Skyllore White's Post

Should Third World Countries Pay the Price for Our Technology?

Have you ever recycled your old computers, or sold them to secondhand parts dealers? Do you know what happens to them? Do you know where they end up? For many people the answers to where the old computers go and what happens to them is a mystery. But for others, they know of it and are ignoring the facts. "Everybody knows this is going on, but is just embarrassed and don't really know what to do about it," Smith said. "They would just prefer to ignore it."

Many environmental groups have said that there is a chance that your old computers go to a dump in a developing world. "I've seen a lot of dirty operations in Third World countries, but what was shocking was seeing all this post-consumer waste," said one of the report's authors, Jim Puckett. Where thousands of laborers basically rip apart the electronic waste to get to the precious metals inside. They are exposing themselves and their surroundings to a number of toxic hazards. In this article a report was documented on “cyber-age nightmare” this was where villages in southeastern China were ripping apart computers that still have the labels on them, and they were dumping the scrap metal along rivers and fields. Not only are the computers being sent to third world countries but most of the computers have been used once by us; Americans. I feel as though this is really awful because those computers could’ve been useful for people who don’t have enough money to pay for one or they could’ve been donated to those less fortunate. This portrays Americans as ungrateful and basically wasteful. Investigators, actually visited Guiyu, China where the waste sites occur, they witnessed men, women and children basically dismantling the computers by pulling wires from it and burning them at night; which puts carcinogenic smoke in the air. They also witnessed other laborers, working with little or no protection, burning plastics and circuit boards and poured acid on electronic parts to extract as much silver and gold as they can. In result, the ground water is so polluted that the drinking water has to be brought by trucks from a town 18 miles away. For example, one of the rivers had samples taken, and it had 190 times the pollution levels that are allowed under the World Health Organizational guidelines. Computer waste is becoming a difficult problem, because millions of different devices are being produced faster and faster. One report has said that some in the industry estimate that 50% to 80% of the United States electronic waste that is collected as recycled goods gets shipped out of the country. This involves situations like the dump in Guiyu or the similar ones in India or Pakistan, this is where the labor is cheap, and the laborers make a big deal about trying to salvage every last screw or bit of silver that they can.

Companies are trying to avoid this problem or at least help recycle the electronics in a humane way. Large retailers and a few PC makers have launched recycling programs, and they are requiring consumers to pay an additional charge of $30 to ship their old PC’s themselves. Like the bottle deposit, organizations believe that the cost of recycling computers should be added to the initial cost of the product.

Now that you have been informed on this environmental catastrophe will you help by asking that your recycled electronics are not being shipped out of the country? Do you think this is fair?

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2002/02/25/computer-waste.htm

Do the new airport security measures invade your privacy?

Airport security has been an issue for many years. Officials ponder every day about how to ensure people’s safety when flying from one destination to another without going too far as to invade their privacy. Officials have come up with an idea that could speed up the screening process while preventing prohibited items from getting passed security without having to physically search the passengers. They have been testing “millimeter wave whole body imaging” machines, which are elevator-sized screening devices that reveal, within seconds, what’s underneath travelers’ clothes. The machines work by projecting electromagnetic waves over a person’s body to produce a 3-D image within two seconds. The faces on the images are blurred and the files are deleted after being reviewed. Andrea McCauley, a spokeswoman for the airport security said, “Our first responsibility is to preserve privacy and the protection of passengers.” She also said that the millimeter wave images would be “hands-free and user-friendly.” These machines can see what the magnetometers that passengers walk through now can’t detect because they can see both metal and non-metal items that may cause harm to others.

Although these machines are speeding up the security process and eliminating more harmful materials, they are also causing an outcry from privacy advocates who say the images are too revealing. Barry Steinhardt, director of the Technology and Liberty Project for the American Civil Liberties Union, said about these new machines: “These are virtual strip-searches. American passengers should not have to parade around naked in front of security screeners in order to board the plane.” Even though this process is optional the officials do not express passenger’s rights clearly. They make it seem mandatory. A Salt Lake resident, Darren Johnson, stated that he didn’t realize he was using some new technology until officials asked him to step into the body-imaging machine. Passengers say that this new invention is very intrusive and a violation of their privacy. They also exclaim that these “3-D image” searches are completely unnecessary.

What is your opinion on this new security invention? Are these new security measures reasonable and necessary to ensure the safety of mankind or are these machines intrusive and violating our privacy? What kind of safety measures should be taken in order to protect our people and not act in a violating way?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/061308dnbustsascans.fcd920.html

A Healthier America

Amidst all of the talk of reforming health care and fixing the economy, one very important issue with society is being ignored by politicians. This issue is the obesity problem in the United States. Now in some cases, people are overweight because they do not care what they eat. Other people are overweight because of their genes or their health. The government has no control over the weight of these people. However, there is one large group of people that can be helped by the government with their weight problem. Ironically, this group consists of the people are unable to afford food.

In my first paper in Intro to College Writing, I wrote about the WIC program and how it protects the rights of children to receive proper nutrition. As a recap, this program provides food aid to expectant mothers, infants, and young children. WIC pays for specific healthy food items to properly nourish mothers and young children. Only healthy foods can be bought with WIC - the cash register at supermarkets reject any foods with corn syrup or too much sugar. There is even a limitation that only wheat bread can be bought because it provides more essential nutrients to young and developing children. Unhealthy foods are cheaper, so the less fortunate often buy the unhealthy food so they can buy more of it. The limitations are a good thing because they allow WIC to provide children with healthy foods to start their diets off in the right direction.

A program that does not provide the same nutritional protection is the EBT program. The only restrictions on EBT Food Stamps are that cigarettes, alcohol, taxes goods, and prepared foods cannot be bought. Cookies, chips, soda, fruits saturated in corn syrup, and other junk foods are free game when it comes to buying food with EBT. I am a cashier at Market Basket and many orders I ring through that are paid for using EBT are loaded with fatty foods such as these. Many times, people buy more junk than actual food and it breaks my heart to see how obese many children are that are on EBT. I often see people watching the total for their order and they always grab candy bars to use up the rest of their card. This is a very unhealthy habit and in my opinion, any money not used buying regular groceries should be returned to the government to help someone else in need. "Using up what is left on the card" on impulse items (gum and candy) is very wrong and is taking advantage of the program.

There is another part of the EBT program and that is EBT Cash Benefits. With Cash Benefits, a certain amount of money can be used to buy taxes items as well (i.e. toilet paper, stamps, cutlery). There is a problem with this as well; the Cash Benefits portion of the EBT Card can be withdrawn from an ATM to provide an untraceable source of cash. This cash can be used to buy cigarettes, booze, and it can even be used for gambling (although these are not the intended purpose of the cash). I see people insert their EBT card into the ATM at work and walk directly to the Customer Service Desk to buy cigarettes with the cash they just withdrew. This also saddens me because that money was supposed to go to help the family/children with basic necessities. Parents neglect their kids to get themselves a fix of nicotine, and the government does not prevent this from happening.

One day, I figured out that 21% of my paycheck is taken out in taxes (and I am just part time, making often less than $100 a week). A large amount of these taxes are taken out for Food Aid programs such as WIC and EBT. I am all for helping those in need who do not abuse the system, but it frustrates me when that much hard earned money is taken out to help nourish people, who end up morbidly obese because the government is not restricting all food aid programs. Only healthy foods should be allowed. As far as Cash Benefits goes, people should not be allowed to take the money out of an ATM and they should only be allowed to buy the intended products of the program like toilet paper and paper towels. I love the WIC program for it achieves its goal of properly nourishing expectant mothers and their babies/young children. Other programs need to be reformed to have limits like the WIC program so they can do what they are intended to do. By limiting foods to only being healthy foods, manufacturers will end up reformulating their products so they will contain less fat, sugar, syrup, and sodium. They will reformulate their products so they don't lose profit (I see more junk food bought with EBT than I see bought with cash, credit, and debit orders). When programs like EBT are reformed, America will be at a healthier weight. When Americans are in better shape, they will have less health risks like heart attack and stroke. With less risk of disease, lives will be saved and our new Universal Health Care will not need to spend as much. With less government spending in one area, it can create more jobs and help more people. By creating more jobs, less will be reliant on government programs, leading in even less government spending. More people will then be paying into the system, resulting in more money for the government. The cycle will then continue. By fixing broken food aid programs, people will be thinner, healthier, and end up employed. The U.S. government will also have more money to help others and to pay back its own debts. A simple reform of the EBT program will fix many societal issues, including childhood obesity. So why do our politicians keep ignoring the issue?

Please voice your opinion. Am I right, do we need food aid reform? Is my logic incorrect? Am I too cynical of the programs? Does anything need to be changed at all?


For further reading:
http://www.agweek.com/event/article/id/17533/

An article that provides great coverage on the abuse and loose rules of EBT is at http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/banking-lending-credit-services-payment/15173799-1.html

Cultural Mosaic?

America has traditionally been referred to as a "melting pot," welcoming people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to find freedom, new opportunities, and a better way of life. However, throughout the years this traditional term, has turned into a “cultural mosaic”, meaning that the immigrants retain their own national characteristic while integrating into a new society. And that is what happens when a new international student starts a career in The United States of America, searching for better opportunities in his life. The adaptation in the American society is a process of identification to a new environment. This environment has some characteristics that make him want to be part of. Such as language, culture, religion, etc. However, there are other factors that are difficult to understand. The first time I was in the United States, I wonder why in a college cafeteria it was common to have different groups sitting together according to their Nationality especially. The Latin Americans were in the corner, the Asians were next to the door, the Anglos were separated into different groups such as - the hockey players and the basketball players- and also there were a group of African Americans in the west part of it and other nationalities, too. What other factors are there to be considered in this particular situation? Is it race still a division between students at Universities or Colleges? Can we shared the same place and be all integrated in different situations?
I noticed that students seem to be comfortable talking in the same language with people of the same nationality, especially at the first period of the arrival time to a different country. It is easier to express your ideas in your own language. Your primarily needs can be solve more easily, especially at a cafeteria. In The United States has so many people that speak different languages and it is common to find students that share your same system of communication that you can find people in the campus talking in other languages you had never imagined to listen.
Another factor is some racial- nationally stereotypes and prejudices that determine our view, such as that the black people are fond of basketball, or dancing while the Anglos like American Football, hockey. Asians are good at Martial Arts and South Americans are good football players. Is that always true? No. But some students are very fond of sports so they choose their fellows according to their likes and they come together. Students shared some national affection about the sport they practice and they show it wearing the t- shirt of their favorite national team. Even in this point, there are some who identify themselves with a team that doesn’t belong to his country!
Finally, there is apparently a great necessity to be part of a group. A group which the students choose to identify themselves. Some groups are according to your abilities (chess, reading, gambling) and some others are about the sport you practice. It seems to be an obligation to be part of a group to feel the sentiment of campus’ life. And sometimes the nationality seems to be a factor here as well. Could we change this? Is it possible to share the same like a Latin American boy and a North American boy? YES, I BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE. Because, I saw many exceptions in the campus but it is a matter of time to change it. American people has always had people from many countries and as Douglas Rivelin said, “Immigrants come and change America and are changed by America.”

Acting Pregnant

As much as I tried to avoid this subject while brainstorming for my blog topic, the one topic that I kept returning to is teen pregnancy. Just as I do not support war but do support those who fight in it, I do not support teen pregnancy at all, but I will always be there for the numerous friends of mine that have children.

As stated in a commercial I saw this weekend, teen pregnancy is 100% preventable. At first, I wanted to refute the commercial by saying that birth control is never 100% guaranteed, but then I realized the other option: abstinence.

Many teenagers do not take abstinence as an option for them and I'm sure a few of those who do not practice abstinence also do not practice safe sex. As we all know, this increases the possibility (I do not like to say “risk”) of pregnancy manifold.

I could go on and on about how to prevent pregnancy before and after conception and how hard it hits me every time I find that another friend is pregnant but that is not what I want to talk about. What I am most baffled about are the girls who decide to fake their pregnancy. I'm not sure if any of you readers have heard of this but I can automatically think of two instances off the top of my head.

I'm talking about the girl who decides for whatever reason, to print off an ultrasound from the internet on regular printer paper that ends up looking like a squirrel, scribbling her name and date at the bottom and then flaunting the “ultrasound” around the school (pardon me if this sounds rude, but this really did happen). Then, when the times comes for her to show a “baby bump” she suddenly announces that she has lost the child. Although this could be excused as the truth, it is hard to believe when the girl recreates this story numerous times.

Many people who I’ve heard try to explain this behavior say that maybe she is trying to keep her boyfriend from leaving the relationship or that she is simply yearning attention. Although she will receive the wrong kind of attention, whatever her reason maybe, in the instances I have witnessed, none of these girls seem to realize the extent of this situation. It really does bewilder me why any of these girls would choose to do this. There has to be a better reason than the two reasons that I'm so used to hearing. Is there a psychological reason? Is there something going on at home?
Is it a cry for help? A search for identity? An experiment or a joke that just no one else catches on to?

None of the instances I have witnessed have ever turned out well. Every instance results in the girl becoming a victim of her own actions as she virtually branded and outcast from her peers more than she already was. So why make the situation worse by doing something like this? Especially if the motive is to keep the boyfriend from leaving the relationship since he is probably going to want to distance himself more once he finds out is a hoax.

Miscarriages take a large toll on the body and a woman’s body can only take so much before she gives up trying to have a child. I know adult women who take time off of work to recover from their miscarriages. If these girls were really losing the child through miscarriage, then they would probably be missing school.

So the big question and the moral of my story is WHY FAKE BEING PREGNANT?!

Euthanasia: A Decision of Life or Death

Euthanasia is a popular social justice issue that is a literal matter of life and death. Euthanasia is the act of killing a human being in a painless manner. Although this sounds horrible, there are circumstances in which this is the right decision.

Some hospitalized patients are in such extreme pain that they wish for be put out of their misery; their illnesses can be so painful that death seems like a more pleasant option. No one else should be able to tell them that their decision is irrational. If a person is going through such a horrible experience, that person should be able to have the largest say in the outcome. If someone is so miserable physically that they wish to end their pain medically, that person should be given the option. This can not only benefit that person but others as well. Medical funds are freed up for other patients if resources are not being depleted in patients that are so ill that recovery is not going to happen for them. If a person wishes to be put out of his or her misery, hospitals can do so and also save money for other patients who can be cured and wish to get better.

Euthanasia is not, however, always the best choice, and there are many arguments against it. Some say euthanasia devalues the lives of human beings, but human beings should be allowed to make choices for themselves freely. Another concern is that euthanasia can become a means of saving funds for health care. Doctors cannot force patients to choose this option, though, so patients are always in full control of if they choose to be put to rest or not. It can be seen as wrong for doctors, people who work to save lives, to be directly involved in killing people, but if a patient is beyond help and believes euthanasia is the best option, doctors should honor this last wish of their patients.

Overall, euthanasia should be legal for terminally ill patients with no other options to turn to. Although there are some concerns with the concept, there are more pros than cons and people should be allowed the freedom to choose for themselves as they are with other aspects of their lives.

Homelessness in America

The issue of homelessness is becoming more and more prevalent in America. With the unemployment rates hovering around 10%, many Americans cannot afford their housing mortgages. Living in the richest county in the world makes you question how the poverty level keeps increasing. There are roughly about three million Americans who are homeless. This is a very disturbing number for the simple fact that the brutality of poverty is a monumental issue in today’s society. Unfortunately, the recent recession only added to these numbers. With the economy facing issues within the financial market, housing market, health care market, and the business market many Americans cannot afford the growing cost of living. In the year 2007 one statistic showed that 23% of the homeless population were families with children. In essence this notion of homelessness is affecting many Americans in not being able to provide for their families.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” I strongly believe that most of us take for granted the gift of having a home and living with people who love us. Consequently, there are many Americans who are forced to live in shelters or on the streets. According to USA Today, about 1.6 million Americans have resorted to living in shelters. Another staggering fact is from a poll that about 53% of Americans are worried about making their housing payment. These statics shows how a falling economy raises the unemployment rates. Homelessness in large part is due to many Americans not having jobs. There is a clear correlation between the recession and an increase in the amount of Homelessness in America. Furthermore, poverty in the US is a very sad reality and tackling this issue is easier said than done.

Poverty is problem that needs to be fixed. In regards to social justice, homelessness has a much broader meaning. The Many Americans that are homeless most likely cannot afford the essential needs such as food, clothing, and water. I could not imagine not having something as simple as a glass of water or a home cooked meal. I truly am privileged to have a home, a place I view as my haven. As the holiday of thanksgiving is on the horizon, this is a time of being thankful for what you have and giving back. One statistic showed that of the 3.5 million Americans that are homeless about 1.35 are children. These children go without food and a roof over there head. They will most like miss out on many of the privileges that I had as a child. Looking forward, our government must establish more policies and create more jobs in order to help Americans pay for their housing mortgages. In final, I believe the being homeless is a horrific aspect of our society that affects many Americans. It is our jobs as Americans to fight for those who less fortunate than us.

How can the issue of homelessness be fixed? Do you believe that issue is directly correlated to the recession? Do you take for granted the essential goods such as food, water, and even your home? How can we make a difference?

Links:
http://homelessnessinamerica.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-foscarinis/homelessness-human-rights_b_781638.html

Not Politically or Legally Correct

For the members of the Christian Legal Society chapter of the Hastings School of Law out of the University of California, awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court has proved to be a test to their patience. In 2004, the Society sued Hastings School of Law after the school cut their funding and would not allow the club to bear the school’s insignia after the group placed limitations on who could be a member and who could not. The types of student the club mainly discriminated against were non-Christians and gays. In the original case brought to the California court system, the judge sided with Hastings, stating that the school was in the clear when it discounted the club’s credibility as it violated the school’s policies. The case was then brought to the Supreme Court. It was heard in April, 2010, with a decision still pending.

When the club was first established, it did not have any prerequisites when it came to new members. If a person showed interest, they would not be denied entrance. This club policy changed in 2004 when a “statement of Faith” was introduced and needed to be signed by all members, new and old. This statement not so subtly discriminated against non-Christians and gays, denying them entrance into the Christian Legal Society. In order for the club to be recognized by the public institution and to receive its funding, the school requires it to follow the nondiscriminatory policy which Hastings expects all of its student organizations to follow. Because the students were discriminating against others, the school cut their funding and did not want the group to be associated with the school for it had breached policy.

In an attempt to win their funding and recognition back, the group sued the school saying that the group’s first amendment rights of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion were violated. In 2006, the Federal District Court that heard the case ruled in favor of the school. When the Christian Legal Society appealed the case, a three-judge panel of the San Francisco United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed unanimously that the original court decision was correct for the school’s policies were “viewpoint neutral,” since they require openness of all student groups. Unhappy with this decision, the group took their case to the Supreme Court, citing their former argument that their first amendment rights were violated and that the school’s policy was unconstitutional for denying them these rights.

But who should win here? Should the previous court rulings be upheld because Hastings is a public institution, which “ensures all students have equal access to all school-recognized and school-funded activities”? Or is the Christian Legal Society right? Were their first amendment rights denied to them because they were not allowed to run their club purely by their religion? How should the Supreme Court rule in this matter?

A press release of the Supreme Court hearing can be found at http://www.uchastings.edu/news/docs/cls-v-martinez.pdf

A newspaper editorial expressing thoughts on this case can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/opinion/19mon2.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=discrimination&st=cse

Black WWII vets still recall racism

Racism is a subject that we have recently talked about in class and it is a subject that is constantly talked about and brought up here in America. It has been a problem here for over two hundred years and is still a problem today. But, the biggest problem that I have with racism is that it was even a problem in the military. Black American citizens who were fighting for their country, just like the white Americans, were still treated differently and still suffered racism. They fought with honor and risked their lives for a nation who still considered them second-class citizens and kept them segregated from their white military counterparts in the Navy, Army and Air Corps.
Black military veterans of World War II, from Lafayette recently reflected and discussed their military tours. “World War II was the greatest war we ever fought,” said Alex Taylor, 89, who witnessed Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Dobbin. “What I remember most is even though I was in the service with a uniform, I experienced the same segregation,” said 92 year old Lloyd Foote. It angers me to think that even though Foote was risking his life for his country, he was still forced to ride in the back of the bus and was not able to visit certain places in the Nation's Capitol because of his skin color. They explained how even the German soldiers asked them why they were fighting for a country who did not want them there. " 'What are you black folks doing here? You’re fighting for a country that don’t want you. Why don’t you go home?'That’s what they told some of our people," they explained.
The early military movies were also racist and did not include scenes with black soldiers in them. According to Foote, "the early movies made on Gen. George Patton’s famous march during the Battle of the Bulge failed to show the black support battalions. They were portrayed as white." With Veteran's Day nearing, the soldiers were asked how they feel during the day. Foote felt that being a veteran held little significance. He felt that black soldiers’ contributions were ignored, even discarded. As a result of this, Foote said, “I don’t try to remember anything on Veterans Day.” “I have no feelings,” he added.
How can people treat veterans differently just because the color of their skin? They risked their lives for the freedom of the white citizens in America and fought for a country who did not characterize them as equal. These black soldiers fought for the rights that we have today as American citizens and yet they are still shunned upon by some racist white Americans. What are your thoughts and opinions about the way black American soldiers were treated during their military tours and when they came back to America? Does this make you feel embarrassed to call yourself an American? Does it anger you in anyway?

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/106869568.html?showAll=y&c=y

Gender & Sexual Orientation are Not Treats

Halloween is a time for fun, candy, tricks and treats. Last week, however, one mother experienced no treat when she and her five-year old son walked into his Catholic preschool. Dressed as Daphne from Scooby Doo, the little boy horrified and disgusted mothers with his choice of costume. A picture of the boy in the costume has since then gone viral and shows him wearing purple tights, a wig, a dress, and even pink boots.

The mother had no problem with her son’s choice of costume, but we live in a country where following gender roles and being heterosexual are the norms. Therefore, it is no surprise that people have made verbal attacks at the boy’s mother for letting him dress in “drag” and for jeopardizing his sexual orientation. Some individuals even questioned the seriousness of the Catholic preschool the boy attends.

The mother’s reaction is an admirable, must-read that can be found below. She wrote, “If you think that me allowing my son to be a female character for Halloween is somehow going to ‘make’ him gay then you are an idiot. Firstly, what a ridiculous concept. Secondly, if my son is gay, OK. I will love him no less. Thirdly, I am not worried that your son will grow up to be an actual ninja so back off.” She also made a wise comment towards what society deems acceptable in saying, “If my daughter had dressed as Batman, no one would have thought twice about it. No one.” This is no doubt an example of the double standard that affects gender.

There are, thankfully, many who have commended and supported the mother. Outrage against Dr. Jeff Gardere, a clinical psychologist, surfaced after he appeared on CNN disapproving of the mother’s choices. He said, “It is the worst nightmare of heterosexual and gay couples to have to fathom that their child might be gay.” Since then, Gardere apologized in saying, “… it is a real issue for [parents] because they are afraid … even gay parents say it … [they] do not want their children to have to deal with the pain and the isolation and a lot of the emotional trauma ... as far as coming to terms with their sexuality.” It is absurd that a preschooler’s costume has the ability to turn into a dispute about sexual orientation.

Do you agree with the mother in her decision to let her son wear a costume that did not conform to society’s expectations? Do you agree with her posting the story online? Will it ever be possible for a greater amount of acceptance to exist when gender or sexual orientation is questioned? Would there have been any comments about a girl in a batman costume, as the mother mentioned? If you were a parent, would you have let your son wear the costume? Does this double standard of gender outrage you?

http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/?ref=nf

http://www.afterellen.com/people/2010/10/cnn-daphne

SHOULD WE CHANLLENGE GOD, AND MESS WITH NATURE?

 

Cloning and genetic engineering do of course have some pros and cons; one of the most exciting potential applications of genetic engineering involves the treatment of genetic disorders. Medical scientists now know of about 3,000 disorders that arise because of errors in an individual's DNA. Conditions such as sickle-cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington's chorea, cystic fibrosis, and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome are the result of the loss, mistaken insertion, or change of a single nitrogen base in a DNA molecule. Genetic engineering makes it possible for scientists to provide individuals who lack a certain gene with correct copies of that gene.

Genetic engineering also promises a revolution in agriculture. It is now possible to produce plants that will survive freezing temperatures, take longer to ripen, convert atmospheric nitrogen to a form they can use, manufacture their own resistance to pests, and so on. Domestic animals have been genetically "engineered" in an inexact way through breeding programs to create more meaty animals, etc., but with genetic engineering, these desirable traits could be guaranteed for each new generation of animal.
            Shouldn’t we be worried as a society about where genetic engineering/cloning might lead us? If we can cure genetic disorders, can we also design individuals who are taller, more intelligent, more athletic, or better looking? Is that a good use of the technology? Will the manipulated agricultural products be safe for humans, or will they alter us in some unknown way? Will we be able to control all the changes that might occur, and lastly how can we socially, accept and justify all of this? All the above are of the few of the many ethical questions we should ask ourselves.

www.discoveriesinmedicine.com

Healthcare Reform

Healthcare originally was for people who could only afford it and now the reform is so everybody can have it. This affects social justice because it is making healthcare equal for everyone, but is it actually hurting people in the long run. You could live in the healthiest state, but the reality is that people in your state still go hungry every night and this reform would help them be able to have a steady income to live on and to be treated if they receive a disease. There are 46.6 million people without health insurance.
Is it fair for the people that have health insurance to get these benefits, they are paying for it because they can afford it. The reform wants to make it so that everybody has healthcare and that it is all equal. In doing this it makes everybody have benefits, which might help the population increase because less would be dieing from diseases and starvation, but the personal care might go down towards patients because there would be less people in the health field to help them, and there might be an overload in patients. Also, care to the elderly might go down because they will get less benefits since they are older and if this happens is it fair to them. I don't think it is. There are 81% of uninsured families that have at least one adult working, but still don't have insurance because of their job and they can afford it on the salary they are getting. People who used to have insurance might have lost it because now companies are taking away their insurance because it is cheaper for them, which i think is wrong to do. When creating this healthcare reform you have to think about the cost it is going to have because it is going to be expensive to pay for every body's insurance, which will put the United States in more debt.
The main problem I am getting to is, Is it fair for us to accept the Healthcare Reform because it makes everybody have equal insurance? Does that make it better for everyone? Is this reform a good thing to accept into our lives? I think we won't really know until we try it out, but if the coverage for other people goes down is it worth hurting some people to help out other people?
If you want to read the article the site is http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/marapr2007p24.shtml .

Drug Abuse

Drug usage is a very risky behavior that everyone should avoid. Drug usage causes addiction and can be life threatening. Based on the estimation from the National Drug Control Strategy in 2009, at over time in their lives, 104,446 Americans have used Marijuana, 36,599 have used Cocaine, 8,359 have used Crack, and 3,863 have used Heroin.

Generally, people choose to use drug because of peer pressure, they want to alleviate their stress or they are curious about it. Using illegal drugs put people into trouble. Some people believe that just one dose of Marijuana or other types of drugs cannot possibly make the users addicted. That is not true. Once they use the drugs, they become dependent. When the effect of the drugs wear off, the users start to crave for more drugs, they feel uneasy and pain in their bodies. They become aggressive and panic.

Daily use of drugs can lead to numerous types of disease such as respiratory failure, rapid heart rate, memory impairment, weaken immune system, lung damage, insomnia, hyperactivity, and agitation. Sometimes it causes death. These sicknesses make the drug users to lose their abilities to perform their jobs. For students, they lose ability to concentrate and memorize schoolwork.

Dealing with drugs steers people away from comfortable lives. Drugs are very expensive, most drug users become criminals because they tend to find money to buy drugs by robbing other people. They have to live as gypsies, and hide from the society, Besides living with guilt, they have to suffer the consequences of drug abuse such as sicknesses caused by the effect of using drugs.

Choice is in our own hands. There are many drug free activities available for us that are food enough to keep us away from stress and stay healthy. If someone is obsessed with drugs, please get help as soon as possible before it is too late. Regret cannot put you back to the starting point, so think carefully about your own future.

Imagine if you are parents of drug dealers, how worried will you feel?

What else should we all do as members of society to help the government eliminate drug abuse?