weblog #18 Drugs in Portugal: Did Decriminalization Work?

In Portugal, the government decriminalizes the possession of drugs, and the rate of drug use among teenagers decreased surprisingly. On the other side, the US has the strictest laws in western countries. In some of the states, there are even the harshest penalties for drug possession and sales in the world. However, at the same time, America has the highest rates of drugs in the world. I think it may be part of the humanity. The stricter government is, the more violence of the law there are. People are just searching for the excitement of breaking the law or the feeling of doing something bad. Once something bad is decriminalized, it is not considered a bad thing, and then there will be no excitement when doing it. That is why Portugal can have the rate of drug use and possession declined.
However, can other kind of crime be decriminalized, such as murder, theft, or robbery? That can be a great topic in a debate court. Moreover, what if nothing is banned? Isn’t it the same of anarchism? Maybe people would say that it is a step back to the past instead of advancement. How to strike a balance between the two kinds of policies is a serious, controversial, and debate-worthy issue.

weblog #11 First Face Transplant Performed in the U.S.

According to First Face Transplant Performed in the U.S., Cleveland Clinic surgeons have performed the nation’s first near total face transplant.

In this case, the recipient of the facial transplant surgery was suffering from facial damage. If not for the surgery, no one could imagine what would happen on the woman. Many people may think that it sounds like a plastic surgery, but, in my opinion, the surgery was done not for good looking but for medical purpose. The series of the surgery had been done in China and France. Later on, similar surgeries were done in these two countries.

Nevertheless, there is something that might be troublesome. The rejection of the foreign tissue transplanted from another body. Recipients have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their lives, but it may be risky if the effectiveness decreased.

Medical technology is now improving fast conspicuously. As a result, people are able to live longer and longer. After human-to-human organ transplant, now scientists are doing research on animal-to-human organ transplant. Scientists implant human genes into animals’ cells and then gene manipulated animals would be born. These animals’ will carry organs that are genetically similar to humans’ organs. Afterward, scientists are hoping to transplant the organs to humankinds as soon as possible. However, there are some moral issues that are still under discussing.

weblog #3 US military: Afghan policeman kills US soldier

According to US military: Afghan policeman kills US soldier, an Afghan policeman opened fire and tossed a hand grenade on a U.S. military patrol in eastern Afghanistan, killing an American soldier.

It seems like that American soldiers are still in the dangerous zone. Lasting so long, the war still is not ended. The long enmity has been claiming a lot of casualties including several women and children. You shoot me. I kill you. Your comrade kills me. My comrade kills your comrade. When will these things stop? No one knows the answer. The insurgents kept up their assault day after day. Possessing heavy ammunitions, their force can hardly be worn down. Even the NATO-led troops cannot make any effective influence.

However, what are all these assaults about? Things always happen with a reason. Afghanistan president, his USA backers, the Nato, frictions between them is so complicated that it has been difficult to handle. There is nothing we can do but to observe from the sidelines. If we want to help so many the wounded civilians, the goods might be intercepted by the government or the insurgents. I feel useless for I cannot do anything to help but to sympathize and pray for them. Everyone wants world peace, but I cannot see any influential groups stand up to do something influential, to make the world more wonderful.