This is an article about a Minnesotan boy who refuses chemotherapy and radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that doctors believe to be very curable. In the article, it is stated that the court has gotten involved for issues of child neglect. The boy's mom said that her family’s religious convictions say to do no harm to the body, and chemotherapy and radiation were poisons. “This is our religious belief, and we believe in traditional methods, and to strip that away would be stripping the soul from his body,” she said of Daniel (Forliti, 2009). Daniel's doctors think otherwise, though. “In my opinion the benefits of treatment far outweigh the risks of treatment,” Bostrom testified (Forliti, 2009).
Adding to the family's stress, they believe an aunt died from chemo while being treated for cancer. The mom also said that she was upset because her boy was sick from the chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is one of most significant advances in the history of medicine. There is a website dedicated to informing viewers of chemotherapy and a long list of side effects was listed. The side effects may be acute, chronic, or permanent. Most of the side effects like nausea, mouth sores, and hair loss sound very uncomfortable and awful to have to deal with. But when you think about it, is dealing with these seemingly mild symptoms in comparison to cancer worth it? Many people believe so, but this boy and his family don't. So who is the government to tell this family what to believe? When I first read this article, I thought that it was crazy that this boy would refuse chemo for cancer. The latter of the two obviously has worse side effects and a greater risk of death. But when I really began to think about it, I realized that everyone has their own beliefs and convictions. What others believe, I may not and vice versa.
The website lists other treatments for cancer, but the boy and her family are taking their own approach--one that isn't listed on the site. Rather, their treatment program is widely suggested to prevent cancer. Among other things, Daniel is following a nutritious diet, drinking ionized water, and taking vitamins and herbal supplements. His spiritual beliefs and faith in his natural medicines are also helping him heal, they say. I don't know how well I think this will work. I'm far from a cancer expert, but I know that cancer can be genetic. No matter how healthy you eat, you can't defeat your family's genes. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think that the boy's mother should be charged for child abuse or is she just looking out for what she thinks is best for her child?
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Blog 15 (Blue Zones)
The topic for today's blog wasn't too hard to find. I thought of blogging about this as soon as I read the article. This is an article about people who live on the island of Icaria who have a very high chance of reaching the age of 90! In fact, one in three people will live to be 90 years old or higher. Places with high longevity like this island are called blue zones. No, they're not magical places that bless its residents with a long life span. In blue zones, like the island of Icaria, the citizens practice very healthy lifestyles.
One of the things that this article said that contributes to the longevity of the citizens is that the people on the island walk pretty much anywhere they go. The article said that this ends up burning more calories than going to the gym for 20 minutes a day. I will never underestimate the power of walking again. I have done a lot more walking since the temperatures have warmed, and I think after reading this I may have to do more of that! I don't consider it a workout but apparently it helps. Plus, the islanders do a lot of other physical activity such as gardening. Also, their diets consist of olive oil and lots of fruits and vegetables that are native to the land. I love fruits and veggies but often times they are not fresh in the grocery store. I buy a package of strawberries and have to throw half of them out. I kind of think of them as a waste of money when I have to throw them out, so I don't eat them as much as I should.
Additionally, these islanders drink herbal tea everday morning, noon, and night. These teas contain lots of antioxidants plus it lowers blood pressure.
Icaria isn't the only blue zone, though. Costa Rica also has citizens who likely make it into their 90s. This article mentions that Northwestern Costa Rica residents live a very traditional lifestyle: they work as farmers and still cook on wood-burning stoves. This articles doesn't answer any questions as to why they live as long as they do, but a team of reserachers plan to do that. I couldn't find a followup article, though.
There are only a few known blue zones in the world and all of them have citizens who eat healthy and organically as well as get plenty of exercise and socialization. I think all cultures are capable of doing this, but when you live in North Dakota it's hard to find organic food that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and 9 out of 12 months are too cold to allow exercise outdoors. Exercising indoors on equipment is just too boring. Maybe we ought to think of ways we can increase our longevity.
One of the things that this article said that contributes to the longevity of the citizens is that the people on the island walk pretty much anywhere they go. The article said that this ends up burning more calories than going to the gym for 20 minutes a day. I will never underestimate the power of walking again. I have done a lot more walking since the temperatures have warmed, and I think after reading this I may have to do more of that! I don't consider it a workout but apparently it helps. Plus, the islanders do a lot of other physical activity such as gardening. Also, their diets consist of olive oil and lots of fruits and vegetables that are native to the land. I love fruits and veggies but often times they are not fresh in the grocery store. I buy a package of strawberries and have to throw half of them out. I kind of think of them as a waste of money when I have to throw them out, so I don't eat them as much as I should.
Additionally, these islanders drink herbal tea everday morning, noon, and night. These teas contain lots of antioxidants plus it lowers blood pressure.
Icaria isn't the only blue zone, though. Costa Rica also has citizens who likely make it into their 90s. This article mentions that Northwestern Costa Rica residents live a very traditional lifestyle: they work as farmers and still cook on wood-burning stoves. This articles doesn't answer any questions as to why they live as long as they do, but a team of reserachers plan to do that. I couldn't find a followup article, though.
There are only a few known blue zones in the world and all of them have citizens who eat healthy and organically as well as get plenty of exercise and socialization. I think all cultures are capable of doing this, but when you live in North Dakota it's hard to find organic food that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and 9 out of 12 months are too cold to allow exercise outdoors. Exercising indoors on equipment is just too boring. Maybe we ought to think of ways we can increase our longevity.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Blog 14 (Swine Flu)
Swine flu has taken over the news lately, so this week I decided to write a little bit about it. Just when I thought flu season was coming to an end, I now have to worry about catching a disease form a pig. The way it sounds, Mexico and the United States, as well as the World Health Organization are working to prevent and find a source of this flu, which they fear may become a pandemic. It's scary to think about, but there aren't any cases in ND.
This article states that Mexicans are warned not to shake hands and keep a safe distance from others. The article also states that some feel there's no need to take precautionary measures yet. Let's think about that... Valley City residents and businesses said the night before the sewer collapse that there wasn't need to be so cautious yet. Yeah.
I certainly don't want swine flu in my area, so why can't the WHO do something to keep those infected out of human contact? One thing I hope health officials do is prevent this disease from spreading further. Reading about this kind of stuff is all very, very confusing. I am well aware of diseases in animals that humans can catch (bird flu, Mad Cow, etc.), but I always thought that was rare. Does my dog catch a cold when I have one?! :) Anyway, apparently swine flu is being spread by human-to-human contact. This makes it much easier to spread.
To add to the confusion, this is an interesting little blog I found about the swine flu. It talks about the possibility that this flu was produced in a lab because it has genes from human flu, bird flu, and swine flu. I'm not sure how credible this is, but I thought I'd share. After doing a quick Google search, I realized that this doctor isn't the only one who has conspiracy theories in his head about the outbreak.
Do you have any thoughts on the swine flu? Do you think it will become a pandemic?
This article states that Mexicans are warned not to shake hands and keep a safe distance from others. The article also states that some feel there's no need to take precautionary measures yet. Let's think about that... Valley City residents and businesses said the night before the sewer collapse that there wasn't need to be so cautious yet. Yeah.
I certainly don't want swine flu in my area, so why can't the WHO do something to keep those infected out of human contact? One thing I hope health officials do is prevent this disease from spreading further. Reading about this kind of stuff is all very, very confusing. I am well aware of diseases in animals that humans can catch (bird flu, Mad Cow, etc.), but I always thought that was rare. Does my dog catch a cold when I have one?! :) Anyway, apparently swine flu is being spread by human-to-human contact. This makes it much easier to spread.
To add to the confusion, this is an interesting little blog I found about the swine flu. It talks about the possibility that this flu was produced in a lab because it has genes from human flu, bird flu, and swine flu. I'm not sure how credible this is, but I thought I'd share. After doing a quick Google search, I realized that this doctor isn't the only one who has conspiracy theories in his head about the outbreak.
Do you have any thoughts on the swine flu? Do you think it will become a pandemic?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blog 13 (Roxanna Saberi)
Roxanna Saberi has been in the local news a lot lately, and I just found an article stating the latest news. Her sentence, which I found out about a couple days ago, might be erased. When I first learned about Saberi's unfortunate arrest, I was kind of confused. I didn't even know what press credentials were, let alone it was such a serious crime to be without them. This is sort of a how-to description, if you're curious... After learning a bit more about her case, I wondered why she was in prison. Then I wondered what would happen to her. Her story gave me the "what if it was me" feeling. I have never thought about going to Iran, but I have thought of going elsewhere in the world, and I thought to myself, what if I had broken some crazy law I didn't even know about and ended up in prison? Although, I may likely be sent back to America for punishment, Saberi, being a dual citizen isn't so lucky.
If things didn't seem bad enough for Saberi, they only got worse; she was accused of espionage in Iran. She was then sentenced to eight years in prison. Just hearing all of this makes me feel sad for her and her family, especially if she wasn't even guilty.
I read a column in the Times-Record written by Steve Browne about Saberi's situation. I can't seem to find it online, but Browne stated that his children are also dual citizens--of Poland and America. He mentioned that she may likely be punished in Iran since she's a dual citizen. He thought there was nothing the U.S. could do about it because of her dual citizenship.
In this type of situation, I think people need to think realistically, and that is just what Browne is doing. I wish there was something that the U.S. could do for this girl, but I don't think there is either. I don't know her at all, but according to what I've read, she was not spying for the United States. I really feel bad for her family, and I know they've been really worried about her. Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes things like this makes me wonder what would happen if I broke a law in another country. I just hope we can hear some good news about this situation sometime soon!
If things didn't seem bad enough for Saberi, they only got worse; she was accused of espionage in Iran. She was then sentenced to eight years in prison. Just hearing all of this makes me feel sad for her and her family, especially if she wasn't even guilty.
I read a column in the Times-Record written by Steve Browne about Saberi's situation. I can't seem to find it online, but Browne stated that his children are also dual citizens--of Poland and America. He mentioned that she may likely be punished in Iran since she's a dual citizen. He thought there was nothing the U.S. could do about it because of her dual citizenship.
In this type of situation, I think people need to think realistically, and that is just what Browne is doing. I wish there was something that the U.S. could do for this girl, but I don't think there is either. I don't know her at all, but according to what I've read, she was not spying for the United States. I really feel bad for her family, and I know they've been really worried about her. Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes things like this makes me wonder what would happen if I broke a law in another country. I just hope we can hear some good news about this situation sometime soon!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Blog 12 (North Dakota Dodging the Recession)
I'd like to start off this blog by saying I'm not quite sure I understand the difference between an editorial and a column, so if anyone has an answer, I'd appreciate it.
While looking on CNN for a good news story to write about, I found a graphic image instead. Take a look at this map of the United States. It shows the unemployment rate, the foreclosure rate, and the state budget defeciet rate. If you notice, North Dakota is always in the lowest percentage rate. A lot of good things have been said about our state lately, and this looks to be one other good thing. And according to this article, North Dakota is the only state doing well right now. Their reason? "North Dakota's diversified economy is keeping the small state afloat while most U.S. states sink deeper into economic recession." The article also states that ND has a stable housing market. While the Obama Administration is working hard to give people mortgage breaks, North Dakotans are working hard to pay for their houses the old-fashioned way...and of course saving their homeland from raging floodwaters.
If you're wondering what a mortgage bailout plan is, I found a website that answered some of my questions. The site goes on to mention that people have different opinions on this plan. Some don't like the idea because those who were irresponsible enough to get themselves into that much debt should not be bailed out. Others approve of the idea because lenders are deceptive in their practices. That's something I don't understand. I've heard time and time again that lenders like to give loans to those with poor credit because ultimately they'll make more money from them than from those with excellent credit (think late fees...). However, what happens when those who have poor credit just quit paying their loan all together? The bank doesn't make any money. So why would lenders want to deceive people into getting a loan that they cannot afford?!
Maybe it's because I'm from North Dakota, but I don't like the idea of any of this bailout stuff. All it does is let people think, "It's okay, make mistakes, the government will take care of you." Maybe it's attitudes like this that make our state the one that refuses to take part in the recession. I'm open to other viewpoints though. If you think bailouts are a good idea, I'd like to know why.
While looking on CNN for a good news story to write about, I found a graphic image instead. Take a look at this map of the United States. It shows the unemployment rate, the foreclosure rate, and the state budget defeciet rate. If you notice, North Dakota is always in the lowest percentage rate. A lot of good things have been said about our state lately, and this looks to be one other good thing. And according to this article, North Dakota is the only state doing well right now. Their reason? "North Dakota's diversified economy is keeping the small state afloat while most U.S. states sink deeper into economic recession." The article also states that ND has a stable housing market. While the Obama Administration is working hard to give people mortgage breaks, North Dakotans are working hard to pay for their houses the old-fashioned way...and of course saving their homeland from raging floodwaters.
If you're wondering what a mortgage bailout plan is, I found a website that answered some of my questions. The site goes on to mention that people have different opinions on this plan. Some don't like the idea because those who were irresponsible enough to get themselves into that much debt should not be bailed out. Others approve of the idea because lenders are deceptive in their practices. That's something I don't understand. I've heard time and time again that lenders like to give loans to those with poor credit because ultimately they'll make more money from them than from those with excellent credit (think late fees...). However, what happens when those who have poor credit just quit paying their loan all together? The bank doesn't make any money. So why would lenders want to deceive people into getting a loan that they cannot afford?!
Maybe it's because I'm from North Dakota, but I don't like the idea of any of this bailout stuff. All it does is let people think, "It's okay, make mistakes, the government will take care of you." Maybe it's attitudes like this that make our state the one that refuses to take part in the recession. I'm open to other viewpoints though. If you think bailouts are a good idea, I'd like to know why.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Blog 11 (Twitter)
Twitter is the latest in the social networking site craze, apparently. I've heard of it, but don't know anyone who uses it, well until I finally created a site for myself. Then I found Valley News Live on there. According to this article, Twitter has even changed the face of politics and now may even be changing Hollywood. As a matter of fact, the whole reason I decided to check out Twitter is because I heard it was so huge that it caused Jennifer Aniston to leave John Mayer, due to his Twitter fetish.
I don't know if any of you have Twitter accounts, but I don't really understand the appeal. It reminds me of an incredibly short blog (one that is too short to even make a relavent point anyway) mixed with a Facebook status update. I don't Tweet much, but if it ever does become a trend around here, I'm sure I'll on the bandwagon (just like I did with Facebook, MySpace, myYearbook, Tagged, hi5, Xanga...).
In an attempt to be unbiased, here is a blog entry by someone who loves to hate Twitter. This blogger calls Twitter a waste of bandwidth. Here is her/his thoughts: "Why do we think we’re so important that we believe other people want to know about what we’re having for lunch, how bored we are at work or the state of inebriation we happen to be at this very moment in time? How did society get to the point that we are constantly improving technology so that this non-news can reach others even faster than a cell phone, a text message, a blog, our Facebook profiles?"
I am one of those who likes to be reached and likes to reach others, but Twitter seems as though it is crossing the line. Seriously, after everything I do, I'm not going to write a Tweet, narrating my life! I guess that's what Twitter wants you to do, though.
Now, I can understand why people blog and even why they use MySpace and Facebook. Blogging allows for hyperlinks to other articles and blogs as well as an in-depth conversation, not limited to a mere 140 characters. Facebook and MySpace allows for picture sharing and comments and the ability to join groups and causes to unite with others.
One other thing that annoys me not only about Twitter but the entire lingo of the internet is the abbreviations, acronyms, and poor grammar. On Twitter, you may have no choice but to use abbreviations and acronyms to get your thoughts into the 140 character limit, so those of us who do not understand what AYCOOYM means probably will not even want to read your Twitter update, anyway. BTW (by the way), AYCOOYM means: Are you completely out of your mind? Yes, that may just be the questions for Twitter fanatics.
Oddly enough, I have a tough time posting my comments to 100 characters in this class, but on Twitter, when I was answering the question "What are you doing?" I needed more characters!
Any thoughts on Twitter? Do you see it becoming a craze here in North Dakota?
I don't know if any of you have Twitter accounts, but I don't really understand the appeal. It reminds me of an incredibly short blog (one that is too short to even make a relavent point anyway) mixed with a Facebook status update. I don't Tweet much, but if it ever does become a trend around here, I'm sure I'll on the bandwagon (just like I did with Facebook, MySpace, myYearbook, Tagged, hi5, Xanga...).
In an attempt to be unbiased, here is a blog entry by someone who loves to hate Twitter. This blogger calls Twitter a waste of bandwidth. Here is her/his thoughts: "Why do we think we’re so important that we believe other people want to know about what we’re having for lunch, how bored we are at work or the state of inebriation we happen to be at this very moment in time? How did society get to the point that we are constantly improving technology so that this non-news can reach others even faster than a cell phone, a text message, a blog, our Facebook profiles?"
I am one of those who likes to be reached and likes to reach others, but Twitter seems as though it is crossing the line. Seriously, after everything I do, I'm not going to write a Tweet, narrating my life! I guess that's what Twitter wants you to do, though.
Now, I can understand why people blog and even why they use MySpace and Facebook. Blogging allows for hyperlinks to other articles and blogs as well as an in-depth conversation, not limited to a mere 140 characters. Facebook and MySpace allows for picture sharing and comments and the ability to join groups and causes to unite with others.
One other thing that annoys me not only about Twitter but the entire lingo of the internet is the abbreviations, acronyms, and poor grammar. On Twitter, you may have no choice but to use abbreviations and acronyms to get your thoughts into the 140 character limit, so those of us who do not understand what AYCOOYM means probably will not even want to read your Twitter update, anyway. BTW (by the way), AYCOOYM means: Are you completely out of your mind? Yes, that may just be the questions for Twitter fanatics.
Oddly enough, I have a tough time posting my comments to 100 characters in this class, but on Twitter, when I was answering the question "What are you doing?" I needed more characters!
Any thoughts on Twitter? Do you see it becoming a craze here in North Dakota?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blog 10 (The Flood of '09)
This is a link to one of many articles found from The Forum about the flood updates. This may be a very common blog topic not only in our class but in the entire blogosphere. Also, people all over Facebook who aren't from around here are talking to me and other friends about the flood. This article talks about the town of Linton, ND being evacuated. I was quite young in the flood of '97, but I remember how awful everything was. My hometown, Cooperstown, isn't close enough to any bodies of water that it flooded too bad. It kind of shocks me how these towns are flooding so bad that they need to be evacuated already.
If you read the article, you will see comments written by others. The idea of these comments relates back to an idea discussed in another class (that I am also blogging for) talking about Web 2.0 (social media and a more interactive version of the internet). This pretty much means that readers are able to not only read the article but to also show their viewpoints. If you read these comments, you can see a clash in some readers' views, causing what I think is sarcastic comments. Even though arguments can break out from comment enabling, I think it's important that the readers are able to share their ideas. The internet is a new and growing form of communication, and this way people are able to talk with others, maybe not even from around here. Do you think that comment enabling on news stories is a good thing or a bad thing?
After I write this, I am going to go out sandbagging, as I'm sure most of you are doing right now. It's scary to think that our classes were cancelled because that is how desparate we need those sandbags. I went up there last night for a few hours and got a lot done. It was great to see many people from the community out volunteering. Some people say they do not understand why we live in North Dakota. Obviously, the weather is awful at times, but what about the people and the community. From some previous blog entries I've read for this class, I am aware that not everyone is as giving as we are.
Moreover, I think it's great that the community is keeping us informed with the latest information on the flood. I refresh the Forum's homepage as well as the road report's page many times throughout the day, checking to see the latest updates. It's amazing how just a week ago, many of us weren't even thinking of the damages that can, will, and are being done.
If you read the article, you will see comments written by others. The idea of these comments relates back to an idea discussed in another class (that I am also blogging for) talking about Web 2.0 (social media and a more interactive version of the internet). This pretty much means that readers are able to not only read the article but to also show their viewpoints. If you read these comments, you can see a clash in some readers' views, causing what I think is sarcastic comments. Even though arguments can break out from comment enabling, I think it's important that the readers are able to share their ideas. The internet is a new and growing form of communication, and this way people are able to talk with others, maybe not even from around here. Do you think that comment enabling on news stories is a good thing or a bad thing?
After I write this, I am going to go out sandbagging, as I'm sure most of you are doing right now. It's scary to think that our classes were cancelled because that is how desparate we need those sandbags. I went up there last night for a few hours and got a lot done. It was great to see many people from the community out volunteering. Some people say they do not understand why we live in North Dakota. Obviously, the weather is awful at times, but what about the people and the community. From some previous blog entries I've read for this class, I am aware that not everyone is as giving as we are.
Moreover, I think it's great that the community is keeping us informed with the latest information on the flood. I refresh the Forum's homepage as well as the road report's page many times throughout the day, checking to see the latest updates. It's amazing how just a week ago, many of us weren't even thinking of the damages that can, will, and are being done.
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