I think that this debate doesn't really affect my topic until gene therapy is aproved. I think that once it is people would want cheaper health care so if they need gene therapy they won't have to pay as much.
"Let’s not forget that the existing Medicare system is roughly $80 trillion in the hole." The author tells the reader a large amount that would shock them so they will listen to what he had to say.
In the second articel the author talks about the issue of medicare and how it is going to cost us more because there is a huge population of elderly people. "When Medicare was created in 1965, America's median age was 28.4; now it is 36.6. The elderly are more numerous."
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Blog #16
In my article I will be talking about gene therapy for breast cancer. I learned that health insurance isn't really affected by genetic therapy. People who undergo this type of cancer treatment will not have their health insurance loss.
I was reading the "Health care is a right, not a privlage" article and I found a quote that was very intereting. It was that "more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." I thought this was interesting because it is very very sad that we are loosing so many people to preventable illness when all we need in health insurance for them.
I know that if everyone has health insurance the people who have worked harder for it will be upset that the other people who don't work as hard will get the same insurance. I think, after hearing what others said, that there should be universal health care but different kinds. The people who work harder should get a better health care plan while the people who word less for it should have not as good plan.
I was reading the "Health care is a right, not a privlage" article and I found a quote that was very intereting. It was that "more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." I thought this was interesting because it is very very sad that we are loosing so many people to preventable illness when all we need in health insurance for them.
I know that if everyone has health insurance the people who have worked harder for it will be upset that the other people who don't work as hard will get the same insurance. I think, after hearing what others said, that there should be universal health care but different kinds. The people who work harder should get a better health care plan while the people who word less for it should have not as good plan.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Blog #15
3. Describe how Americans pay for health care and the government's role in this process.
Health care can be expensive especially when you aren't rich and/or powerful. Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and sometimes need help. The ways Americans pay for health care are through 1 of a few ways. These ways are through work, where some jobs will pay for specific health care plans but sometimes won't cover people or their families completely so that leaves them to pay out of pocket. This can be hard for Americans especially when they don't make load of money.
"In 2005, personal health care expenditures were paid by private health insurance 36%, federal government 35%, state and local governments 11% , and out-of-pocket payments 15%." Sourse
Govenment has a lot to do with health care for Americans as you can see in the quote above. This only states what government pays for health care but a lot of this money doesn't go to the poeple instead it goes to hospitals and research for diseases. Something the government does fund through heath care money is research on gene therapy, which is talked about in this article.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
It is important to have a loop in a piece of writing because you want to bring the reader back to the main idea of the writing. it is also important to use only important characters who know what they are talking about and have good quotes related to the topic or good characters who immediately relate to the topic. This is important because you want the characters to relate so the reader can too. You also want the characters to add importance to the writing. In Open Channels the author uses the loop to bring the reader back to the main idea. In Darwin's surprise and Open Channels the author made sure to uses characters who know what they are talking about. They uses scientists that focus on the topic and in Open Channels they use a character who has the disease discussed.
Health care can be expensive especially when you aren't rich and/or powerful. Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and sometimes need help. The ways Americans pay for health care are through 1 of a few ways. These ways are through work, where some jobs will pay for specific health care plans but sometimes won't cover people or their families completely so that leaves them to pay out of pocket. This can be hard for Americans especially when they don't make load of money.
"In 2005, personal health care expenditures were paid by private health insurance 36%, federal government 35%, state and local governments 11% , and out-of-pocket payments 15%." Sourse
Govenment has a lot to do with health care for Americans as you can see in the quote above. This only states what government pays for health care but a lot of this money doesn't go to the poeple instead it goes to hospitals and research for diseases. Something the government does fund through heath care money is research on gene therapy, which is talked about in this article.
1. Using a specific example, describe what makes a compelling character in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
It is important to have characters who know what they are talking about or are immediately connected to the topic of issue discussed in the writing. It is also important to have characters who the reader can connect to somehow so that the reader feels like they relate to them or that they can understand where the character is coming from. You want the characters to add importance to the writing as well. The characters in Open Channels knew what they were talking about and they also had a character with the disease that was the main focus of the article.
2. Using a specific example, describe what makes an interesting plot in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
It is important to have a lot of detail in the plot so the reader understands the point of reading the piece of writing. Something else important to having an interesting plot is by stating the arguement and giving both sides so the reader can figure out their own opinions. Make sure to include a lot of detail so the reader fully understands the topic. In The Covenent the author talks about religion and sciece and a scientist who has founhd a ballance between the two. This gives the reader an understanding that these two worlds can co-exsist but it still leaves room for the reader to make their own opinions.
3. What specific steps do authors take to write non-jargon-based scientific writing?
The author has to try to use words that someone with a basic education can understand and if this isn't possible the author must give a definition of the "jargon" being used. ALWAYS WRITE FOR THE READER! Just because the author understands doesn't mean the reader will too. In Open Channels the author gives explainations for all the jorgon-based words.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
It is important to have a loop in a piece of writing because you want to bring the reader back to the main idea of the writing. it is also important to use only important characters who know what they are talking about and have good quotes related to the topic or good characters who immediately relate to the topic. This is important because you want the characters to relate so the reader can too. You also want the characters to add importance to the writing. In Open Channels the author uses the loop to bring the reader back to the main idea. In Darwin's surprise and Open Channels the author made sure to uses characters who know what they are talking about. They uses scientists that focus on the topic and in Open Channels they use a character who has the disease discussed.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Blog #14
Adult Life
Breast Cancer Treatment through Gene Therapy
The government agentcies that work in this area are the Scientist' institution, FDA, NIH, and RAC. The scientists' institution has differnet board in which aprove or reject differnet scientific ideas. The FDA or US Food and Drug Administration must aprove or deny the ides. There job will also be to regulate the gene therapy. The trials that are funded by NIH, or National Institues of Health, must be registered with the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC).
FDA is the government agentcy that can approve the Gene Therapy and in this article it talks about the good and the bad of the gene therapy for cancer treatment. The author says that is hasn't been aproved yet because when there is only a tumor the genes have promise of finding the cancer cells and infect them so they die but when the cancer has stread or when there are multiple tumors the thereputic genes cannot find the cancer or the patients ammune system reacts to the treatment. The FDA has to decide if it is worth aproving if it will only help people with one tumor.
The Genes are injected by the vector being injected or given intravenously (by IV) directly into a specific tissue in the body, where it is taken up by individual cells. Alternately, a sample of the patient’s cells can be removed and exposed to the vector in a laboratory setting.
History:
In this article the author talks about the history of the gene therapy and how it got started. It talked about how 2 researchers more than a decade ago undertook a landwark of gene therapy studies. It said that "Based on the animal experiments, the first lung cancer patient underwent gene therapy in early 1995, and in mid-1996, Roth and his group published a study describing the first reported successful replacement of a defective p53 tumor suppressor gene."
Culture:
There are a few social and ethical issues surrounding human gene therapy. This article talks about the issues with this form of therapy. It says the first issue is that "Germ-line gene therapy would forever change the genetic makeup of an individual's descendants. Thus, the human gene pool would be permanently affected." and the NIH doesn't aprove of this. People also fear that this will become just a luzury to the rich and powerful. They also fear that widespread use of this will alter the "normal" which will exclude individuals who are actually "normal."
The government agentcies that work in this area are the Scientist' institution, FDA, NIH, and RAC. The scientists' institution has differnet board in which aprove or reject differnet scientific ideas. The FDA or US Food and Drug Administration must aprove or deny the ides. There job will also be to regulate the gene therapy. The trials that are funded by NIH, or National Institues of Health, must be registered with the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC).
FDA is the government agentcy that can approve the Gene Therapy and in this article it talks about the good and the bad of the gene therapy for cancer treatment. The author says that is hasn't been aproved yet because when there is only a tumor the genes have promise of finding the cancer cells and infect them so they die but when the cancer has stread or when there are multiple tumors the thereputic genes cannot find the cancer or the patients ammune system reacts to the treatment. The FDA has to decide if it is worth aproving if it will only help people with one tumor.
The Genes are injected by the vector being injected or given intravenously (by IV) directly into a specific tissue in the body, where it is taken up by individual cells. Alternately, a sample of the patient’s cells can be removed and exposed to the vector in a laboratory setting.
History:
In this article the author talks about the history of the gene therapy and how it got started. It talked about how 2 researchers more than a decade ago undertook a landwark of gene therapy studies. It said that "Based on the animal experiments, the first lung cancer patient underwent gene therapy in early 1995, and in mid-1996, Roth and his group published a study describing the first reported successful replacement of a defective p53 tumor suppressor gene."
Culture:
There are a few social and ethical issues surrounding human gene therapy. This article talks about the issues with this form of therapy. It says the first issue is that "Germ-line gene therapy would forever change the genetic makeup of an individual's descendants. Thus, the human gene pool would be permanently affected." and the NIH doesn't aprove of this. People also fear that this will become just a luzury to the rich and powerful. They also fear that widespread use of this will alter the "normal" which will exclude individuals who are actually "normal."
Blog #13
Cancer Treatment
This can infect healthy cells instead of cancer cells.
Adults.
This is a treatment for cancer that can be dangerous because it can end up hurting a person more. Doctors have to introduce new genetic material into a human and hope that it infects the cancer cells instead of the healthy ones.
The problem with this is it is protocol and is being watched by FDA, NIH, and RAC. This isn't ethical to some people because it is focused on correcting flaws in a life threatening way.
Stem Cell research
Stem cells useful for finding ways to cure cancer and other diseases.
The time to extract stem cells would be as an embryo. to do this the embryo must die. Ethical?
Conception.
The embryo has to be fertilized within a certain amount of time and stem cells must be extracted at a certain time as well. The embryos will die anyway so it would be useful to extract the stem cells from them and then let them die.
People argue that the embryo is still a person and it can't be taken advantage of like that. You are ultimately killing a potential person.
Designer Babies
This is when a parent can alter different things about their child before it is born.
Messing with the true life and creating it yourself.
A doctor can alter whether the baby has blue eyes or brown eyes, whether its a boy or a girl, he can even have a say in what diseases it will be less likely to get. This is all done through genetic engeneering.
Is this playing the role of god. Is this taking life into our own hands? Are we going to far to try to reach perfect? These are things argued against this idea of "building your baby."
Gene Therapy to create a treatment for Cancer.
Adults.
The problem with this is it is protocol and is being watched by FDA, NIH, and RAC. This isn't ethical to some people because it is focused on correcting flaws in a life threatening way.
Stem Cell research
Stem cells useful for finding ways to cure cancer and other diseases.
The time to extract stem cells would be as an embryo. to do this the embryo must die. Ethical?
Conception.
People argue that the embryo is still a person and it can't be taken advantage of like that. You are ultimately killing a potential person.
Designer Babies
This is when a parent can alter different things about their child before it is born.
Messing with the true life and creating it yourself.
A doctor can alter whether the baby has blue eyes or brown eyes, whether its a boy or a girl, he can even have a say in what diseases it will be less likely to get. This is all done through genetic engeneering.
Is this playing the role of god. Is this taking life into our own hands? Are we going to far to try to reach perfect? These are things argued against this idea of "building your baby."
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Blog #12
Idea #1 should be the type of environment in which you'd like to work.
Depending on what internship I get involved in will change what environment I want to work in. If I get an internship with design I'd like to be in the room where that takes place. If I get an internship with photography I w0uld like to be outside. And if I get an intership with a school I'd obviously want to be in the classroom.
Idea # 2 should be the type of skills you'd like to use at work.
Idea #3 should be the types of things you'd like to learn at internship.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Blog #11
This article is about a federal judge who repealed "don't ask, don't tell" policy today. The federal govenrment was given 60 days to appeal. U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips found that don't ask, don't tell" violated the 1st Amendment.
This article talks about the same thing the article above does except I feel like it gives more quotes and discription as to what was talked about in the court today. Quotes such as "Don't ask, don't tell, as of today at least, is done, and the government is going to have to do something now to resurrect it," Woods said. "This is an extremely significant, historic decision. Once and for all, this failed policy is stopped. Fortunately now we hope all Americans who wish to serve their country can."
In this article you will find many quotes and explainations that will clear up many questions you might have about what had happened today, October 12, 2010.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Blog #10
The root cause of Michael Westerman's death was the fact that him and his killer, Freddie Morrow, were very ignorant and didn't know what the symbols actually meant. Michael flew the confederate, or rebel, flag from his truck not knowing the real meaning. He only knew that since he was white he was supposed to fly that flag because the symbol it had become bothered black people like Freddie who didn't really know why it upset him. He just knew it was supposed to. He knew that the symbol the flag had become was offensive to him. "Michael's personal reason for flying the confederate flag was to show the pride he felt in his ancestors who fought and died for the flag, as well as to show his southern heritage. "
Another reason for his death is the fact that people can't admit the things they do or say are extremely racist and that is the reason they are doing or saying the things they are. Like the woman chapman who stood out to me the most in this story for being extremely racist and for contradicting herself. She says "Slavery was not all that bad... Blacks need to get over slavery." but later she goes on to say "don't put us where they used to be." so obviously she knows that is was bad enough that she wouldn't want to be in that situation.
Challenge:
In this article there is a section where the parents are at the meeting at the middle school complaining about the mascot of a rebel being removed and how they don't want to change it but black parents see that it is offensive to them and their children and they want a say as well but some feel like they aren't being heard "I asked why she hadn't made this sensible comment during the meeting. She looked at me as though I was crazy. 'Who's listening?' She asked." This goes against Amendment 15, Race No Bar to Vote, which is supposed to make sure every race get's to vote or has a voice.
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