The debate talking about if health care is too expensive or not relates to my topic of cancer treatment very easily. As I mentioned in my previous blog, if you don't have health insurance then you have to pay out of pocket and eventually sell your belongings until you are so poor that you qualify for Medicaid, known as Medical in California. This business assists in paying for your, in this case, treatment. However, if you have health insurance then that company will usually make you pay a certain amount and they will cover the rest. Some companies have a limit on how much they will pay for you and once you reach that limit they will no longer cover you and you would have to pay out of pocket but a new law in the health care reform says that health insurance companies can no longer put a limit on how much they will pay for you. That will take affect in 2014.
Depending on what health care company you go with and how much money you make health care can either extremely expensive to some but reasonable to others. I personally don't think I have an opinion on if it's too expensive or not because, frankly, I am not paying for it. I feel if I was paying the bills in the house I would be able to have an opinion on this but just by reading the articles given, I was not able to decide. Through reading the articles, there were so many statistics thrown at me like, "the average American household's health-care spending, including the portion of its taxes that pays for Medicare and Medicaid, will go from 23 percent to 41 percent of average household income." and "Let’s not forget that the existing Medicare system is roughly $80 trillion in the hole." and "According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract, government spending on health care in the U.S was $2,168 per person in 2001" that I lost count of everything and felt overwhelmed. In the end, I still haven't formed an opinion on if it is too expensive or not but I'm sure I will when I get older and start paying for things.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Blog #16
My topic for Life: The Book is cancer treatment and my main character that I will be focusing on in my article is my Uncle, Chuck who recently passed away because of cancer. Health care insurance was a big of his treatment because if he didn't have the insurance then he would have had to pay out of pocket for his treatments until he was poor enough to qualify for Medicare. But then they would be left with nothing. Luckily he had the insurance which would make it so you have to pay a certain amount and they will cover the rest unless they have a limit on how much they can pay. Then you would have to pay out of pocket from that point on leading you to the same spot you would be if you didn't have the insurance in the first place. But recently a law passed saying that the insurance companies can no longer put a limit on how much they will pay for you.
"more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." This quote came from the article titled "Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege" by: Sen. Bernie Sanders. This quote really stuck out to me because he related it to an event in history that everyone knows about and thinks is horrible and he said that even more people die from preventable illnesses per year than the total amount of people died during 9/11.
I personally think that health care is a right. I think this because allowing people to just die from things that are completely preventable or treatable but they didnt have the money to get the treatment they needed is wrong. People shouldn't have to worry about if they can pay for the ambulance ride to the emergency room if a loved one needs it. They should be concerned about the person. I can see and understand what the other side of the argument is trying to say but I just feel that peoples lives are more important.
"more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year." This quote came from the article titled "Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege" by: Sen. Bernie Sanders. This quote really stuck out to me because he related it to an event in history that everyone knows about and thinks is horrible and he said that even more people die from preventable illnesses per year than the total amount of people died during 9/11.
I personally think that health care is a right. I think this because allowing people to just die from things that are completely preventable or treatable but they didnt have the money to get the treatment they needed is wrong. People shouldn't have to worry about if they can pay for the ambulance ride to the emergency room if a loved one needs it. They should be concerned about the person. I can see and understand what the other side of the argument is trying to say but I just feel that peoples lives are more important.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Blog #15
3. Describe how Americans pay for health care and the government's role in this process.
Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and may need some assistance because health care can become extremely expensive especially for people who don't have much money. Sometimes peoples jobs will cover their health care but may not cover them fully or may not cover their family as well. When this happens the family must pay the remainder of the money out of pocket. This article explains how much health care costs.
There is a big issue on if health care is a privilege or a right. It seems that people who have a lot of money feel that health care should be a privilege because they have the money to pay for it while others feel like it should be a right. That everyone should be able to have health care and feeling of security.
1. Using a specific example, describe what makes a compelling character in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
During class I read the article called "Open Channels" and it was about people having cystic fibrosis and what they have to go through on a daily basis. In that story a compelling character would be anyone who really put us in their situation. One of those characters where Maya. She was a 7 year old girl who had cystic fibrosis. We were told how many medications she was taking and her different treatments. We were also told how, during the medial trial of a drug, she started to feeling better but once the trial was over she contracted MRSA.
2. Using a specific example, describe what makes an interesting plot in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
To me an interesting plot includes and ultimate question that we are trying to answer through out the whole story. This question could be considered the conflict of the story and when there is a conflict I, personally, like it when the conflict is solved at the very end so it forces you to read the entire article/story.
3. What specific steps do authors take to write non-jargon-based scientific writing?
I think the first step they take is figure out the audience they are writing for. If they are writing for teens then they want to have advanced writing but not to the point where the reader is having to look up words in the dictionary every five minutes. If the targeted audience is older then the writer may use more advanced vocabulary. The most important thing for authors to do is write for the reader.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
When authors want their readers to connect with the story they can bring in real events that have happened or by putting in a lot of facts and statistics. I, personally, like when there are a lot of facts in something that I am reading because it really brings me deep into the story and makes me want to keep reading. I understand that you can't put excessive amounts of facts into every story and in that case I think the author should include shocking events in the story.
Many Americans struggle to pay for health care and may need some assistance because health care can become extremely expensive especially for people who don't have much money. Sometimes peoples jobs will cover their health care but may not cover them fully or may not cover their family as well. When this happens the family must pay the remainder of the money out of pocket. This article explains how much health care costs.
There is a big issue on if health care is a privilege or a right. It seems that people who have a lot of money feel that health care should be a privilege because they have the money to pay for it while others feel like it should be a right. That everyone should be able to have health care and feeling of security.
1. Using a specific example, describe what makes a compelling character in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
During class I read the article called "Open Channels" and it was about people having cystic fibrosis and what they have to go through on a daily basis. In that story a compelling character would be anyone who really put us in their situation. One of those characters where Maya. She was a 7 year old girl who had cystic fibrosis. We were told how many medications she was taking and her different treatments. We were also told how, during the medial trial of a drug, she started to feeling better but once the trial was over she contracted MRSA.
2. Using a specific example, describe what makes an interesting plot in narrative nonfiction or literary journalism.
To me an interesting plot includes and ultimate question that we are trying to answer through out the whole story. This question could be considered the conflict of the story and when there is a conflict I, personally, like it when the conflict is solved at the very end so it forces you to read the entire article/story.
3. What specific steps do authors take to write non-jargon-based scientific writing?
I think the first step they take is figure out the audience they are writing for. If they are writing for teens then they want to have advanced writing but not to the point where the reader is having to look up words in the dictionary every five minutes. If the targeted audience is older then the writer may use more advanced vocabulary. The most important thing for authors to do is write for the reader.
4. What specific steps do authors take to encourage their readers to connect with their stories?
When authors want their readers to connect with the story they can bring in real events that have happened or by putting in a lot of facts and statistics. I, personally, like when there are a lot of facts in something that I am reading because it really brings me deep into the story and makes me want to keep reading. I understand that you can't put excessive amounts of facts into every story and in that case I think the author should include shocking events in the story.
Blog #14
1. Post the stage of life that you will write about and a relevant element of genetic technology that interests you. Feel free to work with Brandon to understand this step.
Adulthood- Cancer Treatment (Radiation and Chemotherapy)
I think these two treatments interests me the most because I hear so much about them but I don't fully understand what happens during them and how they affect your body.
2a. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The FDA is a big part of approving the drugs that help treat cancer. Part of Chemotherapy is taking several drugs that use powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. But while these drugs are meant to treat you, serious complications may arise and, with every kind of treatment, there are risks. Some risks include Nausea, Vomiting, Hair loss, Loss of appetite, and others. But there are also more sever risks such as Damage to lung tissue, Heart problems, Infertility, Kidney problems, Nerve damage, and Risk of a second cancer. There are debates about chemotherapy and the treatment is long term. Yeah you may get rid of the cancer the first time, but when there is a risk of getting cancer AGAIN is it really the best form of treatment? This article talks about a drug's, called Herceptin, approval to be marketed to be a treatment for people who have stomach cancer.
3a. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
Cancer treatment is not really a controversial issue. NO ONE is against the treatment of cancer. However some people are against certain forms of treatment. For example here is an article talking about how chemotherapy may kill cancer cells... but is can at the same time kill the patient. "You have to kill yourself to cure yourself." To me.. that quote describes cancer treatment in one sentence.
This article talks about how most woman who have breast cancer skip having chemotherapy because of the risks that comes with it.
4. Please repeat all of the above steps... This time, focus on a different aspect of genetic technology and/or different humanities content.
2b. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The NCI (National Cancer Institute) is a HUGE agency that works in the area of cancer and cancer treatment. Their website is an extremely helpful resource. They have everything from information on different forms of cancer and all the different cancer treatments there are and what they do.
3b. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
This website was extremely helpful in my research. They have an entire timeline on the history of cancer treatment dating back all the way to surgery in Egypt to modern day treatment such as Genetic Therapy and Cryosurgery.
One of the more modern treatments for cancer that I mentioned gene therapy. Gene therapy is when doctors insert genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat diseases, in this case, cancer. This article talks about the moral and ethical issues in Gene Therapy. They ask "Are we playing G-d?"and I think that is an important issue to cover in my article for the book we will be writing.
Adulthood- Cancer Treatment (Radiation and Chemotherapy)
I think these two treatments interests me the most because I hear so much about them but I don't fully understand what happens during them and how they affect your body.
2a. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The FDA is a big part of approving the drugs that help treat cancer. Part of Chemotherapy is taking several drugs that use powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. But while these drugs are meant to treat you, serious complications may arise and, with every kind of treatment, there are risks. Some risks include Nausea, Vomiting, Hair loss, Loss of appetite, and others. But there are also more sever risks such as Damage to lung tissue, Heart problems, Infertility, Kidney problems, Nerve damage, and Risk of a second cancer. There are debates about chemotherapy and the treatment is long term. Yeah you may get rid of the cancer the first time, but when there is a risk of getting cancer AGAIN is it really the best form of treatment? This article talks about a drug's, called Herceptin, approval to be marketed to be a treatment for people who have stomach cancer.
3a. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
Cancer treatment is not really a controversial issue. NO ONE is against the treatment of cancer. However some people are against certain forms of treatment. For example here is an article talking about how chemotherapy may kill cancer cells... but is can at the same time kill the patient. "You have to kill yourself to cure yourself." To me.. that quote describes cancer treatment in one sentence.
This article talks about how most woman who have breast cancer skip having chemotherapy because of the risks that comes with it.
4. Please repeat all of the above steps... This time, focus on a different aspect of genetic technology and/or different humanities content.
2b. Describe at least one relevant government agency that works in this area. Describe the current news related to your topic & this government agency and embed a minimum of one news story (print, tv, audio, etc.) in your description.
The NCI (National Cancer Institute) is a HUGE agency that works in the area of cancer and cancer treatment. Their website is an extremely helpful resource. They have everything from information on different forms of cancer and all the different cancer treatments there are and what they do.
3b. Describe at least one relevant historical, cultural, economic, geographical, or literary example or concept that relates to your ideas for your article. Include at least two relevant links to evidence and further research in your writing. Strive for detail & evidence in your connections.
This website was extremely helpful in my research. They have an entire timeline on the history of cancer treatment dating back all the way to surgery in Egypt to modern day treatment such as Genetic Therapy and Cryosurgery.
One of the more modern treatments for cancer that I mentioned gene therapy. Gene therapy is when doctors insert genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat diseases, in this case, cancer. This article talks about the moral and ethical issues in Gene Therapy. They ask "Are we playing G-d?"and I think that is an important issue to cover in my article for the book we will be writing.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Blog #13
Cancer Treatment- Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science part of this would be the different treatments that cancer patients go through such as radiation, surgery, etc. The humanities part of this would be the issue of the side affects of the radiation and other treatments.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved in this issue would be that you are using extremely harmful rays to kill any of the cancer cells that are found in your body. The issue with this is that you are also killing "normal" cells which you need.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Cancer treatment has been an issue for a long time. While it may be extremely helpful to some, it can also hurt them or even kill them in the long run. Some people argue that to treat cancer you basically have to kill yourself to survive.
Designer babies-Conception & Pregnancy
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science of this would be that you can use new technology and scientific break throughs to choose what color your baby's eyes are. The humanities of this would be that there are several religious issues that comes with this.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
I was not able to find a picture that represents the big idea for this but through my research I found this article that really gives you an idea of what people cause do to their unborn child.
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved with this is being able to go into the embryo and alter the DNA to make the baby be born with a certain color eyes.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
This is an issue with some people because you are messing with the unborn child's genes and DNA to make them look a certain way. Some people that this is wrong and should not be done. On the other hand some people love the ability to choose what their child looks like.
Growth hormones used in sports-Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science in this topic is the use of hormones. Hormones can be injected and/or taken in pill form and they can be used to build muscle. For the humanities part, people feel that using extra hormones in sports is considered "cheating" and that its not fair.
2. A picture that represents the big idea.
I also could not find an image for this topic but I, once again, found an article that I found interesting and beneficial
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The science in this topic includes the use of these extra hormones. Whether they are injected or taken in pill form or any other way, they are messing with your natural hormones in order to make you stronger.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Like I mentioned before, some people are against the use of extra hormones because it is messing with your natural hormones in your body but they also consider it cheating. Many people who play sports use these hormones to help their performance.
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science part of this would be the different treatments that cancer patients go through such as radiation, surgery, etc. The humanities part of this would be the issue of the side affects of the radiation and other treatments.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved in this issue would be that you are using extremely harmful rays to kill any of the cancer cells that are found in your body. The issue with this is that you are also killing "normal" cells which you need.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Cancer treatment has been an issue for a long time. While it may be extremely helpful to some, it can also hurt them or even kill them in the long run. Some people argue that to treat cancer you basically have to kill yourself to survive.
Designer babies-Conception & Pregnancy
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science of this would be that you can use new technology and scientific break throughs to choose what color your baby's eyes are. The humanities of this would be that there are several religious issues that comes with this.
2. A picture that represents the big idea
I was not able to find a picture that represents the big idea for this but through my research I found this article that really gives you an idea of what people cause do to their unborn child.
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The genetic science that is involved with this is being able to go into the embryo and alter the DNA to make the baby be born with a certain color eyes.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
This is an issue with some people because you are messing with the unborn child's genes and DNA to make them look a certain way. Some people that this is wrong and should not be done. On the other hand some people love the ability to choose what their child looks like.
Growth hormones used in sports-Adulthood
1. The Big Idea—the science, the humanities & the relevant stage of life.
The science in this topic is the use of hormones. Hormones can be injected and/or taken in pill form and they can be used to build muscle. For the humanities part, people feel that using extra hormones in sports is considered "cheating" and that its not fair.
2. A picture that represents the big idea.
I also could not find an image for this topic but I, once again, found an article that I found interesting and beneficial
3. A quick description of the genetic science involved.
The science in this topic includes the use of these extra hormones. Whether they are injected or taken in pill form or any other way, they are messing with your natural hormones in order to make you stronger.
4. A more substantial explanation of the relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Like I mentioned before, some people are against the use of extra hormones because it is messing with your natural hormones in your body but they also consider it cheating. Many people who play sports use these hormones to help their performance.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Blog #12
Idea #1 should be the type of environment in which you'd like to work.
For my internship I definitely want to be in contact with people and actually learn a lot about what their job is like and what the average schedule is for that particular field of work. I want to try to stay away from just sitting at a computer all day or doing paper work. I understand that they might want me doing some paper work or computer work, and that's fine, as long as I also am able to do other things as well.
Idea # 2 should be the type of skills you'd like to use at work.
A skill I would like to use at work is my skill of communication. I feel like I can easily communicate with my mentor and others in the profession. I also am not scared to ask questions if I have any. I think for the internship I wish to get, these skills will definitely come in handy. I also have some computer skills and I keep very organized which will also come in handy at times. The picture below shows why communication is very important in the medial profession.
Idea #3 should be the types of things you'd like to learn at internship.
Ultimately I want to learn about what it is like in the medical field. I know that a lot of schooling went into it but I want to find out where all that extra schooling puts you. I'd also like to learn about the human body and just anything that will help me later on with my dream career of a coroner.
For my internship I definitely want to be in contact with people and actually learn a lot about what their job is like and what the average schedule is for that particular field of work. I want to try to stay away from just sitting at a computer all day or doing paper work. I understand that they might want me doing some paper work or computer work, and that's fine, as long as I also am able to do other things as well.
Idea # 2 should be the type of skills you'd like to use at work.
A skill I would like to use at work is my skill of communication. I feel like I can easily communicate with my mentor and others in the profession. I also am not scared to ask questions if I have any. I think for the internship I wish to get, these skills will definitely come in handy. I also have some computer skills and I keep very organized which will also come in handy at times. The picture below shows why communication is very important in the medial profession.
Idea #3 should be the types of things you'd like to learn at internship.
Ultimately I want to learn about what it is like in the medical field. I know that a lot of schooling went into it but I want to find out where all that extra schooling puts you. I'd also like to learn about the human body and just anything that will help me later on with my dream career of a coroner.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Blog #11
For my article I read about the repeal of Don't ask don't tell.
Today a federal judge in riverside imposed an injunction ordering federal officials not to enforce the controversial policy on gays in the military. Now, the federal government had 60 days to appeal however, Justice Department attorneys have not said whether they will.
U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips "found that "don't ask, don't tell" violated the 1st Amendment." Which is the freedom of speech.
This article is a good supplement for the one above because there are more quotes and evidence within the article.
In this article you will read about why and how "Don't ask, Don't Tell" got repealed. It also goes in depth about what DADT means. The author of this article made to to give you a lot of evidence through quotes, as I mentioned earlier, and it really helps you understand what is happening a lot easier.
Today a federal judge in riverside imposed an injunction ordering federal officials not to enforce the controversial policy on gays in the military. Now, the federal government had 60 days to appeal however, Justice Department attorneys have not said whether they will.
U.S. District Court Judge Virginia A. Phillips "found that "don't ask, don't tell" violated the 1st Amendment." Which is the freedom of speech.
This article is a good supplement for the one above because there are more quotes and evidence within the article.
In this article you will read about why and how "Don't ask, Don't Tell" got repealed. It also goes in depth about what DADT means. The author of this article made to to give you a lot of evidence through quotes, as I mentioned earlier, and it really helps you understand what is happening a lot easier.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Blog #10
What was/were the root cause(s) of Michael Westerman's death?
I believe the root causes of his death was lack of education. He was shot for flying the confederate flag on the back of his truck while driving through a "black" neighborhood. He didn't exactly know what the flag meant he just knew that he was supposed to like it and Freddie Morrow, Michael's killer, didn't know what the flag meant, he just knew that he was supposed to not like the flag and as a result for their ignorance Michael was shot and killed. When the school was accused of having a racist symbol as their mascot they said that it would be taking away their rights to take away that symbol.
"Blacks just need to get over slavery, you can't live in the past. Blacks don't really have anything against the flag. They just don't want us to have it. They want the best jobs, the biggest money. Now they want this. If we lose the mascot, it'll just be a matter of time before we lose everything," said Frances Chapman, a retired nurse. "Don't put us where they used to be"
This quote basically implies that they know that they're being racist and that slavery is "ok" as long as it's not happening to them. They also feel like they are the minority in this situation, like their rights are being taken away from them but in reality no rights are being taken away, rights are just given to others.
"For both Sharpe and Chapman, the rebel banner represented a finger in the dike, the last brake against a noisome tide of minority rights that was fast eroding the status of whites."
I believe the root causes of his death was lack of education. He was shot for flying the confederate flag on the back of his truck while driving through a "black" neighborhood. He didn't exactly know what the flag meant he just knew that he was supposed to like it and Freddie Morrow, Michael's killer, didn't know what the flag meant, he just knew that he was supposed to not like the flag and as a result for their ignorance Michael was shot and killed. When the school was accused of having a racist symbol as their mascot they said that it would be taking away their rights to take away that symbol.
"Blacks just need to get over slavery, you can't live in the past. Blacks don't really have anything against the flag. They just don't want us to have it. They want the best jobs, the biggest money. Now they want this. If we lose the mascot, it'll just be a matter of time before we lose everything," said Frances Chapman, a retired nurse. "Don't put us where they used to be"
This quote basically implies that they know that they're being racist and that slavery is "ok" as long as it's not happening to them. They also feel like they are the minority in this situation, like their rights are being taken away from them but in reality no rights are being taken away, rights are just given to others.
"For both Sharpe and Chapman, the rebel banner represented a finger in the dike, the last brake against a noisome tide of minority rights that was fast eroding the status of whites."
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