STEM CELL RESEARCH-Playing God? Or Saving Lives

STEM CELL RESEARCH-PLAYING GOD? OR SAVING LIVES?

My first paper in college was about stem cell research, the positives, the negatives. Funny thing is, I can't even think of a negative right now. Stem cell research as you know is  type of cell therapy wherein cells are introduced into the damaged tissue so as to treat the disorder or the injury. These cells have the potential to cure different kinds of diseases such as: Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, cancer, and diabetes. So what exactly could be so horrible about this? Many conservatives feel that taking a life to cure diseases is immoral. Even though the embryo is not alive, it is microscopic, and it isn't even equivalent to a woman having an abortion. I say if it saves lives, go for it, and think of all the lives we can save and change for that matter. Personally, I would rather my tax dollars go to Stem Cell Research than to prisons. At least lives will be saved for the good.
http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/12366/1/Pros-and-Cons-of-Stem-Cell-Therapy.html

The Supernatural--how real is it?

THE SUPERNATURAL-HOW REAL IS IT?

We all have our own scary, haunted story don't we? The Ouija Board, the haunted house down the street, the terrifying basement. From vampires, ghosts, demons, angels- how real are these things? I grew up in a very religious family, and being I went to church and have an extensive Christian backgroud, often I heard and still hear the stories of good and bad spirits. What huge part does the supernatural play in our lives and affect the way we think?

Vampires have been a popular folklore in our history dating back centuries. I recently I read an article about the vampire community in New Orleans, I didn't even know there was a vampire community in that area, or at all. In this community, these "vampires" or people, actually have their teeth sharpened, are into eating raw foods, and drink blood. Besides the coffins, ultra strength, the burning sunlight, and living hundreds of years, I guess that is close enough. http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/03/new-orleans-voodoo-hoodoo-vampires-oh-my/

I often wonder how many spirits actually roam the earth, how many times have I actually run into someone that was actually...I don't know, posssessed?  And if scientists or other realists say that there is no such thing as the supernatural, what explains all of the stories out there that people experience in houses, basements, haunted asylums, or the strange happenings when a loved one dies? I often wonder that, especially with the Ouija Board. Which by the way you can now play online. Why don't you play it, and just let me know how it goes... b/c I am a little...scared. Here is the website:

http://ouija-board.net/

STATISTICS

• 51% of the American population believe in ghosts
• 68% believe that Satan is real
• 72% believe in Angels
• 34% believe in ghosts or UFO's
• 45% of Americans aged 18-29 believe in Haunted Houses

Interracial Dating-The Unspoken Truth

INTERRACIAL DATING- THE UNSPOKEN TRUTH

INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS... I just had to do an illustration on this, being that I have dated white men in the past...or maybe I should say I still do. I couldn't help but notice that while on a date with a white man, the looks I get, the stares or even it safe to say some people actually glare at me. As if I had committed the ultimate sin, the BIG betrayal. You would think that I did something very insulting, or said something insulting. But what crime was I actually committing? What crime was he committing? Is it because maybe I was taking a chance with him being a racist, or was it because he is taking a chance with someone who is black or probably, according to some people, not as smart as him and in that case... maybe he could do better? What exactly is the big deal?

In a country where interracial dating is steady on the rise, where we all finally share the same civil rights, and we seem to be getting on the same page, things are still not exactly as they seem. Statistics show that in 2010, 1 in 12 marriages in the United States were interracial. Despite of this, we still live in a country in which these types of relationships are frowned upon. Partly to blame is the deep seeded racism that was embedded hundreds of years ago, the long hard road to civil rights, broken promises of the government and politics, amongst other damaging situations of the past. Despite the changes that have occurred over the years to nullify our racial tension in the United States, people still feel the same way as they did in the early 50's.

STATISTICS

• Four in 10 Americans say lifting anti-miscegenation laws was good for American society; three in 10 say it made no difference and only one in 10 say it was bad for the country. 63 percent of Americans say it "would be fine" with them if a family member married someone of another race.
• Black men are two times more likely to marry someone of another race or ethnicity than Black women. The opposite is true among Asian men and women.
• Hispanics and Blacks who married whites are more likely to be college-educated than those who married within their same ethnic or racial group
• Interracial daters report receiving less social support, such as positive affirmation or help from friends, family, or just people they interact with in public
• Due to perceived lack of support, interracial couples are less likely to exchange gifts and to report thinking of themselves as a couple.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/interracial-marriage-stat_n_1280511.html#s702047&title=Total_Marriages
http://contemporaryfamilies.org/marriage-partnership-divorce/how-color-blind-is-love.html

CHICK- FIL- A HITS RECORD SETTING SALES

This very much surprises me. I thought everyone was supposedly pretty upset with Dan Cathy but I guess not. Apparently his comments made the chicken taste better... check out the video below:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/chick-fil-record-setting-sales-appreciation-day/story?id=16912978

The Occasional Detour to Hell--Stress

Ever been stressed out before?

"If you're going through hell, keep going"-Winston Churchill

Money, relationships, work, so many things that cause us to want to pull our hair out. The illustration above is a perfect example of what it is like when going through some kind of problem in life. I was unemployed, short on money, and going through a breakup when I did this drawing.  Like most people I find ways to channel my stressors... exercise, draw, talk, cry, weightlifting.... so what are your stress relievers?  Studies show that the number one stress reliever for youth globally  is listening to music. What is a good way to cope with problems in life? What are the unhealthy ways?

STATISTICS 

UNHEALTHY WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

• SMOKING
• DRINKING TOO MUCH
• OVEREATING OR UNDEREATING
• SLEEPING TOO MUCH
•  
• 83% of women are stressed about money vs. 78% of men

• 60% reported feelings of irritability or anger compared to 50% in 2007
• Fifty-four percent of Americans are concerned about the level of stress in their everyday
• lives
• Danish are the most likely to masturbate.
•  
• The number one way young people cope with stress is to listen to music—65% of all youth globally do this.
•  Americans are the most likely nation to cry when stressed.

http://www.naturalwellnesscare.com/stress-statistics.html
http://www.ypulse.com/post/view/the-top-12-ways-young-people-relieve-stress

The Horror Movie Obsession

Horror movies, my absolute favorite. Just to think it all started being seven years old and constantly watching the movie "Amityville" knowing I had to go to bed right afterwards. This picture is based on my weird imagination, basically this is the type of stuff I think about while at work. It is my personal belief, that my obsession with horror movies is part of the reason for my wild thoughts. The funniest thing to see a pumpkin with a knife chasing someone. If it were me, I would just....kick him out of the way. 

I also believe in just about anything supernatural because of the horror movies. I don't know, maybe because I am strange, naive, silly, oddballish.. who knows? In my opinion, they all have a certain truth, they just fudge the details a little. For instance, the movie "Alien" who are we to say that there is no such thing? How do you know the government is just not keeping some sort of secret from us? If the world were to know that there were man hungry aliens out there, it would cause such chaos and havoc we would eventually destroy ourselves. What about  "Nightmare On Elm Street"? The story was created because Wes Craven read an article in a newspaper regarding a man who kept having nightmares. He did his best to stay awake, even keeping a pot of coffee by his bed. One day the man dies in his sleep, which gave Wes the brilliant horror movie idea. The fact that these horror movies have a sort of truth, is what scares me, and intrigues me at the same time. What about you?

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4--in theaters October 19, 2012

Theatrical trailer below:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paranormal-activity-4-release-date-278026