Posted on March 31st, 2008 by maxts
This poem seems to refer to a completely carefree summer that two young people shared. Phrases used such as “the purpose of knees was to be skinned” and “far away from the softening effects of civilization” bring this to mind. Because of the comment about skinned knees, these young people are obviously a bit reckless, but still enjoy having fun. These young people are nothing like me - I often spent much of my summers inside, definitely not carefree. But my neighbor Austin was most definitely the type to do that - he was always outside, skateboarding, nearly killing himself falling in the street. This poem’s themes remind me of my neighbor more than they remind me of myself!
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Filed under: English
Posted on February 6th, 2008 by maxts
Water fluoridation has been a fairly common practice for several decades, but most people fail to notice the things it can do to them! Just from the story of water fluoridation’s discovery, we know that fluoride can be very dangerous.
Many people are opposed to the fluoridation of public drinking water due to its many side effects. As it states in the article, an excessive amount of fluoride can have disastrous effects on humans. The brown stains of the citizens’ teeth came from a slightly higher amount than normal of fluoride. Any more than this amount can be fatal. Studies have shown that fluoride causes cancer and premature aging, which results in more deaths in towns with naturally occurring fluoride than those without. It can weaken bone strength as well. Fluoride is also listed as a poison in an issue of Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products as more poisonous than lead! Fluoride can kill and severely damage a person’s health.
After being informed of these disastrous side effects of drinking water fluoridation, I am strongly apposed to this harmful practice. If fluoride is listed as only slightly less poisonous than arsenic, why would we want to treat all of our drinking water with it? Fluoride can be used as a pesticide, which means it can also affect humans. If we really want our teeth to be strengthened, we always have toothpaste, which is not used in the mass quantities that normal drinking water is. Halting the fluoridation of our water would make life safer for all of us.
There have been many technological advances in fluoride that have led to its use in toothpaste. First, a compatible abrasive must be used with the fluoride as a polishing agent. One of the first of these was calcium pyrophosphate, first used in 1955. Healthier, stronger, and more versatile fluoride compounds and abrasives were soon after created and used in toothpastes, resulting in better toothpastes and healthier teeth for their users.
Although all of water fluoridation’s side effects are enough to cause worry, the most gripping side effect is that it may actually weaken teeth and bones. Why do we continue to use a product that affects all of the populace of its effects may be a complete inversion of its intended use? It’s not only ridiculous, but dangerous as well.
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Filed under: Science
