Draay's Blog

Children’s Medicine, Dangerous?

draay — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:42:28 +0000

This article was all about “under-threes” medicine, meaning medicine made for children under the age of 3. Research has found that many of these medicines contain unnecessary and potentially dangerous additives. The Food Magazine examined 41 medicines and found that only 1 was free of the additives. The manufacturers of these medicines insist that their products are safe, however researchers believe the opposite. Side-effects of these additives include irritatinon to skin and eyes, diarrhoea, upset stomach, allergic reactions, among others. Ian Tokelove of Food Magazine: “It is time for medicine manufacturers to clean up their act and remove any unnecessay additives.”

I was suprised to find out that many, almost all in fact, of the medicines given to children can have dangerous side-effects. These additives are considered “unnecessary,” so why use them? If they are not needed, and can be harmful, then take them out. With children especially you need to be extremely careful with what you give them. I agree with Tokelove, it’s about time that these mediine manufacturers clean all of this up. They need to do all that they can to make sure that these medications are safe for children. Right now it doesn’t seem like they’re trying very hard.

Citation and Link:

“News. Health.” BBC NEWS. 10 March 2007. BBC. 11 Mar 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6433897.stm.

Jackson in Tokyo

draay — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:20:18 +0000

I read an article about singer Michael Jackson visiting a U.S. airbase during his tour of Japan. Jackson met eith thousands of troops as well as their families. The troops got the opportunity to have their picture taken with, and get the autograph of, their idol. Jackson got to witness one of the troops get promoted, a ceremony where they placed a pin of promotion on the troop’s uniform. Over a thousand orphans got to meet Jackson as well, as they were brought in to meet and talk with the greatest artist of all time. Jackson called the troops of Camp Zama “some of the most special people in the world.” He also was quoted saying, “It is because of you in here today, and others who so valiantly have given their lives to protect us, that we enjot our freedom.”

I really liked reading this article. It’s nice to know that someone so famous as Michael Jackson would take the time to visit our troops. Take time out of his schedule to pay tribute to those fighting for our freedom. The moral boost that the troops must get from this experience is great. For them to see Michael Jackson, their idol, supporting them does wonders for their drive. Our troops know that there are millions supporting them, but it’s nice that they can see first-hand the truly great amount of support they have. Pray for the troops.

Citation and Link:

“News, Entertainment.” BBC News. 10 March 2007. BBC NEWS. 11 Mar 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6437961.stm.

Chaos in Sri Lanka

draay — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:40:19 +0000

I read an article about fighting in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is located off the coast of India, an island in the Indian Ocean. Thousands of civilians fled their homes in the Eastern part of the country because of heavy fighting betwwen government troups and Tamil Tiger rebels. A reported 10,000 people fled to a nearby town called Batticaloa. About 3,000 troops were sent to stop the riots, among other things, of the Tamil Tigers. Civilians said that they fled because they feared that the rebels would use them as human shields” against the government troops. The Tamil rebels are upset because the government bombed a number of their camps, destroying many of their homes and buildings. “The consequence of this will be a catastrophic bloodbath accross Sri Lanka,” said the leader of the rebel force, SP Thamilselvan.

Reading this article gave me an appreciation for the peace in this country. We really don’t need to worry about rebel forces attacking our government. Not everything is perfect in our great country, but “catastrophic bloodbaths” isn’t something we have to be concerned about. It’s comforting to know that we have a sense of peace among Americans. I don’t even think most of us realize the chaos that routinely takes place all over the world. Things laki this take place in mcountries all over the world, almsot every week you hear about more fighting around the world. We need to appreciate the sense of peace that we take for granted each and everyday.

Citation and Link:

“BBC News, South Asia.” News in 2 Minutes. 8 March 2007. BBC. 8 Mar 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6430907.stm.

Billionaire’s Club

draay — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:05:46 +0000

I read an article about the “billionaire’s club.” The club has grown to a list of 943 people! A year ago today there were “only” 73 people who could call themselves billionaries. At the top of the list for the 13th straight year is Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft. Gates’ net worth is $56 billion, up from about $54 billion last year. Coming in at a close second is investment guru Warren Buffet, with a net worth of about $52 billion. With all the economic troubles of today, the rich continue to get richer. “In the last five years… despite all the turmoil in the world, all the conflict in the world, the global economy in real terms expanded oner 25%,” said Steve Forbes of Forbes Magazine, “this is the richest year in the history of the Earth.”

I was shocked to see how many people can call themselves billionaires. 943!!! This is ridiculous. With all the poverty in our country and throughout the world, it amazes me that so many people can have so much money. I realize that most, if not all, of the people on the list give money away but not enough. With all the money these people have combined they could solve a lot of the world’s problems with poverty and sickness. Gates’ net worth, $56 billion, is an unbelievable amount of money. That’s more money than you could ever imagine spending in a lifetime. Giving away a billion dollars would be no big deal to the members of the “club.” If each of them would give away this amount of money to charities, many of the world’s problems could be resolved.

Citation and Link:

“BBC News, Business.” BBC. 8 March 2007. BBC News. 8 Mar 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6432941.stm.

Cheating in Sports

draay — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:33:56 +0000

This article focused on Gary Matthews Jr., an outfielder for the Angels of the MLB. Matthews, along with a number of othr pro atheletes, have been accused of using human groth hormones. These are illegal in professional sports, they are a spin-off on steroids. The lawyer of Matthews Jr. says that he has done nothing wrong, and didn’t violate the leagues’s substance abuse policy. He says that Gary is ready to cooperate with whatever the league requires of him–tests, court apppearances etc. “He is eager to tell his side of th story and looks forward to providing a statement once all the investigations inot the matter have been completed,” said his lawyer when asked when Matthews will talk about the issue.

Reading this article made me mad about all the cheating that goes on in professional sports these days. It seems like that’s all you hear about regarding sports, and it’s an issue in all sports. Matthews was one of many baseball players to be accused, but there was also boxers, football players, along with athletes of all major sports. And most, if not all, of the accused claim they did nothing wrong. This just shows that athletes are doing whatever they can to get around substance abuse policies, because they claim that they are doctor prescriptions or simply creams that they put on. The worst part of this is the fact that these athletes are role models for millions of little kids around the country and the world. There kids see their favorite players cheating, so they begin to think it is ok for them to do the same.

Citation and Link:

“Lawyer: Matthews Jr. broke no laws.” Baseball. March 4, 2007. ESPN. 4 Mar 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2787230&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines.

Columbine, Round 2

draay — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:06:31 +0000

I read an article about a bomb threat that was made at Columbine High School in Colorado. This is the infamous spot where, in 1999, two teens shot and killed 12 fellow students and a teacher berore killing themselves. Thankfully this bomb threat was discovered before any damage was done, and no one was killed or even injured. Students were evacuated to a nearby school after several bomb threats. Police dogs and a bomb squad searched the scool and found no evidence to back up the threats. A number of threats were made by telephone, and they said it is unclear whether any references to the ’99 shootings were made. These threats were taken very seriously, perhaps more than normal, because of what happened 8 years ago. “But a bomb threat to a school is as serious to any school as it is to Columbine,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Jacki Kelley.

I can’t imagine going through this, a bomb threat is such a scary thing. And for many of the staff this is the 2nd serious threat they’ve encountered in the last 10 years. To go hrough the shootings of ’99 was bad enough, and to add this to it makes it worse. It makes you think about the family members of the staff and kids, how they must have felt. Hearing that their loved one’s were potentially in great danger. I agree that because it was at Columbine it was hyped up a little more than normal, and for good reasons. Although they said there was no connection at this point between this and that deadly day in 1999, that had to have crossed the minds of everyone involved.

Citation and Link:

“BBC News, Americas.” Bomb threat at Columbine school . 1 March 2007. BBC News. 4 Mar 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6409913.stm.

Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day

draay — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:40:11 +0000

The other essay that i read was titled, “Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day.” In this essay Josh Rittenberg discusses the troubles of today, and the hopefulness of tomorrow. He doesn’t talk about the ‘normal’ issues however-like where to go to college, the costs of college, marriage etc. Instead he discusses the world that his father’s generation is turning over to his generation. His father is upset about what is being turned over to his son’s generation. He says, “There will be a pandemic that kills millions, a devastating energy crisis, a horrible worldwide depression and a nuclear explosion set off in anger.” I don’t think that Josh’s father actually thought this would all happen, but this was his exaggerated view of what would happen if things don’t change. After listening to his father’s arguments, and then after looking at old family pictures, Josh believes that tomorrow will actually be much better than today. He considered all aspects of the argument, and concluded that life has been getting easier as the years go by, and will continue to get batter in the years to come.

I enjoyed reading this essay. I liked it because it deals with an issue that directly affects us. Josh is a young man about the age of all of us, so it was nice to hear the opinion of someone our age. I tend to agree with him on this issue, I think that tomorrow will be a better day. When we face hard times we need to tell ourselves this. I believe that if we convince ourselves of this, life will continue to get better and nothing will be able to slow us down.

Citation and Link:

Rittenberg, Josh. “Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day.” This I Believe. February 27, 2006. This I Believe. 18 Feb 2007 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5232116.

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Creative Solutions to Life’s Challenges

draay — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:01:09 +0000

I listened to an essay called “Creative Solutions to Life’s Challenges.” In this essay the author, Frank Walker, talks about the creative things he and his family did to get through life’s never-endings challenges. Walker believes that our creativity can get us through any and every challenge we may face. No matter how big it is, if we use our imagination and try to make the best out of any situation, we can make it through. He recalls, “When I think about how my mother fed all seven of us, making us thin that every meal was a “different meal,” I still appreciate how much a creative cook can do with a single potato.” This is just one of the many situations he remembers where his family had to get creative just to make it. His mother also made all of his sisters prom and weding dresses, and made ethnic versions of some of the dolls they saw in the stores but couldn’t afford. He believes that happy children are those who are free to express themselves, and discover new things about life. Walker also feels that the highest quality of life is full of artistic and creative expression. Creativity, in all its forms, can change the way we think and help us to maintain our sanity and keep us happy.

I really liked this essay. I thought it was very well written, and the author made some very good points-that got me thinking. When life gets tough, we tend to get upset and almost feel like giving up. Like what’s the point? But Walker’s essay made me think, can being creative really help us get through those tough situations a lot easier? After eading this essay, I believe the answer is YES. We need to look at the situation with a positive attitude and try to make the best of it. Because in the end we will probably come out stronger than before, and we need to realize this. Facing these ‘unfair’ times in life can make us stronger people in the end, and give us a clearer view of why we are here. Next time I face a tough situation I’m going to try my best to get creative, and trust that things will get better. I challenge you to do the same.

Citation and Link:

Walker, Frank X.. “This I Believe.” Creative Solutions to Life’s Challenges. March 27, 2006. This I Believe. 18 Feb 2007 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5298083.

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Ban on Ipod’s?

draay — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 22:19:09 +0000

I read an article about the possible banning of listening to Ipod’s, mp3 players, or mobile phones while crossing the street in New York. NY State Senator Carl Kruger wants to slap a $100 fine on anyone caught listening to portable music devices while crossing an intresection. Two of his Brooklyn constituents have been killed after walking into traffic while listening to mp3 players. In one case bystanders yelled “watch out,” but the3 victim failed to hear the warnings. The senator said that enforcing this law would make people realize the potentially deadly dangers that lurk around listening to music while crossing busy streets. He claims that it is impossible to be aware of your surroundings while listening to an Ipod. “Turning in and turning out can be a fatal combination in the streets of New York,” is how Kruger puts it.

I thought this was actually kind of funny to read, but I do think it’s a good idea. The Ipod has become such a huge thing, and people listen to it anywhere and everywhere they can. We don’t realize the danger we put ourselves in by listening to it while crossing the street or in other busy places where we could potentially be hurt, or killed. Listening to music while crossing a busy intersection is a huge distraction, and makes people unaware of what’s going on around us. I think it would be a good idea to inforce this in not only New York, but in cities around the country.

Citation and Link:

“Americas.” BBC News. 8 February 2007. The News. 11 Feb 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6343353.stm.

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1 down, 1000′s to go

draay — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 21:45:37 +0000

In this article I raed about scientists researching type 2 diabetes. These scientists say that they have mapped out the most impotant gene that put people at risk for type 2 diabetes. This gives them, and us, hope for the future. Their findings explain over 70% of the genetics of the disease-which affects 1.9 million UK people. It is known that the common risk factors are obesity and family history, with that information and this scientist’s are confident about the future. One of the mutations, of the 400,000 that were scanned, may explain the cause of the disease. Researcher Professor Phillipe Frogule says, “If we can tell someone that theirgenetics mean they are predisposed towards type 2 diabetes, they will be much more motivated to change things such as their diet to reduce the chances of developing the disorder.” They can also take this informatio0n to develope better treatments for it.

I really enjoyed reading this article. It was very encouraging to know that scientists are working hard to better understand and better treat the diseases that affect so many lives. Seeing that they found out more about type 2 diabetes, and can use this information to prepare people and also help cure it, was really good to hear. This gives all of us hope, even though we may not be affected directly. It’s really great to hear about stuff like this; people working so hard to make the world a better place. As Frogule put it, they can take this new information to inform people they are at risk, and motivate them to change their lifestye to lower their risk of developing the disease. That’s huge.

Citation and Link:

“Health.” BBC News . 11 February 2007. BBC News. 11 Feb 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6342855.stm.

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