Megan Boyer

Since Osama Bin Laden's death, many people seem convinced that his death will end Al-Qaeda's threat, while others seem to feel his death will change nothing with Al-Qaeda.  Still, others feel that Bin Laden's death will only fuel Al-Qaeda's strength and motivation, which could cause even more terrorism.  What do you think?  Will Bin Laden's death quelch Al-Qaeda's power?  Will his death change nothing and Al-Qaeda will continue on?  Or, will his death fuel Al-Qaeda's hatred and only prove to strengthen them?  Please feel free to comment on your votes.

Megan Boyer

Since Osama Bin Laden's death, many United States citizens have been celebrating openly in the streets or in public places.  Simple question: How do you feel about United States citizens celebrating Osama Bin Laden's death?  Is rejoicing in public an appropriate reaction or not?  Please feel free to comment on your vote.

Megan Boyer

I recently posted a poll asking if individual gardening could actually help our country and our ecomony.  So far, every vote has been yes.  So I ask you this, will YOU have your own garden this year?  Do you have a garden every year?  Living in an apartment is no excuse either.  Plenty of city dwellers have their own miniature urban gardens on a window sill or by using a few indoor growing lights.  Please be honest.  This is all anonomous.  Will you have a garden this year?

Feel free to leave any comments.

Megan Boyer

The times are changing.  People are becoming increasingly liberal involving their relationships and sexual partners.  Society is becoming more accepting.  More and more people are entering consensual nonmonogamous relationships, relaionships where both partners agree to be nonmonogamous with one another.  Common forms of nonmonogamous relationships are orgies, open relationships, open marriages, swinging, and polygynandry.  An orgie is an act of group sex.  People involved in an orgie can be either single or in a relationship.  Open relationships and marriages allow either partner to have sexual partners outside of their own marriage.  Swinging is similar to an open marriage, but takes place in a more planned out environment between couples.  Polygynandry is a group marriage, in which the members of the relationship live together and consider themselves to be all married to one anotether.  We see examples of nonmonogamous relationships through various media outlets, and many of us may know someone, or have been someone in a relationship such as this.  Change is good, right?  Yet, people are also getting divorced at a higher rate, and interpersonal relationships as a whole seem much less solid.

So, do nonmonogamous relationships work?  Can they work?
(Keep in mind, I'm not refering to those who live so because of their religion.)

Megan Boyer

We’re urged to buy organic, all natural, and locally.  We do what we can, or we just do what we want.  My question is this.  Our world is changing.  This economy is changing (and it doesn’t seem for the better).  Do you believe that growing our own food - in any way each individual is capable of - can help better our country, our economy, and our plant?  Yes or no?  Could gardens, plant boxes, green houses, urban gardens, etc help us?

Megan Boyer

Recent studies, and the lack of public school funding show that state testing scores, and literacy rates are down in U.S. schools.  Yet, couldn’t there be other causes to this decline in children’s learning and quality of education?  For example, could the rise in children’s television viewing and video gaming playing cause children to become less interested in school and reading?

Before the majority of children in the United States had simple access to technology such as video games, computers, the internet, television, iPods, and many other such devices, they relied on books, comics, and magazines much of the time.  Could it be possible that a child’s educational development is hindered by easy access to all these viewing and audio devices?

As of now, there are no empirical studies that solidly connect the drop in state testing scores and literacy rates to television viewing, video game playing, and the like.  What do you think?  Does all this technology create poorer students who dislike reading?  Or, are other factors creating this nation-wide problem?

Megan Boyer

Recently, two studies on Alzheimer’s Disease uncovered five important genes, which could hold the key to finding a cure.  Findings show that the carriers of these genes could be more likely to develop Alzheimer-related dementia in seniors.  Although this study does not get scientists any closer to discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s, it could potentially help scientists uncover the mysteries behind how this disease develops.

What do you think about this research?  Do you believe it’s possible to curb the development of Alzheimer’s by eliminating these genes?  Could the elimination of these genes actually suppress the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?  Tell us what you think!

Material from CBS News Miami.

Megan Boyer

Recent finding from Cardiff University support the hypothesis that Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be genetic.  Researchers found that many children with ADHD have small segments of their DNA doubled or missing.  There was also overlap discovered between these DNA segments.  The findings strongly suggest that ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder.

Scientists hope that this new evidence will help end the stigma associated with this disorder.  Many skeptics believe ADHD does not exist, but is instead behaviors caused by poor parenting, diet, or simply the personality of the child.  Although ADHD is one of the most common childhood mental disorders, there has been little evidence supporting genetic connections.

What do you think?  Is ADHD a true Mental Disorder, possibly caused by genetic differences in the brain?  Or, is ADHD nothing but the outcome of a child's environment or personality?  Give feedback if you'd like, and share personal experiences or other information, if you have any.    

This information is from Children with ADHD more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 3, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/09/100929191312.htm

Megan Boyer

A Food and Drug Administration committee concluded Thursday that there is still insufficient evidence supporting the relationship between artificial food dyes and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  While, the FDA won’t make any recommendations to ban or limit the use of artificial colors in foods, the committee did state that further research on the effects of food dyes on children is needed.

There are currently eight artificial dyes being used in the United States.  These dyes can be found in everything from candy to frozen or boxed dinners.  Many European companies have switched to natural coloring methods, even in such candies as Skittles and Starburst.

A question that comes to my mind is, whether food dyes cause or worsen ADHD symptoms or not, do we really want to be putting artificial material into our children’s bodies, just because it looks pretty and is easily accessible?  If you read the labels on food, you will probably be surprised at how many items contain artificial colors.  Yet is the amount of coloring found in each food enough to do harm to our children’s bodies?  Is it worth taking the extra precautions and spending the extra money to keep artificial colors out of our children’s food?

Megan Boyer

A recent poll states that between 2007 and 2009 the average national birth rate fell four percent.  This is the most dramatic drop in over 30 years.  Studies show that birth rates fell in every age demographic except women over 40.  The largest percentage drop was women between the ages of 20 and 24, with 9 percent less births.  Geographically, the largest decline was in the West and southeast.

Two questions here.  What’s causing this decline, and is it a positive or negative occurrence?  Some researchers believe it is due to the recession.  Other findings suggest that along with the availability of birth control, fewer and fewer people are having “casual sex” at a young age.  Do you believe the drop in the national birth rate is due to the recession or safer/less sex, and is this drop a positive or negative thing for our country?

Megan Boyer