Antibiotics loosing their kick

Antibiotics have been available to the average American since the 1940s. They have been working wonders by saving people from infections ranging from pneumonia to STDs. Antibiotics have their downsides though. Bacteria have been evolving due to these drugs. They have become increasingly resistent. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is now tracking over 20 strains of drug-resistent bacteria. These are all new strains of bacteria that have resulted from antibiotic overuse. The problem here is that doctors are over-prescribing antibiotics.  In 2010, 258 million courses of antibiotics were prescribed in America. That's for a population of 309 million, which means an average of 833 prescriptions per 1,000 people. In the south, the ratio is even higher at 1,200 prescriptions per 1,000 people. Bacteria have become so used to these drugs that they are forced to become resistent to them. The problem is magnified when a patient doesn't take all the antibiotics prescribed or takes them for the wrong reasons, promoting the bacteria to survive and adapt.

This is a huge problem in our world today. Doctors are over-prescribing medicine. In our world today, we feel like we have to medicate EVERYTHING. Medicine is perhaps the greatest improvement of the  past one hundred years, but treating every single sickness is not the right thing to do. Medicines are loosing their kick. Either doctors have to stop over-prescribing medicine, or drug researchers have to start developing new medicines that don't encourage infections to evolve and become even stronger. Pretty soon, these antibiotics that we are prescribing today are going to be ineffective at what they were invented to do, saving human health. The stats in the paragraph above are completely ridiculous. In one year, U.S. doctors prescribed enough antibiotics to give them to four out of five Americans every year. If that isn't over-prescribing then I don't what is. We need to reroute our society to believe that not every single sickness needs to be medicated. The human body is an amazing machine that has the capability of fighting off infections effectively and safely. In the case of children and the elderly, the story is different, but the average American doesn't need to be prescribed a medication for every time they get sick. Sometimes you have to suck it up and let your body do its job.

LINK: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130413/LIVEWELL01/704129931#medication-nation-study-details-overuse-of-antibiotics-by-states

Teen shot after sneaking back into the wrong house

LINK: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/23/17424964-teen-shot-dead-after-sneaking-into-wrong-home-following-party?lite&lite=obinsite

A homeowner shot Caleb Gordley, a teen from Virginia, after accidently sneaking back into the wrong house after a night of partying. Caleb was a three-sport athlete at Park View High School in Sterling, Virginia.  After a long night of drinking at a party, he decided to sneak back into his house. The only problem was that he climbed into the house two doors down rather than his own. He set off his neighbor’s alarm system and proceeded to go up the stairs where he met the homeowner. The man had a .40-caliber pistol.  The homeowner gave Caleb verbal warnings and shot the gun as a warning. Caleb continued to walk up the stairs and into the upstairs hallway. The homeowner shot Caleb as he walking to an upstairs bedroom that was occupied by the homeowner’s family members. Caleb died at the scene. Caleb’s parents say they do not blame the homeowner. However, they are filled with grief after this accident.

This incident is almost too sad to write about. Caleb was the typical teen, a three-sport athlete, and an aspired rapper. This situation demonstrates the bad that alcohol can lead to. Caleb should not have been drinking or this would have never happened.  I do not blame the homeowner for shooting Caleb. If a stranger were crawling up my stairs at 2:30 in the morning after setting off the alarm system, I would have probably done the same thing. When your family is in danger, safety comes first. I feel so much remorse for Caleb’s family. First, they found out their son is dead. Second, they found out the death was due to alcohol. I’m sure Caleb’s parents are thinking that this could have been prevented if they taught their child the dangers of alcohol. I hope that this situation provides an example for teens around the country about the dangers that alcohol poses.

Synthetic Marijuana: the Bad and the Ugly

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/07/26/dea-makes-90-arrests-in-war-on-synthetic-drugs/

Synthetic marijuana (spice/K2) and hallucinogenic bath salt use has been on the rise in recent years. The difference between these drugs and other drugs is that these have been created in a lab and have only been around for 40 years. When a person overdoses on cocaine or opiates we know how to treat them in the emergency room because people have been using and abusing these drugs for thousands of year. These drugs are different. Doctors don't know how to deal with someone who is "trippin' on spice" or "crunked" on bath salts . These drugs are very dangerous and have been known to cause brain damage when used in high amounts. In Texas, a man who was high on these drugs allegedly attacked, killed, and then ate his neighbor's dog. The reason why these drugs are so hard to outlaw is because of the way they're marketed.  They say "not for human consumption" on them and are said to be used as plant feed or incense. The average American drug-user would know that this is not their actual purpose. Every time one of these substances in outlawed, drug chemist tweak the chemical formula just slightly enough so they can sell it legally again.

This situation is ridiculous. I believe that the people making these drugs are the most selfish people in the world. They will put people's lives at a great risk just for money. Even though the products say "not for human consumption" these products should be outlawed. The only reason these substances are sold is to get high. Even if the product says "not for human consumption" it should be outlawed because it contains a hallucinogenic substance that has been known to cause people to do crazy things such as drown their own children in a irrigation canal. Laws need to changed so this destruction of healthy bodies can be stopped.

Restrictions Put on New England Cod Fishing

LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/us/officials-back-deep-cuts-in-atlantic-cod-harvest-to-save-industry.html?pagewanted=2

Atlantic cod numbers are at an all-time low. Scientist say that the cod population is at 18 percent of what is considered a healthy population. The plan to cut back on cod fishing would cut down the catch to 1,550 metric tons a year, instead of the 8,000 metric ton limit set a decade ago. Last year the cod industry made about $80 million. The new limits could cut the profits by $25 million. The fishermen and their families are going to have to go other places for work. New technology is one of the reasons for the small cod numbers. Enhanced sonar technology and new net styles have not only produced huge numbers for the fishermen using them, but have also killed the predators that feed on cod as well. This has caused an environmental unbalance that has effected the whole ocean ecosystem. The government was forced to make these cuts after finally realizing the harm that has been done to the Atlantic Ocean due to overfishing.

Overfishing is a huge problem that oceans around the world are facing. My brother went to Alaska for a semester two years ago. He saw the effects of overfishing from first-hand experience. The boat he was on had to face strict catch limits and could only fish for a few days at a time when the fishery department allowed them to. Fish populations have made a rebound in Alaska in the past decade, but the story isn't the same for the cod on the East coast. Fishing limits are a vital part of keeping our ocean environments healthy for generations to come. This new limit had to be done at sometime. Unfortunately for the fishermen, it's now.

Catholics Required to Provide Birth Control

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LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/health/religious-groups-and-employers-battle-contraception-mandate.html?pagewanted=1&ref=us

            The article that caught my eye this week comes from The New York Times. The topic has been very controversial recently and is a classic example of the clash between religion and state. Catholics, evangelicals, and Mennonites are filing laws suits against the new health care law that is requiring employers to provide all FDA approved contraceptives and sterilization procedures to their employees. This includes “morning-after pills” and intrauterine devices.  A company can only legally reject complying with this law if they primarily employ people of their same religion. The situation can become very complicated though, such as a case involving Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. The college says they don’t reject employing someone just because they aren’t Catholic. Under this law, the college must still provide birth control and contraceptives to their employees, even though they are a Catholic Institution founded by Benedictine monks. Defenders of this law say that birth control is a vital part of good health, and a very necessary benefit. Is this law invading on our religious rights stated in the Constitution?

            I am very familiar with this law because my dad is a co-owner of Midwest Neurosurgery here in Omaha. Almost weekly I have to sit through a dinner where all my parents talk about is this law. The law is requiring my dad to provide all his employees with every FDA approved contraceptive. The dilemma here is that my dad is being forced by the government to pay for something that he believes is morally wrong. Midwest Neurosurgery is going to drop all health care benefits that they have provided in the past because of this law. The hospital has to either meet the government’s requirements, or reject all healthcare benefits to their employees. They are forced to choose the lesser of two evils. I agree with my dad. I believe that this law is infringing on our religious liberties stated in the Constitution.  Employers should not have to pay to provide their employees with something that goes directly against their religion. Defenders of this law say that birth control is an essential part of good health, which is a highly debatable statement. The Catholic Church provides other ways to prevent pregnancy that are considered holy and highly effective. One of these ways is called “Natural Family Planning”. Natural Family Planning has provided hundreds of thousands of people with alternative methods of preventing pregnancy in a safe and effective way. This law will most likely be seeing the Supreme Court soon with the recent flood of lawsuits from many religious institutions and churches. We will see how this law plays out in the upcoming months. Hopefully, the government and the various religions fighting this law will come to a fair compromise.

Russian wants to ban English words

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In Russia, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, backed by his liberal democratic party, is leading a movement to outlaw the use of English words. Why say English words like “performance” or “dealer” when there are Russian equivalents? Zhirinovsky thinks that Russians will soon be pronouncing like Americans if this disrespect to their language doesn’t stop. The law he wants to pass would outlaw over 100 English words. If Russians were to use any of the words on this list then they would face fines and possible dismissals from their jobs.

There are so many things wrong with this movement. Language evolves with people who use it, not by laws. Just because Russians use words such as “sale” on an advertisement does not mean that those people should be punished for it. Zhirinovsky is overly nationalistic and needs to realize that the language of the people changes naturally and effectively. Here in America we have adopted many words, such as “rodeo” and “déjà vu”, to help explain our thoughts and actions. It’s quicker and more effective to say the term “déjà vu” then to say “I think this has happened before and I’m getting weird vibes”. This is the same in Russia. People adopt words to help explain their thoughts better, not to disrespect their culture or language.

Hi

         My name is Thomas Joseph Doran. I have 4 brothers. The oldest went to Notre Dame, the next oldest goes to Gonzaga. The other two brothers are younger than me and go to Saint Margaret Mary's school. My favorite hobbies are running, hiking, fishing, and snowboarding. This weekend I am going on a ski trip to Winter Park with the SMM Youth Group. I go snowboarding every year with my family. My oldest brother now lives in Denver so I expect I will be snowboarding a lot more with him in the future. My dad is a neurosurgeon and my mom leads a bible study here at prep with almost 600 people in it! The only sports I do are track and cross-country. My goal is to beat the Prep mile record (4:22) by the end of my time here at Prep.