Stem Cell Research, the cure all?

Stem cell research has been a controversial topic for years. The research is controversial because, with our recent technology, starting a stem cell line requires the destruction of a human embryo. They compare this research to abortion, which is completely absurd. The reason why I am so frustrating with this topic is because it has affected my family. Stem cell research saves many lives. My little cousin who was five and diagnosed with leukemia had no matches for his bone marrow transplant. The only way he was able to get a match was to create a cell that was an exact match for him and then implant it into his mother. Because of stem cell research he was able to live and finally received a match! So when I read things like it is destroying human lives and its like killing a baby it really frustrates me! How can someone take away research that can save a 5 year olds life. How can People choose a cell, which is not even breathing, over a five year old child, or anyone of that matter? It amazes me how ignorant a person can be! Stem cells offer the chance to study the growth and differentiation of individual cells into tissues. If we were to understand these processes it could provide us with information to prevent o birth defects, Genetic abnormalities, and other disease states. If normal development were better understood, it might be possible to prevent or correct some of these conditions. Stem Cells could be used to produce large amounts of one cell type to test new drugs for
Effectiveness and chemicals for toxicity. Stem cells might be transplanted into the
Body to treat disease (diabetes, Parkinson’s disease) or injury (e.g., spinal cord). If stem cell research can solve all of these problems why is there still controversy?

oldest women to ever live!

I just felt that this was an interesting article. Being a freshman in college I never really think about getting older. But when in fact I do get older, do I really want to live past 100. I feel that once you get passed a certain point you just begin to deteriorate so why would anyone want to put themselves through living like a vegetable. I came across an article titled “the oldest women in the world”, and it just got me thinking. An Indian woman, living at age 115! The women’s name is Edna Parker. She just celebrated her 115 birthday on Sunday. How crazy is that? But the good news about her being the oldest women to ever live is that they can solve the mysteries of longevity. The real question is, should it be solved? A widow since her husband, Earl, died in 1938 of a heart attack, Parker lived alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into her son Clifford's home. She cheated death a few months later. I could never live like that alone and lonely. I mean watching your relatives die its just so depressing! The women lived alone in her farmhouse until she was one hundred. I would honestly rather live a wonderful fulfilling live till I am 80 rather than force myself to live and as I loose my memory, my mind and family!

Get A Life!

I feel like everyone is so wrapped up in other people’s lives. From paparazzi to juicy campus, dirty d town, magazines T.V. why are we all so interested in other people? It is so sad that our form entertainment is watching and reading other peoples problems and faults. I walk back in to my dorm room and I just see seven people huddled around a computer reading stupid, unimportant trash on juicy campus. Then I walk out of the room turn on the T.V and E news is on… Which is just basically gossip on top of gossip about celebrity life. I don’t get it, does it make us feel better to hear about other peoples problems. We are all just so insecure that in order to raise our self esteem we have to bring down someone else. Take Juicy Campus for instance; it is literally a web site that bashes people at our school anonymously. At least if you’re going to say something that horrible about someone, don’t hide behind a computer. I happened to think it is very cowardly. So can someone please inform me why we have this obsession with other people’s lives?! I really can’t figure it out. All I have come up with was insecurity but there has to be more than just that! Almost every T.V show is “reality” T.V so we can now (take the real world for example) Stalk every minute of other peoples lives. Well, my advice to the “stalkers” out there get a life! And stop worrying about other people because I’m sure you’re not perfect so with that time that you spend obsessing over other people try working on yourself.

Too pretty to fly?

After reading this pathetic article on two 18 year olds I felt is was completely necessary to blog about it. I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase “beauty is only skin deep”, which suggests to us to focus on being smart and nice. It kind of sends a mixed message but it certainly does not mean just stand there look pretty and if things do not go your way then stamp your feet and sulk till you get it. These two eighteen year old girls were flying to Tampa bay and got escorted off the plane. They were rude and obnoxious to the stewardess.. They asked for water and I guess it took too long according to them, to they considered it a “dissed”. Then one of them needed to use the bathroom but it had been occupied. So she felt she needed to bang on the bathroom door till the women opened it and then proceeded to yell. The police were called in to meet the flight in Los Angeles because “the girls were verbally abusive to another customer ... using profanities ... and getting in his face.” Well here comes the great part of the story. The two girls of course had a different take on the story! The felt the were being discriminated against based on their looks. “I think they were just discriminating against [us] because we were young, decent-looking girls. I mean, nobody else on the plane looked like us — except us.” How pathetic is that! No offense girls I saw their picture and they were not that cute. News flash for these to sad teenagers, get a clue! There not “too pretty to fly” just too rude and obnoxious.

Touched up "Rush Week"

Rush week is by far the most intense and stressful week at SMU so far. That sounds so wrong because just a month ago we had finals and it’s sad to say but rush week was more stressful then finals! Everyday we had to wake up at a certain time wear certain outfit and talk to people that we had no interest in talking too. Girls went all out with extravagant hairstyles, tons of makeup, and gorgeous dresses. I feel that the school puts too much pressure on girls to join sororities. Basically if you are not apart of a sorority then your social life goes down the drain. What about all the people who don’t get in to a sorority? THEY TRANSFER… How absurd is that? People use to joke that the “moving trucks” line the street the day after bid day! I definitely thought they were exaggerating.. But it was true one of my best friends even transferred. This whole process was straight out of a movie, so surreal. The week before rush I watched the movie Sydney White with some of my friends back home. I laughed to almost every part because it seemed so absurd that girls would go to those limits just to join a sorority. But after going through this entire process the movie was almost exactly like the rush week at SMU. I just feel that the school puts way too much pressure on us to join sororities. I mean don’t get me wrong there are some perks but over all it’s a judgment day and whether you admit it or not if you don’t make the stupid sorority you want you confidence is shot! Most of my best friends first semester (which are all in different sororities) I go for weeks with out talking to them. So instead of creating a sisterhood it in fact breaks some friendships up.

Does Clutter make you fat?

I was searching the web and came across a very interesting article. It said that there was a definite connection between the clutter in your house and the clutter on your hips. It states that clutter and weight can be a result of unresolved issue in your life. Like something is missing so you buy more food or more things to fill up that empty space. One example in the article was a mother who was very over weight and her entire house was so cluttered that her and her children were forced to eat out at least once a day thus causing her daughter and son to be over weight. So she called Peter Walsh who was an expert on clutter. He first started with a fat tour of their home and asked Amber, the mother of this home, how she felt when she walked in her door. She responded by saying it made her exhausted she walks in and see’s all the clutter and disorganization and she just feels heavy! After the entire apartment was cleaned they all agreed that they felt lighter. Peter Walsh, the writer of the book, “Does this Clutter Make my Butt Look Fat”, staged this intervention. He also forced the entire family to get on a scale and face reality! The entire family was completely over weight. According to Walsh, a cluttered home affects children in two ways "Number one, kids learn by what they see. And so what you respect, what you show is important, whether it's the stuff in the house or the food choices, children model their behavior on that. The second thing is that if you have a house that's organized and decluttered, then it is much easier when you come to a decision, instead of going for the easy, you go for the good," Peter says. "And they're the important things that create the home you want. Create an environment that will help children make healthier choices." I never connected the two but it actually does make sense. When I feel disorganized and my room is messy it makes me feel lazy. I walk in to my small dorm room and see it completely messy and I just feel tired and stressed.

T.V...an Addiction?

Why are we all so addicted to T.V? I just realized my addiction this past year. I first use to live in boaz , which had no cable! At first it seemed like the end of the world.. What would be my source of entertainment? Surprisingly this whole no cable think opened up a whole new world for me! The first week with out T.V was hard but then I realized how much more free time I had and how much more social I could be. It also made me realize what garbage there was on T.V. I was watching it yesterday and could not believe I had ever watched shows like “The real world”, “Beauty and the geek”, they just seem so stupid now. I use to go home everyday after school and sit in front of the television for hours. I even use to base my schedule around some of my favorite shows. How pathetic is that? People really don’t realize their addiction until T.V is completely out of your life. It feels good to have broken this addiction. I now have more free time, I am doing better in school and all around just don’t feel as lazy. I suggest everyone try it! If you don’t feel you’re addicted just try for one week with out television and see if you have with drawls! Plus all T.V is doing is filling your head up with complete useless information. Don’t get me wrong I have not cut T.V completely out of my life I mean there are times just to watch one show and relax for a minute. But just don’t let it take over life!