Drink Now, Pay Later.

Alcohol is one of the most prominent drugs in our society today. Many people see this drug as a way to relieve stress and have fun. Due to its inhibitory-lowering skills, people make decisions that they normally wouldn’t. it was thought that this effect stayed during the intoxication period, but a recent study could prove that differently.

Karen Hopkin reports about a study done with teenage rats in which they gave them Jello shots. The rat’s decision skills were deemed risky and continued that trend into their adult lives. Rather than to stay with the safer choice, the rats took the chance.

In this society, we have high standards for the average human. With the competition so thick, we have to take risks. Life gets boring without risks, and personally I would prefer to live a life without regrets and with stories. I am not supporting drinking at a young age, but I am not condoning it either.

The Genetic Debate: Selective Breeding or Genetic Modification?

Food production is a growing issue in our society today. We want bigger a lot faster than the product can have. We need crops that won't get wiped out by one single virus. This issue is dominating the minds of all who pay attention as our understanding of gentics grow and the more we can mess with the way our world operates. Selective breeding was how we originally started playing with genetics. If we wanted a fluffy, little puppies that stayed small forever, we would find two small, fluffy dogs and hoped that we would end up with what we wanted. When Gregor Mendel discovered genetics, we got into genetic modification. Genetic modification is when we delve into DNA and start messing around. If we want a fluffy little puppy, we go in and insert fluffy and small. Selective breeding helps breed out genes that we don't want, but on the flipside we never know what we're going to get. Genetic modification lets us get exactly what we want, for sure. But what happens when we go too far? We end up with bunnies that glow in the dark, something agaisnt nature. I'd say that the public needs to know more about genetic modification. If we are having our food fight bugs, we end up creating a stronger bug. I think that Mendel would be shocked with what we have done, and I agree. I think that it is entirely unnatural.

Why Ecosystems Services Matter

In today's modern world, we are all about the future. Our idea of the future is often depicted as a concrete, metal, completely man-made society. To think that we can survive without nature is a terrible, apocalyptic mistake. Nature protects us from itself with things called ecosystem services. These are the things that keep air clean and protect us from hurricanes. Think of a natural disaster and you will find something in nature that contradicts and stops it from total destruction.

Peter Kareiva, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, talks about the ecosystem services in February of 2009. He defines them as "... the products or functions that nature provides which are of great value for people." (American Scientist, "Why Ecosystem Services Matter.") He and his colleagues decided to attempt to put a cost on these services. Putting a one on is near impossible, but as Kareiva says, "putting zero value on nature is a much bigger mistake.

I always knew that nature protects us; I just never thought that they would put a name on it. I'm going to take away from this article the importance of our actions on nature. It is such a finite line for us to walk with our race progressing forwards; but as we do that, we risk losing what keeps us alive.

TED Talks: Viral Pandemics Nathan Wolfe

HIV has reached pandemic status in the human race, and Nathan Wolfe is trying to prevent it from happening with other viruses.

The HIV virus was transferred into the human population by bushmeat hunters from the primates that they eat. Nathan Wolfe is trying to track HIV and other new viruses that can easily become pandemics by having the bushmeat hunters take blood samples from their kills and take atleast a basic safety course on prevention of zoonotic viruses. Wolfe and his team have had to overcome many diffuclties pertaining to this direction. He is now trying to spread this objective all over the world so we can prevent the decimation of species.

I think that Wolfe is fantastic and should continue his work. He is working towards saving billions of species, not just the human race. He's trying to save all kinds, and I honor him for that.

Chimp's fate ignites debate

Everyone has heard about animal testing. Whether they have participated in being for or against it, or from the news, it’s reached them. This year, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico decided to send 186 chimps to a Primate Research Center in San Antonio, Texas. A lot of controversy has been brought up over this matter. All of the chimpanzees have been used for medical testing for years. People argue that they have the right to be sent to a sanctuary and not be tested on more. On the other hand, the San Antonio facility is very similar to their current home, and the testing would be just drawing blood samples and taking a bit of liver with teeny tiny needles. The article ends with a quote from Ajit Varki, a biochemist at the University of California in San Diego. He says, “We should be able to with chimps what we do with humans.”

I don’t agree with animal testing. I never have, and I never will. In what Mr. Varki says at the end of the article bothers me. If you look what humans have done to others over our entire history, it’s not pretty. What I interpret from Varki’s statement is that it’s okay to burn chimps alive or slice their faces up; that it’s okay to poison them and remove their limbs while they are still conscious and breathing. It disgusts me, what humans have the ability to do. Worse, we are trying to make it okay to do on a species that is so similar to ours and haven’t done anything to us. I don’t agree with the governor of New Mexico, and I hope that we can find a better solution.

What happens if we die from something that keeps us alive? The problems with too much H2O.

In 2002, a 28 year-old woman from California died from too much water(Strange but True: Drinking Too Much Water Can Kill). Water is supposed to keep us alive, right? Wrong. Drink too much and you can get what is called hyponatremia, or dilution of the blood. This looks like if you take a normal cell, and then just start filling it until it bursts, like a balloon. The woman was holding her “Wee for a Wii”, so her body couldn’t get rid of the excess water, and thus her brain cells exploded due to lack of area to expand and swell. So how do we know how much water to keep us healthy? Joseph Verbalis says, “You should balance what you’re drinking with what you’re sweating.” If you don’t know how much you’re drinking, don’t sweat it. “Drink to your thirst. It’s the best indicator.”

                I took away from this article that our bodies have a very delicate balance in order to live. Too much of anything could and would kill you, so you have to be careful. We need to stay hydrated, but not so much that our brain cells explode.

Liver Transplant Letter

September 10, 2010

Emma Donharl

Dear Policy Maker,

I believe that I deserve this liver because, even though I drank alcohol in the past, I have since recovered and haven’t drank in years.  This experience has given me a second lease in life to do better for myelf, my children, and others who may be struggling with the same problem.

I have two 20-year old children who need me.   I would like to see my grandchildren, if and when they are born, and feel that I have a lot to teach both my children and grandchildren.

I feel that even though I would not be able to repay the cost of receiving this liver, I can repay society through helping others who are struggling with alcohol and the destructive impact on their lives.

Please consider me as an option to receive this liver.

Sincerely,

Patient