Text Response 6

Should Humans Use Animals to Conduct Tests?

The answer depends on who you ask. You have some people on one side who are completely for testing on animals because they believe it will lead to improvements in medicine, hygiene products, etc. But on the other side you have people who are completely against animal testing because it is morally wrong in their opinions. Today i will be sharing my opinion on the subject.

I was looking through my English book, Argument! earlier today until i came across a photo on page 358 of two people holding up a sign that said, "SAVE HUMAN LIVES TEST ON ANIMALS". These two people were obviously protesting in favor of animal testing, but i'm writing this blog today because i think animal testing is wrong and unnecessary. I understand that animal testing can be useful when conducting research, but i don't think it is absolutely necessary.

I believe there are other ways for scientists to conduct research that don't involve harming animals for testing purposes. For example, a human would make a great test subject when conducting a test for human products. When i say a human, i mean a volunteer who is alive and perfectly happy donating their body to scientists. Why should we use innocent animals when we have volunteers? Most people don't see it the way i do, and they continue to use these animals as testing subjects for their own selfish purposes. 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but before you pick a side make sure you're picking the side you actually share the belief with and not just the side that is more socially acceptable. 

References:

Messenger, Erica, John Gooch and Dorothy U. Seyler. Argument! United States of America: Mcgraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2011. Print.

Blog 6

Should Teachers Make More Money?

Teachers play an important role for the future generations. They are the ones who teach students how to read, write, add, subtract, critically think, and etc. On average elementary teachers in Illinois only make about $59,270 annually, and high school teachers typically make about 66,020 annually ("How Much Do Teachers Make?"). According to Sierra Black, $75,000 is enough to live happily and comfortably ("How Much is Enough? On Average, About $75,000 Per Year"). This gap shows that teachers don't make enough money to live comfortably without worrying about money all of the time.

In order for them to live comfortably they need a BIG raise.

I believe teachers should make more money because of all the work they do for kids and young adults. Teaching a student takes quite a bit of patience that many people lack or don't have. I know i don't have the patience required to teach children because i would get frustrated with them and most likely just give up and find something fun for us to do instead of teaching them what needs to be taught. Thank goodness there are people (teachers) out there who can handle children and young adults.

Unlike Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher

Some people might disagree with me and say teachers don't deserve more money because of all the breaks they get during the school year. I understand why someone might disagree with me because teachers do get certain holidays off as well as seasonal breaks; however, don't forget that they are teaching the future generations. They are responsible with filling the future generations minds with knowledge that will help better themselves and possibly the world.

Text Response 5

Male Mothers

"My Daughters Have No Mother" is an article i read today. Max Mutchnick, the author, discusses how gay men need surrogates in order to have children. He then proceeds with saying heterosexuals have it easier than homosexuals because they don't necessarily need surrogates to carry their unborn children (Mutchnick). I will agree with him on the fact that heterosexual couples have a much easier way to produce and carry a child because a heterosexual couple consists of a woman and a man. The man is able to impregnate the woman by delivering his sperm to her egg producing a zygote. For a homosexual couple pregnancy becomes impossible, at least between the two. Pregnancy is impossible for the female couples because they both have eggs, but no sperm to fertilize them and produce the zygote; while the males both have sperm, but no eggs to fertilize. This is why homosexual couples turn to surrogates. The surrogates can sometimes use the egg or sperm of the female or male to inseminate themselves and produce a zygote, which will later develop into a fetus. Max Mutchnick seems quite frustrated that his daughters will never really have a mom since he is with another man, but he realizes that he will love the child regardless of whether or not a surrogate carried it. This is an important way for him to look at things. It means he has a good attitude about things that he can't necessarily control. If more people were like Max, the world would consist of happier and more grateful people.


References:
Mutchnick, Max. "My Daughters Have No Mother." TheHuffingtonPost.com. The Huffington Post, 27 Feb. 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.

Blog 5

AIDS: It is still an issue!

Earlier today I watched the movie, Dallas Buyer's Club. It got me thinking about AIDS, and how deadly it is for us. I believe it is important for all of you to understand what HIV and AIDS is so that you can minimize your risks of developing or spreading the virus.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) occurs after one has become infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (Alcantara). Over time the virus develops into a deadly disease known as AIDS (Alcantara).

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the United States had more than 1.1 million people that were infected with HIV ("HIV in the United States: At A Glance"). 1 out of 6 of those people had no idea that they were infected ("HIV in the United States: At A Glance").

 

HIV is a virus that can be spread through a couple of different ways. One of the more common ways it is spread is through sexual intercourse or any other type of activity that exchanges bodily fluids (Alcantara). The virus attacks your immune system and makes your body more susceptible to developing diseases and eventually leading to the fatal disease we call AIDS (Alcantara).

In order to reduce the chances of developing HIV, you must start taking precautions. For starters, if you're going to be sexually active then be smart about it and wear protection. This doesn't prevent the virus from infecting you, but it does help lower your chances of infection.

 

If you are worried you might be infected with HIV or AIDS, then consult your doctor. He or she will test your blood and give you the diagnosis. If you test positive for HIV or AIDS, there are ways of prolonging your life with the proper medicine, but nothing can necessarily cure it.

 

It is important to contact your previous sexual partners or anybody that you might have exchanged body fluids with so that they are aware of the possibility that they also might have HIV or Aids. This communication is key to keep the virus from spreading and it is also key to survival.

 

 

 

 

 

References

"HIV in the United States: At A Glance." Cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 03 Dec. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

Alcantara, Sava Tang. "What Does HIV and AIDS Stand For?" EHow.com. EHow, 27 Nov. 2008. Web. 04 Apr. 2014.

Text Response 4

     Wear What You Want     

Schools should and do have the right to tell us how we can and cannot behave, but i do not think schools should, even though they do, have the right to tell us what we can and cannot wear. Mark Davis is the author of a newspaper column known as, "A Little Civility, Please". He supports the idea of schools having the right to tell students what they can and cannot wear. I disagree with him because clothes are just clothes. Clothes are worn to express one's personality, beliefs, mood, creativity, and sense of humor. I don't understand why schools are so focused on what their students are wearing to school, when they should be focusing on teaching their students how to agree to disagree with other students. 

Davis brings up a good point when he talks about how a classroom that lacks a sense of order will lead to behavioral issues because it is true; however, monitoring what students are wearing will not preserve a sense of order. Instead, the school should allow their students to wear whatever they desire, just as long as they are covering certain areas that need covering. I believe this will expose students to the reality they will be faced with once they graduate from school because in reality you can wear whatever you want, outside of work that is. You will see types of clothing that offend you, but i believe having this sort of exposure during your school years will help you to agree to disagree with their choice of clothing. 

Blog 4

Bring Home a Pet!

Ever since i can remember, my mom and dad always provided me and my siblings with pets. We had dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, turtles, fish, and at one point a scorpion. Needless to say, i am all for keeping animals as pets because i love taking care of them and i love the companionship they give me.

Nothing says i love you as well as a dog licking your face.

Many people think it's selfish to own pets because we, the pet owners, take away the animal's rights once we buy or adopt the pet. I'll admit that it is selfish to possess an animal; however, many people who own pets try to give their pet the best life possible. 

This is sadly what happens when a pet ends up in the wrong hands. 

I can't speak for all of the pet owners because there are those pet owners who lack a sense of responsibility, and there are also those who are just plain cruel to their animals. Unfortunately, there is not much to do when you see a pet owner mistreating his or her pet except to report it to animal patrol. So if you ever do witness animals being mistreated please call animal patrol because that poor animal doesn't deserve to be tortured because their owner is too lazy or irresponsible to take care of him or her.

Something to help cheer you up!

Now i'll return to the happier side of owning pets. Caring for an animal is so satisfying in my opinion because you have to feed them, give them water, bath them or clean their cage. All of this work is what makes owning a pet so satisfying. You are responsible for their well-being which gives you, the pet owner, a sense of importance, and it gives your life meaning. 

Guinea pigs make great pets, but be sure to bath them
or else you will find out they can get pretty smelly.

Some people live their entire lives being single, while others eventually find the love of their life and get married. Whatever the case, owning a pet will give both the single person as well as the married couple a sense of companionship. This is what i mean when i say possessing a pet is selfish. We keep them because we love them and we want them to love us in return. I can't imagine coming home and not being greeted by my four dogs. Getting licked and jumped on by my dogs sounds like a nightmare to some people, but to me it shows how much they love and admire me. I know that sounds incredibly selfish, but i also know my family and i give our pets the best lives possible. I truly believe they are better off being kept as pets in my home where i know they are safe, loved, and cared for rather than somewhere else where they might not be safe, loved, or cared for.  

So if you decide you want a pet, just know adoption, in my opinion, is more rewarding then buying a new pet because you are saving a live and providing that pet with a live they never thought was possible for them. Keep in mind before you actually adopt or buy the animal that you'll need a proper income to provide and care for it. If you are certain you make enough money to care for it, then go ahead and bring your new pet home. Make sure you spoil him or her with love and attention because your pet will not only be grateful for it, but he or she will love you in return for taking good care of them.

Text Response 3

The Power a Brand Can Have On Consumers

Have you ever stood in an aisle of a store contemplating about which brand name product to buy? I'm guessing many of you have, including me. After reading Rob Walker's magazine column, "Social Lubricant: How a Marketing Campaign Became the Catalyst for a Societal Debate" i'd have to say that we buy certain brands because we appreciate what that brand represents as well as the message they are sending to their consumers.

Dove beauty products, for example are brand name products primarily selling to women because of the message they are sending to women of all ages, sizes, and colors. In order for Dove to successfully advertise their products they need to photograph models to place on billboards, television commercials, magazine covers, and etc., but not the kind of models you're used to seeing. The Dove Girls being photographed look like everyday women. Some have stretch marks or chubby tummies, while others have wrinkles or tattoos. Dove uses everyday women to portray "real beauty" rather than unrealistic, photo-shopped beauty, and it sells!

I myself use Dove deodorants and Dove body washes for two reasons. The first reason is because i love the smell of it, and the second reason is because i also appreciate the message being sent to their consumers. Rob Walker’s, "Social Lubricant: How a Marketing Company Became the Catalyst for a Societal Debate" discusses the debate between whether or not the advertisements of the Dove Girls are positive for portraying images of real women or negative due to the fact that the women are advertising the brand's products in their underwear.

Throughout the column Walker explains that the images are challenging the stereotype that being thin is beautiful, and further examines the possibility that people will turn to marketers for guidance on how to help get rid of anxiety issues that were placed in their heads by the marketers themselves. Marketers know the power they possess over us, and use it to their advantage. Dove's firming lotion, for example contradicts the message it sends to women. The whole point of the Dove Girls is to portray images of confident women of all colors, ages, and sizes who are comfortable in their own skin, not advertise products such as firming lotion to help tighten up loose skin.

In my opinion, the images are still positive because they are promoting women to have confidence within their own bodies, which is a good start. On the other hand, producing products such as firming lotion contradicts the message Dove is sending to women. Overall, i don't completely blame the brand Dove because they are just meeting the demands of an insecure population. Whatever corporation planted insecurities in to the population's minds is to blame. If there were more corporations like Dove, people would eventually feel less obligated to look a certain way because they would be appreciating the real women Dove is advertising, which would give them reassurance that it’s okay to be have wrinkles, stretch marks, and/or tattoos. Having that reassurance helps women to accept themselves for who they are and their bodies for what they are. This will help them realize that they don’t need firming lotion or anti-aging products to be beautiful, which will then decrease the production and distribution of these products, and lead us to a world where marketing will have less of a say about what should and shouldn't be consider beautiful. 

References

Messenger, Erica, John Gooch, and Dorothy U. Seyler. Argument! United States of America: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2011. Print.

Blog 3

The Danger of Being Bronze

Tanning beds are increasingly becoming more of a problem for all ages; females in their young adult and teenage years are a growing number of tanning bed users ("Indoor Tanning: The Risks of Ultraviolet Rays"). My guess is that young adults, especially the women, want to look a certain way to boost their confidence, and they feel like one way for them to do this is through using a tanning bed. It sounds silly to hear having a tan can affect your confidence, but i know it's true because i used to tan on a daily basis. I was borderline addicted to it, and i felt like i needed to be tan in order to feel good about myself. Thankfully, i opened my eyes and realized that risking my life for tan skin was absolutely ridiculous, and i finally decided to quit. Now that i am as pale as a ghost and quite content with the color of my skin, i believe tanning beds should become illegal for anyone to use, except for those who suffer from a medical condition (like a Vitamin D deficiency) and need ultra-violet (UV) radiation to help better their health, because it is expensive, causes premature aging, and increases your chances of developing a skin cancer.    

Back in the day, i would drop about $50-$60 a month for an unlimited tanning package, not including the tanning lotion, which is about $20-$30, depending on the lotion you buy. That adds up to be somewhere around $70-$90 a month, again depending on what level of tanning you purchase and what lotion you buy. Regardless, that's a lot of money for a young adult to be spending to use a tanning bed. As i stated earlier, much of the tanning population consists of young adults. Think about where young adults typically work and how much money they typically make. It’s not very much, is it? So spending $70-$90 a month on tanning is not only absurd, but it’s unrealistic for the average young adult who makes minimum wage.

Now I want you to think about how much money you're going to be spending on anti-aging products you'll eventually want for your skin to try and reverse some of the damage tanning beds caused it. A good way to preserve money and your skin is to just take care of it while you are young. This means no tanning beds! According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), tanning will cause your skin to lose its elasticity and allow wrinkles to sink in prematurely ("Indoor Tanning: The Risks of Ultraviolet Rays"). I don't know about you, but i certainly don't want my skin looking like leather ever, but especially not in my younger years. Unfortunately, i've already damaged my skin by tanning so much that i'm afraid i will have premature aging later on in my life. On the bright side, you can reduce your risks of premature aging by not tanning, and hey you'll save some money to while you're making this smart decision. 

Though tanning in tanning beds is expensive and causes premature aging, the most important reason why tanning should become illegal is because of the dangerous skin cancers it puts you at risk for. It's quite scary if you think about how much of a risk you put yourself at when you decide to sneak a tanning session in. Common skin cancers associated with tanning in tanning beds include squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma ("Indoor Tanning: The Risks of Ultraviolet Rays"). Below are pictures of the two different types of skin cancers that you can develop from indoor tanning. 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Warning Signs

Melanoma
Warning Signs

Neither of them are pleasant and i hope every day that neither one of them ever shows up on my body. Since i tanned pretty regularly when i was younger, i have a higher chance of developing some type of skin cancer in my lifetime. The fact that i have to live with this fear is unfortunate, but if tanning were to become illegal then a person's risks for developing skin cancer would drastically decrease. 

Text Response 2

Let the Teacher Teach and Let the Students Learn

Teachers are hired to educate students, right? But how can students gain an education if they are only learning about one man’s hypothesis? Ben Stein's article, "Florida's Darwinian Interlude" attempts to explain how the state of Florida considered banning discussions between teachers and students, in public schools, about how life originated. Stein explains how Florida wanted these students to just accept the idea that life began by accident without further discussion. Stein continued by saying Florida eventually realized it wasn't a good idea to proceed with this idea and decided to back out.

After reading the article I believe school boards and state governments shouldn't have the power to mandate what is discussed in a classroom between teachers and students, as long as the teacher's students are still meeting their education regulations. I say this because i think allowing such debatable topics will help a student reach autonomy and become more educated.

Autonomy is a term most of you are familiar with from taking a philosophy class. For those of you who have yet to taken a philosophy class the word basically means being able to think yourself instead of going along with other people's views and opinions. I believe that if a school board had the power to control what is discussed in a classroom and what hypotheses we are allowed to accept, then none of us would ever achieve autonomy because we'd simply be brainwashed in to believing in something we don't even want to believe in. Let's take Stein's article for example, if the state made it illegal for teachers and students to discuss the origins of life, we would all believe in the same thing, which in this case would be that life happened by accident. 

Another important reason why school boards and state governments shouldn't control classroom discussions is because it limits that student's education. If you tell a student he or she has to accept a certain hypothesis, then that student won’t have the chance to learn about other opposing views, which limits that student’s education. Being able to discuss such controversial topics like how life began gives us a chance to listen to other people’s opinions, which in the end will help us reach autonomy and become more educated. 

WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER!

Blog 2

Cute and Friendly Deadly

How many of you have been to or at least heard of a famous theme park known as Sea World? I'm guessing the majority of you have, including me. These parks are well-known for their entertaining shows, but they are mostly known for their spectacular Shamu shows, which involves the trainers interacting with the Orcas (killer whales) to showcase both the trainers, for being able to teach these extraordinary whales skillful tricks, and the Orcas, for being able to perform them when instructed to do so. For those of you that have no idea what i'm talking about, watch the following video clip.

Sea World's "One Ocean" Shamu Show

Now that you've watched the clip, you're probably thinking about how cute these Orca whales are and how much fun it would be to work with them; however, before you decide to actually become a trainer at Sea World, you should probably make sure you're aware of how dangerous and possibly deadly they really are. The following footage will demonstrate a couple of incidents that occurred at Sea World, during a Shamu show.

                                                                                                                           Tilikum (the killer whale) Kills Dawn Brancheau

Katsatka (the killer whale) Attacks Ken Peters

After watching the videos, I think it's safe to say these Orcas are unpredictable. Even though they look harmless and friendly, they are predators. They can randomly attack whoever is in the water with them. I don't know how many more injuries or deaths Sea World can withstand before they realize that these creatures are far too wild and dangerous to be putting on a show in front of crowds. I believe Sea World should release the whales in to the ocean, where they belong, and let them live their lives in peace. Doing this will benefit the whales as well as the people by protecting them from us, and by protecting us from them.

To learn more about Orca whales, watch the documentary, Blackfish. This movie explains possible reasons that are contributing to their violent behavior, and it also discusses why keeping them captivated in theme parks isn't a good idea.  

Text Response 1

Gay Marriage: Necessary or Unnecessary?

I came across an article in my English book one day and decided to read it. While i was reading, i couldn't help but to get upset by the rude comments Sam Schulman, the author, was making about gay marriage. The article i found is in Chapter 21 of Argument!, pages 381-384, and it is titled, "The Worst Thing About Gay Marriage". Once i finished reading it, i wondered where i stood on the issue. Are gay marriages really unnecessary just because they don't fit within this "kinship system" like heterosexual marriages do? 

No Gay Marriage...

According to Sam Schulman, the answer is yes, they are unnecessary and later he mentions, "Gay marriage is as good as no marriage at all." He believes there are four important effects that come out of a heterosexual marriage, within the kinship system, that can't come out of a gay marriage:

1. "Marriage is concerned above all with female   sexuality."
2. "Kinship modifies marriage by imposing a set of rules that  determines not only whom one may marry but, more important,  whom one may not marry."
3. "Marriage changes the nature of sexual relations between a man and a woman."

   

   ...Why not?

4. "Marriage defines the end of childhood,sets a boundary between generations within the same family and between families, and establishes the rules in any given society for crossing those boundaries."

Even though he may be right about gay marriages' not

fitting within the kinship system, I strongly disagree 

with him about gay marriage being unnecessary. I believe gay marriage is necessary for some homosexuals for the same reasons it is necessary for some heterosexuals, they want or need to establish a legitimate commitment with someone though marriage, in order to achieve happiness. There are some people who aren't worried about whether or not their marriage fits the kinship system for two reasons: the first being that they are more concerned about actually loving that person, which is what marriage should be about, along with happiness, and the second being that they just don't care about what the kinship system is or what it represents.

According to a study done by Inquisitr News, "75% of married people settled in the marriage they were currently in and lost their true love by doing so." This data might conclude that people, who didn't marry for love, aren't happy with their choices. So my point is that the kinship system may be important, but it doesn't always produce a happy, faithful marriage, which is why i believe we all not only have the right, but are obligated to marry somebody we love and cherish, whether that person is a heterosexual or homosexual, in order to live satisfying lives. If we don't marry people that we truly love and want to make a life with, then why even bother getting married at all?

Blog 1

Ban Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery

Does this make you happy?

People often wonder what beauty is, including you. Some believe it exists in one's appearance while others believe it exists in one's personality. If you believe beauty is in one's appearance and you're not satisfied with your appearance then you always have the option of getting cosmetic surgery or plastic surgery, but why would you want to undergo such painful surgeries just to feel beautiful? I believe cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery should be banned because they are dangerous, expensive, and they won't give you the happiness you're seeking. I understand it is a surgery and some people actually need it, which is why I say it should be banned unless somebody is born with birth defects and it interferes with their well-being or if somebody needs it for any other type of medical reason. 

Any type of surgery is and always will be dangerous because you're at risk for infection and unexpected or excessive bleeding. Cosmetic and plastic surgery are dangerous for those obvious reasons as well as necrosis, which is more common with plastic surgery ("Top 10 Risks of Cosmetic Surgery). People take these risks when receiving these surgeries, but you're probably wondering how much are people paying to have these dangerous surgeries. Well the answer varies depending on what you have done to a specific body part. For example, tummy tucks in the United States of America cost about $5,241 ("How much does a tummy tuck cost"). That's a lot of money to pay when you can just go to gym and work out to lose the excess weight. Working out not only helps you lose the weight but it can also make you a happier person, unlike cosmetic or plastic surgery. I guess I shouldn't assume everyone who has had work done is unhappy because that's not true. Studies have shown however that women under the age of 40 who have face lifts tend to be less happy after the procedure (Cloud). 

After hearing a little bit of information about cosmetic

and plastic surgery I encourage all of you to dig deeper and discover for yourselves why this type of surgery should be banned. We don't need to alter our faces or bodies to become more beautiful. Cosmetic and plastic surgery are dangerous, expensive, and they will not give you the happiness you desire. In order to be beautiful, you have to accept who you are as a person and learn to love yourself.

References:

Cloud, John. "Joan Rivers' Cure: Will Plastic Surgery Make You Happier?" Time.com. Time Inc., 30 Jan. 2009. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.

"How Much Does a Tummy Tuck Cost?" Plasticsurgery.org. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.

"Top 10 Risks of Cosmetic Surgery." MSN Arabia: Outlook, Skype, Windows Live, News, Lifestyle, .. Microsoft Network, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.