of these are morbidly obese.

• the extent of the problem: Its a great extent because most of the US individuals in the US are obese.

• important people or institutions involved: Michelle Obama, Andrew Lansley

• key schools of thought: Organization of Nation Assosiation to Advance Fat People.

• common misconceptions: most parents feel that the reason why their child is obese is there fault. individuals can out grow their weight problem.

• observations you've made: People with less than a high school degree have the highest obesity rate. i saw that poeple with higher rate are less likely obese. 
  

• important trends: 

• major controversies: some feel that being obese is a good thing. like the organization. 

4a) Make a final decision about your logical argument research topic. What is it? Questions to ask yourself:
 My final decision about my logical argument research topic is going to be Obesity.

What have we been studying in class this year? We have been studying about mental disroders and how it is treated. A Street Car Named Desire by tennessee Williams shows a character named blanche suffered a  Dissiociate Disorder. WE also learned about edgar allan poe and his outcast and mental disorder. 
Which subjects appeal to me? However, the subject of the worry of over weight individuals keeps me in concern. i like to research on what foods are healthy and which are actually worse. 
What are people writing about? People are writing about racism, and eating dissorders. Because of the ferguson event, people want to do more research of this travesty. Others want to see what surrounds the females minds when have this disorder.   
What's most interesting to me? Obesity is most interesting to me because it is a quite upsetting topic that puts many to worry because we, as a nation, are considered as a very obese country which interests me to figure out why it is causing it. 
Can I find information about that? Yes, i can finds this information almost anywhere. Google or any other source would be filled with useful information about this specific topic. 


4b) Why are you most interested in the topic of argument selected?

I am interested in the topic of Obesity because it is a very crucial travesty that will only get worse if no one takes action. 

Obesity- 

1. Should junk foods be taxed to reduce obesity? Yes, because it will regulate the obesity rate to a lower stand.
2. Is obesity a matter of willpower? Yes, because it will help them get the incentive to not become unhealthy. 
3. What are ways to address the obesity epidemic without regulation? Many individuals can spread awareness and and have ads to keep them aware. 
4. Should there be a limit on junk food advertisements during television shows marketed to children? No, i think it will help individuals be aware of what can happen if you dont eat healthy. 
5. Should obesity be classified as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act? No absolutely not. Being obese isn't an accident it was done because of the poor nutrition and lack of self control when eating.

Eating Disorders-

1. Is anorexia a recent disorder or has it existed long before the advent of Twiggy and other super-thin models? No because body sizes became more important than back then. 
2. Why are females more likely to develop anorexia than males? Females are more likely to develop anorexia than males because woman had to be seen as more skinny and beautiful looking. Since it attracts the men, they try to be skinny. 
3. Besides culture and biology, what other factors could contribute to anorexia? Anorexia can contribute to environment and surroundings. 
4. How has media exposure affected anorexia rates in non-Western countries? Media exposure affected anorexia rates in non- Western countries by having an ideal view of peoples bodies. 

Child Abuse- 

1. What are the most effective ways to prevent child abuse? One way to prevent child abuse is to review and keep an eye on parents who have had suspicion over abusing their children. 
2. Are children safer because of the tracking of sex offenders? Explain your answer. No the students are not safer because tracking them only clarifies part of the problem. The offenders are still at the site and must be taken by the police.
3. Should convicted child sex offenders who have served their punishment be able to live where they want to? Why or why not? Convicted child sex offenders should live where they were at of they served their time in prison. After being punished thay can be brought back to their original society.

Voting Fraud-

1. List and explain three reasons why people commit voter fraud. 1.) To have a say in politics 2.) To support the politician and have a greater chance of wining.  
2. What is worse, voter intimidation or fraudulent voter-registrations? Explain. Fraudulent voter-registration because it surrounding the idea of how the fraud usually begins. Without checking I.D it shows that it isn't protective to an individual. 
3. What are the current protections against voter fraud? The current protections against voter fraud us asking for identification to confirm an individual before voting.

Choose five topics that you think are potential research topics for your paper and briefly (in 2 to 5 sentences) explain why these topics are of interest to you.

1. Obesity- I find this a great topic for my paper because it is crucial to discuss the unbalanced nutrition most of the individuals in the US are consuming. 

2. Eating Disorders- It is important to discuss the issue involving eating disorders like Anerexia and young individuals who die from this. 

3. Child abuse- It is significant to discuss this topic in the paper because it is important to be aware of what type of cruelty is in the world.

4. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder- This is also a great topic to talk about in the paper because it surrounds the issue on what some veterans faced during the aftermath of war. 

5. Animal abuse- Animal abuse and neglect occurs everywhere around the world. This plays into many types of situations and cases.

What cases can be made for or against X?

Obesity- I am for the involvement of government in controlling obesity because it seems that it is the only way that individuals will cut down on sugars and other unhealthy products.

Eating Disorders- I not am for the idea of how society promotes tin bodies as ideal which causes anorexia. I think this because insecurity is a major issue for females which triggers them to want to loose weight in an unhealthy fashion.

Child Abuse- I am for the case about violating privacy from the abusers to protect the children because if any individual is being hurt the police have the right to interfere to guarantee protection of the pupil.

Voting Fraud- I am not for voting fraud because it isn't fair to the electoral system. All individuals should be asked for some type of identity.

Animal Abuse- I am not for animal cruelty. Individuals who use them for entertainment and gaming causes them to suffer because of the force to interact with other animals more than usual.

2) What "ticks you off"?

Make a list of four or five things that "tick you off." Explain why. (Choose significant things that others might experience as well. For instance, your little brother might tick you off, but there is little chance that this annoyance will yield a possible paper topic). It is possible that one of these annoyances can be transformed into an interesting, engaging, and researchable project.

1) Something that ticks me off is when i get home from school and i check my fridge and theres nothing for me to eat. This annoys me because im starving and theirs nothing for me to consume. 

2) It ticks me off when i pour my cereal in a bowl and when i get the milk, my family leaves only two tablespoons of milk left. Like why not just finish it are you psychotic?

3) It ticks me off when my mom is very nosy and obnoxious to me. I will never keep a secret from her so she doesn't need to worry about anything. 

4) When people take my food without asking. I dont like people not getting permission to touch my things including food. 

5) When theres no wifi or it stops working. This means i have to use my data which is bad. 

6) When i am waiting for the bus for like half an hour in the freezing cold and the bus is running late. This ticks me off because i catch a cold most of the time as a result. 

7) When you bang your pinky toe on something. 

8) When you bang your hip on the side of a table. it feels like you got shot. 

Georgia Filippides
1. Why does the author, Nicholas Carr, feel like his mind is changing as a result of the Internet?
- Nicholas Car feels like his mind is changing as a result of the Internet. He thinks that the more he is on the Web, the less focused he will be while doing other activities.
2. How does doing research today compare with doing research in a library in the old days, before the Internet? (I know you weren't around 20 years ago, but answer this based on what knowledge you have gathered about libraries in your lifetime).
- There are many differences between getting research in the old days compared to now. Then, they didn't have internet so they would physically have to find books and encyclopedias to at a local library to get sufficient information. Now, you are a laptop away and it takes 5 minutes to find what you are searching for.
3. How have Nicholas Carr's reading habits changed because of the Internet?
- Nicholas' Carr's reading habits changed because of the internet by him not being able to focus after the second or third page he is reading. He feels the need to move around and do something else.
4. How is reading online different than reading a long article or book? Is there a difference? Explain.
- Reading online is different than reading a long article or book because reading online gives more off straight forward and quicker access to it. With articles and books it takes longer to find the exact information you are looking for.
 
5. Do you agree or disagree that our minds think like computers? Explain.
- To a certain extent I feel that our brains are fascinating. we have a significant power of memory and thinking. We aren't exactly like computers but something like it.
6. Do you agree or disagree that the computer "is subsuming most of our other intellectual technologies?"
- No I disagree because no matter what, any individual will experience other technologies regardless. We will adapt to these other technologies without the computer interrupting it.
7. Why do you think The New York Times changed its format? Do you think it was a good idea or a bad idea? Why?
- The New York Times changed its format because the “shortcuts” would give readers a quick sample of the day’s news, sparing them the “less efficient” method of actually turning the pages and reading the actual articles.
8. What does Nicholas Carr mean by "knowledge work?"
- Nicholas Carr means "knowledge work", to depict how the Internet only a machine designed for providing efficient and automated collection, transmission, and manipulation of information that is called "knowledge work".
9. Do you agree or disagree that Google has been successful in its mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful?"
- Yes, I agree that Google has been successful in its mission to "organize the worlds information and make it universally and useful". This company provides websites from all over the web to assist any individual around the world with information.
10. How does Google's mission compare with a library's mission in light of the fact that there is no fiction or nonfiction section on the Internet, but there is a fiction and a nonfiction section in a library, and that all the books are organized on the shelves in a library, but "scattered on the floor" of the Internet?
- Google's mission compares with a library's mission because library's only have a certain amount of options that are way less than the internet options they display. Google has so many results that it tends to be a little disorganized.
11. Do you think it would be a good thing if your own brain and intelligence were "supplemented, or even replaced, by an artificial intelligence?"
- No, it would not be a good thing if my brain was replaced by an artificial intelligence. This "artificial" intelligence is obviously a fake brain that never originated in my body. Even if it may be smarter, it still isn't worth an actual human brain.
12. Do you think that the human brain is "just an outdated computer that needs a faster processor and a bigger hard drive?" Why or why not?
- No, I don't think that our brain should be classified as "an outdated computer". Individuals must understand that human brains and the intelligence of a computer have their strengths and weaknesses regardless. They both share a special value.
13. What do you think about your own surfing habits, the links you click on and the pages you view, being an opportunity for "Google and other companies to collect information about you and to feed you advertisements?"
- I am okay with the fact that Google is collecting the information for advertisements. Google is its own company and if they are trying to make money. We use the site for free so we shouldn't complain.
14. How does the above compare to reading a book? Do you agree or disagree that companies online, collecting data about us by what we click on and view, are using subversive tactics to discourage "leisurely reading," and "slow, concentrated thought?" Are you yourself driven to distraction while on the Web? How or how not?
- Yes, I disagree when companies collect data when we click and views things. It isn't fair to the computer user and it is also invading personal property. It seems a bit unproductive as well.
15. Do you agree with Socrates that the development of writing led to people using the written word as a substitute for the knowledge they carried around in their heads? Why or why not?
- Yes, I agree with Socrates thought about how writing led to people using the written word as a substitute for the knowledge they carried around in their heads. The development of writing was the reason for document and stories.
16. Do you think the Internet is doing the same thing? Why or why not? How or how not?
- I think the internet is doing the same thing. The internet is providing new information everyday for many years to have for individuals. Generation by generation the information will be passed down and improved.
17. How do your own reading habits compare to what Nicholas Carr describes in this article?
- I do have some comparisons after reading this article. I do tend to loose focus when I read to long from an article or book. The web may be the cause of this, as Nicholas Carr stated.
18. So, do you think Google really is making us stupid? Why or why not? How or how not?
- I feel that Google is not making us stupid. Stupid is the wrong term. I feel like it is making us more dependent and lazy. Us individuals are heavily relying on Google's information which may become a future issue.

Homework, Part 1:

 1) If you believe that all students should be Web literate, what is the best strategy for your school to prepare you with this skill? Explain.
- Since all schools should be Web literate, the best strategy for my school would be to attend this college research class and ask for assistance to the teacher. This will help you become more aware and experienced with the Web for future purposes. We will definitely be needing as much Web skills as possible because in college, we will be doing many computer tasks that will require past knowledge.


2) What skills should all teachers have to be Web literate? Explain.
- There are quite a few skills that teachers must have to become Web literate. First, they must get a good understanding on how to research information through search engines. Second, they must recognize all types of citation for a students paper. Lastly, they should know academic sources from different websites that students can use for further information.


3) What role should school filtering play in your school district? Explain why schools should block or not block Web sites.
- School filtering plays major role for guaranteeing protection and viruses that can effect the students learning. Social media websites are blocked for purpose. That purpose is to avoid any un academic websites that will prevent the student from focusing on what the task the teacher assigned. Since it also protect viruses, it will prevent the government from having to by more laptops. On the other hand some may feel that there are too many blocks on the DOE laptops. Websites like Youtube are blocked but can be used as a useful website for students.


4) Do you believe the Internet is as big a transformer of culture as the printing press? Explain.
- I do not believe that the internet is as big of a culture transformer than the printing press. The internet was a great turning point to history, but it was not the primary cause of the turning point. Gutenburg's invention of the printing press was first seen to be the start of technology that then after became more advanced. Without the printing press, no one would have been able to start a positive affect on society until many years later. Therefore, Gutenberg's invention was the only official transformation in culture because that's where it all began.


5) If yes, what parts of our culture do you believe will be most affected? Explain.
- Read above.