Opinion
Posted on December 3, 2009 in Health & Medicine, Opinion
A Pennsylvania university is requiring overweight undergraduates to take a fitness course before they receive their diplomas. School officials say that they’re simply worried about high rates of obesity and disease, but the decision is causing a health controversy.
Lincoln University is imposing the requirement for the first time this year, meaning that seniors have one last chance to take the class in spring. The student outcry about the mandate includes Tina Lawson, who wrote in the school paper that she “didn’t come to Lincoln to be told that my weight is not in the acceptable range. I came here to get an education.”
Around 16 percent of the current seniors have not yet had their body mass index taken nor had taken the fitness class, according to the chairman of Lincoln’s department of health, physical education and recreation. Students with a BMI of 30 or above—considered obese—are required to take the class, which meets for three hours each week.
Posted on August 24, 2009 in Health & Medicine, Opinion, Recent Studies, Women's Health
Women who become pregnant while taking antidepressants now have a set of guidelines to determine whether they should continue taking medication. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association issued a joint report that spells out risks and benefits.
The panel recommended that women who have mild or no symptoms of depression and are thinking of getting pregnant gradually reduce antidepressant dosages. However, women who are already expecting should not go off medication if they suffer from severe depression. Those who are psychiatrically stable should consult their doctor or ob-gyn if they plan to remain on antidepressants during pregnancy. The panel also said that women who go off medication may want to consider psychotherapy.
A recent study linked the antidepressant Paxil with an increased risk for congenital heart defects in babies born to women who took the drug. Although evidence was inconclusive, the FDA issued an early advisory in 2005 based on the research. Other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) have been connected to low birth weight, preterm delivery and miscarriage.
The panel concluded that more research was needed to determine the effects of antidepressants on pregnant women. “Antidepressant use in pregnancy is well studied, but available research has not yet adequately controlled for other factors that may influence birth outcomes including maternal illness or behaviors that can adversely affect pregnancy,” the report stated.
Posted on August 15, 2009 in Consumer Goods, Opinion, Parenting, Women's Health
There are popular toys that allow little girls to pretend to vacuum, bake, and even change dirty diapers. But would you buy a toy that let’s girls simulate breastfeeding?
A Spanish toy company created Bebe Gloton, meaning greedy baby, which lets girls feed their doll with a halter top that has two flowers in place of lactating breasts. The doll then sucks on the pseudo-breast blossoms while makes suckling sounds.
A video demonstration of Bebe Gloton made it on the NBC’s Today show, where Kathy Lee Griffin later responded by saying, “It’s got a little creep factor.” According to the toy’s creators, Baby Gloton is meant to promote the healthy benefits of breastfeeding.
Although Baby Gloton has yet to hit international markets, the toy is already creating a stir. The video demonstration can be seen on YouTube and the comments have opinion that support and oppose the suckling baby doll. Some viewers feel the toy is stirring up controversy because the way society places taboos on breastfeeding while other say breastfeeding is something young girls should be emulating or even be exposed too.
Whether or not you think Baby Gloton is no more harmful than Betsy Wetsy, it comes down what parents want their child to be exposed to. There can be arguments against violent video games or plastic foodstuff that promote fast food chains. Breastfeeding is a part of motherhood, which American society celebrates, but at the same time breastfeeding does deal with a body part that is sexualized, which American society tends to do tenfold.
Posted on July 21, 2009 in Animals, Business/Law, Health & Medicine, Opinion
With the annual seven weeks of horse races at Del Mar, CA about to kick off, I decided to take a look at horse racing, a spectator sport that is steeped in tradition and at times controversy.
The late Hunter S. Thompson wrote about the 1970 Kentucky Derby with a specific angle in mind. In fact to warn his readers of his unique point view, Thompson wrote, “And unlike most of the others in the press box, we didn’t give a hoot in hell what was happening on the track. We had come there to watch the real beasts perform.”
Thompson’s essay on the Kentucky Derby was not transfixed on the horses but rather on the spectators that rushed to Churchill Downs. By the end of his grotesque account of the traditional horse race, Thompson perceived patrons of the Derby as ravenous monsters.
I bring attention to Thompson’s famous report on horse racing in America because it reveals the true dangers of the sport -those in the industry who go to any length to gain a profit. American horse racing is not necessarily wrong but it’s an industry that can foster greed and overlook abuse.
There are those who passionately feel that horse racing should be banned on the basis of animal cruelty but I think there many horse breeders, trainers and jockeys who would be the first to say they are animal lovers not torturers.
From the ancient Romans to modern Americans, racing horses is a sport that has a lengthy timeline. And along with being a popular equestrian sport, “The Sport of Kings” is also a game of odds. Gambling is major part of horse racing. It drives revenue for everyone involved in the industry along with contributing to the economy. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) stated in their 2008 report, that it collected $35,868,519 from horse races for the state of California.
Animal activists say that since states get money generated from horse races the sport is not heavily regulated. But in a 2008 report CHRB chairman Richard Shapiro says that his board is pushing to test more horses for steroids and other illegal drugs.
This may sound like a mere talking point since increase testing doesn’t necessarily stop the use of performance enhancing drugs. But CHRB’s intolerance for drug use and other illegal acts shows some autonomy between horse racing and the state’s regulatory board.
The image of Eight Belles falling to her knees and soon after to her death during last year’s Kentucky Derby put the darker side of horse racing into the spotlight. Besides the physical stress that racing can place on a horse, Eight Belles’ demise revealed that injury or poor performance can lead to death.
In fact, ESPN sports writer Willem Marx reported there was an average 1.5 deaths for every 1,000 starts in American racing, according to studies conducted at around 10 American racecourses over more than one season.
American horse racing in comparison to other countries yields a higher volume of horse fatalities. Many experts say that there are looser regulations when it comes to drugs in the US compared to other countries.
For example, administering drugs such as Salix, which is used to control hemorrhaging in a horse’s lungs during a race, is legal in the US but illegal in Europe and Asia. Other drugs being used are designed for humans while other drugs like actual snake venom is used purely because it can’t be detected. These are the atrocities that should be outright banned.
In all its glory, horse racing can be an exciting sport that link spectators to ancient civilizations, but at its lowest, American horse racing is a science of greed, drugs and death.
Although there is a definite dark side to horse racing, a side that Thompson could see all too clearly, I believe there are good people in the industry who love horses, who know horses better than I ever would and who committed their life to breeding and training horses.
I think the high stakes that American horse racing prides itself on is the same driving force behind doping horses up with a buffet of illegal drugs. We need not chastise the sport itself but demand more regulations like probing tests that can detect a wider range of drugs and harsher repercussions for those who administer drugs. We, as spectators, should demand that our country’s horse racing industry have a stricter stance on drugs so trainers and owners are guided by common goals rather than greed.
Posted on July 13, 2009 in Opinion
Everyone loves sushi; it’s delicious, interesting, beautifully presented, and for the most part a very healthy choice. The seaweed and other vegetables found in sushi provide fiber and nutrients, and the fish not only serves as protein but also offers lots of good-for-you omega3 fatty acids.
However, not all sushi is created equal. Improperly handled it can present a whole host of risks including bacteria and anisakiasis, a parasitic disease. These parasites are round worms that can be found in poorly prepared sushi, sashimi, and ceviche.
Some people believe that ceviche, a raw seafood dish marinated in citrus juices, is the exception to this risk since the citrus acts as a kind of natural “cooker,” changing the molecular structure of the fish. However this mild disinfectant is no match for a parasite, and unfortunately ceviche is just as susceptible to anisakiasis as any other kind of raw fish.
As long as you are getting your sushi from a reputable, clean source, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about and you can enjoy your sushi whenever you like. Once again, properly prepared sushi is a healthy choice.
If you have suspect you have consumed tainted sushi, you won’t have to wonder for long. Symptoms are usually severe and can include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, or abdominal pain. Symptoms will usually present within 12 hours of consumption, and can mimic the symptoms of appendicitis.
Posted on July 12, 2009 in Opinion
If you’ve ever tripped while texting, a new iPhone application was designed especially for you. The hazards of multitasking have not been lost on the creators of Email ‘n Walk, a program that shows a live picture of everything you’re missing while you text away.
Phase 2 Media’s 99 cent program keeps an eye on the sidewalk for you, allowing you to write a message without walking into a stray lamp pole. The iPhone’s camera transmits a feed of the background over the subject and message fields of your e-mail. When you finish writing a message in Email ‘n Walk, hitting send will open up a proper email window in Mail so you can choose your recipient.
Careful, though: the app doesn’t have peripheral vision, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll avoid angry pedestrians. The company even warns that it “can’t take any responsibility for your stupidity,” sending a not-so-subtle message that being unaware of surroundings can result in an accident.
Posted on May 14, 2009 in Health & Medicine, Opinion
Could Americans be drinking spiked tap water in the near future? Drinking water that contains the element lithium may decrease the risk of suicide, according to a Japanese study. Researchers studies levels of lithium in drinking water in southern Japan and found that low levels of lithium may protect the brain from certain mood disorders.
The suicide level was significantly lower in areas with the highest levels of the element, the study reported in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Although high doses of lithium are already used to treat serious mood conditions, no one is calling for lithium to be added to drinking water—yet.
The Japanese researchers called for further research to be done in other countries, which could take years to conduct. Results suggested a cumulative protective effect on the brain from years of drinking the lithium-enriched water. At least one previous study conducted in 1980 found a connection between high lithium levels in water and a notably lower amount of suicides.
Adding lithium to water would be highly controversial, based on the discussion to add fluoride to water to protect dental health. Those who object to “mass voluntary medication” may be concerned to know that high doses of lithium have significant side effects, including mild shakiness, muscle weakness and coordination problems.
Posted on May 9, 2009 in Opinion, Technology
Should the Holocaust denial movement be allowed to promote their views on Facebook?
For the last year attorney Brian Cuban and a number of outraged Facebook users have been petitioning the website to remove such pages as “Holocaust: A Series of Lies” and “Holocaust is a Holohoax”. These pages represent the view that the Nazi Holocaust, which claimed the lives of nearly six million Jews, never occurred.
Cuban, in cooperation with the Jewish Internet Defense Force, argues that this page promotes anti-Semitism and hatred. Other pages have been removed because of hate speech, and he claims that Facebook is “setting the subjective standard on what they remove and what they don’t.”
A spokesperson for Facebook, Barry Schnitt, agrees that the views presented in the contested pages are offensive, but maintains that Facebook wants to provide a forum for all manner of debate, even the most controversial. The pages that were removed, including “Isle of Man KKK” page and several pages put up be Italian neo-Nazis, contained language that directly incited violence against specific groups. However, says Schnitt, “Just being offensive or objectionable doesn’t get it taken off Facebook. We want it [the site] to be a place where people can discuss all kinds of ideas, including controversial ones.”
The web is a place where like-minded people can find each other, for positive or negative exchange. Anonymity means less accountability, and therefore social networking sites are attractive to those wishing to spread an unpopular or hateful message.
Said Deborah Lauter, director of Civil Rights for the Anti-Defamation League, “Even though in the States this kind of hate is protected speech, [Web sites] don’t have to provide the forum to help spread it. Our position is that if you are going to be providing it, then you have to step up and put in the mechanism for policing it.”
Posted on May 2, 2009 in Consumer Goods, Opinion, Technology
An increasing number of ATM scams have been discovered over recent months. Criminals install a false card swipe machine and hidden camera over the real ATM. When you swipe your card in the fake swiper, the number is transmitted to a remote location, and your pin number is recorded by the camera as you enter it.
This practice, known as skimming, is one of the new ways that identity theft and card fraud is taking advantage of consumers and banks. Banks are doing their best to prevent skimming, but the alert consumer is on the front line of fraud prevention.
The first thing to know when using an ATM is that any location could have been targeted by a skimmer. Last month three false ATM machines were found in the lobbies of Chase banks. These machines have high foot traffic but they aren’t always carefully monitored, especially after hours. So treat each ATM machine with caution.
Secondly, know what to look for. If the card reader looks a little different than the rest of the machine, or does not attach fully to the ATM, try to jiggle it or pull it off. If it comes loose, this is not a good sign. Extra mirrors can hide hidden cameras; ATM machines should not have more than one mirror. If you have any suspicions that a machine has been tampered with, call the phone number printed on the machine for assistance.
Third, even when there is no one around you should cover the key pad when you enter your pin number. This will prevent a hidden camera from reading the pin as you type. You should never leave your receipt behind as it contains information that could be useful to criminals trying to break in to your account.
Skimming is just one kind of bank fraud, but it can be prevented by staying alert, and knowing the facts.
Posted on April 27, 2009 in Health & Medicine, Opinion
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on April 22 that it would accept, not appeal, a federal court order to make the emergency contraceptive Plan B available to women 17 and older without a prescription. The manufacturers of Plan B must submit an application for approval before marketing the contraceptive to 17-year-olds.
The battle over access to Plan B has lasted through almost a decade, often dividing the FDA down political lines. After two scientific advisory committees found the drug to be safe for over-the-counter use in 2003, a long delay in approving the drug led to criticism that the FDA was ignoring scientific documentation. Susan F. Wood, assistant FDA commissioner for women’s health, resigned in protest of the delayed approval in 2005. The agency approved nonprescription Plan B for women 18 and older in 2006.
Proponents of the contraceptive argue that it is effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy and could help reduce the number of abortions. Critics believe that Plan B will increase teenage promiscuity and in some cases, is the equivalent of abortion.
The treatment consists of two pills and sells for $35-$60. Women must ask for Plan B at a pharmacy counter and show identification along with the date of their birth.
If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, Plan B can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent.
