Yet Another Survey

Hey all, I'll keep this brief so I don't push the Goodbye post down too far. If you're feeling generous, take one last survey here

Goodbye All

Let's post our goodbyes here.

I am teaching this class again next semester.

I plan to make the following changes with the Blog: Allow everyone to have a topic blog. I want to start one on my new fitness program and the results. Tennis alone just isn't working for me. And then we'll respond to those.

I still like the 3 essays on Narrative, Description, Argumentation, but I may rethink how to incorporate the reading. In my Literature classes, we discuss reading assignments. I may do that with Composition. What do you think?

If you have finished this class with an A, B, or C, you are on your way to being a successful college student. We are all extremely busy. You, unlike some of your peers, have time-management skills and can multi-task.

I've enjoyed working with all of you!

Ms. Chapman

It's Rocheal again, here is my survey!

My survey is on Global Warming. If you get just a minute, please fill it out! The more responses I get, the better my essay can be.

Thanks in advance! :o)

Final Paper...

Hi everyone. I need more online responses from my summary for this paper. If you all have the time please help. Thanx :D



Here's the link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Scszo_2fbqQlrq0MZvKlhNgw_3d_3d

Liz's Survey

If anyone from the other class has the time, please take my survey for our final paper. Thanks! :)

-Liz M.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=2uvla4gZpegbNaQsm861jQ_3d_3d

Black Friday

Hi, I was wondering how many others besides myself feel that Black Friday is very over rated and misleading. I found that many companies false advertised items to lure people to their stores and could not produce products they advertised. My neighbor stood in line at a local Kmart for three hours to purchase a video game system, only to be told that they had one in the entire store which was sold to the first person in line for that item. Four other advertised items was not at the store at all, but the managers searched for the items, as if they did not know prior to opening the store that the items was not there. Did any one else have bad or good experiences from the Black Friday sales?

It's Rocheal! I couldn't get my screenname to work.

So it is my turn, again, to host the blog. I have been very excited to post this new topic. I hope it starts an interesting and conversational-like (and friendly) debate.
The subject this week:
Vaccines. What’s with all of the hidden ingredients? Why all the poisons? Why is the CDC making new vaccines for diseases most of us have had and were fine with? The Chicken Pox vaccine, or Varicella Vaccine, is now being recommended for children today. In my opinion, if the immune system cannot handle such a simple disease and requires a vaccine to keep them from getting it, what happens when that person multiplies and carries their genes into another human being? Immune systems are going to become weaker and weaker. And with all of these new disabilities (such as ADD and Autism) coming about, how is the world going to handle them? And the biggest question: Do vaccinations even work?
Many people don’t realize that by the time a child, in the U.S. today, is 2 years old, he recieves about 28 shots and is injected with 42 different diseases. Age 2 is when the body and immune system are still maturing. And YES you can contract diseases from a vaccine. Most outbreaks of VPDs (Vaccine Preventable Diseases) occur in vaccinated children!
In my opinion, I don’t believe the immune system should be exposed to that many diseases in such a short period of time. It’s just not built for that.
Aside from the many diseases that are pumped into children today, that were pumped into some of YOU as children, and that will probably be pumped into your children- I am also going to voice my concerns on the amount of toxins and heavy metals such as: lead, mercury, formaldehyde, aluminums, thimerosal, polysorbate 80, ammonium sulfate, formalin, sucrose, sorbitol, benzethonium chloride, glycerin, phenol, soy protein, yeast, monosodium L-glutamate (which is MSG), potassium phosphate monobasic, potassium phosphate dibasic, sodium bicarbonate, sodium phosphate dibasic, phenol red, aspartame, silicone, and many others. YES. Vaccines STILL contain these ingredients. My husband and I were at my son’s doctor’s appointment about 2 months ago when we were confronted with the question, “So what are we going to do about vaccinations?” About 6 months ago, I would have laughed at his question, unknowingly that we did, indeed, have a choice in the matter. Instead I answered, “We’ve chosen to selectively vaccinate, but we haven’t researched a single vaccine we’re going to give him, yet.” With a smile, Dr. Doud carried us into his lecture, “O.K. I completely understand why parents are choosing not to vaccinate. I see no point in vaccinating for most of the diseases they’re recommending today but I do, however, recommend two vaccines for those who are chosing to selectively vaccinate.”
Kevin (my husband) and I talked with him for a while. We asked for the insert slip that lists the ingredients for the vaccine he recommended we give Kellen that day. Seeing Thimerosal in the ingredient list really set us back. We’d heard that that the heavy metal has been taken out of all shots back in the late 90’s or early 2000’s. Obviously there was a different story. From that day forward and after doing endless hours of research and watching numerous videos, Kevin and I decided not to vaccinate our son. Yes, I said it. NOT to vaccinate our son.
After deciding on not vaccinating, I came across a forum called MotheringDotCommune. It has thousands of members and almost all of them have chosen to either selectively, or non vaccinate their children!
The next big question is do the vaccinations actually work. The flu vaccine is obviously made for last year’s strain of the virus so how could it possibly work for this year? The flu vaccine, by the way, is one of the vaccinations that include Mercury in their ingredients. I have a webpage that has tables explaining the decline of diseases BEFORE vaccines were introduced. If you’re interested, it can be found at: http://www.americanchiropractic.net/immunizations/Disease%20decline%20before%20introduction%20of%20immunization.pdf

Please let me know what you think.

Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving Day!!!!

In the spirit of the holiday of Thanksgiving Day I wanted to just do a post a simple post where everyone and anyone can just type a comment about what they are thankful for. It can be anything family, friends, life, sports, religion or just anything that you are thankful for.

So often we go through life so focused on what things are not going our way and about the negative things that are going in our lives, instead of focusing on things to be thankful for. So, hopefully you'll give it try and just say something you're thankful for.

-Nathan A. Guest

Georgia Lottery

The Georgia Lottery was established by legislators in 1992. It was created with the agreement that 35% of the proceeds would go to educational programs. This includes the Georgia HOPE Scholarship, which many of us rely on, and free Pre-K programs. According to recent figures submitted by an oversight committee, only 26.8% of GA Lottery proceeds went to the education fund last year. State lawmakers are concerned that more money is being spent on prizes and "administrative costs" than is being given to the education fund. Margaret DeFransisco, the GA Lottery's President and CEO, defends the spending saying the percentage is not as important as the dollar amount contributed to the education fund each year. Lawmakers are deciding whether or not to create a mandate that would prevent the revenues allotted to education from falling below a certain percentage. I think it's so important to keep the HOPE Scholarship available to eligible college students in Georgia. Educational funding is basically why the GA Lottery was even allowed to be created. I think it's a shame that the President of the GA Lottery is ignoring the laws and saying the state should be happy with whatever the Lottery decides to give them for education when that was the original basis of the program. Any thoughts?

Oops, Obama!

Obama made a mistake. In September, he went to a barbeque and was on stage when the National Anthem was sung. He stood and faced the flag, but kept his hands clasped in front of him, instead of putting his right hand over his heart. Of course, his adversaries are screaming “unpatriotic” and using this against him.
Obama’s response was that he had been taught to put his hand over his heart during the pledge but not during the singing of the National Anthem. O.K., no big deal. So he was taught wrong. Most people probably don’t know that in June of 1942, Congress made the "Flag Code" official. This code specifically states that you are to put your right hand over your heart during the singing of the National Anthem. They won’t arrest you if you don’t do it, but it is written out as the proper way of behaving.
I think what will be interesting now is whether or not Obama will make the same mistake again. The first time, he can plead ignorance, but not a second.

Deserters

What do you think should be done with deserters? Canada recently decided that American military personnel who came to them seeking refugee status would be refused asylum. This opens the way for them to be deported to the United States, where they could face court martial for going AWOL. Under military law, desertion during wartime is punishable by death, but as far as I know, there aren’t any deserters on death row. Apparently, most deserters are just dishonorably discharged. It seems to me that if someone volunteered to join the military, and then changed their mind and wanted out, they should be allowed to get out. I think a dishonorable discharge is fair. It goes on their record and will follow them for the rest of their life. Chalk it up to poor decision-making and move on. I don’t think there should even be a threat that they might have to spend time in jail. We have enough people who are willing to serve in the military without making it uncomfortable for those who want out.

Gay Marriage

Ok Ok Ok.. We have all heard people debate about the topic of gay marriage but what do you think? In my opinion gays are just like everyone else. I dont ask anyone what they do in their bedroom so why should I judge someone who is "different" in how they conduct their sexual activities?? I know a few gay people who are just like anyone else. (Well, they do have a better fashion sense :D) But really, why should gay and lesbian couples be denied the rights that everyone else gets? If our country truly has a seperation of church and state then why would gay marriage (regardless of the bible) be illegal? Gay and lesbian couples work with us, dine in the same restaraunts we do, live in our neighborhoods, etc. I havent ever heard of a gay gang committing harmful acts or of a lesbian cult that abducts young girls. So in the end what I am asking is why are gays and lesbians denied the rights that all other Americans enjoy (marriage, tax breaks, adopting children, etc)?

Health Care

I, like most Americans accept the way our health care is handled here in the States. I never realized how greedy our government is an how brainwashed we have become. Last night I watched "Sicko", a Micheal Moore film on the United States heath care system, and was truly shocked. I was brought to tears by the stories that were told about non insured and insured people being denied medical help. It is crazy how many people who are insured get denied medical services. A woman lost her daughter that wasn't even 2 years old because her insurance wasn't accepted at that hospital(Kaiser). A woman lost her husband because her insurance, that was supplied by the hospital that she worked at, denied a bone-marrow transplant for her husbands cancer. They said it was experimental treatment. Seriously!
I was always told that places like Canada, France, England, and even Cuba who had universal health care received slow and poor medical attention. The film showed people in these countries that said just the opposite. They never have to pay for medical assistant, they were saying that the E.R never takes more than an hour. Their prescriptions are a fixed price, which was about $10, and that was for anything. And they don't not consider this charity. Their attitude about it is that you are espoused to help others, and people should help you. They said a poor street person in France will live longer than a wealthy person in the U.S. That's crazy!
I think we need to change this. By the way we are #37 in the world in health care, by we have billions our dollars for point-less war. Forget weapons of mass destruction, our own insurance companies and government are killing us by the masses.

Obesity in America

Obesity in the United States has significantly risen in the past 20 years. Over 60 million adults and 9 million children are obese! Obesity is caused by an energy imbalance which results from consuming too many calories and not getting enough exercise. Behavior and the environment are the biggest causes of people being overweight today. However, this can be prevented and changed.

Being overweight increases your risk for many health conditions and diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and even some cancers.

Obesity in the United States just seems to be getting worse and worse. In 1991, only four states had obesity rates of 15 to 19% and no states had obesity rates above 20%. In 2004, this had dramatically changed. Seven states had obesity rates of 15 to 19%, 33 states had obesity rates of 20 to 24% and 9 states had obesity rates that were more than 25%.

There are many reasons why obesity is so prevalent today which include behavioral reasons, environmental reasons and genetic reasons. In the past 20 years, the environment and people's behavior has drastically changed, causing this jump in obesity. Fast food restaurants, soft drinks and pre-packaged foods are much more readily available than they were 20 years ago. Grocery stores also have more foods than before.

People are eating much more than they used to. Everyone is taking larger portions and eating more snacks. There are so many unhealthy snacks being sold and everyone buys them. This is very unhealthy because people are consuming so many calories and not burning them off.

Most Americans no longer do physical activities, which is a big problem. Technology has eliminated the need to do physical activities. Cars are used instead of walking or riding a bike. Elevators, dishwashers, computers and televisions also are causes for our inactivity. People need to get up and move around. Anything that involves movement will use energy and burn calories.

This rise in obesity is a big concern for us. We need to make sure that we are doing all we can to maintain a healthy weight. Everyone needs to try to eat healthier and do physical activities. If you do not get to a normal weight, it is an enormous health risk for you.

Reality Television

Reality television has really blown up these past few years. With shows like American Idol, Dancing with the stars, and America's next top model, people are beginning to realize, that could be them one day. With shows like these on the air, it gives hope for the average joe to believe in his or herself, that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

With that said, some of the reality shows airing today are disrespectful to most people. I Love New York, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, and Rock of Love are just a couple of the shows that some people may think are too sexual and violent for some viewers. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing people yell and scream at each other on national television, however; some viewers may believe that Reality television shows are going too far with sexuality and violence.

What are your views on Reality television these days? Are you a fan of the popular shows like American Idol, or are you a fan of shows like I Love New York?

Unfair?

I read an article the other day about a couple from Colombia who lived here in the United States for 17 years with their two sons.Immigration offices found out that they were here illegally and tried to send them home to Colombia. After a long battle with government they sent them home without their kids who are still teenagers.Their two sons are going to stay here, get work permits and driver licenses. In my opinion I just don't think it's fair that people who live here that long,work,their kids are born here should be deported.Why didn't all get deported or why didn't they stay?As longest they don't commit crime,pay taxes why not legalize them after 17 years.I just thought this was an interesting topic so I've decided to post it on here:)

Should guns be allowed in universities?

This topic has come up in the news lately following the most recent college shooting in Virginia. The debate that I have been following in the media pertains to the group of people who think students should be allowed to carry guns to protect themselves in the event of an unforeseen attack. But the problem is how does one know that the students allowed to carry aren't going to use the gun to harm others as well? For example, what if he or she had mental problems that haven't been recorded? Another group of people think students shouldn't be allowed to carry because it's too risky. Another issue is the thought that security guards on campus should be allowed to carry weapons for protection. However, are there enough guards on campuses to thwart a shooting in the event it occurs? The last camp believes that professors should be able to carry guns to protect themselves and others in the event a shooting occurs. There are many issues involved here: laws would have to be changed, certification and background checks would have to be done to ensure the right people get the guns, and a determination of who should carry would have to be resolved. What are your thoughts on this subject?

Water shortage: what are YOU doing?

The Left Coast is burning. The South is in the middle of a major draught w/o any real plan to save itself. The issue of conserving and supplying water is big and only getting bigger. So, as an informal pole, what are you, your family, your job doing to help the cause of not wasting water?

Don't take what you don't need.

For some, paying for college is a very difficult task. You may have to apply for multiple sources in order to pay for rising schools costs. I am paying for college through my employer's tuition assistance program. I considered applying for scholarships and grants, but decided not. I thought about all the students that need assistance to pay for school. My question...Is it fair to apply for scholarships, grants, etc. when you have other means to pay for school, especially if your parents can afford to pay for it out of pocket?

Copyright laws getting stickier

Here's a story to stir up some debate: ArsTechnica.com

A college student in Canada put together an online database of music in the public domain, that is works that are freely usable and copyable because the copyright has expired or it never had one, like Shakespeare and Mozart. However, a European music publisher has forced him to take down the site. Why? Because EU copyright law is different and over there, some of the works are still protected. Perfectly legal where he is and, significantly, where the server holding the files is, but potentially making available for someone else, in Europe, to possibly steal. Governments, the Internet, Copyrights, they're all on a collision course, no telling what things will look like when the dust settles.

Prejudice? In the 21st Century?

"To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow."

-William Faulkner


This quote, by William Faulkner, holds true in every aspect of life today. Over the course of the past two months, there have been many stories in the news with various incidents involving prejudice acts. For example, there was an incident on Friday in which former Nobel Winner, biologist Jim Watson--noted for playing a role in discovering the double-helix structure a of DNA, commented on the intelligence of blacks versus the intelligence of whites. He basically stated that he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours, whereas all the testing says not really." He went on to say that while he hoped everyone was equal, "people who have to deal with black employees find this is not true." For more on this here are two links: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/10/18/nobel.apology/index.html and http://news.aol.com/story/_a/dna-nobelists-comments-about/n20071019021809990003. Growing up, I was taught that the degree of a person's intelligence is based on how an individual learns or sees the world; but, I guess that is not being taught anymore. Another example would be of the infamous Jena 6. I am sure you all have heard the story coinciding with this; if not, here's more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_Six. The incident with the Jena 6 actually took place in December of 2006, but is publicized now, more than ever. One of my brothers is now 17 and also attends Georgia Perimeter College. He will be turning 18 in January and plans to vote in the upcoming elections. He has tried to register on various occasions, but has repeatedly been turned down and kicked out of facilities for what they would call 'harasment'. There were never any filed police reports, but the situation has gotten out of hand because he is not an 'adult' yet.

Acts of prejudice not only happens against age groups or races, but also against those of different religions, nationalities, and sexes. This is 2007 people, we need to come together as a nation, now more than ever (with a new president in the midst of a war and other countries 'allegedly' plotting against us). What do you think about this mindset in this day-and-age? Have you ever had any problems where someone was prejudice towards your age, sex, race, or religion?

Clearly not Sanity*! But very Clear Insanity!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

-Benjamin Franklin.

As you read you’ll understand why I put this quotation at the top of my post.

As I sit across from the T.V. screen listening to the false misconception that nationalized(socialized) healthcare is what I need to push for because it's best. I take a second(just a second is all it takes) and think; why on earth would I trust the government with my personal healthcare(or with anymore responsibility over my personal life). The same government you and I trusted with our social security. For the last 8 years(some citizens much longer) of my life; I’ve worked and invested and paid the government for my social security out of each and every pay check, yet as sure as day I won’t receive close to 10% of what I put in. It’s actually like someone saying to you, hey give me a cut of your check every week for the next several decades of your life(thousands and thousands of dollars), and them saying I promise I’ll insure that your house will have security for as long as you live. Then, they attach one of those small combination locks to all your doors and then say there you go your safe. Thanks for the money(Thanks for the thousands of dollars for a some $5 dollar locks). And then you’re trying to tell me that I’m suppose to give the government $7,000+ a year in taxes and wages, and that they will surely with a half crooked Smile and a kick in the pants saying there you go. You’ll have top notch healthcare(ya sure, believe if you want to).

I look at the track record(history) of the government(not just America) when citizens put more money in government they do NOT get half of it back in effort or in services. So would it not be ‘INSANE’ to think if I did the same thing now and again, to think that I would get a different outcome! All these years of experience(history) speak loudly saying less government solutions and plans for everything and more individuality and liberty for citizens makes a nation great. Yet, we sit here with our “selective-hearing-earplugs” on, thinking that it might be different this time around. As someone once said: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. And you’re trying to tell me that universal healthcare is better, because like I say again that Universal, Nationalized, Socialized Healthcare , however you flip it, turn it, twist it or whatever type of verbal gymnastics you want to play with it…It still produces a lower standard of healthcare. I do see what goes on in Canada and London places that have these types of healthcare systems, because I have family in those places and I travel a good bit and have seen it with my own eyes. When it comes to important surgeries and major operations individuals much rather come to countries(like America) to have them done, because there is a different standard here then there. Not everyone here hears the story or does the research to see there are waiting lists 50,000+ people long with individuals waiting on major operations in these countries. They do better buying from a private company, and much of them do. But, guess what they still have to pay the government for its lackadaisical efforts of healthcare. It’s like you giving someone $10 to clean your car, and them throwing soap at it and throwing water on it and say there you go.

We do not need nationalized healthcare, we need to put more pressure, restrictions and etc. on big insurance carriers and healthcare providers to actually help those with lower incomes and etc. That’s a solution not bigger government(for every problem that occurs) and more control over mine and your personal life. Would you continue to pay more for less?; I wouldn't and I won’t. Don’t do the same thing expecting a different outcome, it’s apparent what you will get, the same thing. Why do something that has consistently proven to be none effective. The original reason individuals come to our country(America) is because of more opportunity, more liberty, and less government control over their personal life.(Somehow we forget these things….) This isn't a liberal or conservative nor is it a Democrat or Republican issue; this is a issue dealing with the future of us and our children's best interest and well-being at the end of the day(and more governmental control is not the answer).

Long post, lol…but what do you think? About Bigger Government and Nationalized(Socialized) Healthcare?!

-Nathan A. guest

Wal-Mart and Stuff....

I struggle every day with the clutter that my family has accumulated over the last 20 years. After reading an article about Wal-Mart's slipping influence over the retail universe ,I realize they did it to themselves. A quote from the article said, "For the first time in a long time, quality has a chance to gain on price." I truly believe in America's effort to gain more and more stuff we also began to let go of our need for quality. Wal-Mart took advantage of that and has provided us with massive amounts of low quality "stuff" for the last 20 years. Homes are packed to the rim with items that are neither needed and rarely truly wanted. We build more and more storage facilities to house the extra stuff.

I stopped shopping at Wal-Mart 3 months ago and have felt incrediably free. I spend less time in lines, I don't purchase sensless items and my checking acount is a little healthier. Just wondered what everyone else thought about the Wal-Mart era.

School Violence

Another school shooting took place Wednesday in Chicago. Everyday it seems like CNN is reporting on violence happening in our schools. Everyone always seems so surprised. It's always a similar story. A kid is repeatedly bullied, nobody comes to their rescue, and finally they snap. What is so shocking about that? How many times do you kick a dog before it bites you? Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that acting out violently is the solution. I just wish that someone would had paid more attention to the situation before the boy snapped. There had to be signs. It just takes one person to change the path, a concerned parent, classmate, teacher, someone could had prevented this horrible act. We don't need to invest in more security, but invest time and try to be that person with a kind word, an open ear, and prevent people from feeling like that is their only option.

Milk or Cola???

Many Americans in these days are trying to lose weight and get in shape.Studies have shown that people are drinking too much sweetened drinks such as coke,sprite and others.Statistics have shown that Americans have drank 4 times more milk than sweet sodas in the middle of the 20th century.Now the ratio almost reversed.Soda is now considered a junk food.The obesity ration has almost doubled for adults and tripled among teenagers. Scientists say that our body will respond to differently to sodas than it would to food.Its pure calories.After we eat a burger a hormone called gherlin will drop, but with sodas in wont. Supposedly drinking sodas will trigger our appetite and raise our blood sugar really fast.People who are trying to lose wait,forget the sweetened sodas and start drinking WATER.

Bush Veto on Children's Health Insurance

President Bush issued his fourth veto Tuesday on a children's health insurance program. House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., predicted the House won't have enough votes to override Bush. Blunt said Bush was right to veto the bill because it "expands government-run health care without first taking care of uninsured kids from low-income families. " Bush, wanted a $5 billion increase, and told Lancaster-area business leaders that he would offer more money if Congress agrees to focus the program strictly on low-income children. "Poor kids first," Bush said. "I believe in private medicine, not the federal government running the health care system."
There are children that live above the poverty level but their families cannot afford private insurance, which is what this program would help with. I don't have children myself, but I do have a niece and nephew. So I can understand how difficult it is to pay for a child's medical bills.
I thought this was a very important topic and I wanted to see what you all thought about it.

Does Society Have a Responsibility In Media?

From the responses I read to my first post, "The Influence of Media", it seems to be widely accepted that the media does exert a high amount of influence on people. With this being said, the next thought that comes to me is, "Who controls what we hear on the radio and what we see on TV?” Some of you stated that individuals have the ability to control what they allow themselves to be exposed to. A person can simply change the channel. I agree, to some extent.
The average, moral, adult probably does try to make good choices in regard to what they allow themselves to be exposed to. If there is a song playing on the radio that uses the "F-word" as every other word, and they find this offensive, then they can choose to listen to something else.
What about all those people out there, though, that don't fall into the "average, moral, adult" category? There are children, teenagers, and adults with little or no moral integrity. I don't think it is safe to assume that the media will utilize only that which is in the best interest of these people, and I don't think it is safe to assume that parents can control everything their children are exposed to through the media.
The responsibility falls on society as a whole to dictate what is appropriate in the media. That being stated, I would hope then that the numbers and influence of the "average, moral, adult" would outweigh the influence of the others to the point that, on the whole, we wouldn't have to worry much about what was on TV or what songs were playing on the radio. But that isn't the case. Whatever happened to "majority rule"? Has our society really slipped so far down the moral integrity scale that what is played on TV and on the radio is actually widely accepted? Or has society put aside their responsibility?

The Influence of Media

The entertainment industry needs to be held to stricter standards. Why? Because the moral integrity of our society depends on it. Things that we see and hear stay with us, even subconsciously, and whether those things are frightening, immoral, or good, I believe they affect our actions and behaviors.
How many times have you found yourself humming a song and then, after you realize you are doing it, think, “Man! I hate that song! I need to get it out of my head!” Or maybe you’re lying in bed, unable to drift off, and realize that a movie you saw days ago is replaying itself in your mind? These are both probably typical happenings for most people. When you consider the unconscious behaviors that reveal themselves from time to time, and consider where those actions are coming from, you realize that the media, both music and television, have a huge impact on people.
Many people might believe that an individual has complete control over what they allow themselves to be exposed to. To some extent, this is true, but not completely. What about the music that is playing over the loudspeakers in the grocery store, or the movies that are showing on the big screen TVs at Circuit City? When you are conscious of all of the bits and pieces of media that you are exposed to throughout the day, you might not feel that you have as much control as you originally thought you did.
This is a touchy subject because of “freedom of speech”, but I think that if a person realizes the impact the entertainment industry has on people, most would agree that there needs to be controls in place. It would be nice to think that the things we see and hear don’t affect us, or that we can control our environment and our thoughts, but that isn’t always the case. Our society needs to have standards of behavior and they need to make sure that those standards are enforced and abided by, especially in the media.

Credit Cards

Building up your credit history is one thing but digging up a debt is another. I'm a 20 year old student with no credit history but i'm looking to start building my credit. The only thing that is holding me back are the negative statements credit cards tend to get. A lot of people tell me that getting a credit card is a burden because of the hole it can dig you in. I've never been the type to splurge my money away, but would that change if i were using a plastic card which gave me a limit on how much i can spend? How did you all start your credit up and how did it go for you all? Should i be better safe than sorry and stick without a credit card or should i start now and hopefully make good decisions?

Student Loans

Are student loans a necessary evil or just plain evil? When you speak to other students or graduates about student loans, they will usually tell you it was their last resort. I am trying to avoid it at all costs. I have so many friends and co-workers that struggle to make their monthly payments for years. A few have defaulted and are now in “student loan bondage.” My question to you…Is a student loan worth the hassle or should you put off school until you can secure other means to pay?

Are we overdue for a female president?

With Hillary Clinton joining the 2008 election race, many are wondering if she could become our country's first female president. Many developed countries around the world have female leaders including: Ireland, New Zealand, Finland, The Phillipines, Moçambique , Norway, Liberia, Chile, the Netherlands, India and others. In 1960, Sirivamo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world's first female elected Premier Minister and in 1974 Isabel Perón of Argentina became the first woman president. So having a female executive is not a new concept.

I think it's kind of funny how horrified people are at the prospect of Hillary becoming president. I think a lot of people are too proud to admit they're sexist and instead blame the Clintons' past as a reason for her supposed ineptitude.

I just think it's backwards for this country to claim it is the best and most forward thinking when we can't even vote a female or a black candidate into office. I don't necessarily agree with all of Hillary Clinton's policies. But I think she's being railroaded mainly because she is a woman. Do people assume a man could do the job better?

What do you think? Is a female president long overdue? Do you think Hillary has a shot of winning?

Fall Season

Just a quick question/informl poll. Between this past week and next, the new fall tv season is officially underway so: What are you looking forward to watching this year? Returning favorites? A new show you're gonna give a chance? Or is it just a fad and you'll stick to your books?

GENA 6

I know it is not my week to post a topic but I thought this was blog worthy.

I am sure everyone has heard about controversy going on in Gena, La. on the news.
If not, here is a (very) brief summary…

This town has been in the news because 6 black students allegedly beat up a white student. (Going a little further back, there were several events leading up to the altercation between these students in the last four months or so. One, nooses being hung from a tree outside the local high school after the black students tried to join a group of white students under this tree. Also, a white student pulled a gun on some black students outside of school. The black students fought to take the gun away from the white student. The white student was not reprimanded yet the black students were charged with theft of that firearm. Never heard if those charges stuck.)

These students were initially being charged with attempted murder in the second degree for “beating” this white student. This student (who was supposedly severely beaten) was able to attend the local football game the same night as the fight…
The charges have been reduced to battery for all but 1 black student. He was originally convicted on an aggravated second-degree battery and that could send him to prison for 15 years, it was overturned and that is the case that will be heard today.

I am baffled by the fact that these students may face YEARS in prison over a high school fight. How is that justice ? Especially since they were being taunted and discriminated against. Why wasn’t more done to reprimand the white students? It was stated the reason was because there isn’t a law on the books… There isn’t a law in the books about threatening to commit a hate crime? or death threats? Because to me, hanging nooses is a threat of bodily harm.
There should be a law for that!

When I initially heard this story, I thought to myself the news must be talking about a story from the history books because surely in 2007, this is not happening. But sadly it is.

Your thoughts?

Heart attacks waiting to happen...

A local freshman football player passed away from a heart defect that could have been prevented. He is not the only one that I know to have had this occur. One of my class mates passed out while running on the track and died later due to a tear in his heart that no one knew about. Often Ihear about these sad deaths that could have been prevented if the physicals they get only checked for these conditions. I want to start a petition to make these heart checks standard on physicals because I believe we can save these kids from heart failure before its too late. Wha t do you think the obsticles would be? My belief is that it would cost too much. I am going to research though because I strongly believe it is something that needs to be rectified now.

O.J. in the news again...

Well, I've been giving some thought as to what to post as a topic as there have been many great topics already covered. The current news seem to be focusing on O.J. Simpson and his bout with the law again, and it compelled me to thinking about justice and how justice is served (or not served) in this case and in this country. O.J. was found not guilty of murdering his wife and her acquaintance some 13 years ago. Although he had his day in court, there are many who have expressed that he was guilty of the crime. So was justice served? There were many pieces of evidence introduced that would point to his guilt: a size 12 Italian shoe (like the ones he had in his possession) that caused bloody footprints, a cut on his hand, a bloody glove, his blood mixed in with the two victims at the scene, etc. Yet, the jury found him not guilty. Perhaps the prosecution didn't do a great job of presenting the evidence. Some time after this, he was found guilty in a civil suit brought against him for several million dollars by the family of one of the victims. If he was found guilty in this trial, how could he not be found guilty of the crime of murder? It seems as if perhaps he was found not guilty due to his celebrity status. Now there's an interesting thought! Now he's back in the news: this time for armed robbery in a Las Vegas casino. There are not only witnesses that are planning to testify, there is an audio recording of him yelling obscenities and forcing the victims to stay put during the crime. Perhaps the Smiths and the Goldmans will finally have some justice. Maybe not for murder, but if found guilty, he stands to serve 35 years in prison. Or perhaps he'll yet again be able to buy his way out with high powered attorneys. Anyway, there is a saying: once a criminal, always a criminal. What do you think?

Halo 3, Advertising, and Controversy

Halo 3 comes out next Tuesday. It may be "just a videogame" but it's a huge event that's almost impossible to miss on tv and the net. Part of the marketing blitz is a series of trailers called "Believe" and they've caused a big stir lately. I'll describe them briefly, but if want to see them for yourself here's the official link: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/believe/default.htm

A war veteran walks through a memorial museum, answering questions about his experiences. He finally stops at a huge diorama, taking it in and recounting his memories of the place. We see an enormous battlefield, soldiers from both sides pack the landscape fighting still amongst ruins and their fallen brothers. The men, indeed everything see we, are made of plastic, miniatures frozen in a moment of time in the middle of a battle that's been over for decades. The looks of fear and anguish, of desperation and defeat, of grit and determination, those are real enough though, even if etched in plastic. This is what war looks like.

As moving as many, most even, have found it, there are those that say it is distasteful and disrespectful. None of it happened, the battle is set centuries in the future, the enemy are genocidal aliens, and the old man's memories like everything else are scripted fiction. To use such techniques, imitating a documentary and interviewing a "veteran" like we've all seen for World War 2, cheapens and disrespects the real wars and the real survivors. And worse, it's all for money; it's an advertising campaign for a videogame. This is what the detractors say.

So here's the question, is it in poor taste, dishonoring the memories of those who have fought and died for us? Is it, in fact more disrespectful to show the imagined aftermath of a devastating war than it is to use the memories and names of actual troops in real wars from our past? Games set in World War 2 have become so popular, with so many different ones put out a year, that has become its own sub-genre of shooting games. Real units, real battles, sometimes real names, used in games which have almost nothing to do with reality apart from their backdrop.

What do you think? Is invoking the image of old soldiers, veterans, their remembrances and memorials too sacred to be used? Would you feel differently if it was a scene in a movie?

Children and Drugs

I, like many others are concerned about the amount of drugs that are being sold to CHILDREN. I have four children and am so scared about my children growing up today. Drugs have always been a part of everyday life, but nothing like it is today. There are so many more drugs that have been introduced to the children of today. Statistics show that children are being introduced to meth. at the age of 11. My oldest son came home the other day and told me about kids at school bragging about "smoking weed". These kids are only 13. That just goes to show that our younger generations are already being exposed to this. I know some schools have drug programs in their schools to teach the kids to "just say no", but, is this really enough? How do we as parents do our very best to ensure our childrens safety against drugs? What do you think?

Saggy pants ordinance...

When I heard about this, I thought it was a joke! The city of Atlanta is trying to control saggy pants! Instead of spending money on lowering crime or helping out our valiant police force and Fire fighters, they are going to become fashion police. I don't like saggy pants, but I don't think it should be Atlanta's job to stop it. I think it should be the parents. What do you think?

Gun Control

So I was talking to one of my friends before I had to post this blog. I was all worried about what to post about but then my friend and I got into a conversation about firearms. I am a firm believer in gun control and I absolutely love firearms. To me they are very fun and there is many of things to learn about firearms. I believe that most of the people who are against firearms don't understand firearms. They believe that guns are the reason for all the murders and violence and evil in the world. Firearms are just as dangerous as cars are. More people a year die in auto accidents as compared to firearms. Firearms are used to protect everything that this country has ever stood for. Firearms do not kill people and never have the people behind the gun pulling the trigger has. I used to work in a place that sold firearms and one day some when came in that were protesting people buying guns. The owner was here on this day and he pulled out a gun at put it at on th counter. He told the women to come over and watch something. When they gathered around the gun he pointed it in there direction while still on the counter and he looked at the gun and said "kill". Nothing happened and he continued to yell "kill" many times. The women looked at him and he said "see, the gun can't kill anyone without a person behind it". Everyone in the store that appreciated and understood firearms started clapping and yelling. The group of women actually apologized for there protest and left the store. A week later 2 of the women came back and bought guns for themselves. This is an example of how knowing and understanding firearms can make a difference. When a person owns a firearm and carries out the proper safety rules of firearms then they are the safest things out there and can save many life's in the end. I myself own more than one firearm of many different types and I appreciate every one of them. I will be interested to hear what some other opinions are.

Think: What Happened?!-Where'd It All Go?!

What Happened to good movies, in-depth movies(no matter the genre)?
What Happened to individuals that care about family, that took time out for family and cared and loved for each other?
What Happened to great writers like Emerson and Thoreau, that had meaning in their words?;
What Happened to respectful people, that use words like please, thank you and excuse me?
What Happened to individuals that listen more, and talked less?
What Happened to people that want to serve and help, that put themselves last and others first?;
What Happened to sports and athletes that you could trust, that played their games with honesty?
What Happened to great speakers, like Martin Luther King, Jr. and JFK, that when they talked you could feel the passion, seriousness, and sincerity in their voices?;
What Happened to Innocence(as you look around the world)?;
What Happened to politicians trying to be for the people(the citizens), before presidential elections becomes a topic?
What Happened to the unity and together-ness that was here the days and weeks following Sept.11th(why does it take tragedy and death to unify us)?
What Happened to you being able to let your little son or daughter, or sibling play around the neighborhood with out the worry of predators and etc.?
and Again Lastly, I ask, What Happened to Respect?

In a world where rudeness is the norm and acts of kindness often make people more suspicious than grateful. In a world where you can rarely find people that are actually willing to engage in good solid thinking, where there is almost a quest for easy answers and half baked truths; nothing pains some people more, than to just think. In a world where if you don't watch the news your uninformed, but if you do watch the news your often misinformed. In a world that seems to consistently be on a moral and ethical decline. Have you ever took a step back, from school, work, and etc. and examined these things. And Ask yourself 'What Happened to it all?...Where'd it all Go?

Thoughts!?

-Nathan A. Guest

(Lots of Typos*, lol)

Bishop Weeks beats wife....

Well known televangelist Juanita Bynum has been brutally assaulted by her estranged husband. Report has it that the co founders of Global Destiny Ministries of Duluth Ga, were in the process of a divorce but was considering a reconciliation. Reports state that during a meeting of the minds things went south and Mr. Weeks attacked his wife. The following Sunday he was back in the pull pit. Should Bishop weeks be allowed to hold his place in the pull pit? I think that he is preaching one thing but living totally different, somewhat hypocritical don't you think.. Rumor has it that the divorce was initiated by Mrs. Bynum due to some questionable behavior with Mr. weeks and the males within their ministry. Again this only a rumor but also hypocritical from what he teach.

New ipod coming out!!!!

I like technology and everything that has to do with technology so I've decided to post this article that I have read about a new apple Ipod that is coming out later this month.We can all remember those big old ipods that had small screen and we could put about 1000 songs in them. Well that's over because this new ipod is totally redesigned.By redesigned I mean it is very similar to an Iphone which came out not long time a go and it was a big selling success.It's very small, thin and it has a touch screen which in my opinion is amazing. It can hold up to 40,000 songs which is pretty awesome.I don't even have that many songs.:)This puppy will cost you about 350 dollars, but there is also a cheaper 4 gb version that starts from 150 bucks.There is also a 8 gb model which they'll be selling for about 300 dollars.I think that the coolest thing about this new toy is that it is internet capable and it also has a direct browser.So don't forget to check out this new Ipod later this month in your local apple store.I will go too.:)

The Reality:Illegal Immigration: Your problem, My problem, America's Problem.

***(I WILL RESPOND TO EVERY POST)***

I wanted to bring up this controversial issue on the topic of Illegal Immigration because its something that effects everyone, if you think you're excluded you are sadly mistaken. At first let me clarify some things; because once I start bringing across my point you will see how strongly I personally feel about this issue and I don’t want anyone to get anything confused.

America is a country made up of immigrants, always has and always will be. I have great respect for legal immigrants, definitely in part due to fact that my mother is one, most my family and my closest friends are as well. The keyword in all of this is: Legal (ok to my point)

Loss of resources, overcrowded public schools, untraceable criminals, billions of dollars loss by families as well as local, state, and federal governments, jobs of valid citizens stripped away; these are just a few of the many serious threats illegal immigrations has on us and our nation. Illegal Immigration is a very serious issue that affects us all, whether you believe so or not. What influenced me to post this blog was, yesterday when I was watching the news I listened to a respected news anchor say that Illegal Immigration is “No Big Deal”. I thought to myself, tell the families that have had relatives killed, raped, and assaulted that we can't bring the criminal to justice because we have no way of tracking him/her, tell them, its "No Big Deal". Tell individuals that have to wait years and years, to wait to get into this country, going through the system and the process the legal way, that its "No Big Deal" that someone gets a easy pass in. Stand in front of someone’s face and tell them its "No Big Deal" that their job was stripped from them because someone could afford a lower wage(because they don’t have to pay taxes). Tell hard working tax paying citizens that illegal immigrants are living off your taxes and your resources that you have pay for their healthcare and living, every time you work, every time you do anything, that it's "No Big Deal". The fact of the matter is that it is a very Big Deal. Having well over 12 million people in this country, without anyway of tracking them should not only be upsetting, but it should also scare you. Not the fact that every illegal immigrant is a criminal or even bad, but the very fact that there are no ways of monitoring them through a way of identification should worry you.

I believe our country’s law makers and government have been lazy, apathetic, slow to react, and lethargic when it comes to enforcing our nations laws on illegal immigrants in our country. We hear a lot about it, however, we see little and weak attempts of action when it comes to the issue. As our schools become over crowded, our healthcare rates sore to sky high prices, as the very laws of our nation are being broken before eyes, and the jobs of our legal hard working citizens are being stripped away by illegal immigrants that can afford less wages they sit there with their hands in their pockets trying to convince us that its "No Big Deal".

The Land of Opportunity, the Melting Pot of the World, the Land of Plenty, around the world you hear many call America these very names. The future of this great nation we call the home of the brave, might seem bright, however, it will not be if we fail to act on keeping our laws on illegal immigration and many other things strictly enforced. Carl Sandburg said it quite vividly himself: “When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came where they came from, they lost sight of what brought them along” Our nation was and has been instilled on our Constitiounal Laws it’s the very two feet that our nation stands on, and some of our government and nation have lost sight of that, by overlooking this very issue of illegal immigration. Nevertheless, in a land where many often risk their life to become citizens of, due to our great laws; we are not actually holding strongly to those laws. As you look around the world, you can see what happens and has happened to countries that have not strictly enforced the laws of there land and each paints an unfortunate picture of unrest, rebellion, war, and famine. We need to stand for the laws that protect us as citizens, our children and those that cannot fight for themselves and hold steadfastly to them. If we don't, Who will?

What's your take?

http://www.immigrationcounters.com/ Some Statistics on Illegal Immigration.

-Nathan A. Guest

Pluto: Planet or Icecube?

So the song I learned in elementary school is bogus now that Pluto is no longer considered a planet, although it should be. Just because it doesn't follow a orbital path that doesn't cross another planet's doesn't make it a nonplanet. It has its own moon. I think the bigwigs who decided this were just trying to draw attention to thier field. Everyone I have talked to says that Pluto will named a planet when the astronomy community meets next. What do you think? Should it be renamed a planet.

Whoopi Goldberg's comment

If any of you watch The View on abc, then you know what Whoopi said the other day. If you didn't see it or haven't heard, she said that one of the reasons Vick was involved in dogfighting was that it was part of his heritage or southern culuture. I do not in any way agree with this! As southerner myself and part of a family that has been in the south since the American Revolution I find that it is not part of my culture. There is no excuse. No one in my family dog fights. Of course maybe she meant it was part of his upbringing, but nontheless, it doesn' t give him any excuse! To say that he dogfights because of it being southern culture is complete rubbish for it isn't just in the south that you find dogfighting but also the north and the west as well. It is not fair that Whoopi palces Vick's troubles with cultral heritage. What do you think?

Are children in single parent homes more exposed ......

While having a talking with my mother, we stumbled on to the subject of single parent homes. Being that we were both raised in a single parent home we debated about the influences it had on us and children in general. I for one believe that any child with the will to succeed can do just that but my mother kindly stated that such knowledge of success had to be implanted in a child meaning to accomplish success one has to observe the procedures of becoming successful.

As our opinions were expressed and the questions began to unravel we formed the conclusion children are a reflection of their environment and what they are taught. As the depth of the conversation reach a point of ethics (morals and values) we both notice that one situation may have different meaning, value, and lessons for each person involved. Case and point, the neighborhood we lived in was filled heavily with crime. The police knew of the persistent menacing individual but assumed that any and everybody was subject to be a criminal (profiling). Even children with both parent were seen a probable criminals but the majority of those persistent criminal were from a single parent home. We thought of the reason why and probabilities of those reason occurring in a single parent home and a home with both parents.

With the research from Dr. William C. Holmes, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, children are missing the attention from their mother and/or father which results in problems involving the psychological and emotional aspects. His finding also concluded that children from single parent homes are more likely to be sexually abused due to the lack of communication and the need of more communication. This is a spiraling chain of events that effects a child outlook on life and their ability to trust which creates a barrier between this child and the rest of the world.

According to Lori Kowaleski-Jones, assistant professor at the University of Utah, children in single parent homes have lower score in math than children with both parents. I fell that there should be a program or something to give single parents a hand because that itself is a hard job. What are you thoughts on the matter?

Family Names

Not all families follow the practice of passing down names, but some do. In my family, the first born girl gets the name Judith. Yep, that's right I am a 6th generation Judith. My mother goes by Judy so when I was born I was named Judith Kelly. (THANK GOD I go by Kelly!) To me, Judith seems so old fashioned. I think it is more common for boys to receive a name from their father. But what if the child grows up and decides not to follow the tradition? Does this make them ungrateful or disrespectful against their family? For me, I feel obligated to name my first child Judith. I don't particularly like the name, but I would feel like I had disappointed my mother if I didn't follow suit. So, the question is.. Is following tradition really worth a somewhat "out of date" name?

"Fat Americans"!?

For many years now we have been hearing that obesity in the U.S. is a growing concern. In a recent article on MSN, it was reported by the majority of states that there has been significant increases in obesity for adults and for children. Schools teach about living healthy, newspapers write about it, and people talk about it. So why is obesity continuing to be a growing problem? Why are too many people still overweight?
One hundred years ago obesity was scarce. What has changed in our society that may be contributing to the problem and what can we do to fix it? I think that there are a variety of factors that can cause people to be overweight, and not all overweight people can solve the problem on their own. But I do think that “more activity, less calories” is probably the solution for many people.
Look at how life has changed. People used to walk; now we drive. Jobs were often more physically strenuous, now we have technology. Even farmers have tractors and machines to do the work. With all of the technology that our generation has available to us, we don’t even have to get out of bed. We can shop online, do school online, and socialize online. We have TV’s and game systems. I think that all of this boils down to a big, fat problem…obesity.
What makes obesity such a big concern is that it has been linked to several seriousness illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Diseases that used to only be found in the adult population, such as high blood pressure, are now showing up among children because of obesity.
If our nation is going to make any strides towards changing this trend, the government, communities, and individuals all have to acknowledge obesity as a problem worth fixing. Healthier lifestyles will have to be adopted, including making better choices in food consumption, and spending more time exercising. It is a shame that our “smart society” hasn’t figured out how to manage this problem.

So Sue Me!

This is a common phrase that many people say, but many have taken too seriously. The amount of lawsuits over unimportant things like spilled coffee are on the rise and people are looking for reasons to sue. People have broken into houses and hurt themselves in the process sue the owners for it. Health lawsuits have increased so much that doctors can't practice because the insurance is too high to do so. Emergency workers can't rescue people without worrying about being sued. It is a problem that has to be taken care of. People need to stop sueing over the unecessary things and if we don't put an end to it, people won't be able to work certain jobs anymore because they can't afford to. Lawyers who hunt for cases to fight like that spilt coffee case need to be stopped. What Do you think?

Micheal Vick and dog fighting

The dog fighting incident involving Michael Vick has gone too far. The man has committed a crime, has plead guilty to doing it, and will serve time in jail for his actions. Is that not enough? What he has done is not right, but at the same time, there has been far much worst things that has happen and will happen in this world. I think that some people in this world are crazy. The way Michael has been treated concerning his mistake makes me mad i.e., excessive and massive media exploitation and selling dog chewed Vick football cards on Ebay.
It was not that long ago when Black people were being treated less than dogs or anything for that matter. In fact, it was the law to be able to hang, beat, drown, kill, burn, torture and/or do whatever you want to do to a Black person right here in the USA without having any consequences. Where was and is the out cry and outrage about that type of cruel and evil behavior towards a human??? I am very disgusted on the level of priority this has taken over the issues of murders and rapings of HUMAN BEINGS!!!

Michael Vick and Dogfighting

I understand and accept that there are many animal lovers who are angered and deeply wounded by Michael Vick's actions, and I believe that he should be punished for those actions. However, what I do not understand or accept is that people are literally calling for his head on a platter. I read a sports network blog yesterday where someone actually called for Vick to be castrated; a female caller to a CNN talk show host wanted him to be put in a dog house and be fed in a dog bowl, just as a dog would be. People, let's get a grip here! Yes, what he did was terrible, but women are being battered and murdered everyday by their spouses/boyfriends and where is the uproar about this across the nation? Where were the screams of indignation when those three students were executed a few weeks ago? There are people walking around freely that have killed human beings and yet it is quite possible that Vick will serve more time in prison than they did. I think that even if Vick is allowed back in the NFL, he will never be able to revert back to his star status because people across America will not allow him to. If Barry Bonds was booed and heckled for allegedly putting steroids into his own body, can you imagine what kind of reception Vick will receive if he ever plays again? Does a human being deserve to lose his freedom and be hated over an animal?

Pregnant With Cancer

Hi, everyone. My name is Liz and this is my week to contribute to the blog. There are lots of controversial topics in the news today.. But I tried to really find something that interested me.

I recently read an article in my Glamour magazine (A girl's got to keep up with things, you know.) about a woman who decided to get pregnant while her cancer was in remission. Six years ago, Erin Zammett Ruddy was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Until recently, this type of cancer was fatal for most patients. Erin and her husband decided they would try to have a child of their own before exploring other options such as adoption.

Taking Gleevec during pregnancy is not recommended so Erin had to risk her life by going off her meds in order to have this child. Since the Gleevec is what is keeping her in remission, there is a great chance that her cancer could return. Erin's doctors informed her of a type of chemo that is supposedly safe for pregnant women should her cancer return. Considering that most women are extremely careful about everything during pregnancy, even what they put in their mouths, this sounds like a scary option to me.

At the time I read the article, Erin was 8 months pregnant and her cancer was still undetectable. She's been monitored closely by her doctors throughout her pregnancy, taking blood samples frequently to see if the cancer has returned. Erin says that every woman she's spoken to that went off Gleevec to get pregnant has relapsed.

She has been called selfish by many for choosing to risk her own life to get pregnant rather than adopting. Once the baby is born she will be unable to breastfeed while on Gleevec. Even if the pregnancy goes well, going off the medication could prove to be potentially fatal for Erin.

Personally, I believe that she should have the opportunity to have her own natural children with her husband. She has said that adopting is a great option that she and her husband could possibly explore in the future. Yes, there are risks involved with getting pregnant when you have cancer. But should this woman be denied the right to be a mother? I applaud her for going ahead with this deeply personal decision despite opposition. I certainly hope and pray that everything will work out for her and her family. However, if things do not--I do not think she will have died in vain. It will be out of love and her natural instinct to be a mother.

What do you think? Did Erin make the right decision? I would love to hear your thoughts! :)

Morning after pill

I was reading an article the other day regarding the over-the-counter morning after pill and how its popularity has risen since becoming available over-the-counter. The manufacturers of this product have had a lot of people protesting the use of this product, calling it a "tantamount to abortion". I personally would not use this product as a means of preventing a pregnancy from occurring, but it appears that many women have or would if the situation presented itself.

This presents the question – Is using this product abortion?

Many believe that life begins at conception and feel it is murder to abort a pregnancy at any stage. Many others, including myself, believe that life begins at a certain phase and aborting a pregnancy before this phase is not murder.

Science does show that it is not until around the second week after fertilization that an embryo has "life" meaning it has a central nervous system, heart and lungs.

I feel that a woman should be given the right to choose. But just as it is my right to choose not to use this product, it is the next woman’s right to choose to use it.

Your thoughts?

Hello!

My name is Rocheal and I am one of the hosts for this week. I figured I could start a new topic for those of you that are interested.
Ms. Chapman said we could talk about anything so I will post about something that I am very interested in which is natural living. For those of you that don't know what I mean when I say natural living, here is a definition I found on www.naturalfamilyboutique.com :

"A lifestyle choice that includes using products that are in as close to their natural state as possible; reducing or eliminating chemicals used in personal care and cleaning products; supporting healthful living through minimal chemical and medical intervention; reducing consumption of non-renewable resources; and raising children in a way that is biologically logical for humans as a species."

Natural living can mean various things for different people depending on how "crunchy" they are. The crunchiests of the crunchies, for example, recycle nearly everything, do not use any disposable products, and only buy 100% organic foods. I do not consider myself mega crunchy but I do try to recycle, eat healthy, and re-use products that can be re-used.

My three week old son is in cloth diapers http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=98&products_id=954, we breastfeed only (no formula), we use soaps with the least amount of chemicals in them as possible, we buy organic foods when possible (they're so expensive!), and we drink water, milk, juices, and rarely buy sodas. (but who can live without the occasional coke?!)

We, as a family, choose to do this because it's better for the environment, ourselves, and it's cheaper!!

What do you think of natural living and how far would/wouldn't you go?

Blog Initiation- George Bush By Hiren Patel

Hello all,

Today I thought I would talk about something extremely controversial to jump start a great blog!

George Bush…

Being in the Business world, I am usually restricted to my thoughts on how everything has played out in the last 8 years and weather or not justice has been served.

To be honest in 2001-2003 I paid less taxes per dollar earned than I did any other year I’ve been in business, I thought to myself, although he feels the need to take over the world, he’s making me a richer man so hey, let it ride. From 2004-2007 my tax payments also hit records, record highs!!! I could have never imagined paying so much tax last year and it got me thinking that his main aim was to help business owners by lowering tax for us, then what about those that he did not intend on helping, how much more did they have to pay???

Is it really legal to go to war and practically ruin a country to the point that it will take generations to bring it back up, without having any truthful proof? If Bill Clinton can be impeached for lying, then why is someone like George Bush still in office? Clinton affected no more than 5 people in what he did, I feel George Bush has not only ordered the mass killing of people, he’s killed the world markets too. It will take the world years to get back to stability.

I don’t understand how you sleep at night knowing innocent men and women are dying because you ordered them to go abroad and fight what seems to be a personal agenda!