It's time to share all of the hard work you've done investigating and writing about your issue. Copy and paste your article as a comment in this post after you have shared it with me. Reply to at least 3 students. Find a positive craft move that they made and compliment them on it.
Part 1
ReplyDeleteAnimal Rights
“Just when you think you know a thing or two about dogs, there I was in Italy a few weeks ago looking at a dog on the street and exclaiming, “What the heck is that?” “A doberman,” said my good friend and colleague, Mia Cobb. “Really?” I said in disbelief. Because it was true. “I have never seen a dog that looked like that,” said Julie Hecht. The thing was, she didn’t recognize that dog because most dobermans have their ears cropped and tails docked. But this dog didn’t because, in Italy, cosmetic surgeries on animals are banned.
Ear cropping and tail docking are not the only cosmetic surgeries on animals that have been banned, and not the only things that violate animal rights. Other cosmetic surgeries include cat declawing, devocalization, along with tail docking and ear cropping. The process of ear cropping is the removal of parts or all of the pinnae or auricles, the visible external flap of the ear of an animal, to make a dog’s eat stand up straight. This process also sometimes includes taping the ears after surgery to make sure that they get trained to stay upright.
The process of tail docking includes the removal of a dog’s tail for cosmetic purposes. The procedure is performed one of two ways. One being the tail is cut off using a pair of scissors. The second one being the tail dropping off by occluding the blood supply using a tight rubber band.
The practice of cropping the ears and docking the tails of certain breeds of dogs goes way back into history when dogs were bred and used for specific purposes. Ear cropping in Great Danes began to prevent ripping and tearing when confronting wild boar and other animals during a hunt.
The undocked tail served as a handle that an attacker could grab and injure. To minimize injury to tails or ears, breeders of fighting or hunting dogs trimmed off as much as they could. Later on, when some of these breeds became used for purposes other than fighting or hunting, ear and tail trimming were done to suit someone's sense of esthetics.
Boar hunting, bear baiting, and pitbull fighting are a dark part of history for the most part. There is no reason for these cosmetic surgeries if you are not using the dog for what the cosmetic surgery was originally invented for. There is no scientific or medical reason for these procedures.
The process of cat declawing requires the removal of the claws on a cat’s paw. Because the claws are permanently affixed to the cats knuckle, this also means the removal of all of part of the third bone from a cat’s paw. Declawing is used to keep cats from scratching, but scratching is a natural feline behavior that meets cats many needa. That’s why declawing has long lasting effects on cats.
Declawed cats can not fight off other animals or escape quickly from a dangerous situation. They also have a bigger chance to become biters because they no longer can use their claws for self defense or as a warning.
Cats can often stop using their litter boxes also. They may associate the pain they feel on their paws while standing in the litter itself. They may find it less painful when using the bathroom in places that may not be desirable to humans such as carpet, newspaper, on the bed, or any other places that are soft and limit the pain.
Nova Scotia has become the first province in Canada to ban elective cat declawing, along with all of the other cosmetic surgeries that are performed on animals. This practice has already been banned in the U.K., Europe, Australia and several California cities.
Anna S. wrote this
DeletePart 2
ReplyDeleteDeclawing is done to an animal mostly to protect furniture and to meet the owners needs. “It would be the equivalent to taking a very sharp knife and cutting off your finger at the last knuckle joint”, veterinarian Hugh Chisholm says. Also explained earlier in this article, the procedure can also lead to lasting impacts on a cat including arthritis, and pain in the paws and limbs. This happens because the procedure can change the way that the cat walks.
Bedford veterinarian Jeff Goodall’s practice did not normally provide declawing just because the owner wanted it. However, in rare circumstances, he would agree to perform this procedure. For example, an owner that was undergoing chemotherapy could develop major health problems if scratched. Or, for another example, they performed this procedure on a cat that would scratch itself to the point of harm. “Once we performed the declaw, we could manage the case with behavior medication,” Goodall said.
Although declawing your cat ensures that your cat will not ruin any of your furniture, it can cause many other behavioral and physical problems in your cat.
The last form of cosmetic surgery in animals that was listed is devocalization. The process of devocalization is a surgical procedure performed under anesthesia to resect amounts of the vocal folds or cords of an animal. Devocalization might be performed on an dog to decrease the volume, pitch, and or intensity of a dog’s bark. Silencing, or devocalizing, in dogs can lead to many other health and behavioral problems.
A dog’s bark is a warning sign for when they are uncomfortable or they feel that there are in a dangerous situation. When a dog is deprived of that ability to alert using a bark, a dog is likely to revert to another form of self defense that is not pleasing to humans, such as biting. The state of Ohio actually prohibits devocalizing dogs that are considered “dangerous” ( such as pitbulls), because their barking can be crucial to warning someone before the biting occurs.
There are also many health problems that come with a dog that has been
debarked. Some of these health problems may include scar tissue in the larynx, compromising a dog’s ability to breathe and or swallow without choking, irritation and coughing that can cause infection, and swelling of the throat and other obstructions of the airway that can cause heat stroke.
In addition to the many cosmetic surgeries that violate animal rights, there are many other things like harsh training tools that do the same. Some including prong collars, choke collars, shock collars and many more.
Prong collars are generally made out of metal chain material which tightens around a dog’s neck when the handler pulls or jerks back on a leash. Trainers will often use choke and prong collars to perform “corrections” by causing the dog pain any time it pulls on the leash.
When people choose to use prong collars they are agreeing to the risks of many injuries that came along with it. Prong collars have often been associated with whiplash, fainting, spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis, crushing and or fracture of the bones in the larynx, dislocated neck bones and many more. All of these injuries could be avoided by not using the prong collar or any other harsh training tools. When owners choose to use prong collars, or any other training tools, they need to be prepared for the many health problems that are more than likely going to come only with it in the future.
Part 3
ReplyDeleteProng collars have also been known to cause aggression. Aggression can occur because prong collars can harm the relationship between a dog and the dog’s owner, and lead to long term behavioral problems. When a dog experiences pain during routine activities such as walks and vet visits, dogs can begin to associate an owner’s presence and other events with the emotional fear and discomfort the the prong collar provides.
Shock collars are training collars that deliver electrical shocks of varying intensity and duration to the neck of a dog through a radio controlled device incorporated into the shock collars. Shock collars are used for training dogs to stay in the yard and to make dogs stop barking.
Dogs that have been trained with shock collars prove to be aggressive, and later on, bite people relating to the shock. Dr. Patty Khuly, a veterinarian in Miami Florida says, “There's just no reason why the average pet owner should use them. Especially when so many better alternatives exist.”
The places that have banned these harsh training devices include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazilm, Canada, Colombia, Greece, Finland, Germany and many others.
Dr. Mike Paul, DVM weighs in on this topic. “Many veterinarians including myself have long opposed cosmetic surgeries on animals. For nearly thirty years many veterinarians have opposed to these procedures, and training tools. In a number of states the procedures, when performed for cosmetic reasons are illegal. “There is not scientific or medical reason for the procedures. They are performed strictly at the cosmetic insistence of the pet guardian.
Hugh Chisholm, a retired veterinarian says, “Although many people may choose to have cat declawing, or any other cosmetic surgery performed at vet offices outside of the province of Nova Scotia, a ban is necessary. There will always be people who will do it, there will always be people who will want it done, unless there is a ban in place. That’s why we do need the ban, because one declaw is one too many.”
Marc Bekoff, Ph.D, a co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says, “We still have a long way to go, but any progress is good. We just need to keep working for more protection for dogs and other animals in a world in which human interests typically outweigh those of nonhuman animals.”
Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell says, “We know farmers and families are deeply committed to the welfare of their livestock and pets. Nova Scotians can have confidence that their animal protection is among the best in the country.”
There are many steps you can take to help uneducated pet owners stop using these procedure and harsh training tools that are very unneeded, and advoidable. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Should you get a blue light filter? Part 1
ReplyDeleteParker Luke runs a photography and videography business, Parker Pix.
“I spend… sometimes five, six, seven hours in a row and I’m tempted to! A wedding film can take 30-40 hours to edit at a time and I like to get started and continue going,” said Luke, in an interview with Kim Cung. But, Luke could possibly be harming his eyes because of his computer’s blue light.
“Blue light is a high-frequency component of the electromagnetic spectrum that emits energy at 380 to 500 nanometers,” said Erin Lally of Eye Consultants of Silicon Valley, in an interview with Kayla Matthews “The sun and tanning beds are major sources of blue light.”
But why is blue light harmful to people?
To start off, the human body is used to getting blue light from just the sun. So, the amount of blue light the body would experience would change throughout the time of the day. However, devices are now prolonging our exposure to blue light, which is throwing off the body’s circadian rhythm.
In an interview with Arianna Shell, the National Institute for General Medical Sciences describes the circadian rhythm as “Physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle. They respond primarily to light and darkness in an organism’s environment.” In summary, the circadian rhythm is the way the mind, body and behavior of a person changes according to the amount of light and darkness around them.
Also, a Harvard study found a possible connection with the circadian rhythm and diabetes and possibly obesity. 10 people were put on a schedule that gradually shifted the timing of their circadian rhythm. Their blood sugar levels increased over time, putting them in a prediabetic state, and their levels of leptin, a hormone that leaves people feeling full after a meal went down.
“We are being exposed to blue light continuously, and the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or defend it. It’s no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye’s retina,” said Ajith Karunarathne in an interview with Kim Cung.
On the other hand, in an interview with Kayla Matthews, Erin Lally said, “With intent focus on a screen or device, we blink less. This results in excessive evaporation of tears from the ocular surface and leaves the eye feeling ‘sandy’, irritated or scratchy.”
Many experts believe that blue light can be very damaging to our eyes and body. It is shown that blue light can change the body’s circadian rhythm, which can be very harmful to the body.
In an interview with Kim Cung, Dr. Martin shared, “Go by the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes you’re staring at a computer, you should take a 20-second break and look past 20 feet. That gives the eyes a rest from fatigue and reboots the system.”
Should you get a blue light filter? Part 2
ReplyDeleteIn the same interview, Dr. Martin suggested to have proper nutrition to help eyes. Another solution he offered was to take omega 3 fatty acids, which also helps to keep eyes healthy.
Another way to keep eyes healthy is with screen protectors, like Ocushield or blue-light protecting glasses. Ocushield claims to block up to 75% of blue light.
However, this should not be a problem for people because there are already many solutions to this problem.
Cung, K. (2018, November 21). Blinding Blue Light: Are digital devices making us go blind faster? Retrieved from https://wtkr.com/2018/11/20/blinding-blue-light-are-digital-devices-making-us-go-blind-faster/
Doyle, M. (2018, December 17). Scrolling On Your Phone Before Bed Is Messing With Your Sleep In This Creepy, Subtle Way. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/p/how-does-cell-phone-blue-light-mess-with-your-sleep-a-new-study-shows-how-your-eye-cells-respond-to-it-13226431
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Blue light has a dark side. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
Kaplan, J. (2018, August 15). No, Blue Light From Cell Phones Isn't Causing Blindness. Retrieved from https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/blue-light-blindness-study/
Matthews, K. (2018, June 27). Do blue light-filtering gadgets actually work? Retrieved from https://www.dailydot.com/debug/blue-light-filtering-glasses-apps/
Shell, A. (2018, November 21). Blue Light Blues. Retrieved from https://www.kyma.com/health/blue-light-blues/878109910
In the same interview, Dr. Martin suggested to have proper nutrition to help eyes. Another solution he offered was to take omega 3 fatty acids, which also helps to keep eyes healthy.
Another way to keep eyes healthy is with screen protectors, like Ocushield or blue-light protecting glasses. Ocushield claims to block up to 75% of blue light.
However, this should not be a problem for people because there are already many solutions to this problem.
Cung, K. (2018, November 21). Blinding Blue Light: Are digital devices making us go blind faster? Retrieved from https://wtkr.com/2018/11/20/blinding-blue-light-are-digital-devices-making-us-go-blind-faster/
Doyle, M. (2018, December 17). Scrolling On Your Phone Before Bed Is Messing With Your Sleep In This Creepy, Subtle Way. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/p/how-does-cell-phone-blue-light-mess-with-your-sleep-a-new-study-shows-how-your-eye-cells-respond-to-it-13226431
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Blue light has a dark side. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
Kaplan, J. (2018, August 15). No, Blue Light From Cell Phones Isn't Causing Blindness. Retrieved from https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/blue-light-blindness-study/
Matthews, K. (2018, June 27). Do blue light-filtering gadgets actually work? Retrieved from https://www.dailydot.com/debug/blue-light-filtering-glasses-apps/
Shell, A. (2018, November 21). Blue Light Blues. Retrieved from https://www.kyma.com/health/blue-light-blues/878109910
Part 1
ReplyDelete“Oh sure I still get flares, but now they are in the 1-2 range versus the 9-10 I used to experience”. This was a statement given from Rebecca Sewell in an interview with Ed Coghlan. Her story started in 1993 when she participated in a magic trick and had handcuffs placed on her ankles. There was an accident and she ended up being diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). After awhile she was ok but in 2006 her pain came roaring back. “I tried a lot of different things including spinal and ganglion blocks, but they didn’t help much”, she said in that same interview. She later ended up in a wheelchair. But that changed when she started using medical marijuana. She is now back to walking and enjoys voicing her opinion on the topic.
According to the National Conference of State Legislature a total of 33 states have legalized medical marijuana. Most states require citizens to get a medical marijuana ID card. You’ll also need a note from your doctor that says why you need it.
Some states that don’t have it legalized have another thing called cannabidiol or CBD. Some people prefer this because it has the benefits with the “high”.
Many people want medical marijuana legalized because of its benefits. It can be used to slow the progress of Alzheimer's, PTSD, cancer, reduce anxiety and slow tumor growth. The most common use however, is pain control.
Some companies have even made medical marijuana dog treats. These are for dogs with anxiety or older dogs who might have pain issues.
There are other people who think that it should stay illegal. According to an article written by Dr. David B Samadi of Fox News, the amount of THC has been increasing since the 60s and 70s. THC is what give you the “high” when you smoke marijuana. In that same article by Fox News, Dr. Samadi said that whether it be for medical or recreational use, long term smoking of marijuana can increase your risk of bronchitis.
Good job only using facts
DeletePart 2
ReplyDeleteIn an article written by Michael Kaplan for the New York Post he said that marijuana can be a gateway for use of other substances.
In Iowa doctors are a little nervous about giving patients medical marijuana for lack of research. It is hard to research because the DEA has it classified as a schedule 1 drug. Because of this you need a lot of different licenses and permission from them to do the research. According to the Des Moines Register, they will be putting up a facility so they can research the hypothesis on it.
So if people say that it has all of these benefits and we’re starting to do more research, should we make it legal?
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acfcs.org/news/429994/Special-contributor-report-Why-Recreational-Marijuana-Should-Not-Yet-Be-Federally-Legalized.htm
A Story of How Medical Cannabis Transformed One Patient's Life. (2018, April 12). Retrieved from http://nationalpainreport.com/a-story-of-how-medical-cannabis-transformed-one-patients-life-8835990.html
Gabriel, B. A. (2018, April 04). Medical Marijuana Support Among Older Americans. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-2018/medical-marijuana-pain-prescription-fd.html
The 1950’s sleeping pill ‘Thalidomide’, prescribed to pregnant women around the world as relief for morning sickness ended with 10,000 babies being born with severe deformities. This left many wondering how it happened when the FDA requires a wide array of testing before a drug is released. The answer is found in the controversial topic known as animal testing.
ReplyDeleteAs many know, animals play a role in the way medication and medical training is tested or practiced, and has led to life saving medications and procedures. These drugs have benefitted both people and our pets. However, critics argue that the system used to test animals is unfair and has large room for improvement.
A company known as “PETA” created a lifelike human model known as ‘trauma human’ to be used in surgical training around the world. The model was created as a more beneficial way to improve learning, lower costs, and reduce the amount of animals who die as a sacrifice to medical practice. The company donated 119 of the simulators in hope that more research facilities consider it as a practice for trainees.
Animal Testing has been the topic of discussion for quite some time, as people become more aware of what happens to animals when they’re tested. Many have joined the movement of cruelty free, and the use of vegan or non-animal tested goods in hope to improve the living conditions and life expectancy of the animals and pets alike. Before death, animals have to endure tests many classify as inhumane, such as inhaling toxic fumes, infliction on wounds, burns, and other injuries, and killing by carbon dioxide asphyxiation, neck breaking, or decapitation. According to a poll conducted by ‘Pew Research Center’ found that 52% of adults oppose of animal testing, and the remaining percentage thinks it’s needed for medical progress. A solution found was to take a look at the products you’re buying, the products labeled with a leaping bunny logo, or as vegan don’t use any animal testing in any phase of product development.
In some instances, testing is necessary to see if something is safe, but as animal testing in the medical field has received new alternatives, many hope the number of products tested by animals decreases.
About Animal Testing. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hsi.org/campaigns/end_animal_testing/qa/about.html
Animal Testing - ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://animal-testing.procon.org/
Animal testing essential to medical progress but protocols could be improved. (2017, April 26). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170426183030.htm
Animals Behind Top Drugs. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://fbresearch.org/medical-advances/animal-testing-research-achievements/animal-research-behind-top-drugs/
Experiments on Animals: Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/animals-used-experimentation-factsheets/animal-experiments-overview/
Green, P. (2018, November 16). Wasteful and Outdated Dog Testing at the VA Is the Wrong Prescription for Helping Our Veterans. Retrieved from https://ijr.com/dog-testing-va-wrong-prescription/
New Book on Ending Animal Tests Launches. (2018, December 03). Retrieved from https://www.peta.org/blog/peta-contributes-to-book-ending-animal-experiments/
Very interesting, dude.
DeleteReaders may be surprised to find that a California women Shawna had breast cancer and says CBD helped her recover after her mastectomy. Doctors were amazed at how fast she said it was all was because of her CBD oil.
ReplyDeleteIt turns out that this is one of many saying good and bad things about this largely argued topic. In a survey done by Harris Poll in a collaboration with Health day research shows 85% of Americans support medical marijuana. But medical marijuana can be related to the cause of a lot of car crashes. The majority of people that don’t like the idea of medical marijuana think of it as people are just going to get high and are gonna misuse it. But scientists say they could make CBD dominant strains that have only a little bit of THC (THC is what gets you “high.”) But smoking marijuana also has an affect on your lungs, because smoking anything can damage lung tissue.
Medical Marijuana is a very commonly debated subject. But there is a common ground, scientists have done research regarding CBD that helps relieve symptoms and helping people recover.
Many scientists say there isn’t enough research on marijuana by itself to send it out to the public. But there have been a lot of research regarding CBD which is why it’s legal in most states. It is legal because it has health benefits and doesn’t get you “high.” CBD and medical marijuana aren’t that much different at all the only main thing they don’t have in common is that CBD doesn’t get you high.
After more research is done marijuana may become legal but that is as unknown as the long term effects of this drug.
Grinspoon, P. (2018, January 09). Medical marijuana. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085
How Shawna Sped Up Breast Cancer Recovery With CBD Oil. (2017, October 12). Retrieved from http://cannaeffect.org/shawna-du-cbd-oil-rsho-gold-hempmeds/
Medical Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/medical-marijuana
Morrow, A. (n.d.). The Debate Over the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Use. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-medical-marijuana-1132484
Staff, M. (2016, March 10). Medical Marijuana Card | Medical Marijuana Doctor. Retrieved from https://mmjdoctoronline.com/health-news/famous-doctors-quote-on-medical-marijuana
ReplyDeleteThe Effects of Virtual Reality
Tiffanie Wen is in a laboratory, wearing a virtual reality headset. The room she is in is quite bland. I contains blank walls, a doo, and a carpeted floor. However, what she perceives through the headset truly terrifies her.
Tiffanie may be completely safe, but her senses are telling her otherwise. What she sees: a thin wooden plank beneath her feet, balanced over a several-story high rusty metal pit. She has to walk across it to get to safety. The immersion of the virtual reality (VR) is so deep that she feels that she is in true danger. This is the power virtual reality provides us.
How does this immersion affect us? According to research done by Rachel Marie Jarlsberg, virtual reality has the ability to affect a person’s mentality. “It may cause people to blur the boundary between virtual and real life”, she says in her article titled “Physical & Mental Effects of Virtual Reality”.
This extreme focus has several potential benefits. In a study done by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, subjects were put into an indoor cycling exercise. One group of subjects had a virtual coach to help their exercise, and the other did not. The first group experienced “ a decreased level of perceived exertion and an increased level of enjoyment” of the activity, according to their article titled “Virtual Reality and exercise: behavioral and psychological effects of virtual feedback”.
In addition to this information an article titled “Virtual Reality & Education” shows how virtual reality can be helpful in a classroom. The immersion of VR keeps students focused and Engaged. According to the article, “astronomy students can learn about the solar system and how it works by physical engagement with the objects within.” There are many other possibilities for virtual reality in the classroom.
However, some experts still oppose virtual reality. In an interview with CNN, Professor Martin Banks states his worries.
“There are a variety of potential issues”, he says in the interview. “One is how [it] affects the growth of the eye, which can lead to myopia.” The article states that myopia, better known as nearsightedness, is a growing problem across the US. This article also discussed the problems with VR concerning video games. Video games, with with their quick changes in visuals and flashy images can cause less desirable effects such as aye strain, headaches and even nausea.
To avoid these affects getting serious, experts recommend taking a fiteen minute break every half an hour or so. However, because of the previously discussed immersion of the VR headsets, this may be hard to keep track of or remember.
How do we deal with this new technology? According to several experts, including previously mentioned Professor Martin Banks and the experts behind the CNN article, these devices should be closely monitored.
However, other experts, such as the US National Library of Medicine see the potential benefits of VR.
Experts seem to be split on this topic. Maybe, the best way to deal with this virtually impossible problem is to wait it out. By then, we may be able to see it through a different lense.
Sources
Applications Of Virtual Reality. (2017, June 28). Retrieved from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-applications/
Dinsmore, A. (2018, June 15). Research Backs Benefits of VR Training. Retrieved from https://www.td.org/insights/research-backs-benefits-of-vr-training
Jarlsberg, R. M. (2016, March 16). Physical and Mental Effects of Virtual Reality. Retrieved from http://community.mis.temple.edu/mis4596sec001s2016/2016/03/16/negative-physical-and-mental-affects-of-virtual-reality/
LaMotte, S. (2017, December 13). The very real health dangers of virtual reality. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2017/12/13/health/virtual-reality-vr-dangers-safety/index.html
Mestre, D. R., Ewald, M., & Maiano, C. (n.d.). Virtual reality and exercise: Behavioral and psychological effects of visual feedback. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21685653
Picture this, you grew up with milk campaigns in your school and thinking about how good it is for you. One day you get crushed when you hear, ¨”If she is not your mom, it is not milk for you.¨ This incident happened ro 12 year old Robert Paul from Amsterdam. Imagine the horror of thinking the lies you have been told. To follow this up, you may be surprised to find out that expert Andy Bellatti said, ¨ Every nutrient in milk can be found in whole plant foods.¨ He goes to explain more of this by saying milk is not necessarily needed in our diet if you are consuming whole plant foods. You might wonder if others have experienced this incident and the answer is yes. Valerie Lasserre gave her story about how she drank lots of milk as a child and it affected her bones into adulthood. She stated, ¨Once I eliminated milk from my diet, achy joints stopped hurting. ¨ On the other hand, Dr. Christina Ellervik says, ¨ Milk reduces the risk of stroke and several cancers. Dr. Christina researched 38 people over 3 months to learn consuming milk in high concentration lowered cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. She thinks this is overlooked because all the talk being on saturated fats. Although most children grew up with milk, scientists think this might affect us in the long run. Scientist Mika Hamalen described how cows are pumped with antibiotics, and therefore aren't we consuming that too? An issue commonly brought up was lactose intolerance. There is an easy fix for this though. Soy or almond milk! This disease is not caused by milk itself, rather your own tolerance to it. Expert Dr. Niyati Likniti made the point, ¨ Try to take a month or more off milk and see what is does for you.¨ If you are consuming more than the daily recommended amount it is harmful for your health. This is because extra calcium, potassium, and vitamin D in large doses is a cause of cancer or bone loss. In an interview, expert Sisodia recommended trying chicken, fish, egg whites, or sprouts instead. This might end up being more beneficial in a couple years. All in all, we are definitely hoping those milk campaigns were not lying to us. Scientists and studies do not seem so sure though.
ReplyDeleteDas, S. (2018, September 22). Superfood or poison, experts tell you whether you need to drink milk for good health. Retrieved from https://www.hindustantimes.com/fitness/superfood-or-poison-experts-tell-you-whether-you-need-to-drink-milk-for-good-health/story-er5H82M7kJCiHgNSfHxyMJ.html
Fields, L. (n.d.). Is Milk Good For You? Our Health Experts Weigh In. Retrieved from https://www.readersdigest.ca/food/healthy-food/is-milk-good-for-you/
Joseph, M. (2018, November 27). Is Milk Good or Bad For You? An Evidence-Based Review. Retrieved from https://www.nutritionadvance.com/is-milk-good-or-bad-for-you/
Matthews, M. (2018, September 05). Is Milk Bad For You? What 30 Studies Have to Say. Retrieved from https://www.muscleforlife.com/is-milk-bad-for-you/
Milk ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://milk.procon.org/
Nikolas Cruz, school shooter, was accused of killing 17 students and 17 accounts of attempted murder. It was later found out that he played violent video games. Parents believe these games powered his urges to be violent.
ReplyDeleteIt turns out this story is one of many. USA Today recorded the 20% of school shooters haved played violent video games. 95% of researchers say that even with all of the studies none of them have had solid evidence that games cause violent behaviors.
APA (American Physiological Association) considers violent video games a risk factor for aggression. In 2017, APA Task Force concluded that violent video games link to aggressive behaviors, but they later state their study had no clear evidence.
“Mortal Kombat”, a game known for its gore, was the first game to receive an ESRB M rating (Entertainment Software Rating Board). After achieving this rating many arcade games were banned from arcades.
Dr. David Zendle from the University of York proved video games don’t “prime” aggression. In his studies 2 groups of people played a game. One played a car game the other was an animal-themed game. After playing both groups were showed pictures of cars and animals. Their task was to differentiate the pictures and say if it is a car or an animal. Zendle said, “if players are ‘primed’ through immersing themselves in concepts of the game. They should be able to categorize the objects more quickly.” This was not the case. Both groups categorized at the same pace. Some cases they went slower than their counterpart.
This has been an argument every since the first violent video game, movie, and book came out. Many of the debators haven’t even played the games. After trying the games many actually wanted to keep playing!
Marijuana
ReplyDeleteA little girl by the name of Charlotte was saved with an illegal drug known as marijuana. She was having multiple seizures every day that could last for hours, while on nine medications. Her body was deteriorating at a very fast rate. Now, the seizures have been reduced to a measly one time a month due to the substance being put in her food.
According to Laura J. Martin, a medical expert recreational has only been legalized in nine states as well as Washington D.C. but her studies show that thirty-eight percent of American citizens over the age of eighteen admit to trying the drug illegally.
Kim Brown and Eric Perez, both of which are medical experts have found that numerous systems are caused by the consumption of marijuana. The positive include joy or relaxation, increased sight, hearing, and taste. The negatives include increased appetite, loss of coordination, incorrect sense of time, trouble thinking or problem-solving, anxiety, dizziness, trouble walking, and lastly, bloodshot eyes.
Most people may be surprised that the majority of Americans still want marijuana legalized after hearing many of the negative possibilities. As a matter of fact, sixty-seven percent of eighteen to twenty-nine-year-old U.S. citizens feel this way. The lowest percentage comes from people in the sixty-five years or older category. Yet it is still a staggering forty-five percent. Every single other age group is over fifty percent by a mile and a half.
Colorado has found many benefits since the legalization of recreational marijuana. One being that Colorado made 247,368,473 dollars in marijuana taxes alone and is expected to keep rising. This money is being used to build new schools and improve old ones. Marijuana has also created over forty thousand jobs in Colorado communities.
In twenty sixteen, five hundred and thirty-six opioid deaths took place in Colorado, but since the legalization of marijuana that has decreased by six percent. So, don’t die, get high… Legally of course.
[]. (n.d.). State Marijuana Laws in 2018 Map. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/gov-data/safety-justice/state-marijuana-laws-map-medical-recreational.htmlChevalier, Z. (n.d.). Recreational Marijuana May Be Big Business for States. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2018-08-01/the-legalization-of-recreational-marijuana-an-economic-opportunity-for-statesIngraham, C. (2017, October 16). Legal marijuana is saving lives in Colorado, study finds. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/16/legal-marijuana-is-saving-lives-in-colorado-study-finds/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cd3eb6e3f856More than 20 million Americans on average use marijuana each month. (n.d.). Recreational Marijuana FAQ. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/recreational-marijuana-faqThe Facts About Recreational Marijuana. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1925Young, S. (2013, August 07). Marijuana stops child's severe seizures. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/health/charlotte-child-medical-marijuana/index.html
Picture this, a soy farmer in Bolivia. His soy is a highly demanded product, and companies are thirsty for it.
ReplyDeleteWell that is a true story, the farmers name is Mr. Janzen and the company is called Cargill. Cargill would like to finance a warehouse where the farmers who own the land would immediately sell their product directly to Cargill’s warehouse. The warehouse would take up room in the Amazon Basin. In the Amazon Basin activity has returned in some of the biggest forest expanses in the world.
You may be surprised to find out the previous story was one of many involving deforestation. The definition of deforestation is , “the clearance or clearing of forest where the land is there after converted to non forest use. “The impacts are deadly, loss of habitat for millions of species as well as contributing to global warming,” according to Michael Daley. Daley is an associate professor of environmental science at Lassell College. He also states, “the impact of deforestation between the atmosphere and terrestrial land surface is the biggest concern with regard to the climate system.”
You also may be surprised again to find out that since the 60’s over half the tropical forests worldwide have been destroyed according to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). However there are gains that the cutting of the trees provide. Such as clear land for agricultural practices and land for houses. The trees provide raw lumber and paper as well as jobs and employment.
The question people have to ask themselves is is the good worth the bad? The world's forests absorb 2.4 billion tonnes (a unit of weight equal to 2,205 lbs.) of CO2 per year. Would you give that up for housing. In the Amazon 17% of the forest has been lost in the last 50 years. Millions of acres of animals habitats and living places lost. And to do that we gain some paper. Researchers estimate the world's rainforests could vanish in 100 years according to National Geographic.
One of the most important questions that remain is what can be done? We lose 18.7 million acres of forest annually, equal to 27 soccer fields every minute. One researcher suggests the slowing down of our intake of land. Another positive step would be for more companies to adopt zero deforestation commitments…
Once educated among the topic people are starting to think twice about the issue. And people are wondering what to do about it and what they can do. Either way it is a topic that needs more attention brought to it.
Bradford, A. (2018, April 03). Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html
Deforestation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation
Deforestation and forest degradation. (2018, December 05). Retrieved from http://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/deforestation-and-forest-degradation
Deforestation and Its Effect on the Planet. (2018, October 17). Retrieved from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation/
His Village was bombed. He had a pregnant wife and no hospitals to take her to. Syrian government had him at gunpoint. Everyday was a 50/50 chance of living.
ReplyDeleteA story written by Alex Altman. Interviewed by Time magazine. Faez al Sharaa was in his hometown. He was young. Now he is 26. His village was taken over by a mixture of the Syrian government and rebels. They have always been torn and he and his family have been at the middle of the war. He was going to work one day when he was stopped by a group of men with guns. They put a gun to his head for no reason other than they were ruthless and wanted everyone to understand that. An old lady begged for his life, and he was spared. HE is now living in a refugee camp and attempting to get a visa or citizenship to come to the U.S. He and his family describe the camp as dirty, overcrowded, and overwhelming.
There are many political and personal standpoints taken on this issue. It has been appearing a lot in the news as we have been seeing the caravan coming to the U.S. One of the big political arguments is how much money that is being given to the budget of the U.N.R.O. There current budget is $7.7 billion. NOw that may sound like a lot. However according to experts from the UNRO they supply 25.4 million people with food, drinks, and shelter. If you divide that out it only equals about $303.14 per person.
According to UN officials and Time magazine journalists. A budget increase is “mandatory” to keep up with the growing numbers of people. There are also many places that people can go to donate and help fund the organization. Also, making it less time to get citizenship in a new country would make the amount of refugees increase greatly.
So, would you want to live in a stinky, dirty, poor shelter home ? Where your family is probably not with you and if they are you have to watch them not succeed, only having less than $400 a year ?
Altman, A. (n.d.). A Syrian Refugee Story. Retrieved from http://time.com/a-syrian-refugee-story/
Gelardi, C. (n.d.). Here's How Many Refugees the US Has Accepted in 2018. Retrieved from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/us-accepted-refugees-2018/
United Nations. (n.d.). Figures at a Glance. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html
PART 1
ReplyDeleteIn February 2018 Barbra Streisand cloned her dog Sammie for $50,000 twice! She was the person to lead the pet cloning business out of the shadows and into the light.
Pet cloning started when scientists around the world started to clone mice. Eventually, scientists in Ireland cloned the first mammal: Dolly the Sheep.
Dolly the Sheep lead to making the two cloning facilities: Sooam Biotech and ViaGen. ViaGen started off cloning livestock and deer. Sooam Biotech began trying to clone pets right away. The first dog cloned was born in 2005 and was named Snuppy.
The process of cloning begins with living cells from the original animal. Next, the scientists find a surrogate dog and implant the cells in the mother’s egg cell.
Eventually, an almost identical clone dog will be born. The health of the cloned dog will have the exact same health. However, their patterns will differ while the color will stay the same.
Even if you could clone your dog would you? Associate professor Munsie says: “There is an obvious problem with pet cloning. Which is that huge resources are put into cloning when so many pets are abandoned each year.”
Before Snuppy was born over 1,000 other clones were placed in surrogate dogs with only three resulting in pregnancies. One pup died of pneumonia shortly after birth the second died during gestation.
But cloned pets can help with major grief especially if you don’t want a new pet as Denise Westervelt said when Peanut died unexpectedly “He was like my soulmate. I couldn’t bear to get another dog.”
If we continue to dig further into cloning we might have cloned armies which would be double the trouble.
It's the 21st century, a time of technology and change. This is surely the case for Yasmine Koenig, a girl denied her education and freedom and forced into her family's culture of homemakers in arranged marriages.
ReplyDeleteAt 15, her mother took her to Palestine and arranged a marriage with a family. She had no say in the matter.
After living with her husband for a week, she contacted her American friends who sent her the number of the U.S. Embassy. Koenig was asked a series of questions to confirm her situation and struggled on a few. She had no idea what her husband's name was, despite it suddenly being hers.
Members of the U.S. Embassy picked her up at the hotel on the corner of her street and got her out of there. Koenig went into the orphanage system and later had to testify against her mother in court.
Cultural norms are some of the many barriers to women in developing countries according to the Georgetown Public Policy Review. Koenig almost had to spend the rest of her life married, with only up to an eighth-grade education. Another common obstacle is access to education.
For every varying reason, it all comes to the same point. One in four girls in developing countries are not in school. Although an issue, cultural norms will shift in their own way, on their own schedule.
Access can be adjusted. Currently, about 80 countries' progress on girls' education has stalled. Putting problems such as poverty or diseases first may not be the smartest choice. According to Maritza Ascenios of UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) who said in an interview with UNGEI (United Nations Girls' Education Initiative), 'Educating girls is a surefire way to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, improve nutritional status and health, reduce poverty, and wipe out HIV/AIDS and other diseases.' In Egypt, the more educated the women are, the fewer children under age five die per 1,000 live births.
Jordan closed the gender literacy gap between 1970 and 2000. In Qatar, the men are 3 percent more illiterate than the women. However, in most developing countries of the Middle East and North Africa, women are two or more times as uneducated as men. For example, in Yemen, the women have an illiteracy rate of 75 percent while the men's is 33 percent.
Plan International's 'Because I Am A Girl' initiative is doing things such as providing education on gender equality and developing gender-sensitive learning environments for girls.
By simply setting up a girls' rights club, a girl named Pauline, who at 15 was sold by her family to a mans' and forced to have a child with him, was able to gain the courage and drive to go back to school. In an interview with Plan International, Pauline stated that 'I [she] felt so empowered.'
Abel, a man campaigning for girls' rights, has received stigma for his campaigning. Nonetheless, Abel stated that 'they [women] are human beings just like us men are and deserve to be treated equally,' in an interview with Plan International.
ReplyDeleteAbel and other activists are striving to create 'a Uganda in which men treat women equally.' Plan International believes that the first step to gender equality is 'making education accessible for the millions of girls who are currently being denied an education.'
What strides are these activists taking? Non-governmental organizations such as Women LEAD and Her Turn are taking steps forward in Nepal by providing leadership and empowerment programs to girls across the country.
In Kenya, you will find a free secondary boarding school for girls. Daraja Academy is supplying Kenyan girls with a thorough curriculum and programs that even set them up with knowledge on life skills and how to use them in the in the transition of graduate to whatever they plan to come next. For example, communication and personal finance.
According to UNGEI, 'By consistently seeking new ways to empower girls, we can address the challenges of girls' education.'
You may be wondering how you can help with such a big world problem? Believe it or not, there are so many ways you can get involved! Donating to empowering programs such as Champions of Change from Plan International can make an impact.
To take it one step further you could join a program dedicated to empowering and providing education for girls. Helping out may be as simple as keeping the confidence of your peers, both male and female, on the rise!
Waking up early for school may not be your favorite thing, this reporter understands, however, remember school is not a chore, but an opportunity and a privilege. The gateway to life starts in a desk, so make sure everyone is in them by the time the bell rings.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteIn February 2018 Barbra Streisand cloned her dog Sammie for $50,000 twice! She was the person to lead the pet cloning business out of the shadows and into the light.
Pet cloning started when scientists around the world started to clone mice. Eventually, scientists in Ireland cloned the first mammal: Dolly the Sheep.
Dolly the Sheep lead to making the two cloning facilities: Sooam Biotech and ViaGen. ViaGen started off cloning livestock and deer. Sooam Biotech began trying to clone pets right away. The first dog cloned was born in 2005 and was named Snuppy.
The process of cloning begins with living cells from the original animal. Next, the scientists find a surrogate dog and implant the cells in the mother’s egg cell.
Eventually, an almost identical clone dog will be born. The health of the cloned dog will have the exact same health. However, their patterns will differ while the color will stay the same.
Even if you could clone your dog would you? Associate professor Munsie says: “There is an obvious problem with pet cloning. Which is that huge resources are put into cloning when so many pets are abandoned each year.”
Before Snuppy was born over 1,000 other clones were placed in surrogate dogs with only three resulting in pregnancies. One pup died of pneumonia shortly after birth the second died during gestation.
But cloned pets can help with major grief especially if you don’t want a new pet as Denise Westervelt said when Peanut died unexpectedly “He was like my soulmate. I couldn’t bear to get another dog.”
If we continue to dig further into cloning we might have cloned armies which would be double the trouble.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling:
ReplyDeleteAt 29, Elizabeth Rowe landed her dream job in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The young flutist was one of 251 players that applied for the job, and one of 59 that was called to audition. In an interview with the Boston Local News Team, Rowe said: “if I could have my dream job, this was it.”
But what she had once considered her “dream job” turned into an occupation full of gender discrimination.
In July, Elizabeth filed a lawsuit against BSO. One of her male colleagues, John Ferillio, was paid about 70,000 dollars more than Elizabeth per year. This enraged Rowe, so she fought back.
The lawsuit against BSO came to 200,000 dollars in back pay. Women have been struggling with this discrimination for decades.
The women's rights movement started in 1848 before the Civil War. Women like Susan B Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul continued the progress until 1920 when the 19th amendment was passed. This gave women the right to vote. Since then the progress has continued through the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War, but recently pay discrimination progress has slowed.
In fact, out of full-time workers, women earn about 77% of what men do, and the facts prove that there is little reason for it. Time Magazine said that after accounting for the possible excuses, 41% of the gap is still unexplained. For example, women often work in different occupations and Industries, they also have different work experience, union statuses, and education.
Currently, a female first-grade teacher usually earns less income than a male software developer. And according to Time, women with the same jobs, education, and experience as their male colleagues typically earn 10% less than their male counterparts
And it's not just first-grade teachers that experience this discrimination. An experienced female professor at the University of Tucson calculated that she was significantly underpaid from 2016 to 2018. They even paid her less than some of the inexperienced male professors at the University. This eventually led to a large lawsuit directed at the school which was worth 20 million dollars.
Shelley Correll in an interview at Stanford University said: “we still cling to the view that men and women are fundamentally different in interests and skills.” Another expert Kim Weeden said that society is moving at “snail's pace change.”
Gender discrimination is very common in our society, but women are beginning to fight for their respect. The “me too” movement shows how drastically society has changed, but according to Correll there's still changing to be done.
“Employers discriminate on the basis of these beliefs and workers sort themselves into gender conforming roles,” she said.
Researchers from Northeastern University interviewed Ellen Kossek, an experienced professor at Purdue University. “How do we change organizations not only to get rid of the bad things but implement good practices as well?” She asked, “it's not enough to prevent bias, we have to move the needle to value what women bring to the table.”
The “me too” movement, as well as multiple lawsuits filed due to the glass ceiling and pay discrimination, have generated a lot of heat in our society. Women everywhere are seeking respect from their peers and co-workers. So how can we break the glass ceiling and fix discrimination? Currently, no one seems to know. And all of these women are left wondering what to do.
Sean Grady - Investigative Journalism-Bend 3
ReplyDeleteImagine having constant fear and anxiety from your student loans. This is, unfortunately, a reality for many college students. They are being forced to live in this state.
Many people would like to go to college at some point in their life. Unfortunately for those people, this is likely to be one of the largest expenses in an average person lives. If you aren't rich or get a scholarship, student loans are going to be your only option without savings.
Getting a student loan can be very helpful during college but afterward or even during college, it can be a huge weight on your shoulders. Student loans can be very expensive, up to $50,000, and over the years can gain interest majorly to the point where you could almost go bankrupt. There are some people who are still paying off their debt 40s and 50s. If you're struggling majorly with loans during college, it can be close to catastrophic.
It's not a secret that college students don't eat well. Its become a stereotype for college students to live off of instant noodles and really cheap food. But when it gets to the point where you ask your professors for food that is partially eaten, that's borderline starvation. Unfortunately, this can be linked to student loans. If you're using all your money to pay for your loans, you have enough to literally feed yourself. This happening to someone is likely to give mental disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and depression. Having these conditions can make it really hard to focus on what you're doing in your life, especially college.
Being in college can be a great thing depending on all the statistics. Sadly, at some point in our future, the cost for college will be so high that it might not even be worth it.
Crushing Debt Affects Student Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-trauma/201801/crushing-debt-affects-student-mental-healthDickler, J. (2016, July 14). The real reason college costs have gotten out of control. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/12/college-costs-are-out-of-control.htmlPowell, F. (n.d.). What You Need to Know About College Tuition Costs. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-college-tuition-costsRobbins, K. (2010, May 05). Among Dorms and Dining Halls, Hidden Hunger. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/05/among-dorms-and-dining-halls-hidden-hunger/39766/