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Personal Files

I am starting some new posts. If I have a story or an essay that I thought was really good, I will post it under Personal Files and just comment on these files.

Stem Cells

Imagine you are walking across the road and all of a sudden, you are hit by a car and you are paralyzed for life. You would have to be confined in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. There wouldn’t be anything the local doctors could do for you. However, scientists have been researching and experimenting with stem cells. They have successfully, transformed stem cells into spinal cord tissue and other organs. But, if you are religious, your religion might be against this practice. Because of stem cell research, people with medical conditions can be cured; however, many religious groups disagree with this practice.

Stem cells are the first divisions of a chemically fertilized egg. These cells divide until an organism is created. After the first few divisions of cells, specialized cells are created. Specialized cells are cells that have a specific job such as, blood cells, brain cells and skin cells. Specialized stem cells are like the CEOs of different companies, while unspecialized cells are the rookies. Unspecialized cells are the first divisions of the eggs. They have no specific job and can transform into other cells with the right stimulus. They are like people without jobs, so that when they go find a job, they become specialized. These adult stem cells can repair damaged tissue or replace certain organs in your body. Adult stem cells are like bandages except they are on the inside of your body. Scientists experimenting with stem cells drawn from umbilical cord blood have proven to be a rich source. If scientists have only experimented blood withdrawn from the umbilical blood have they stopped experimenting in other places? Even stem cells have only cured a handful of patients, it has been proven that it is a cure.

Because of the research restrictions, there has been an equal amount of success and failure. People say that stem cells cannot only give life but, they can take it away. For example, “… research shows they (stem cells) also have the propensity to form tumors.” Higher dosages of primitive stem cells can create tumors. Haven’t scientists discover why these primitive stem cells create tumors? Why don’t they just destroy the ones that are primitive. Are stem cells still so hard to predict? However, some people have used it and have had success. Greg Minow fell off his bike and left him paralyzed. After a stem cell transplant, he can feel his hips and the tops of his legs. Carl Sell had congestive heart failure. After using stem cells from his bone marrow, he is better. Stem cells can be used to save people’s lives, but does everyone want this treatment?

Because of their belief that life is sacred, many religious groups such as the U.S Catholic Bishops say that “[stem cell]research is immoral, illegal and unnecessary. Life is sacred from the moment of conception.” The Religious Action Center of Reform Juadisim say that “Research is immoral and unethical.” My pastor believes that taking someone’s future son or daughter and turning them into someones’ future organs or tissue is unethical. I was researching this with my pastor when, I discovered this Bible Passage: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27. When scientists create life through stem cells, they are literally playing God. I think that when scientists create life through stem cells they are interfering with God’s Children. Because of religions many patients have not used stem cells, but they are a cure.

Because of scientists and research stem cell is not a sci-fi idea, but a miracle cure for palyzed patients and people that have heart failure. However, because of religion, this cure has been prohibited by the Christian communities. Christians believe this is immoral, unetheical and that scientists are playing God. While researchers and doctors may indeed be playing God when using stem cells, these chemically fertilized cells have been proven a cure for medical conditions impossible to cure in the past.

Bored With The Usual, Try This: Whitewater Rafting in Tahoe

Are you bored of amusement parks and movie theaters? Well, come on down to Lake Tahoe's Whitewater Tours. This trip is loaded with a lot of Class 1's to some Class 2's and 3's; it starts easy and gets harder. Perfect for first-timers and families with little ones. It is one of the best ways to see river life and to experience the thrill of whitewater rafting. When you go, you will have an experienced guide to help and show you the scenes along the river. Once you have gone, you can brag to your friends how you survive this exciting journey.

Yankee Pier, an elegant Seafood restaurant

Yankee Pier in Lafayette is a lively, vibrant seafood restaurant. Like any seafood restaurant, it serveda wide variety of delicasies. From raw Cherrystone clams, to fried calamari, Hawaiian Mahi Mahi, to traditional New England Clam Chowder; this place has it all. I had the medium New England Clam Chowder as an appitizer, had a Cherrystone clam and had the Captain's Platter for the Entree. The Captain's Platter, contained fried Pacific Rock fish, fried beer-battered shrimp and full belly clams. On the side, there was coleslaw and french fries. Now, come to the Yankee Pier during July, and you can get a bottle of wine half price for their July 4 special. So come to Lafayette where you can dine on this magnificent seafood.

The Book of Eternal Sadness: The Kite Runner

(SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT)
The Kite Runner, a story of a forbidden friendship, betrayal and eternal sadness. This book starts slow buts ends fast. The main characters are Amir, a young Arab boy, and Hassan a young Hazaran servant. (During this time period Hazaras were known as Kofr or infidels. Many people were racist against the Hazaras and during the Taliban, many were killed.) Amir and Hassan were best friends except that Hassan was Amir's servant.

Everyday, Hassan would prepare Amir's breakfast and watch him go to school. In those days, during winter, they would have a kite flying tornument. They would attack each others kites and whosever survived, won. Many children would then try to catch the losing kite because it was an honor to have the kite. The children who tried to catch them were called, Kite Runners. Hassan was a great kite runner. He had a 6th sense and would wait until the kite came his way. Well, Amir and Hassan constructed a beutiful kite and flew it in the tornument. They won and Hassan went off to find the losing kite. After he got it, he was ambushed by the neighborhood bullies. While Hassan was being pummeled, the coward Amir watched as his friend was attacked.

After the ordeal, Hassan began living a quiet lifestyle. He rarely talked with Amir and just did his duties. Amir however, didn't know how to react and just ignored him. Months later during Amir's birthday, he recieved a new watch and lots of money. For some reason, Amir stuffed his new watch and some money into Hassan's sleeping matress and told his dad the Hassan stole it. Thus, this ended their friendship and began the sadness.

Later in the book, when Amir is an adult, Amir gets a call from one of his father's friends still living in Afghanistan. Amir finds out that Hassan was his half-brother and he had a son who was kidnapped by the Taliban forces and begins to find a way to get him back. At the end, Amir has Sohrab, Hassan's son, and is living happily in America.

This book I think, is a book of sadness and guilt. The dam of sadness and guilt breaks when Amir betrays Hassan. I believe that this book will be very hard for many readers because, many haven't experienced such guilt or sadness. If you are a reader looking for a challenge, this is a good one.

A Comparison between Chinese Cinderella and Boy Cont.

As I have said before, Roald Dahl had a eventful childhood and has written about it in his book, Boy. Roald Dahl was very mischeivious and got into trouble several times. One of the great anecdotes was about Roald Dahl, sticking a dead rat into a nearby candy store jar. Later you read about him going to Boarding School and getting beaten many times. Boy can be called an autobiography, but, he only wrote about his memerobale childhood. CC and Boy both have sad moments but, CC has even sadder parts. After CC there is "Falling Leaves" which is a even more in depth story about her childhood plus her adulthood. After Boy we have, "Flying Solo which is about Roald Dahl's Adultlife. Thank you for reading.