Veteran gets More than a Magic Trick #4

I came across a video on my Facebook wall of a US veteran living on the streets of Las Vegas holding a sign asking for anything to help him out. Usually I'm not the one to just hand out money generously. I've even heard of people dressing up and fake being homeless. However in this video there is a man, Anderson, that has heard a lot about the veteran McKracken and decided to come out to see him for himself. At first you're trying to understand what it is that he is doing trying to help the veteran. Then Anderson takes the sign from McKracken and begins to rip it up. The veteran, confused and uncertain, stands there wondering why is he doing this. Then he asks him if he some kind of street musician and when Anderson opens his sign, money falls out revealing that he never ripped the sign up. Generoulsy giving money to this veteran. Its good to see that there are people out there are still willing to help people in need without asking anything in return. After their encounter Anderson put up a donation account to help McKracken into his own apartment with food and clothes to help get an interview and have a life once again. To me this is a very cogent article, the only thing I found fallacious is me not being generous enough to those in need.

White Police and Black Teen #3

I tried looking on my Facebook for something to write but nothing interesting was there to me. Checking out the links in the class blog I came across the Aljazeera link and found the article of the police shooting in St. Louis. What caught me off guard was the title of the article "Protests erupt in St. Louis after white policeman shots black teenager." What?!? They are protesting because a white policeman shot at a black teenage!! Well what would happen if it was a black police man shooting at a white teenager? St. Louis is also where the Michael Brown case happened similar to this one, (white cop, black kid) that also caused and uproar and even riots that called in for the National Guard. It is fallacious to think its okay to protest because of the race of the victim involved. The article says that police vehicles were attacked and even a broke a window. However trying to see the other side of the coin, there is the critical thinking. Is there segregation still going on in Missouri? Are blacks always a target of criminal activity? Although I am not familiar with Missouri nor have I ever been there its difficult to know what kind of contentions or thoughts they may have between each other. Then again their actions show who they are. If they don't want to always be the victim of the crime stop it. It dawned on me in writing this, if they don't want to cry foul and protest then don't go about wrecking havoc on police cars or in the city. To me its no wonder they are victims because their actions speak for themselves. This is fallacious thinking that because something happened to a black person that they (blacks) should go out and do something to a white person (police).

PAS and Euthanasia are both Murder

Murder as we all know is a serious crime and takes away the civil rights of that person. It is not a federal crime but all 50 states have their own laws against murder. Assisted suicide or euthanasia is a form of murder and is contrary to Utah’s laws. Those that are religious can even tell you that it is one of the Ten Commandments, in the bible that was given to Moses, Thou shalt not kill. Assisted suicide or euthanasia which is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or given the means to do so. They are both considered murder which contradicts religious and state laws. Assisted suicide or euthanasia laws should not be passed; we need to kill the pain not the patient.

Medical researchers, found that those who received pain killers or sedatives to lessen the pain lived longer than those who did not receive any. The drugs given to these terminally ill patients were to help them cope through the pain and suffering. Another name for helping those with their pain and to give comfort is called palliative care. There is a difference between euthanasia and palliative care. Palliative care done by a nurse, helps the patient and the family through their illness and suffering whatever it may be to comfort them until their time comes, whereas euthanasia ends immediately. Death affects everyone around them regardless how they go and they will yearn for that needed comfort from the death of a loved one. Why not try to prepare for it through palliative care then to let them go when they want to?

Upon graduation all new physicians and physicians' assistants take on the Hippocratic Oath.  This is a world wide oath but varies from one country to another with the same meaning. An oath were they swear to live by and in that oath it states, With regard to healing the sick, I will devise and order for them the best diet, according to my judgment and means; and I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage. Nor shall any man's entreaty prevail upon me to administer poison to anyone; neither will I counsel any man to do so. Moreover, I will get no sort of medicine to any pregnant woman, with a view to destroy the child. This means that those who promise to this will never do any harm or kill any patient. Doctors work to help their patients and to give them life, not to take it away.

However there are some countries that have laws that allow them to perform euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS). The Netherlands started their debate on euthanasia or PAS in the 1980's whether it was legal or not. Later in 2001 it became legal to perform such acts on patients as long as they followed the guideline criteria. Even though it became into effect it just legalized a practice that they have already been doing. Just as it was legalized a study was done collecting the statistics of euthanasia and PAS in September of 2001. 2,300 died from doctors by request (euthanasia), 400 died as a result of PAS, 1,040 died of involuntary euthanasia (meaning they didn't request nor gave consent to die). Even though there is a guideline to following through on a patients request to die, there have been many issues in the Netherlands to their Euthanasia Act. They have misinterpreted the meaning of the guideline justifying their decision and acting on the terminally ill. It has become so common there that they accept in their country. The doctors there can even falsify death certificates claiming the patient died of natural causes. It is obvious that it is not working and therefore we cannot pass these laws in our own country.

There are many worries and concerns if euthanasia/assisted suicide laws are passed. It can be any easy escape goat to get out of financial struggle if the patient is incapacitated. Another suspected problem would be going after the poor and disabled. People would abuse the system and start going after the elderly possibly for an inheritance or even handicapped people so they are not a nuisance to society. Insurance companies can see it as a way out to save money on their part. Patients would lose their trust in doctors and would not have the confidentiality of doctor-patient relationship. It would ruin the public's view of their doctors, which they have built for centuries, to gain our trust. Passing euthanasia would then create a fear in doctors and physicians causing patients not want to go to a hospice or be in palliative care. It is also said that euthanasia gives too much power to the doctors and makes them less accountable. They can misinterpret the symptoms or diagnosis and not be up to date in the field of medicine. Easily persuading the patient to consider the only option would be to die. Who is to make the decision that your life is not worth living?

With how far we have come in medicine and better understanding how the human body functions, why is it now that we are opting out to the option of death?  Why are we giving up on life when we have become so well educated and even learning the science of creating new drugs to help with our pains or symptoms? There are other ways of treating patients with their illnesses or problems. If this passed we are giving our doctors the option to be a healer or a killer, that is, with a license to kill.

Handshakes vs. Fist Bumps #2

In today's society we are seeing the rise in greetings through fist bumps. What ever happened to good'ole meet and greet handshakes? An article in the Huffington Post claims "Lets ban handshakes at work and start fist-bumping." As I started to read they made the claim that "...fist-bumps are way cleaner than handshakes and high-fives when it comes to spreading germs. That's because knocking knuckles means far less surface-area contact than squeezing together two sets of palms and fingers." It makes sense to fist bump because we don't have nearly as much contact area as our palms which can reduce the spreading of germs. It may be cleaner but germs are still being spread around. Parents are always telling their kids, wash your hands, wash your hands. Did we stop as we got older because no one told us to? Is it that society is getting lazier in with their personal hygiene that they neglect to wash their hands especially after using the restroom? Regardless of how we greet people it is important that we wash our hands and do so properly. I agree that fist bumps spread less germs but I also agree it is a casual greet amongst friends. You wouldn't fist bump at a job interview or anyone of authority over you. The classic handshake can define someone as who they are, by giving that firm shake and good eye contact can tell a lot about you. It's fallacious to think that we can get lazy and start fist bumping where we used to formally greet people. Just wash or sanitize your hands and prevent the spreading of germs.

Side note: Psychology Today The Art of Handshaking

They talk about different handshakes around the world and how in Utah they shake hands. I thought it would be funny to share.

"First we have to keep in mind that handshakes are cultural. If you go to Turkey or the Middle East handshakes may be very gentle – that is a good handshake to them. In Utah you are going to get what is called a Mormon handshake: enthusiastic, vigorous, and prolonged. If you go to Bogota, a handshake may be replaced with an abrazo, especially if you are well liked. The secret to handshaking is to mirror the culture you are in – when in Rome you do as the Romans and you just accept it."

What Good is Technology?

In a fast growing generation of time we have seen the science of technology evolving right before us. It has been made to make our lives easier and more efficient with our day to day routines. Everything is at a push of a button, literally, starting our cars, answering our phones, watching the news, all of which can be done at our fingertips. However we see that kids follow what their parents do and as so they are being raised in a generation that gives them that easy access to be entertained. Technology today is effecting the development of upcoming generations in a world of new and up to date devices. The effects show that kids are spending more time inside on electronics than outside playing with their friends or their own imaginations. Technology hinders developing social skills in kids therefore it is not efficient or beneficial to them.

A 2010 Kaiser Foundation study showed that elementary aged children use on average 7.5 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75 percent of these children have TV's in their bedrooms, and 50 percent of North American homes have the TV on all day. Gone is dining room table conversation, replaced by the "big screen" and take out. Although technology has been helpful with adults and their busy schedules it shows that it is not helping the children and their development. It is also much easier to entertain them with an electronic screen than to stop everything and give them what they need. From that children are learning to now rely on technology for their entertainment which limits them from the growth and challenge they need as a kid. Studies also are showing that it is difficult to achieve the necessary sensory and motor development while the child is still young and malleable. Their brains are being hard wired differently than adults were at their age which is effecting with their attention and learning skills.

The environment in which children are raised makes them receptive to what is around them, cultivating the skills and responses. Psychology Today gives an analogy of this, wolves, lions, tigers, and other predators have highly tuned visual attention that enables them to spot and track their prey. In contract, their prey, including deer and antelope, have well-developed auditory attention that allows them to hear approaching predators. In both cases, animals’ attentional abilities have developed based on the environment in which they live. Kids are being exposed to a different generation of technology than their parents which will hinder them from experiencing natural sensory and motor development. Children today are entering school struggling with self-regulation and attention skills necessary for learning, eventually becoming significant behavior management problems for teachers in the classroom.

The National Wildlife Federation has also seen the change from kids playing outside to inside over the last two decades. Outdoor play helps kids build strong and active bodies. We also know that being outside in the sun helps with vitamin D increase. Even vision has proven to help kids who are outside than those glued to an electronic screen which can cause nearsightedness. The outdoors has so many benefits and advantages to kids. Being outside helps them be active and less likely to be overweight, their imagination is more likely to expand and they even have more friends. Kids like to be with others that have a great imagination and are more likely to play with them outside. Researchers have found a disorder called “Nature Deficit Disorder”. Basically, this means that not playing outdoors and with nature (e.g. hiking or camping) is really detrimental for kids. Nature helps us leave our busy lives and be stress free and even can lower our blood pressure. Kids that experience the great outdoors will grow to love being outside and make them more active later on in life. Indoor play puts a limit on the imagination of kids and doesn't let them come up with ideas or games of their own. Researchers have found the reason why kids enjoy playing video games, children play video games for many reasons, including that video games are a fun challenge, stress relievers, offer companionship with other players and/or friends. Those kids miss out completely on what nature and being outside can benefit them and most of all its right outside the door.

Technology has helped the world in many ways and can even make life easier. However it seems that it helps adults with their lives but is affecting their children. The studies have shown what it is doing to them and the disadvantages are greater than imagined. What good is technology if it hinders the children from reaching their potential and becoming well educated leaders of the future?

CCSD Sex Ed for K-12 Grade #1

Being from Las Vegas my Facebook feed is filled with its news and stories. Currently the big talk is about the school districts proposal to change sex education. The Clark County School District in Southern Nevada are looking at the proposal for Kindergarten to 12th grade. The school board refers its source based on the National Guideline for Comprehensive Sexuality Education. In this book it breaks it down for the age groups and what would be taught at their level. As young as age 5 they propose to be teaching children about sexuality. 

The Las Vegas Review Journal says that "The district long taught abstinence-only courses until 2004, revering to and abstinence-based education since then that continues to focus on abstinence while exposing students to contraceptives and safe-sex practices if they decide to have sex." In a changing world were the younger generations are being exposed to such topics, I didn't start hearing or learning them until a later age. It seems now that it is being revealed even to younger ages due to an ever changing world. Hence the reason why the school district is contemplating on teaching children these things now. The parents were outraged on the thought of teaching their children these complicated topics at such a young age. The school board says that they are looking to get feedback from the public with their opinions on the subject. Superintendent Skorkowsky says "As we go through this, we will hone down to the things the community really thinks are important to be put in school. We have to make sure that is medically accurate, that it's fact-based and it's age appropriate."

There is a need for a change to provide children with some factual truth but also a need to buffer the unnecessary until a matured age. I believe that the parents are the sole responsibility of teaching their children about the birds and the bees. Whereas the schools education can give them the science and medical terminology with sex education. Although parents can not filter everything that their children see or hear, there is that need to educate them.

In a way I see this as being both cogent and fallacious. It is cogent because nowadays children are being exposed to such topics and would need to be taught to on the matter. However it is fallacious in a way that teachers do not need to be teaching children in kindergarten and elementary school all there is about sexuality. A majority of the topics should be done by the parents themselves.