http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu9pmHIMdOM
article citation:
Crane, Cody. "Energy Shot Or Not?." Scholastic Choices 27.4 (2012): 21. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Student from 11AM class
Caffeine is a stimulant that is present in many energy drinks, coffees, teas, and soda. Those that are on the run and are feeling groggy tend to lean towards a caffeinated drink rather than natural energy from food and sleep. 5-hour Energy shots are becoming a more popular way for Americans to get their extra afternoon burst and keep them functioning at work and throughout the rest of their day. But what happens when the five hours are up? Does the consumer then feel groggy and irritated again? After watching the 5-hour Energy commercial and reading part of the attached article, what would be your preferred method of getting an energy boost? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu9pmHIMdOM article citation: Crane, Cody. "Energy Shot Or Not?." Scholastic Choices 27.4 (2012): 21. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Mar. 2014. Student from 11AM class
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Think of your neighborhood or the neighborhood around your school, how many grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, or fast food chains can you think of. If you are like many people, your list goes on and on. Now imagine that all of those restaurants and grocery stores disappear. All you are left with are fast food and convenience stores. On top of the shortage of healthy food options, you don't have a car, are in a lower socioeconomic group, and have a family to feed. What do you do? Do you take public transit to a store and have a limit on what you can carry? Do you try to take a cab?
This is a problem that many Americans are facing. With a lack of accessible food and a low income, many Americans must resort to either shopping at the local corner store or trying to get creative to feed their families. How do you think building a grocery store or implementing a farmers market would change people's lives? How would it change a community? Student from 11AM class The basic idea behind cloning genes is taking a specific gene set, then inserting it into the receiver to produce a genetically identical clone of the gene donor. This is the same process as asexual reproduction and binary fission. With the exception of egg and sperm reproduction, cloning genes is a natural process in nature. So why are people so opposed to genetically modified food? In 1995, no farmland known to man was genetically modified. As of 2010, approximately 10% of the worlds farmland were genetically modified. As a result, the use of pesticides has been reduced by 70% in the farmland, crop yields were recorded to increase as much as 5-80%, and therefore earnings went up over 36%. While the plants are bred to yield more product and resist pesticides, bugs, bacteria, viruses, and many other dangers are mutating into "superbugs." Some believe that the imminent threat will be superbugs that are immune to pesticides, insecticides, and repellents. While this is a somewhat distant danger, it is a potential threat and brings human health into question.
Though there are some potentially negative effects of cloning and genetically modifying products, there are many great benefits that have and will grow out of this technology. Focusing on the medical aspect, there is and will continue to be potential for cheaper and safer vaccines, as well as blocking diseases within the bugs themselves. This would ultimately have a huge impact on the world and market that we know and live in today. Here are some question ideas for your comments: What could be the economic impact if we do/don't persist in researching cloning technology? Is it ethical to design something to benefit us now when it could potentially hinder us in the future? Do the medical benefits outweigh the medical risks, known as "superbugs"? Student from 11AM class Ramadan is a Muslim tradition where you fast for 29-30 days from sunrise to sunset. You are restricted from eating, drinking, smoking, and from having any sexual relations. Because this is so difficult to do, many Muslim countries slow down their daily life drastically. However, for some people that is simply not an option; most of these people are professional athletes. Practicing Muslim athletes are becoming a more common occurrence in the United States today and many people don’t know what to do to keep them safe and healthy, while still respecting their religious choices. If an athlete must work in the heat of the day, cannot drink water and they haven’t eaten all day, it can be harmful to their health and make performing difficult. If an athlete chooses to observe Ramadan, what do you think should happen? Should they choose not to fast the day of a game and make up the day of fasting later? Should they not be allowed to participate in that game for their safety? Or not participate in Ramadan at all? If you were participating in Ramadan and were a professional athlete, what would you do?
Here is an example of a college athlete who observes Ramadan. In the video they talk about how he, and the coaches, deal with his religious choice during practices. http://espn.go.com/colleges/texas/football/story/_/id/9456951/rami-hammad-texas-longhorns-fasting-ramadan-summer-football-workouts Student in 11AM Class Food is a necessity for life. Food provides the nutrients we need to grow and continue to live our lives. What if that necessity was becoming harder to get? What if you had to choose between a meal or an education? Unfortunately, some people in the world have to.
Recently in the U.S., food prices have begun to increase. Earlier this month, it was noted that prices have increased 0.4% since February. This increase is the largest since September 2011. Personally, I have not had to worry about the price of food. A trip to the grocery store with my mom was always just a time to get more food we needed or wanted. I never really paid attention to the price. However, that has begun to change now, as I have to be more conscious of what I'm buying. When I go to Safeway, I have to pay special attention to the price of the foods I would like and really ask myself if I am willing to pay that amount for them. It is also hard when unhealthy junk foods are sometimes cheaper than the foods that are more beneficial to a person's health. My question is if anyone of you have the same problem. Do any of you have a hard time buying more expensive, healthier food when compared to cheaper, unhealthy food? I would also love any other comments all of you have on this subject of rising food prices. Source: Davidson, Paul. "Rising Food Prices Bite into Household Budgets." USA Today. Gannett, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/03/18/food-prices-rising/6557417/>. Student from 11AM Class (according to study that shows the effects of marijuana, its indicate that 30% of teenager are smoking marijuana. The harmful effect of drugs are various and diverse and that drugs addict hurt the integrity of the body and mind. Drug abuse is a danger to him or herself, to his or her family, to the morality, and national production to his or her country and society as a whole. It also has risks that could influence the structure of the country, economic and social security.marijuana could has harmful effects on your body. abuse cause the loss of appetite which leads to thinness, emaciation and general weakness accompanied by yellowish face. It also causes a lack of energy, life and vitality and poor resistance to disease that leads to chronic headaches and dizziness accompanied by redness in the eyes.moreover, Digestive disorder which results in poor digestion and frequent gas and bloating feeling. Armentano, P. n. page. <http://norml.org/aboutmarijuana/marijuana-a-primer>.)
Recently we have been inundated by the massive debate surrounding the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). Many oppose the health care changes while others look forward to the government taking a larger role in their health benefits. Among one of the most talked about issue under the Affordable Care Act is the question of wether or not religious institutions and companies should be forced to provide their employees with contraception methods if birth control is against their belief. The most current form of the Affordable Care Act states that companies must offer employees contraception in their health benefits and their is no is no established waver for religious institutions. However, many religious companies and institutions argue that this mandate is an infringement on their First Amendment right to the free exercise of their religion. For example, popular craft supply retailer Hobby Lobby sued in September saying that this mandate violated their beliefs as the company is owned by a fundamentalist Christian Family. Judge Joe Heaton ruled against them in a district court in Oklahoma City. The company found this ruling unfair as various churches and other religious organizations had been granted constitutional protection from the mandate in previous cases. Heaton responded by noting that Hobby Lobby is not a religious organization. The ruling stated, “Plaintiffs have not cited, and the court has not found, any case concluding that secular, for-profit corporations such as Hobby Lobby and Mardel [Hobby Lobby’s sister company] have a constitutional right to the free exercise of religion." In other words, Hobby Lobby has a secular purpose while those church and religious institutions that were exempt from the mandate work explicitly for religious reasons. One can try to argue that shopping for craft supplies is a religious experience, but this is likely not something that a court of law would see feasible. This case has since made its way to the Supreme Court and is awaiting hearing along with over 80 other cases similar to it. I would like to know what you think. Should Hobby Lobby be forced to provide their employees with contraception? Do you see this mandate as an infringement on the right to free exercise of religion? Should secular institutions that are religiously owned be treated differently that institutions that have an explicitly religious purpose when it comes to this mandate? Student from 11AM class Most likely during your college career you will come into contact with stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, etc. These drugs are intended generally for treating people with ADD/ADHD, but have become very popular to those not diagnosed and have gained an increasing presence on college campuses. One reason these stimulants have become so popular among those not diagnosed is the academic benefits such as increased focus, lack of hunger, increased alertness/ energy and other things that could make a very long study session more effective. College can be a time of great stress where a lot of us are on our own for the first time. With an increased work load and pressure to maintain good grades, it’s no wonder that students result to taking a drug that can increase focus and work more efficiently.
So if you don’t already know much about these stimulants, let me tell you a little more about them so you can be aware about what else goes on if you ever come into contact with them. I’ll start by introducing two of the more well-known of these stimulants, Adderall and Ritalin and discuss a bit about what’s in them and what they can do to your body. Adderall is made from a special blend of amphetamine salts. These salts are what gives one the stimulating effect of the brain. Although amphetamines could be looked at similarly to methamphetamines, they are quite different but derived from similar origins. Ritalin is the chemical name Methylphenidate and also is similarly a psychoactive stimulant that increases levels of neurotransmission in the brain. Some health concerns that can be affect people who take these type of stimulants can sometimes be quite serious. Although everyone is different it’s good to be aware of the possible dangers that do exist. Some short term effects include increased blood pressure, head ache, upset stomach, mood swings, no appetite and sadness as the drug wears off. Long term affects are not fully known since the drugs are newer, but insomnia, depression, possible heart problems, dependency and addiction are common. These drugs can be easily abused and are considered a schedule 2 controlled substance along with other drugs such as morphine and cocaine. This means that taking them without being prescribed is also a felony. Although these drugs are not seen or thought to be very dangerous, heavy care is needed when associating with these simulants to prevent harmful long-term consequences. Whether you have or haven’t taken pills to assist you in a dire study situation, the important thing here is to be aware of the effects they can have on you since they are so common with students our age. Student from Noon class Neville Morris, 11AM
In America, cigarettes cause “more deaths each year than AIDS, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, suicide, motor vehicle crashes, and fires – combined” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November 2000.) This is roughly 440,000 people each year. We are all well aware of the obvious health risks of consuming tobacco products thanks to scientific research and the spread of knowledge. What is less known about is the complex financial burden caused by smoking. For years, American tax payers were fully supporting the Medicaid costs of smokers throughout the 20th century. In 1994, Mississippi defense attorney Michael Moore filed a lawsuit to sue 13 tobacco companies for the Medicaid expenses from smoking. His goal was to get compensation for the state of Mississippi so that citizens weren't paying for the expenses of the smokers. The case was a success for Moore and four years later the US government designed the Master Settlement Agreement. This was a contract that asked for financial compensation for all fifty states, five territories, and the District of Columbia from the four largest tobacco companies for the healthcare costs of smoking victims. Specifically, this negotiated that around 210 billion dollars be given to the the fifty U.S. States, the five territories, and Washington D.C. between 2000 and 2025. This money would be used to pay healthcare costs of smoking as well as promote anti smoking initiatives nationwide. The problem is that this money isn't being used entirely for its intent. The expenses of Medicaid are also not completely fulfilled by the payments so non smoking citizens are still paying for a percentage of Medicaid costs. Additionally, states have been raising the tax on tobacco; further complicating the issue. Furthermore, A large percentage of mothers also deliver babies while on Medicaid and of this group, many mothers are smokers and the children they are introducing are likely to require healthcare because of it. The money that states receive goes toward Medicaid and cessation programs that are problematic. On average, less than 2% of the money states receive from Big Tobacco goes towards anti smoking activism. The less than 2% that does; pays for commonly known organizations like The Truth. So consumers buy cigarettes, that money goes to tobacco companies (and the state), the tobacco companies then have to pay the states a percentage of their revenue, of that percentage, a little bit goes towards anti smoking organizations. So, smokers are indirectly paying for anti smoking commercials. How crazy is all of that? Do you think that more money should go towards smoking prevention? Do you think that tobacco companies are giving enough to the states? Do you think that there should be a higher tax on smoking? Main sources: http://ispub.com/IJH/3/2/9073 http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/m/mollenkamp-tobacco.html http://www.rwjf.org/en/blogs/new-public-health/2013/12/fifteen_years_after.html Clay Fiscus, 11AM
We hold doctor’s in very high esteem and view them as people who will do their very best to take care of us. After all, that is their job. So answer me this question; would you ever want your doctor to lie to you? Obviously that was a rhetorical question, of course you would never want your doctor to lie to you. However, in a survey taken in the United Kingdom they found that 97% of doctors have prescribed placebos. (Article found below) A placebo is a treatment that is not known to actually cure an illness, but is prescribed in order to produce a psychological effect or ease the patients mind which in theory aids in the healing process. This 97% includes prescriptions such as antibiotics for suspected viral infections, but that are not actually proven to help get rid of the infection, or unwarranted blood tests in order to make the patient feel better. Twelve percent of doctors have actually given just sugar pills in order to ease the patients mind. Essentially, doctors are lying to their patients in certain scenarios in order for the placebo effect to take place. A simple definition of the placebo effect is when the brain thinks that it is being given something beneficial, like medicine, so in return it reacts like it was actually given something beneficial. So my question to you is, are you okay with doctors lying to their patients? Should doctors continue giving placebos, or is there no place in medicine for deception? http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258048.php Works Cited Glynn, Sarah. "97% of Doctors Prescribe Placebos, UK." Medical News Today. N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/258048.php >. |
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