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• +1

  A comment on Conversation: Should students be punished by their schools for comments made on social medial from their homes.

  May 8 2012: read --> Philippines: Students Prevented from Graduating Over Facebook Bikini Photos (http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/04/03/philippines-students-prevented-from-graduating-over-facebook-bikini-photos/)
  
  here in my country where more than 80% are Catholics and sectarian schools run by nuns, priests, etc are fairly common, it is difficult to draw the line. sure they can withhold the diploma, but at the end of the day the school in this case clearly showed its narrow-mindedness and oppressive nature. it has no jurisdiction with the private lives of students, and those students are better off enrolling in government schools instead.

• A comment on Conversation: Is tissue engineering the future of medicine? Es la ingenieria de tejidos el futuro de la medicina?

  Jan 27 2012: is it the future? yes, i hope so it'd come in our lifetime.
  
  is it panacea? no, since many diseases should be addressed in combination therapy, and tissue regeneration has its limitations.
  
  is it worth the capital for research? well i'm pretty sure it'd come out as expensive for the patient at first, but a decade later into utility, it may be turn out to be worth the initial investment.
  
  when is this gonna happen? every month or so, we read published articles about small successes in xenotransplantation, but we haven't heard of major news in mainstream outlets about this.. yet.
  
  for as long as there is no definitive cure to a disease, i think we should not stop believing in the potential of cell research.
  
  cheers!
• +2

  A comment on Talk: Birke Baehr: What's wrong with our food system

  Jan 24 2012: when i was as young as he was (probably a bit older, like in high school) i thought adults were dumb, questions like: why do we create so much garbage? why are we polluting the air so much? why don't most adults know how to solve calculus? why are politicians naive?
  
  a decade later i think i was wrong to say that. so to birke, i'm happy that you are being critical at such a young age, and i congratulate your parents for molding you this way.
  
  but please, and you better, when you grow a bit older, learn new things in high school and the university, and become an adult someday, open up your mind box and expand your horizons.
  
  for instance, i can tell you firsthand that GM foods are safer than what you imagine, and it's not about the molecular technology that's worrisome, but it's the eating habits of modern man that play largely in the development of carcinomas, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular & cerebrovascular illnesses, renal insufficiency, hepatic failure, etc. In fact, those things that you worry too much, they're usually caused by something else (like the penchant of adults to smoke predisposed them to many types of cancers and cardiovascular disease). but of course, everybody knows that.
  
  i hope you would continue that critical attitude but always adapt to new knowledge. the future needs kids like you.

• A comment on Conversation: What can you share with the world?

  Nov 20 2011: i'd like to share my enthusiasm with network analysis methods and NYSE stocks trading; at least that's what i imagine myself doing 50 years from now. and of course, sharing my knowledge to my future patients when i finally become a physician!
  
  to all the youth and the young-at-heart like me, long live and prosper!

• A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Nov 2 2011: you make an excellent point with marijuana. it seems that when more prohibitions are set, more people will go against the grain. As was the case of marijuana, one may find constradicting oneself in the future. it's sad really.

• A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Oct 31 2011: yeah i agree that the rationale for creating such a law for reasons of public health is a no-brainer.
  it only becomes difficult when we consider how it affects the liberties of smokers, and becomes controversial when some groups will try to lobby against such a measure.

• A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Oct 29 2011: thought so myself when, after writing my post, went outside my apartment and smelled the distinct stinky air coming from gas-guzzling cars that pass through the street where I live. you're right, most carbon emissions come from the industries

• A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Oct 29 2011: ooh, it's good to hear that a lot of countries in N. America and Europe have anti-tobacco legislations in place.
  as of june 2011, the world map on such laws looks like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Smoking_bans.png
  
  asia and africa has a particular problem with patchy or inexistent laws plus weak enforcement.
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Oct 29 2011: still, smoking is a big problem. 900,000 americans die each year due to causes directly attributable to smoking, says Chris Jordan in his TED talk.
  
  is it therefore necessary for the government to INTERVENE? and to enact this public health measure if only to make it difficult for smokers to maintain the habit?
• +1

  A reply on Conversation: This house believes that smoking should be banned in public places.

  Oct 29 2011: yeah, i agree with you totally that a lot of funds for research is still begging for that ELUSIVE cure.
  
  i guess, though, that these organizations are also using money for other more TANGIBLE uses such as patient care, public health education, and preventive measures such as vaccines and cancer screening,where the Societies need constant funds day in and day out.