Pedro Martínez: Talk to the hand

Übergeek 바둑이: Masturbation is sex outside marriage and adultery!! I think she needs to talk to a Rabbi!!

Pedro Martínez:

Mousetrap: Where Bush failed, she'll succeed!

Übergeek 바둑이: OMG! Is she for real?

The Col: maybe he's related to this guy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuM_iSwMof8&feature=related

The Col: omg

Tuesday: maybe he had too much coffee and donuts prior to his chat with the locals

An interesting crop of Republicans this year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMgyi57s-A4

Übergeek 바둑이: I suppose the pro masturbation vote will be pitted against the anti masturbation vote, should make for an interesting race.

Bernice:

> I agree that an embryo is a human being but if it can be proved that THAT embryo isn't going to have an excellent quality
> of life for some reason unbeknown to people like us who know nothing about this, then I think stem cell research should
> be a priority to help those in need.

Most of the embrios used in stem cell research are frozen embrios remaining from in vitro fertilization. The embrios are frozen and kept for several years in case the parents decide to have more children. After several years frozen, the parents are asked what they want to do with the embrios. If the parents opt to have no more children then embrios are supposed to be thawed, effectively killing them. If the parents provide consent, the embrios can be donated to stem cell research.

Other avenues to obtaining human stem cells have not been as successful. Scientists have tried to clone stem cell, thus eliminating the need to harvest them from embrios. As I understand to date the experiments have not been successful. Scientists have extracted stem cells from some tissues, particularly skin and umbilical cord. However, it seems that the adaptability of the stem cells is not as fruitful as it is with embrionic stem cells.

It is a difficult thing because we are dealing with potential human life. Even though many of those embrios were condemned to be destroyed, it is still difficult to think in terms of a potential life being used to save another.

I suppose that if the government were to invest heavily in cloning stem cells, scientists might succeed. Then we have another can of worms being opened: Embrionic cloning.

The Col

What is she planning to do? Make it illegal?

More seriously, this came about because of an MTV documentary about sex in the 90's in which she talked about why masturbation is wrong according to the Bible. I found a copy of the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzHcqcXo_NA

Apparently she won the Delaware Senate primary, defeating incumbent Republican Mike Castle who had been senator for 9 terms. She had the backing of the Tea Party and Sarah Palin.

Bernice:

Übergeek 바둑이: yes I believe what you have said is correct....this Lady friend of mine, about 3-4 years ago had a very small bowel cancer...she had to have a bag for 6 weeks...this upset her and worried her something terrible, and it was from that point that she started to go downhill. No one realized it until I had to do an audit on her partners books. I found where she had entered/raised invoices 4-5 times for the same thing...when I asked her about this she knew nothing of it. I was able to fix it all up, but she wasn't allowed to touch the computer (in the accounts dept.) again. Over the next 18 months of my having to do their bookkeeping I noticed her regressing back into childhood memories more often. She also would tell you the same thing over and over. To speak to her if you didn't know you wouldnt know there was anything wrong with her at all. In fact you wouldn't know now except she is very vague and is seeing people (that are still alive) that aren't there. Not in the same room with her but if she looks out the window she sees them in the garden outside her "gaol" window.

I agree with you in using embryonic cells to advance the life of people who can be helped.

I agree that an embryo is a human being but if it can be proved that THAT embryo isn't going to have an excellent quality of life for some reason unbeknown to people like us who know nothing about this, then I think stem cell research should be a priority to help those in need.

Im not trying to start another useless discussion on abortion as we have gone over that about a dozen times on here at different times over the years, and never get any wiser :)

behave Delaware! hands above the sheets in 2011!

I found interesting the postings about Frontotemporal Dementia, Alzeimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, etc.

The current theory on how these diseases arise is that there are external as well as genetic factors that can lead to the death of neurons in the brain. As the neurons die, they are slowly replaced by fibrous tissues made mostly of collagen fibers. This "plaque" interferes with transmission of signals between neurons and this causes the slow deterioration of essential functions of the nervous system. Hence people observe changes in behaviour, loss of memory, loss of motor control and all the other symptoms associated with these diseases.

Stem cells have been used successfully in animals to "regenetrate" lost neurons in the brain. Embrionic stem cells have been introduced in the brains of animals and those stem cells have become new neurons in response to chemical signalling from adjacent neurons.

Scientists have tried to do stem cell research in humans to try to regenerate neurons as well as other essential cells in the body. However, the research remains controversial since the stem cells have come from human embrios. The question is: Is such research acceptable? I am always curious to hear opinions on it. It is a topic that is difficult because for many people an embrio is a potential human being, thus they see embrionic stem cell research as taking the life of one human being to save another.

I am one who fully believes in stem cell research and its potential to heal many people and ease the suffering of millions. I have friends who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, and they could be helped. A friend of mine has the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. This likely arose from genetic factors and her gradual deterioration will happen as she grows older over the next few years. Another friend is a woman who developed symptoms of Parkinson's disease as a result of having been married to an abusive husband during her youth. Her ex-husband used to beat her until she was unconcious, and her doctor believes that those beatings gradually damaged her brain until now that she is older she has developed this disease.

If embrionic stem cells could help patients like these, is their research justified?

Übergeek 바둑이:

Übergeek 바둑이: My mom had the ritual bath when she converted to Judaism

I find that baptism is often misinterpreted in light of baptism being a requirement in many churches for conversion to Christianity. Some 130 posts ago I mentioned that baptism originated in the Jewish ritual of Mikveh, a ritual bath used in cases where individuals converted to Judaism. Baptism is supposed to be a spiritually cathartic process. A person not baptized is tainted with Adam's original sin. Once baptized the person becomes cleansed of that sin by the power that Jesus has to save humanity. This is in line with Paul's view of Jesus as the giver of life, as opposed to Adam who condemned humanity to death by his original sin.

A good example would be to contrast two cases:

1. A person is baptized as a child, but later rejects Jesus Christ as the savior.
2. A person was never baptized, but that person accepts Jesus Christ as the savior.

Who will be saved by Jesus? Only that person who accepts Jesus as the savior. Baptism alone is not enough, and it is not a requirement in light of true faith in God. It is true faith that saves. Baptism is an extension of that faith, but it is not the faith itself.

Bernice: I read recently that Lou Gehrig may have actually died of Pick’s Disease, and not the one that now bares his name

Vikings: :)

I think that it is time to agree to disagree and move on, I've been to churches that teach either way and I don't think either one is less christian than the other

The Col: unfortunately she has only been in a home for about 3 months...before that she was running a home, and had a great social life. As soon as she was put on meds the incontinence started. She had started to wander the neighbour hood. Her alzheimers/dementia is in the frontal lobe which is a total different disease than the rear part of the brain. She is allowed home but her partner can't handle it...sad though it is, he hasnt the mental strength to cope. He already sold his business so he could look after her but it got too much for him:(

I have just found this that applies basically to her....
Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia (frontotemporal lobar degeneration) is an umbrella term for a diverse group of rare disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain — the areas generally associated with personality and behavior.
In frontotemporal dementia, portions of these lobes atrophy, or shrink. Signs and symptoms vary, depending upon the portion of the brain affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia undergo dramatic changes in their personality and become socially inappropriate, impulsive or emotionally blunted, while others lose the ability to use and understand language.
Frontotemporal dementia is often misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimer’s disease. But frontotemporal dementia tends to occur at a younger age than does Alzheimer’s disease, typically between the ages of 40 and 70. And the memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease are not as prominent in the early stages of frontotemporal dementia.
The term FTD as a ‘general term’ can also be referred to as:

◦Pick’s Disease
◦Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
◦Progressive Aphasia
◦Semantic Dementia

Bernice: incontinence can also just be a later stage development, though I'm not very well versed on it.

(V): We all need our voices to be heard

The Col: this friend is on meds as well, and Im sure she would be alright (albeit a little confused) if she wasn't on them....what has happened to her is she dirty's her knickers all the time which never ever happened before, proof that medication isnt good. of course it is common knowledge that the medication is to keep them quiet so the nurses don't have to work as hard.

I might add this lady is only 54 years old

Tuesday: my error,I didn't read the details

Tuesday: are meds involved? my mom got a little loopy near the end, but it was probably the morphine talking

Bernice: the person she is seeing is her living partner...in fact as long as "god" lets him he will be here for dinner tonite.

Mousetrap: A friend has alzheimers...from her room in the "gaol" that she is locked into she sees her partner out in the garden all the time...she is as healthy as a buck rabbit and isn't anywhere near death...nothing wrong with her eyes either...but why is she seeing him and I can't...maybe your nerves theory is correct....