Her feet glide across the sterile white tiles, past the storefront windows that hold red baubles and perfectly cut snowflakes, while the strains of Mariah Carey’s vocals pound against her resolve. Obese couples drag around obese children and even more obese shopping bags, holding plastic something-or-others that will be forgotten within the next month. Young men and women wander the halls, searching for that perfect gift for that perfect someone who will be forgotten within the next month. Little children sit on the lap of a fat man, telling him that they want puppies and candies and world peace for Christmas, wishes that will be forgotten when the fat man goes away for another year. Elderly sit on benches, hoping that everything could last for a bit longer than it will. All these different creatures walk underneath fake icicles and ginormous baubles and banners that say that they know the perfect present for your recipient, despite the fact that there are so many people to have different presents for. All these notions of perfect gifts and holiday cheer and giving to others will be gone with the first icy wind of January. Looking about her, Arden marvels at how temporary all of this is, this magical time of year when everyone seems to remember charities and the people they love, to really think about them for once, and how it’s all backed by the monstrous economy that feeds off of this temporary affection for your fellow humans. Her moccasins barely make a noise on the tiles, and her appearance is as monochrome as her footsteps are monotone; a grey sweater and dark jeans cover her curved frame, and her thick hair is tucked into a black knit cap. This is a tactic used to try to make her as unnoticeable as a piece of dried gum ... ... middle of paper ... ...when he hears the slam of the door, and turns to face Arden with open arms. The two friends embrace each other, the only ones in the small shop. “Whom do you need for this year?” he asks. Arden flushed a bit at the knowing question, “Iona, Monroe, Darian, Jacklynn, and Bernard. Oh, and Jamie too.” “Bit of a long list this year, eh Herbert?” he winks. The old man preferred the girl’s surname to her given name; he insisted that it suited her better. Anyhow, this year’s list was much shorter than last year’s. Arden ignored the comment, “You remember what I them got last year. What else would they like?” The old man took the next twenty-three minutes to wander about the rows of novels, picking them off here and placing them back there. In this time Arden finished a novel of her own, which was tediously interesting, and heard twelve Beatles songs through the speakers.
The article “Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance” is written by Mary Ray Worley, a member of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. She writes of her firsthand experience as a “fat person” in society. Throughout the article, Worley explains what it is like to be obese and describes the way society treats those who have a weight problem. She attacks the idea of dieting, criticizes medical professionals for displaying an obscured view of health risks, and defends the idea of exercising to feel good rather than exercising to lose weight. Unfortunately, her article seems to reflect only own opinions and emotions rather than actual facts and statistics.
Obesity and opposition are the two main issues of this film. The issue of obesity, treated lightly in the beginning of the film and then severely by the end, reflects society’s approach to weight loss. To ...
Obesity is one of the most serious health problems, and it has been increasing significantly. The film “Fed Up” attempts to provide an answer to why people become obese: food itself. However, “real food” as solution offered in the film begs the question of feasibility. The film assumes that people in general have time to buy, prepare, and cool “real food” and thus commits the fallacy of contradicting its own theory by suggesting that it’s the people’s fault for not being diligent enough in taking care of their health.
Christmas has consumed itself. At its conception, it was a fine idea, and I imagine that at one point its execution worked very much as it was intended to. These days, however, its meaning has been perverted; its true purpose ignored and replaced with a purpose imagined by those who merely go through the motions, without actually knowing why they do so.
“At least 25% of all Americans under age nineteen are overweight or obese” (161). In Greg Critser’s “Too Much of a Good Thing”, Critser, a published author of a book about the epidemic of obesity, explains how America has become obese. Critser published his piece in the Los Angeles Times in 2001 after the United Nations came to New York to discuss the rising issue of obesity. Critser moves on to listing facts and past studies to convince the audience of concerned parents that there is a problem. In Greg Critser’s article, the language of his argument embodies the threat of obesity by challenging emotions, providing logic, and giving examples from credible sources. The increase of obesity caused the United Nations to meet in New York to discuss the circumstance.
After attending the meeting I left with a new view on overweight people. After seeing the tears and emotions of the people who expressed their feelings I have a better understanding of overweight people. The people who attended this meeting were suffering from a disease. One person used a great analogy. The food is their allergy. When they eat the food they have a negative reaction. One of the main reactions discussed was how they would willingly eat the food but they never knew how much they would need to satisfy that craving. Most people said the craving was never satisfied.
Today, 78.1 million American adults and 12.5 million children are obese. Obesity in America is a unstoppable epidemic. Since the 1960s, the number of obese adults have doubled and the number of obese children have tripled. Because of America’s obesity problems, Surgeon General David Satcher issued a report saying; "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight," said that obesity "have reached epidemic proportions" in America. Obesity in America has no doubt reached epidemic proportions. Since 2001, America has been the most obese country in the world. This essay discusses what obesity is and how it is affecting today’s America by answers the following questions:
Christmastime was always a magical time of year for me. The beautifully decorated shopping malls, with toys everywhere you looked, always fascinated me. And the houses, with the way their lights would glow upon the glistening snow at night, always seemed to calm me. But decorating the Christmas tree and falling asleep underneath the warm glow of the lights, in awe that Santa Claus would soon be there, was the best part of it all. As a child, these things enchanted me. Sure, the presents were great, but the excitement and mystery of Christmas; I loved most of all. Believing…that’s what it was all about. Believing there really was a Santa and waking up Christmas morning, realizing he’d come, as my sleepy eyes focused on all the fancily wrapped presents before me.
The well known holiday of Christmas today is far from what it was in it’s former being. Many aspects led to the change in Christmas, however Charles Dickens, a Victorian era author was arguably the most influential in the change. There was a time when christmas was not much more important than your average holiday. Without the work of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Regency Christmas would not have changed to be the way it is today. As we examine the Regency Christmas, the Christmas events in A Christmas Carol, new Christmas ideas, and today’s new christmas we will form the true Christmas.
Christmas is a holiday celebrated by many nations and religions around the world. The spirit of Christmas causes people to come together. It is one of the most favorite times of the year involving gift giving and merry making. To celebrate Christmas people decorate their homes, churches, and other buildings in which fellowship may take place. They may do this with ribbon, holly, mistletoe, and decking them with silver and gold. But where did all these traditions originate? Now, many believe that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus's birth. The truth is that all of these customs from Christmas pre-date our Lord's birth entirely! Christmas today is just a collection of traditions put together to make the holiday we celebrate every year on December
Those who are overweight and obese not only impact themselves but they also impact their peers and fellow citizens. The responsibility of American’s to help those who are suffering from obesity is absent. This is understandable, considering we are not responsible for the actions of others. However, change arrives when other’s no longer stand idly by watching suffering. Those who suffer from addictions or psychiatric abnormalities experience greater success in getting back on...
The Mistletoe, the Holly, and the Ivy are evergreen plants which bring the color of green into Christmas. These plants also remind everyone of the green which comes in the spring and that winter will eventually be over. In January the Romans would exchange evergreen branches as a symbol of luck. During mid-winter festivals the ancient Egyptians would bring palm branches into their houses. In the Middle Ages in lots of places in Europe Paradise plays were performed on Christmas Eve. In the play the “Paradise Tree” there was a pine tree with red apples strung on it. Bible stories were told to people who couldn’t read. It also makes me think of all of the Christmas plays that I participated in school especially Latvian school where every year I got to dress up as an angel.
Is there a problem with being obese? Are there issues that obese people have to deal with that people of normal weight do not have to deal with? To answer these questions, there is need to have a thorough understanding of obesity. This research paper defines obesity, explains how it arises, and shows that it is a risky health condition that comes with numerous challenges that are difficult to handle. The challenges include susceptibility to disease, social stigma, and the inability to perform certain roles in society.
December 25 is the time of year that everyone celebrates, but does not know the true meaning of this day. Christmas is my favorite holiday because it is the time of year for loving, giving, and remembering who this holiday is for.
Christmas was always a big event in our family. We always spent Christmas Eve with my father's family and Christmas Day with my mom's. There was always a lot of food and many gifts, but for the first four or five years of my life, I had no clue what we were celebrating. I really don't think I cared too much, being a young child caught up in all the excitement. And I had something to call it. Christmas. That's all I really needed until I stumbled upon a Christmas special on television entitled A Charlie Brown Christmas. I must have been four or five years old at the time, I can't remember for sure, but I don't think I had started kindergarten yet. But I know I was curled up in a Sesame Street sleeping bag in front of our old television set, one of the small older models instead of the giant entertainment centers like we have now.