A Charming View's Final Presentation

I really enjoyed the lay-out of this presentation and the way in which it all fit together. The issues surrounding child labor were brought up and then the consequences of both sides were immediately highlighted. I have heard about child labor before, but I never realized how many negative effects there were regarding this issue. The videos supply many horrific images that I wish I never had to see, but I am glad I did because they gave me a greater sense of how terrible the working conditions are for these children. Living in a first world country, we are very fortunate. School is just a part of the children's daily routine and working seems unheard of at a young age. In third world countries, these children can not eat dinner if they choose to go school. The question of "hunger or work" is still one I cannot answer. Both options were presented in this presentation and yet I am still unsure of what these children should do. It is such a depressing issue that truthfully does not seem to have a solution. Getting rid of child labor would severely hurt their economies and cause many families to go hungry. At the same time, children could go to school and get an education. From the presentation it becomes obvious that there a many detriments to both keeping and getting rid of child labor in third world countries. One idea that I find very upsetting is that the children who suffer from this issue are defenseless. Children do not necessarily have a voice in the government, and therefore it is up to the adults to make these decisions for them. It is unfortunate that children are not heard when dealing with an issue that has their age in the title. I liked how at the end of the presentation there was a slide that stated our obligation as a first world country to help the third world countries in need. Many American citizens are unaware of how easy their lives are compared to these suffering children. This slide answered the question of what it means to be is American. The answer is to give back. To be thankful of how easy most of us have it, and give back to those less fortunate. This presentation would be a great way to show the world the horrors of child labor and how awful this issue has become. 

The Cohn Conception's Final Presentation

I was highly engaged throughout this entire presentation. I chose to watch this video because the cover page was interesting and I wanted to know more. I know little, if anything about Native Americans in today's world. When I hear the words Native Americans, I think about Thanksgiving and that is about it. Due to this presentation, I am now aware of the struggles the Native Americans have to face on a daily basis. This cultural group struggles with the most poverty than anyone in the Unites States. I also learned how the Native Americans got in this awful economic and social place in society. They were the first group to arrive in the United States, yet when the colonists arrived they brought with them awful diseases which ruined the Native Americans' lives for good. Ever since then the Native Americans have suffered from illness and poverty. The poverty the Native Americans face today is depressing. They are living here in the United States and our nation seems to have forgotten about them. One of the videos that was in the presentation talked about a small town in South Dakota called Pine Ridge. There, a Native American reservation struggles with poverty and awful living conditions. One question that I have is why is the government hardly doing anything about this? It seems that we are more concerned with involving ourselves in other countries and disregarding the poverty that is right around the corner in our country. I liked how one video did show the help that a charity group called National Relief Charity (NRC) is giving the Native Americans. Instead of giving an abundance of supplies to the reservation, they only give them the necessities and the goods that they need at that time. They are also offering classes for the Native Americans to take, and for attending these classes they receive essential living items. This reminded me of the old saying, "Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish he will eat for a lifetime." Giving the Native Americans supplies everyday will not help the poverty problem, but teaching them life skills they will help them be more self-sufficient and bring about positive change in their reservations. Another point that I found interesting was that about the stereotypes individuals have against Native Americans. They believe all of them have a great connection with the Earth and love nature. This stereotype is portrayed in a Disney movie and I truly believe due to “Pocahontas,” I only see Native Americans in this spiritual way. This presentation overall did a great job of fitting together all the struggles Native Americans have to deal with, how they got this way, and where the future is headed.

My Blog Log's Final Presentation

I wanted to watch this presentation because I am very interested in the environment. At home, I recycle and make efforts to reduce the waste I consume. I even make sure my family members do the same when they put something in the garbage that could have been recycled. Seeing the images at the beginning of this presentation caught my attention. I was disgusted at how dirty our world has become because often those images are hidden to the public. American citizens do not want to admit that it is their fault that their country and even the world is being destroyed. I never knew that over 100 pesticide ingredients are the cause of birth defects. It upsets that me something as little throwing a wrapper out of the car window is causing children to have disorders and illnesses for possibly the rest of their lives. If they could have just upheld the urge to litter, an individual’s life could have been different. If individuals also recycled an extra aluminum can that they would have otherwise thrown out, enough energy would be saved that could generate a television for three hours. If individuals recycled glass products, air pollution would be reduced by 20% and water pollution would be reduced by 50%. It seems almost amazing to me that others would not do this. It’s not difficult to place an object in the recycling bin. They are not even the ones who have to drive the truck that takes the waste to the factories or handle it in any way. It is just an act of laziness that many American citizens are a victim of. I liked how this presentation added a note in at the end which blamed Americans personalities as the reason why there is such a large environmental crisis in the world. This reminded me of my own topic Science and Technology. Americans have become obsessed with technology that mainly is harmful to the environment, but they do not care because it makes their lives easier. On the contrary, computers have saved an abundance of paper which could have otherwise harmed the environment. Instead of writing letters, emails save paper and the gas used up by the delivery truck. At the end of the presentation, other ways were listed that showed what individuals can do to save the environment. I have heard of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in elementary school, but hearing about it again today helped me to see its overall benefits. This presentation was eye-opening. I enjoyed its different layout and use of visuals.

Works Cited

Boyd, Robert S. "Genome clues point to personal medicine; Care tailored to genetic makeup advances steadily."Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Ill.: Nov 25. 2009. pg. 32.

Butler, Octavia E. "Bloodchild." The Years Best Science Fiction. Ed. Gardner Dozois. New York, 1985. 64-81. Print.

Daniels, George H. "Science in America." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 31 Jan. 2010.

Davis, Keith F. "Communication Revolution of the 19th Century." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 31. Jan. 2010.

Gregory M. Lamb. "Genetic Enhancement of Athletes Might Harm Sports." Contemporary Issues Companion: Genetic Engineering. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 7 Feb. 2010. http://find.galegroup.com..

"Industrializing America." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010.

"Invention." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010.

Kidder, Rushworth M. "Ethics for the Twenty-First Century." Opposing Viewpoints: American Beyond 2001. Ed. Oliver W. Markley and Walter R. McCuan. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 7 Feb 2010. http://find.galegroup.com.

Masci, D. (2001, May 18). Designer humans. CQ Researcher, 11, 425-440. 7 Feb. 2010. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/.

Pollack, Andrew. "Engineering By Scientists On Embryo Stirs Criticism.(National Desk)." The New York Times. 157. 54309 (May 13, 2008): A14(L). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010.

VIDEOS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbb8OHQNeXo (Personalized Medicine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmbG-ErtmQ4 (Switch and Save)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuUpnAz5y1g (Human Genome Project)

IMPORTANT IMAGES:
http://nhs.needham.k12.ma.us/cur/baker_00/2001_p2/baker_dc_ad_p.2/polit.%20cart2..gif (Cartoon 2)
https://zone.artizans.com/images/previews/RPET210.pvw.jpg (Cartoon 1)

Analytic Entry on Current Events

Science and Technology has reached new heights in today's world. The Human Genome Project chemically decoded the entire human genome sequence through its research. With this amazing discovery came many differing opinions regarding its morality. In 2001, scientists in Oregon genetically engineered the first primate, a monkey named ANDi. This was a major scientific advancement in this field. With this kind of research, scientists are one step closer to being able to genetically engineer human beings. This concept frightens many individuals. Groups have formed attempting to ban this kind of research because of its ethical implications. They claim that altering humans’ genes goes against the true meaning of being human. God put every individual on this Earth for a specific reason, and it is everyone’s duty to live up to that. Manipulating genes entirely goes against this idea, for parents would have the ability to choose the appearance, intelligence, athletic ability, etc. that their child would possess. They would be playing the role of God and this concept troubles many. However, the opposing viewpoints ask that if God had a reason for the qualities all the humans possess, why would he give some of them awful diseases and disorders? Being able to alter their genes so that they live a healthy life only seems beneficial. The individuals who oppose this kind of research would then argue that human beings would turn into consumer products, something that is brought and picked out like a piece of candy. They believe that the only individuals who could afford this type of procedure would be those who are wealthy. The already present gap in society would expand and it would leave no room for alteration. Wealthy individuals would be destined for success, while the poor would not stand a chance. They would be unable to reach success because they do not possess the intelligence that the rich genetically do inside them. Despite the many complaints regarding this research, in 2008 the scientists at Cornell University in New York genetically engineered the first human embryo. Their incredible discovery will make it possible for humans to be genetically engineered in the near future. Previously humans could receive gene manipulation that affects blood and muscles cells for example, but those type of alterations will not get passed on to the next generation. This discovery will enable scientists to implant specific genes in individuals to be passed on to their offspring. Previously, the type of genetic engineering that was popular was called “gene doping.” In this process, athletes were able to get genes implanted in them from animals such as a rats’ quick twitch muscles to improve their overall speed. The morality of this is questioned as well because this would eliminate the notion that hard work brings success. As one researcher states, “it would produce excellence without effort, challenging the spirit of the Olympics and the meaning of sports competition” (Gregory M. Lamb. "Genetic Enhancement of Athletes Might Harm Sports”). Although this would benefit the athlete in his or her life, the genes would not be able to be passed on to their children because the genes would have been implanted in the athlete’s muscle cells. The incredible discovery in 2008 is going to make genetic engineering something that will last more than just one generation. The discoveries that scientists have made regarding the Human Genome Project are unbelievable without a doubt. They have reached new limits that no one thought was possible. However, this new limit is troubling to many, thus sides are being taken. The question becomes: is it more important to advance in the science field, or stay true to our morals?

Analytic Entry on Literary

“Bloodchild,” by Octavia E Butler, is a science fiction short story that deals with the ethical implications of the topic of Science and Technology. The story takes place in an alter-universe where two species coincide. The Tlics are alien-like creatures that dominate society, while the Terrans are the humans who live among the Tlics. Their relationship is necessary because the Tlics cannot reproduce naturally. There is a specific hormone inside the alien-like bodies that poison their offspring if they chose to give birth. Therefore, the Tlics build strong relationships with male Terrans so that one day she can implant her eggs into the male Terran's body. The process of removing the eggs once they are ready to come out is excruciating. It is painful and bloody and it can result in death. However, the Terrans are unaware of the potentially horrific consequences of giving birth for their entire lives. They grow up believing it is their duty to reproduce for the Tlics, even though it is just some sort of tradition their society has adopted. When the main character, Gan, a Terran, witnesses a fellow Terran having birth for the first time he is forever scarred. Gan had never seen the procedure before in his life, for he grew up believing it was done differently. At the end of the story, he speaks with his Tlic and states regarding the young Terrans and the birth process, “not protected, shown. Shown when we’re young kids, and shown more than once” (80). This demonstrates how Gan believes it is immoral that the truth is hidden from the Terrans. The process of birth that the Tlics inflict upon the Terrans was a scientific invention that their ancestors discovered. However, the ethical implications behind it were never discussed for years and years. When Gan says this, he is bringing up the question of this process’s morality. Although the Tlics greatly benefit from the procedure, an entire other species is left to suffer. Technology in today’s world has become great in many aspects, but it continually has ethical implications to be considered. Even today, new scientific advances have almost made it possible to alter the natural birth process through manipulating genes and such. For parents to be able to choose their child’s appearance, intelligence, and athletic ability is almost like they have the power to make their child live a happy and successful life. It may seem perfect, but the morality of this is easily questioned. The parents would be playing the role of God, which many would argue is unethical. God put everyone here for a reason and humans should not be messing with nature. In the same sense, the Tlics alter nature by having the male Terrans carry their children. It becomes immoral when the Terrans are dying and becoming injured for the benefit of the Tlic race. The Terrans should have a right to not be involved with this procedure if they choose to. They should know at a young age what will happen to them if they partake in the process and then make the decision based on those facts. Similarly, citizens today should know about all the consequences of the technology they use. Technology seems so simple and beneficial, but it truthfully has a lot of ethical implications behind it. The Tlics use the Terrans for their own benefit despite the immorality behind it. The parents who choose to manipulate their children’s genes are doing something for their own benefit and ignoring the ethics that go along with it. This story is a wonderful example of how technology can produce incredible things; it can bring about new lives. At the same time, before technology is used it must always be morally evaluated.

Analytic Entry on Background

Science and Technology is the core reason for America's progression throughout time. It began with the migration from the countryside to the cities after the Civil War. America's cities were appealing due to the many job opportunities that new technology and scientific advances made available. Jobs were desperately needed because the citizens' work they previously had been doing for years on the countryside had been replaced by new machines and technology. On the farms, iron plows replaced the sickle, which would take on average one day to cut a half acre of wheat. This new invention could cut ten times the amount of wheat in one day compared to the sickle. The inventions began in 1773 with Eli Whitney's cotton gin. Slaves could pick cotton in far less time than they previously could have. Next, Cyrus McCormick created the reaper, and six year later John Deere invited the steel plow. Inventions improved throughout time because the scientists worked off of each other’s ideas to create the best product possible. This concept is true in the field of science as a whole. James Dalton, J.J Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and Neils Bohr used the ideas of each other to discover the smallest unit of matter: the atom. J.J Thomson claimed that all electrons were spread out in positively charged matter, but Rutherford went the next step further by discovering the nucleus which the positively charged matter surrounded. Science can be extremely competitive, but at the same time new technology would be impossible without many individuals working together to come to the best conclusion possible. Stagecoaches and wagons used to be the way Americans transported from one location to another. Then, through scientists working off of each other’s past ideas, railroads and canals were invented which could carry goods to the cities in half the time. America had been progressing and along with it new technology was necessary to compensate with the new fast-paced society. Factories had to produce merchandise at fast rates in order to stay in business. Therefore machines were constantly improving and making advancements so that the factories would benefit from them. Other inventions became necessary once a majority of the American population moved to the cities. Thomas Edison helped to improve the American factories by creating the first electrical power plant. His work made electricity accessible to factories and homes all over New York City. Similar to Edison, Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone benefited the workplace, but it also helped to improve domestic life as well. Having electricity available at home, the telephone was able to occupy homes all across America. Telephones allowed individuals to share ideas, continue communicating with friends and family, get fast help in the event of emergencies, and more. The latest technological advances created a new lifestyle for the citizens in America. Never before did technology make the simple tasks in life so easy and quick. Never before were factories producing billions of products in one day and selling them all over the country. Science helped to improve all aspects of the American life however as time progressed, ethical implications needed to be considered. During the Cold War, the United States got involved with Russia in a war that became somewhat scientific. Both countries wanted to create more nuclear weapons than the other. Although this competition resulted in amazing scientific progress, the idea of one country possessing numerous atomic bombs was threatening and dangerous to the rest of the world. After awhile, actions were taken so that this “arms race” came to an end. Just recently, the Human Genome Project where the scientists “decoded chemically the entire human genetic code” (Daniels, George H. "Science in America") brought up the morality question. Due to this research, new advancements such as stem cell research, genetic testing and cloning are on its way. These advances although incredible, trouble many. Many individuals argue that messing with the genetic makeup of humans questions what it means to be human. They believe that God put all individuals here for a reason and science should not be intervening with nature. Even though Science and Technology helped America get where it is today, it is essential to make sure that the ethical implications are always considered.

Getting Closer...

On May 13th, 2008 at Cornell University in New York, the first human embryo was genetically engineered. The Cornell scientists took the gene for a fluorescent protein and put in into the single-celled human embryo they were testing. All three sets of chromosomes the embryo had were glowing after three days. The head scientist, Dr. Rosenwak explained that the division of the daughter cells after this time period means that the gene for the fluorescent protein would be able to be passed on to future generations. Technology has already made it possible for genes to be injected into humans blood or muscle cells primarily for medical purposes. However, this kind of genetic engineering only benefits the single individual at that time. Due to the location of the genes, they are unable to be transferred on to their offspring. This is the first time that genes are able to be passed on from generation to generation. This is a major step in being closer to be able to produce designer babies in the near future. Seven years prior to this experiment, the first genetically engineered monkey was reproduced. This current event can be found as one of my older posts labeled "Designer Babies Maybe?". However, since then no human has been able to have this procedure done, although scientists are extremely close to having the technology to be able to. Though, the researchers at Cornell University claim that this embryo was "abnormal," for it never had the potential to develop into a human baby. Instead, the experiment they were doing was solely for the purpose of stem cell research. It is argued that their claims are false because the scientists did not want to get in trouble for experimenting with a topic that is unethical in many individuals' eyes. These individuals feel that the scientists at Cornell University should have held a "public discussion" before they completed their work. Their research would make it possible for parents to choose their child's intelligence, appearance and athleticism before they are even born. This advancement questions what it means to be human. Would being able to choose your child's appearance take away the true meaning of a human? That is the question that scientists have to evaluate before they continue experimenting in this field.

Pollack, Andrew. "Engineering By Scientists On Embryo Stirs Criticism.(National Desk)." The New York Times. 157. 54309 (May 13, 2008): A14(L). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010. http://find.galegroup.com..

Ignoring Ethics

This article was written by Rushworth M. Kidder who is the president of the Institute for Global Ethics. He argues that society is developing all new sorts of technology and disregarding their "moral and ethical consequences." He tells the story of when he went to visit the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. There was an explosion in April 1986 and Kidder learns its cause. On the night of the accident, two electrical engineers were experimenting with equipment they were not authorized to be using. In order to do their experiment they had to override six alarm systems. The first system shouted "Stop, go no further, terribly dangerous." The men went on anyway and faced awful consequences. Kidder states that these men were intelligent humans but lacked the "sense of a conscience, the understanding of ethics." He later on states that the ethics in our society have only gotten worth throughout time. The prime example from the 21st century is that The Human Genome Project will cause a huge employment issue. Employers are told specifically at what age their potential employees will be sick and no longer able to work for their company, or it will tell them that their health insurance is going to increase so they will be responsible for that payment. Kidder feels that employers should have no record of their employee's genomes because it is "essentially a question of ethics." He blames this whole situation primarily on the school systems who spend their time teaching about the technology itself but forget to include why these new inventions are unethical. It is even recorded that sixty-five percent of high school students admitted that they would cheat on an important exam in order to pass it. Also a Louis Harris poll for the Girl Scouts asked 5,000 American students who they hold the greatest amount of trust in. Expecting the answer to be in sciences or media, they were wrong. They said the only person they trust is him or her self. Kidder does have hope however. He states that as our country gains knowledge, values can improved. The more experience this world has with life itself, the better individuals' values and ethics should become. This is exactly what Kidder's goal is by being president of the Institute for Global Ethics. Their aim is to "track value shifts as we move into the new century." Hopefully with their hard work and cooperation of the citizens in America, the nation will continue to progress and make ethical decisions.

Kidder, Rushworth M. "Ethics for the Twenty-First Century." Opposing Viewpoints: American Beyond 2001. Ed. Oliver W. Markley and Walter R. McCuan. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 7 Feb 2010. http://find.galegroup.com..

An Athletic Anarchy

The research the Human Genome Project has made is making it possible for athletes to "gene dope." This is the term for the enhancement of genes in order to increase one's athletic ability. Scientists are able to take the genes of animals and engineer them into humans' genes. Individuals have taken sides as to whether they believe this type of engineering should be illegal or not. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is strongly against gene-doping while many biochemists think it could benefit the sports world. One example of gene doping is borrowing the twitch muscles of a rat in order to help a sprinter increase his or her speed. Any gene taken from an animal would make a human faster and stronger. Animals were genetically built different than humans so by taking these genes the author of this article believes athletes would be becoming "superhuman." Athletics would become a "freak-show," where it would only be possible to compete in professional sports if individuals have undergone gene doping. It would eliminate all sorts of training and practicing because the most nonathletic human in the world could get this procedure done and they suddenly have all the skills they need. It would take away the virtue of hard work and would teach children that it's possible to be successful without doing anything to earn it. "It would produce excellence without effort, challenging the spirit of the Olympics and the meaning of sports competition." This is a type of steroid however it is overlooked because it is not technically a drug that is injected into the body. There are some positive benefits to gene doping which would include quick recovery or a decrease in sports injuries. Individuals whose genes have been enhanced would not be susceptible to injury. This kind of genetic engineering would also help repair injured muscles quickly and with little effort. In March of 2004, gene doping was tested on mice to observe and determine these benefits or detriments. The mice were injected with a gene that promotes growth and the mice underwent an unbelievable transformation. The scientists recorded up to a fifty percent muscle growth after the gene doping. When they exercised, the mice's muscle strength increased by thirty-five percent. Although gene doping evidently results in positive affects today, it is unknown what the future will hold. Since this is the first generation of this kind of genetic engineering, who knows what the long-term effects will be. Right now athletes see improvement in their skills so their desire for gene doping is high. It would be a revolution in the sports world. John Hoberman from the University of Texas at Austin said, "inevitably it's going to turn [sports] into a kind of circus--freak show."

Gregory M. Lamb. "Genetic Enhancement of Athletes Might Harm Sports." Contemporary Issues Companion: Genetic Engineering. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 7 Feb. 2010. http://find.galegroup.com..

Designer Babies Maybe?

A few years ago on January 11th, in Oregon, the first genetically engineered primate was born. This experiment took place on a monkey which was named ANDi (to symbolize DNA backwards), in order to get one step closer to altering humans' genes. Above, the monkey with blue eyes and spikey hair looks no different then any other. However, his genetic makeup was made by "splicing a gene from a jellyfish into a rhesus monkey embryo, which was then fertilized and implanted into a surrogate mother." ANDi then carried the new gene due to this procedure. He is mankind's closest relative which means that this process will shortly be available to humans. This article was written a few years ago so I believe that some technology is capable of this procedure on humans today. Many individuals are excited about this and see numerous benefits from this. By altering genes they will be able to choose their children's' appearance, athletic ability, and even mental ability. It also increases disease resistance. Supporters claim that they will treat their children like they are human and born naturally. They say that if God is supposed to look after everyone why did he create humans with such awful medical diseases and disorders? On the contrary, non-supporters of genetic engineering have numerous arguments as well as to why this new technology is wrong and unethical. They say that by parents altering their unborn child's genes they are playing the role of God. They feel that God made everyone individual for a reason and it is not our duty to alter that. It takes away the meaning of a human being. They also argue that these babies will appear as products or consumer goods the way they were basically "ordered." Enhancing genes will not necessarily bring happiness. Many intelligent individuals are unhappy while there are individuals with Downs syndrome who live extremely happy lives even though they suffer from a disorder. Another valid point is that this kind of technology would only be affordable to the wealthy. The already present gap in society would increase because unfortunate families would be unable to get this genetic engineering done for their children. Jobs would only be available to the genetically engineered in the future because they would be the best candidates for any work. The article states how a great debate about this topic is necessary because as it becomes evident, there are many strong points on both sides.

Masci, D. (2001, May 18). Designer humans. CQ Researcher, 11, 425-440. 7 Feb. 2010. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/.

"Bloodchild" Journal Entry

"Bloodchild" by Octavia E. Butler is one of the most outrageous stories I have ever read. It is a science fiction story that takes place in an outside universe. There are two species of creatures that lived there: Tarans and Tlics. The Tarans are humans while the Tlics are the insect, alien-like creatures that dominate the society. The Tlics way of reproducing is by implanting their eggs into a male Taran. The Tlics can not reproduce their own children because their bodies will poison the offspring. They have discovered a new way of having children, (a new "technology" per say) and have adopted it into their society. It became a social norm for a Tlic to adopt a Taran family and build strong relationships with them so one day a male can carry her eggs. This reminded me of the new phenomenon called "designer babies" where doctors are almost able manipulate an unborn child's genes due to the research the Human Genome Project has made. They will use this new technology instead of reproducing naturally. The Tlics way of reproducing symbolizes this idea of altering nature for ones benefit. It is not natural to manipulate the way reproduction was intended to be and in both real life and in "Bloodchild" this is done. The reproduction process in the short story "Bloodchild" is terrorizing and painful. In order to get the eggs out the Tlic must cut open the Taran's body through a bloody procedure. Gan, the main Taran character, witnesses the another Taran having "birth" and is forever scarred by this event. He was previously unaware that the process was so disgusting because his entire life he was taught that bearing Tlics' children was the beautiful way of life. Similarly, "designer babies" seem like a fantastic invention. To be able to pick your child's genes and determine what they will look like so they can live successful, healthy, and easy lives seems like a miracle to some people. However, analyzing the idea it becomes obvious that this phenomenon is completely unethical. To change the way a child looks in order to make it look better is a superficial and selfish act. This selfishness that many are discovering is parallel to the horror and pain Gan encounters when he finds out more about the reproduction process in his world. Although science can be a beautiful thing, it is important to keep in mind that humans were put here for a reason. We need to make sure that any new technology benefits the common good and not just individuals looking for an easy way out.

Butler, Octavia E. "Bloodchild." The Years Best Science Fiction. Ed. Gardner Dozois. New York, 1985. 64-81. Print.

Primary Document: Personal Medicine

This article was found in the Chicago Tribune just a couple months ago. It is written about one of the affects that the Human Genome Project of 2003 currently has on society. The main goal of the Human Genome Project was to improve health care in the United States and around the world through its research. Six years later, scientists and doctors are teaming up to create personal medicine for patients based on their genetic make up. This concept would have been impossible if the scientists did not discover the "genetic instruction book for life" just a few short years ago. This incredible scientific advancement is now being used to help save patients lives. Many times sick patients will be given medicine that they experience horrible side effects from. This is because all people are built differently and not one medicine works for everyone's needs. Doctors are calling this new phenomenon "personalized medicine" where "the goal is to deliver the right drug at the right time in the right dose to the right person." This way patients will be suffering less and healing at a faster rate. One example they spoke of in the article was about treatment they gave a woman who had breast cancer. Instead of giving her the standard therapy, they were able to personalize the therapy to better fit her genetic makeup. The Food and Drug Administration estimated about 319,741 serious illnesses and 49,958 deaths within the last year related to reactions to certain drugs. By using this type of personalized medicine the death rates in this area will significantly decrease. Personalized medicine is not entirely finalized, for there is much more research that needs to be done. However, America's advancement of technology has seen a great increase since 2003 when the first genome was decoded. It cost $300 million to do all the research and now the current cost is about $20,000. Technology is advancing which means we are as well. I believe that this article overall was somewhat bias because it showed only the positive affects the Human Genome Project is having on the health care field. It would be interesting to read about the ethics behind this kind of research and why some individuals are not in agreement with it. At the same time, I found this article intriguing to read. This idea of personalized medicine could really go in a long way in the future. Below is a video that shows why there is a great need for personalized medicine. Often times doctors will use the trial-and-error method to prescribe patients medicine. This is not how it should be especially with all the advancements the science field has made so far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbb8OHQNeXo

Boyd, Robert S. "Genome clues point to personal medicine; Care tailored to genetic makeup advances steadily."Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Ill.: Nov 25. 2009. pg. 32.

Obama's State of the Union Address

Although, Barack Obama's State of the Union Address was nearly a week ago, it is still heavily talked about. Obama has great hopes for the future of our nation, although many of his goals seem unattainable. Having watched the speech, the main thing I noticed was Obama's speaking ability. I have watched many political representatives speak before but never have a seen someone which such charisma, energy and power in his voice. Even when there were times I could not comprehend what he saying, I still was listening. Another aspect that I found both interesting and upsetting was the way the audience reacted to what he had to say. The Democrats obviously were in support of all of his ideas, but on the other hand the Republicans seemed resistant to applaud to almost anything he said. This opposition is evident in politics outside of just this speech. Obama has great ideas that will improve our country if they are able to be put in act. However, the Republicans fail to agree with any of Obama's plans and since they do have a say in what becomes law, little is getting accomplished. Currently, Obama's health care plan is not being passed in Congress because of this Republican resistance. It truly bothers me that this is occurring. Some can argue that these citizens of the United States are more in favor of supporting their political party than their own country. The goal of the decisions that are made is to try to benefit everyone in the United States despite a political affiliation's desires. Also, since my topic is Science and Technology I was interested in what Obama had to say regarding that field. He talked a lot about using cleaner energy that will lead the global economy.  He is offering to give raises to Americans that work for cleaner environments. Evidently, there will be much scientific research that goes into discovering what energy sources to use and so on. I feel that since Obama dedicated some time to talk about this issue in his speech it must truly be something that we fix. I was in agreement with basically all of Obama's ideas, just all that is needed now is support.

Where I'm At Now

After reading several articles regarding the topic science and technology as a whole, I have a pretty good idea of the advancements America has made in this field throughout history. Personally, I find the recent topics most interesting to read about. Specifically, the Cold War and all the science behind it caught my attention. The United States and Russia fought in an arms race and space race using all the scientific power they could attain to come out ahead. Another subtopic I find extremely interesting is the Human Genome Project. Researchers worked to decode an entire human genetic code which can be very beneficial in the future. For example, it can determine what genes produce cancer and warn individuals if they are susceptible to that gene. Although this seems only beneficial to the public, the ethics behind it are being questioned. Companies are learning that their employees have a high probability of getting cancer and therefore will not hire them because their health insurance would be expensive. Is this a type of discrimination? There have been other advances in the science field that allow parents to see if their baby will have the gene for a certain type of cancer and get it removed if they wish. Is this really ethical? The argument comes about that science and God should not be interfering with one another. Some believe that God made everybody a certain way for a reason and science should not be altering that authenticity. These kinds of issues are what I hope to be able to study more about for this project. Not only  am I very interested in science and technology itself, but its important to study the affects that it has on all individuals. The scientists are the ones that produce the new piece of technology but it is the everyday people that use it and either benefit or suffer from it. Having some previous knowledge about the Human Genome Project from Biology class last year, I hope to research this topic even further. The Human Genome Project is a prime example of how science and technology greatly affects the lives of all the citizens in this nation.