Washing your hands: just a woman thing?

In My Opinion

LAURA LOMBARDI

STAFF WRITER LCL723@CABRINI EDU

The “hand washing police” have decided that men are much less likely to wash their hands than women are. A recent study by the infectious disease scientists has determined that men have major issues when it comes to washing their hands after using public toilets.

There appears to be a large gender gap when it comes to hygiene. The recent study showed that onethird of men didn’t bother to wash their hands after using the bathroom, compared with just 12 percent of women. The latest study was based on observations last month of more than 6,000 people in four big cities.

It’s news worthy because people who don’t take the time to wash up are spreading their germs to the rest of the world. It takes all of one minute to wash up yet people are either too lazy or in such a rush that they can’t do it. Come on guys,

WASH YOUR HANDS!

The story goes on to list these ‘dirty details’:

Atlanta’s Turner Field baseball stadium again was the worst. Only 57 percent of guys there washed up, compared to 95 percent of women.

New York was Second City to Chicago in cleanliness. In restrooms at the Windy City’s Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Science and Industry, 81 percent of men and women combined washed their hands, compared to 79 percent at the Big Apple’s Penn and Grand Central train stations.

At San Francisco’s Ferry Terminal Farmers Market, 62.5 percent of men lathered up. Women did better, with 84 percent.

Think of it this way, everything you touch in the bathroom before you do your business has been touched by dirty, grimy unwashed hands of millions of other people. How gross do you think those door latches are on the stalls? Or the toilet handle?

Washing your hands is the best way to stop germs from spreading. Think about all of the things that you might have come in contact with today - from the telephone to the toilet.

Maybe you blew your nose in a tissue and then went to exercise at the gym. Whatever you did today, you came into contact with germs. It’s easy for a germ on your hand to end up in your mouth. Think about how many foods you eat with your hands.

I understand that you can’t wear rubber gloves all day long, but you can wash your hands so those germs don’t get a chance to make you or someone else sick. When germs go down the drain, they can’t make anyone sick!

Reality TV-- some people love it, some people hate it. Personally, I think reality TV isn’t as popular as it once was. It isn’t as appealing.

There are plenty of reality TV shows out there and people seem to get drawn in again and again. I don’t think that reality shows are that great anymore.

I must admit that I occasionally watch reality television because there really isn’t anything else on at the moment. The one reality show that I couldn’t get enough of was the “Simple Life.”

I never really understood why I got into watching the “Simple Life.” Perhaps it was because I enjoyed watching princess Paris and Nicole

Most of the reality shows today look scripted. It’s not as fun to watch. People watch reality shows for different reasons. I wanted to watch the Simple Life because it was something out of the ordinary. Maybe that is why people liked the show “Survivor.” You normally wouldn’t have people having to fend for themselves without having a large amount of supplies with them.

Other reality television is more about winning a big prize in the end and watching each person scheme and manipulate until the final episode. Those types of reality television sometimes are occasionally interesting. Some people like to watch just to see who is stirring up trouble, but its definitely something I wouldn’t tune in to watch all the time.

The biggest draw to reality television is prob- ably the young adults who watch shows such as “Laguna Beach,” “The Hills” and “The Real World.”

People love to watch the drama that occurs in other people’s lives. Sometimes it’s nice to see other people having drama. As for me I’m over all of those types of reality shows.

Most types of reality shows seem to be way too scripted and fake so people tend to lose interest quickly. I would have to agree. Why would I want to watch something where I know exactly what is going to happen? Its not “reality” anymore, its just another television show who cast people who are “normal.” Your typical teenager does not look like the girls and guys from “Laguna Beach” and “The Hills.”

Reality TV will always be around and people will always be willing to watch it. A few years ago you couldn’t turn on the television without tuning into a frenzy of reality shows. In recent years the reality TV scene has declined greatly. In the end, I’m over the reality TV scene.