So, a lot of folks have been spouting their opinions about various politicians. I wonder if people really look at the true beliefs of those politicians. So now it's time for me to step up on my soapbox. You don't have to agree or like what I have to say, I just feel it needs to be said.

Topic 1: Abortion

Ah yes, one of the most controversial of all topics. You know what's funny is that people focus so much on this topic and vote for a politician based on their view on this topic.... and IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES.
My view, well, I'm pro-choice. That doesn't make me a bad person. I'm not pro-choice because I'm pro-abortion. Hilary Clinton once said ""I have met thousands and thousands of pro-choice men and women. I have never met anyone who is pro-abortion." I believe that it is the individual choice of a person, and we the people should not make these decisions for those persons. Why is it that people scream about freedom but clam up about the freedom to choose? What gives us the right to control what a woman does with her body? I find it disgusting when people think it's acceptable to force a woman who has been raped or a victim of incest to carry that fetus to term. Who are we to judge??? It's one of our business. You don't have to think it's morally correct but it's NOT YOUR BODY, therefore it shouldn't be your CHOICE.

Topic 2: Healthcare
Pres. Obama failed on this. In his defense, he tried. The government needs to crack down on the healthcare industry but taking over it isn't the answer. I don't have a great explanation of what should happen here, but at least Pres. Obama tried. Healthcare does need a huge overhaul. I pay $500.00 a month for low tier healthcare. That's disgusting, if you ask me, since I still pay a lot out of pocket for anything. But this still isn't the most important topic at hand....

Topic 3: Economy
Hey everyone!!! Remember this magical topic? This is one of the big ones that you should evaluate prior to voting. Pres. Obama didn't create this monster that we are in right now, nor did Bush, Clinton, or Bush Sr. This was created by the greediness of the American people, constantly wanting more more more more more... well you get the idea. And we wanted more for less!!! Hence, nothing being made here, because Americans want to get paid too much to make something somebody in a foreign country could make for far less. So quit blaming the presidents- they didn't make this monster alone. I'm not going to digress on how to fix it because I'm a biologist, not an economist, but I can tell you right now that it's going to take more than a couple of years to try to fix.

Topic 4: National Defense
No more cuts. Take care of our vets- give them psychiatric and physical care. Bring our troops home. No more foreign wars for oil. That's all I have to say about that. End of story. They protect us, we should protect them. I want our military to be the biggest and baddest of them all... don't you?

Topic 5: Right to Bear Arms
Read the constitution. Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Being someone who's lived in an area where the local school used to announce during hunting season to "leave your guns in your car" I really don't think that tightening gun laws will do anything except punish those who should be able to bear arms and give more help to those who shouldn't have guns. But... that being said, the screening process to buy a gun should be thorough and the same in all states.

Topic 6: Education
The entire educational system needs a makeover. We cannot put all blame on teachers. When they are getting paid less than $30,000.00 a year to work in some of the worst schools in the country, I can't imagine why they aren't always motivating their students to excel (note the sarcasm). I hate to say this as an educator, but I really think that the tenure system needs to either be thrown away or re-vamped. There are too many teachers and professors at state schools who milk their tenure for all its worth. You know, the teachers that come in 10 minutes before school starts, leave 5 minutes after it ends, take 2 weeks to grade an assignment, or barely grade them at all, teach the bare minimum, etc. Or the professor who won't even step foot on campus in the summer, not even for a meeting that is desperately needed to evaluate their program, doesn't respond to student e-mails, does the minimum for research, and yet gets paid more than most of the other folks in their department.... Now, this isn't to say there aren't dedicated and hardworking faculty because there are a lot (I like to think as myself as one of them- however we do not have a tenure system) but we shouldn't see people abusing tenure like they do.
I don't have an exact answer of what needs to be done, but let me put it this way- if there isn't an overhaul of the system done soon, my future children will be home-schooled (seriously- I have a M.S. in Biology, there isn't anything I couldn't teach them that a high school teacher could, except maybe some writing skills- which there are tutors for hire to teach at the home setting) and they will only attend a private (not state) university, no matter the expense.
Speaking of expenses- higher education needs to be re-vamped too. It's disgusting how much money we have to spend in this country for a higher education! How do you think they're paying that lazy tenured professor?

That's all for now, I can't type anymore :)

Good Reads Review

Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I got this book almost 10 weeks after the contest ended. I am not sure what I got so excited for, this book was a complete let down. The entire storyline has been done before, so it's not original by any means. I was so excited since I read these books growing up, and this book was probably the biggest let down I've read, in regards to sequels. At least it was free, because I would have been very upset if I paid the 25 dollars for this book that they want in bookstores.



View all my reviews

Embryonic Stem Cell Research in the USA

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research has been a major controversy in the United States since the late 1990's. Why would hESC research be so controversial? To many, it's the death of a living human being, which removes its potentiality from mankind. Is this a valid argument? Are we crossing ethical and moral boundaries by conducting research using human embryos?

To begin explaining this, I need to explain how hESC research is conducted. An embryo, either a leftover from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or one that is created in a laboratory in a petri dish, contains a couple hundred cells. Among these cells are stem cells, which are undifferentiated. What does this mean? Undifferentiated means that they have not yet become a specific cell type, for example, they have not yet been determined to be liver cells, blood cells, etc. Once these cells are obtained, a line of stem cells can be developed and grown indefinitely in culture. This means that once the cells are obtained, they aren't going to kill a 100 other embryos to get more cells for that line. The line has been established from that embryo.

Varying religions do not agree on the point in which the fetus in question becomes a human being. One point is certain. It never becomes a fetus in a laboratory. It never becomes anything more than a couple hundred cells in a dish. How can we sit back and state that it is a living human being? The only way it can become a living human being is if it were to be placed in a woman's uterus. Most leftover embryos from IVF never get that far. They end up in a dumpster in daily garbage. Is this justice? Is this more ethical and moral than allowing for their use in research? Thus, the argument of religion or what the Bible states is null and void. Conception, as the Bible identifies it, happens after sexual intercourse between a man and a woman. No sexual intercourse occurs to develop these embryos for research, it's a lab made embryo! Religions such as Islam and Judaism do not believe an embryo is a living human being. In fact, the Koran identifies a fetus as a human being after 120 days when the soul is instilled into it. Judaism believes much of the same belief, which means that the fetus is 4 months old before it is a living human being under their religious beliefs.

Aside from religion, we turn to the views of John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. Embracing utilitarianism, we must consider what is good for the greatest number of people. Surely it's for the greater good that we utilize embryonic stem cells for research that could cure spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and other debilitating illnesses that afflict so many individuals worldwide. What if we could custom design an organ for someone who needed it that would not run the risk of rejection because it would contain their genetic information and therefore the body wouldn't recognize it as something foreign? Not only would it prevent rejection, but would reduce long-term costs for the patient as they would not require long term immunosuppressant medication. Preventing federal funding in the United States to scientists trying to find these treatments and cures is not benefiting the common good of most people.

Even pointing all of these benefits out does not convince those who continue to believe that an embryo is a human being and that hESC research is immoral and unethical. Some argue that they know more about adult stem cells so why are we not using these instead of ESC? Adult stem cells are harder to grow in culture, harder to locate in the human body, and tend not to grow over a long period of time, making a long term stem cell line nearly impossible to maintain. They simply are not as useful as hESC.

Yesterday, the U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled that federal funding for stem cell research stating that "The Dickey-Wicker Amendment unambiguously prohibits the use of federal funds for all research in which a human embryo is destroyed." This bill was signed in 1995 by then President Bill Clinton. Section 509 of the bill states:   None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for-- (1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or (2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death greater than that allowed for research on fetuses in utero under 45 CFR 46.208(a)(2) and Section 498(b) of the Public Health Service Act [1](42 U.S.C. 289g(b)) (Title 42, Section 289g(b), United States Code). Unfortunately this is not something President Obama reversed. He reversed President George W. Bush's 2001 bill that allowed for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research from existing stem cell lines (meaning you could not obtain federal funding to develop a new stem cell line). Progress has once again been halted by those who confuse human life with a lab developed embryo.

Although President Obama will surely appeal, he will have his work cut out for him to obtain funding for hESC research as a result of a bill passed 15 years ago, before the human genome was completed and people thought that hESC research would result in mutant clones. Until people understand the difference between a living human being and a lab developed embryo, we will continue to fall behind in the race for the cures of so many diseases. While people continue to equate hESC research to murder and abortion, our loved ones will continue to die of Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and other debilitating illnesses. Until people understand why hESC research is so important, the scientific gains that could have been obtained by President Obama's passing of the Stem Cell Bill Reversal will, like so many other attempts at scientific advancement in this country, get shoved into a deep freezer for another 20 years before it is finally able to be investigated.

Just Another Manic Monday

Ugh. I hate Mondays. I'm always tired because I didn't sleep well the night before, crabby (because it's well, Monday), and just generally dreading the work week, not because I hate my job (I enjoy it) but because, let's face it, we'd all rather do something else rather than work! Like take long walks, read, sleep, watch movies, I could go on all day.
Alas, work pays bills. Thus, I work. Lame, I know. I have a lot of bills!

I hope working out will help me out. I'm going to go do circuit training at lunchtime, then back to work for a while, then picking out some plants to put in my office (it needs a little pick me up, a 100+ year old building is pretty dreary and flowers/ plants will make it a little better), then probably going for a run. I'm working on me. I have lost 30 lbs. so far and I haven't felt this good about myself in a while. I really let myself go, and it's hard to get to what I want to be. I still have bad days and look in the mirror and wish I saw someone different but more and more I'm happy with what I see. Well, happier. I know I still have a ways to go, but I like how I feel and that I do not have a double chin anymore.

For those friends who did not know, I'm also training to run in my first 5K in a very long time. I used to enjoy running, since I lived in the middle of nowhere with lots of side roads and trails to run on, so what's stopping me now?! Things are going well for me, and I think I'll be fine. As I progress I hope to run in the 10K next summer in my hometown and eventually a 1/2 marathon. I've been following the C25K plan, which is quite easy and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to start running again but isn't really sure how to go about it the right way.

I've also been doing WW for those of you who didn't know.. it's been going well. I am now working on keeping my own food journal and keeping track of points. It seems to hold me more accountable than the Iphone app I was using (because I would "adjust" the quantity for less points). Even if you aren't in WW, you should keep a food journal. You'd be surprised to see what you're consuming throughout the day. Seriously!!

Below I've put a workout routine that I've been doing (circuit training) with a student trainer for their practum. It was free advice and help, and now I'm sharing it with you, so enjoy!! I hope you find this worthwhile.

10-15 minute cardio warmup (I enjoy the elliptical for this)

Machine Pulldown @ 62.5 lbs (15 reps)
Machine Row @ 62.5 lbs (15 reps)
Military Press w/ 15 lb. dumbbells (15 reps)
Dumbbell Curl w/ 15 lb. dumbbells (15 reps)
20 weighted arm extensions (lay on back like you're going to do a situp, and holding a 6-10 lb. medicine ball, hold with both hands, extend to your left above your head, to your knees- but don't touch them, then to your right, then bring to the center of your chest, give it a light toss in the air and catch it. That's 1 rep.)
Leg Press @ 200 lbs. (15 reps)
Calf Raises- 15 reps
Hamstring Curl- 15 reps
Squats w/ 6-10 lb. medicine ball

Repeat the above sequence 2-3 times.

Then do 10 minutes cardio.

Follow with the abdominal sequence below (which you repeat 2-3 x)

Sit-ups- bring your elbows to your knees, hands stay behind head. 20-30
Weighted crunches- reach towards sky with a weighted medicine ball in hands. 20-30
Twists- using a 10 lb. dumbbell. 20-30
Flutters- kicking legs back and forth like the flutter kick in swimming while lying on your back 20-30 sec.
Superman- lay on stomach, lift legs and arms (extended in front of you) and head upward. 20-30 x
Teakettles- Using a 15 lb. weight, put rt. hand behind head and move in a teakettle motion, lowering left arm holding weight. Do 15-20 x and switch.

When you're done, stretch out to cool down and keep those muscles from locking up. Trust me, it's one hell of a workout.

~D.

Meatless Monday?

Greetings everyone-

So I came across a site today called "Meatless Mondays" which involves not eating any meat on Mondays (thus reducing your carbon footprint and it's good for you). I have decided to fully commit to this, even though I love eating chicken or beef for dinner. I am trying to cut back my meat consumption anyhow so this will motivate me even more! Check out Meatless Mondays here.

I have found a new site to use for keeping track of books I've read, ones I want to read, and ones I'm reading, called GoodReads. I like this site a lot better than Living Social Books because I've been having so many problems with their site. And they have a nice iphone app!

I'm still doing WW- but without e-tools. They wanted to charge me way more than what I was willing to pay. Oh well! I've got a notebook and it's not hard to track points. I like the lifestyle adjustment WW does for me. It keeps me accountable for what I consume.

Speaking of consumption- I can't wait until the farmer's market starts soon!! Fresh fruit and veggies from local farmers!! Woo hoo!!

That's about it here. Nothing too exciting to say otherwise- go green :) Earth Day is everyday!

Life Updates.

Hi Everyone,

I really haven't posted much, primarily because I just don't have the time. I thought I'd give an update for those of you who actually read this, although I'm not sure how many folks do. I've been very busy over the past few months, as I work full time as the lab coordinator for a biology program as well as teach 4 undergraduate labs. I barely have time to think, I swear.

Work has been good. There are a lot of really great people where I work, they are intelligent and are fun to be around. There are a some that make wanting to come to work a discouragement at times. You know the type. The "I'm more important than everyone else so drop what you're doing and cater to my needs" kind of person. They are wearing me down and it's making my job not enjoyable. I enjoy my job normally because I work with the students and interact with the biology program. There's just that one person, and even though I try not to let them bog me down, sometimes I cannot avoid them and they suck me in to a black hole of irritation and anger. I guess that's life, you're always going to have one difficult person that you work with.

*Sigh*

My other issue of the day is a so-called "friend". I was once quite close with this person. At least I thought we were. Then I find out that she's getting married (this weekend now) much sooner than previously told to me by her- which I found out by seeing her bridal shower pictures online! She then goes on to tell me all about how I'd be invited to a bachelorette party in March (never did get that invite, hmm....) and that I'd still be getting a wedding invite (funny, it's tomorrow, never saw one of those either). If you didn't want me at your wedding, you could have at least told me instead of making up some stupid story. I feel hurt and offended. I guess that's how life goes. I've continually been shown who my true friends are in life, and I guess that's part of being an adult.

Speaking of friends, I'm a tad sad because a friend of mine is moving very soon!! I'm very happy for her of course (she's going to graduate school out west) but I'm going to miss her terribly, as she was my date for Twilight and Harry Potter movies- now I'm going to have to go to them alone (since my hunny isn't down with seeing those in theaters). *Sigh* She's pretty much my only friend that lives kind of close to my house.

I am excited for the upcoming weekend though- girls night out :) I can't wait to party with my favorite gals!!! It's going to be sooooo much fun :)

Anyhow, not too much else is new or exciting. I am going to start an MBA in the Fall of 2011 (At least, that's my goal date). I feel this would really expand my career possibilities. Hopefully I will get into either the UWM program or the MTU online MBA program, which are the two that I will definitely apply to (I may apply to Marquette as well, but they are pretty pricey).

As some of you may know, I've been working on losing weight using the Weight Watchers plan, which has been working out well for me. I hope to continue until I reach my goal weight. I don't aim to be thin, just to be healthy. I am too young to be having cholesterol problems like I have already had.

Finally, I recently started soliciting for donations for the Start! Heart Walk that is to be held in Milwaukee in October. If you look on the right side of this blog, you'll see a little badge that you can click on to link to my page to donate. I figured that April would be a good time to start. For those of you who did not know, my dad passed away in April 2000 from a massive heart attack. He was only 39 years old. I have previously donated this time of year my $$ to the AHA. This year I have decided to coincide with my healthier self and sign up to do the Start! Heart Walk and raise $250.00. If I do not meet that based on the donations of others by October, I will pay the difference. I plan on donating regardless, but I hope I can get others involved and join my cause.

I hope all is well with everyone. I try to keep in touch but I'm terrible at it.

Love- D.

New Year, New Decade

Greetings Earthlings,

It's been a while! I decided to take a moment to reflect on the past decade. Sorry if you think it's lame, but then again, aren't you if reading my blog is the best thing you have to do? Ha ha, just kidding! So, without further ado- 10 years in review.

1999-

In Jan. of 1999 I was a sophomore in high school. My sister was born in late 98, so it was interesting having a baby in the house. I was a total dork, but thought I was pretty cool at the time. I really felt like I had the best life ever. That year I entered a relationship that led me into many years of heartbreak, anger, and overall stupidity on my part.

2000-

I got to travel abroad to France and Toronto, although Canada isn't really a big leap when you are from da UP. I came home from France to be devistated with news that my dad died of a heart attack. Life was very difficult in 2000, and it took a very long time to heal.

2001-

I graduated from high school and started college. It was a pretty exciting time- the big travels of the year took me to Cancun, Mexico.

2002-2004: Primarily working towards my bachelor's degree which I got in Dec. 2004. I lost another family member, to breast cancer that managed to work itself into other places in the body. My Grandma was a wonderful woman and is still missed very much.

2005- I lost my second grandparent to cancer, this time brain cancer. I realized that marriage was not a good idea, for various reasons, and lost a lot of trust in some people. I've since moved on, live and learn. I ended up meeting the best guy (well not meet, but started dating) and we've been together since.

2006- Started grad school, moved up to the land of snow, taught my first lab. Nothing too exciting.

2007- Yelled at my grad project that was a pain and didn't work, made new friends, did a lot of homework and had a lot of good times up north.

2008- One of my best friends from my childhood committed suicide, it was very sad and I'm still angry about it. I got a master's degree, moved to southern Cheeseheadland, and now mold the minds of college students.

2009- Work. A lot. Moved, again, but just to a different place. Got a Wii. Life is good. My Uncle lands in the clink for being a thief and his wife acts like she didn't do anything wrong. My family is completely dysfunctional.

It's been a wild ride, and I left a lot out for the sake of not pissing anyone off. Happy New Year!

~D.