Most recent public comments by Sam Fedor https://nowcomment.com/users/93799 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372227 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372227 Deborah comes to the understanding here that her mothers contribution, despite their lack of compensation, is more important than anyone can know. She understands how much good her mother has done. Skloot implies that this revelation has happened before, but that perhaps this time she will finally receive the peace she deserves. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:25:34 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372225 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372225 One of the main themes of Skloot's book is the juxtaposition between the woman of Henrietta Lacks and HeLa's contribution to science. Deborah understands this distinction better than most, because Henrietta was her mother. Indeed, she understands that the world has forgotten her mother as a person... and is coming to the understanding that her memory may be allowed to live on through her contribution to science. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:21:38 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372223 https://nowcomment.com/documents/262545?scroll_to=2372223 It should really come as no surprise by this point that the Lacks Family would be hesitant to speak to anyone at all about their mother. Indeed, they had been burned before; not to mention ignored, lied to, and misinformed in the past. Why she decided to meet with Skloot, Deborah doesn't yet say; but she makes it clear that her intention is the truth. Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:17:19 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367342 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367342 While going largely ignored, Skloot makes it clear that some members of this scientific community were willing to take Gartler's findings seriously, and conducted themselves accordingly. This is foreshadowing on Skloot's part, because it would seem as though these genetic tests that would lead them to Henrietta's family will become important in time. Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:27:45 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367338 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367338 Yet again, these learned men of science seem more invested in the race of the donor than in the conducting of their research. While this should again come as no surprise, Skloot's inclusion of this detail makes their priorities clear. Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:24:34 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367336 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367336 Skloot is deliberate in her explanation of the HeLa contamination debacle. She does not make the scientists look like fools, nor does she minimize the issue; rather, she is systematic in her explanation, because an oversight of this kind had never even occurred before. But she is also deliberate in her description of how big a deal this contamination was; years of research and millions of dollars effectively wasted. Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:21:26 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367334 https://nowcomment.com/documents/259680?scroll_to=2367334 It should come as no surprise, but in the sixties, and even today to a certain degree, racism pervaded every level of medicine and medical study. While the race of donor may have some small degree of affect on the sample, a mere cell culture should be unaffected. Fri, 05 Mar 2021 10:18:06 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/261825?scroll_to=2361977 https://nowcomment.com/documents/261825?scroll_to=2361977 While it might seem obvious to many, activity in the great outdoors is perhaps the most important part of a healthy lifestyle. This proactive health could save $390 million in health costs for Washington alone. Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:24:44 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/261825?scroll_to=2361936 https://nowcomment.com/documents/261825?scroll_to=2361936 One of the main reasons those in support of radical land grabs in the West support these measures is because of the supposed profit of the resources on and under the land. But When assessed, the value of this land is so much more than the oil or gas it holds; between recreation, climate stability, and clean air and water, public land accounts for $240 Billion. Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:22:05 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/258737?scroll_to=2349391 https://nowcomment.com/documents/258737?scroll_to=2349391 Chapter Eight is really just an in-depth account of the terrible pain experienced by Henrietta Lacks in her last days. Excruciating, immobilizing, even deadly. Her anguish is explained in earnest, and Skloot is sure to go into depth about the attempts, or rather lack thereof, at treating her pain. This can be juxtaposed with the one positive moment in the chapter, wherein Henrietta is quoted as happy that her pain may be worth it. The differences in description are meant to juxtapose her experience with that of its eventual effects. Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:29:55 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316457 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316457 It's no secret that renewable energy is a highly profitable sector for investment, but we oftentimes forget how little must be spent to collect this energy. The profit in comparison to overhead is monumental; and the sooner we realize it the better. Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:26:51 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316436 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316436 If there's one thing Wyoming has a lot of, its wind. Imagine how much power could be produced if Wyoming were to put in more wind farm installations. They have the land and god knows the air for it; it's not impossible to imagine a Wyoming powered by wind power in the near future. Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:24:40 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316422 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253915?scroll_to=2316422 Massachusetts success in regards to clean energy is proof not only that sustainable energy production is a clean and efficient alternative to fossil fuels, but that government policy in favor of renewable energy allows for these sorts of programs to succeed. Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:21:28 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253916?scroll_to=2316335 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253916?scroll_to=2316335 It would seem as though this is fairly convincing evidence that these systems work. Furthermore, it should be a clear indicator to other states that it is time to begin implementing these types of monitoring systems. Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:14:18 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253916?scroll_to=2316278 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253916?scroll_to=2316278 I would argue that any sort of domestic violence should carry with it harsher punishments and restrictions on movement to begin with, to the tune of arrest and time in prison as opposed to simple probation. Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:11:52 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308280 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308280 This is a fairly new and experimental phenomenon, but the experts in the field (no pun intended) know what they're doing. The Salt Farm Foundation is composed of agriculture experts, climate scientists, and is partnered with the SalFar project to best implement using brackish water for farming. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:17:17 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308237 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308237 While highly profitable and environmentally friendly, there are many people who see an inherent risk in soil salinization. They think it's bad for the earth and that it's irreversible. The leaders in this field, however, are ready to refute these worries by reassuring potential newcomers of just how profitable it can be. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:14:57 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308205 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308205 The author, after demonstrating the need for solutions to traditional farming practices, provides a solution- and one that not only uses abundant resources to produce food, but also captures significant amounts of carbon. The plants grown are both profitable and green (environmentally friendly,) a sometimes difficult to find combination. Furthermore, traditional crops can be grown this way too, meaning our palates won't have to make an environmentally friendly change as well. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:12:43 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308186 https://nowcomment.com/documents/253912?scroll_to=2308186 By illustrating the need for food and the water to grow it, the author communicates the urgent need for the redistribution of freshwater and new solutions for more environmentally friendly farming practices. After all, everyone needs to eat and drink, and in many parts of the world, there is not enough water to do either reliably. Tue, 02 Feb 2021 11:09:23 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292485 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292485 There are no two things Trump seems to oppose more than Democracy and the truth. Throughout his presidency and onward he shows a contempt for both and a willingness to obstruct and destroy whenever he can, the Capitol attack being a prime example. Biden acknowledges this contempt, and vows to move past it and bring America into a more enlightened age. Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:30:31 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292471 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292471 A search for Unity has always been the defining factor of American democracy, so often defined by the divisions within the government and the people. Biden harkens back to Lincoln's ideals of a United America in which we stand together to fight for the ideals of liberty and justice wherein common ground can be found. Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:27:41 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292456 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250437?scroll_to=2292456 Biden choses to embody the will of the people rather than his own at this point in and throughout the speech. He reinforces the idea that he is not only a servant of the people, but it is his duty to act out their will, despite the challenges from opposing forced at odds with democracy. Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:25:23 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250955?scroll_to=2285152 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250955?scroll_to=2285152 I believe that despite his ability to connect with both sides of the aisle, Kennedy had dedication to the liberties of his people even in times where those liberties were under attack. Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:18:36 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250955?scroll_to=2285106 https://nowcomment.com/documents/250955?scroll_to=2285106 Perhaps the only thing that kept nuclear war from breaking out during the Cold War was mutually assured destruction; the knowledge that if one side made a first nuclear strike, the other side would respond in kind, leaving both sides decimated. Kennedy's choice to address this shows his dedication to honesty with the American people. Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:15:13 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2258030 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2258030 Belarus is an interesting conundrum. Belarus and its textbook illiberal democracy see themselves as the last bastion between Russia and the 'Western homosexual agenda.' They have quite literally made themselves Russia's chew toy. And no wonder; Belarus is the one place in the world where the Soviet Union seems never to have ended. Secret police, military parades, and medals for workers, Belarus and its rejection of liberal democracy are a curious case of nostalgia for being a Soviet satellite state. Tue, 05 Jan 2021 11:00:50 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2258007 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2258007 Make no mistake, the Taliban and the organizations they support are Islamic Terror organizations. Although the United States has been embroiled in conflict in Afghanistan for far too long, it is frankly disappointing that more could not be done to free this part of the world from the grip of radical Islamic rule by terror. These groups are not accountable to the people over which they rule nor to the International community at large, making them a dangerous force in an already unstable part of the world. Furthermore, this sets the precedent that as long as a group is violent enough and persistent enough, the forces for peace and justice will get tired of fighting and roll over. This reminds me of the Fascist takeover of Italy during the 1930s; the United States seems to have given into the idea of meno frego (the motto of Mussolini's Blackshirts, meaning "I don't give a damn," their habitual response to political violence and eventually the attitude of acceptance that pervaded the country.) Tue, 05 Jan 2021 10:54:05 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2257925 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2257925 The failure to hold Donald Trump accountable for his crimes will be considered a watershed moment in American politics. Comparable to Watergate (and potentially even worse,) Trumps disregard for rule of law and accountability was what galvanized the American people to finally oust him in November of 2020. Tue, 05 Jan 2021 10:44:20 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2257910 https://nowcomment.com/documents/246060?scroll_to=2257910 It is little secret that Vladimir Putin and his cronies are some of the most ubiquitously anti-democratic forces at work in the world today. But this most recent power grab is a perfect example of how they operate; in the dark, behind closed doors, and out of the public consciousness of the Western World. Tue, 05 Jan 2021 10:41:29 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220495 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220495 Orwell is caught between a rock and a hard place; although he personally believes that imperialism is a great and oppressive evil, his role as a colonial police officer, the one who enforces this evil, prevents him from standing up for his beliefs He is forced to take part in the oppression of a people he believes should be free. Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:14:13 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220362 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220362 Orwell uses the inclusion of specific detail to convey the pain and torment experienced by those locked up by Imperial forced. He mentions their scars, the stench of their cells, and the expressions on their scared faces to convey the utter despair in which they exist. Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:08:12 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220332 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243929?scroll_to=2220332 Orwell has come to the conclusion that Empire is one of the great evils of the world and believes that that the Burmese people live in oppression beneath their British Overlords. Despite his want for their freedom, he cares not for the Burmese people because of how difficult they make his job as a colonial officer. Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:03:53 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243212?scroll_to=2213026 https://nowcomment.com/documents/243212?scroll_to=2213026 The creation of new anti-intellectual thought by new intellectuals allows for those who are replacing this old intelligence to understand its validity and question its replacement. Tue, 24 Nov 2020 14:21:29 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146705 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146705 The disparity of power held by voters in states of different populations is incredible and undemocratic, leading to policy that benefits the minority over the majority. Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:38:42 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146697 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146697 The transition from direct representation of the States to representing the people of the states changed the Senate's role to that of one that was less proportional but served the same role as a proportionally representative body. Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:31:39 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146692 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235877?scroll_to=2146692 It is fairly clear and most certainly intentional that the senate is not supposed to represent the people directly, but its deviation from the will of the nation at large was never intended by the founders. Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:25:07 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2131029 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2131029 Not enough kids have adventures on bikes anymore. I think that's why nostalgic media like Stranger Things is so popular; people miss kids on bikes having adventures. Tue, 13 Oct 2020 23:18:39 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2131021 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2131021 I think that, at least in my experience, the most dramatic decline in my mental health began upon getting social media. I can pinpoint the exact month... and I can do the same for my brother. I think that while not the only cause, the statistical correlation between screen time and declining mental health is too much to ignore. It's Occam's razor... what does our generation have that no generation before us had? Humans are social creatures, and replacing real socializing with this pathetic farce, while easy and a trap we all fall into (myself included as well you know,) its no substitute for real connection with another person. Tue, 13 Oct 2020 11:12:15 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130987 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130987 I would like to think I am not a part of this demographic. But in the age of the pandemic, my weekly screen time report is even worse. I think we are stuck between a rock and a hard place... nowadays the only way to connect with another person is via social media because we cannot do so in person. I think this has exposed how superficial this way of connecting is, but now it's all we've got. Tue, 13 Oct 2020 11:13:48 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130962 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130962 This hardly comes as any surprise. I know as well as anyone that the more time I spend in front of a screen, the more miserable I am. Ergo why I hate online school. The ubiquity go technology is like a disease that we don't want to cure. Wed, 14 Oct 2020 02:27:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130961 https://nowcomment.com/documents/235254?scroll_to=2130961 Boy am I glad I didn't have any social media until the end of my freshman year of high school. I think that the absence of the distraction was not only important, but I was able to focus on myself for the sake of myself. Tue, 13 Oct 2020 10:55:40 -0400