Research

Q:What are the most common birth defects?

Cleft lip/palate and Down syndrome are among the most common birth defects in the United States (7). About 6,800 babies are born with cleft lip/palate each year (7). Cleft lip/palate can cause problems with eating, speech and language. Some affected babies have a small cleft that can be corrected with one surgical procedure, while others have severe clefts and need multiple surgeries. About 5,500 babies are born each year with Down syndrome (7). About 1,900 babies are born with a serious heart defect called transposition of the great arteries each year (7). Many more babies are born with other serious heart defects. While advances in surgery have dramatically improved the outlook for affected babies, heart defects remain the leading cause of birth defect-related infant deaths (8). Health care providers usually do not know what causes a baby's heart to form abnormally, although both genetic and environmental factors play a role. Spina bifida (open spine) occurs in about 1,300 babies each year (9). Affected babies have varying degrees of paralysis and bladder and bowel problems. Both genetic and environmental factors (including insufficient amounts of a vitamin called folic acid) appear to play a role. Other common birth defects include musculoskeletal defects (including arm and leg defects), gastrointestinal defects (including defects of the esophagus, stomach and intestines) and eye defects (7). These birth defects usually are multi-factorial. WEBSITE

Q: What is my chance of having a baby with a birth defect?

In the United States, about 3% of babies are born with birth defects. Some women have a higher chance of having a child with a birth defect. Women over the age of 35 years have a higher chance of having a child with Down syndrome than women who are younger. If taken when a woman is pregnant, certain drugs can increase the chance of birth defects. Also, women who smoke and use alcohol while pregnant have a higher risk of having a baby with certain birth defects. Other women have a higher chance of having a baby with a birth defect because someone in their family had a similar birth defect. To learn more about your risk of having a baby with a birth defect, you can talk with a genetic counselor. (To find a genetic counselor, see Where can I find a geneticist or genetic counselor?) Also, to reduce your chances of having a baby with a birth defect, talk with your health care provider about any medicines that you take, do not drink alcohol or smoke, and be sure to take 400 micrograms of the B vitamin folic acid every day. It is the amount of folic acid found in most multivitamins. WEBSITE

Q: How to decreasing the chances of birth defects?

Of the 4 million infants born annually in the United States, about 3 to 5 percent are born with birth defects, according to the March of Dimes. Birth defects account for 20 percent of all infant deaths in the United States, more than from any other single cause.
"For the majority of birth defects, the cause is unknown," says Franz Rosa, M.D., a pediatrician, formerly with the Food and Drug Administration, who monitored reports of prescription drugs causing birth defects. Rosa cites a list of drugs that are known to be birth-defect causing, but he says they only account for a small percentage of all malformations.
"There's a lot we just don't know," Rosa says. "Most birth defects are not preventable and mothers should not feel guilty about causing defects that they really didn't. Worrying too much is not good for pregnancies."
What experts do know is that most birth defects occur in the first three months of pregnancy, when the organs are forming. It is in these crucial first few weeks--often before a woman even knows she's pregnant--that an embryo is most susceptible to teratogens, substances that can cause defects. However, some birth defects do occur later in pregnancy as well.
"The key is what your life is like at the time you become pregnant," says Deborah Smith, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist in FDA's Office of Women's Health. "Are you getting enough folic acid, are you immune to rubella, are you avoiding alcohol and smoking? These are some of the things we know are important." WEBSITE

Pregnancy ideas!

1- Do more women prefer having a midwife or a OBGYN?

2- How many different types of births are available (water, home, etc.)?

3- What are the advantages and disadvantages of home birth and giving birth at a hospital?

4- Is there more baby deaths that occur with home births vs. hospital births?

5- How much education do midwifes have, and does one have to be certified?

complications

I would have to say that the book Complications has some boring parts too it. I really enjoyed the stories about the cases that the surgeons came across they were interesting. The chapter titled "The computer and the Hernia Factory" put me to sleep, and took a lot of effort to read. The last part of book one made me really think about being more careful about choosing a doctor, I would hate to see a doctor that was slacking due to over working, or a nervous breakdown. Over all part one of the book is not bad.

To be Verbs

am, is, are, was, were, has or have been, had been, will have been, being, and to be.

I am aware that the use of "To Be Verbs" need avoiding in my essay papers. However, I still find myself using them. During my venture on the web, I found a explanation on why to avoid "to be verbs. Rephrasing sentences containing expletives, to be verbs, and the passive usually leads to a clearer, more concise, and more vigorous and persuasive style. (SDSU writing center)

responding to essay

Please respond here to my essay! Thank you.

Avoiding informal writing.

I find myself writing in the same way that I would speak, and that makes a paper informal. Writing informal is not always the best way to go about writing a paper, and can be avoided. Here is a site that provides tips on avoiding informal writing.One tip the website provides is expanding your vocabulary, reading, and using a thesaurus, to introduce stronger, more inviting, words into a paper.

My essay outline

Introducing:
- Jelly belly (jelly beans)
Thesis:
-Great company and successful bean(not exact)
Body:
- Company history
-Jelly belly flavors/promo jelly belly flavors
-Community involvement
Conclusion:
-(wrap it up)

Question from S.M.G.T.W.

The ending:

How should I conclude?
*Frame the essay by echoing something from another part of the essay.
*Conclude by presenting or restating your judgement.
*Include a rhetorical question at the end.
Your conclusion serves two specific functions: 1) it summarizes what has been said in the body of the paper without repeating it, and 2) it provides the reader with a relevant final thought on what you want them to do, think, believe, or understand, now that they've read your essay. Note that a conclusion is definitely not the place to introduce new ideas.(apurnall.com) I really liked the above explanation on what the ending of an essay should contain. I find it to be a clear explanation, that is very helpful.

Art show

As I walked through the art gallery at Dixie College, there were three painting that really stood out to me. Out of the three paintings "September Aspens" by Kimbal,Warren was my favorite because of the lighting, peacefulness, and it reminded me a memory from my past.
While looking at the painting you can't help but to notice the light shining through the trees cascading shadows onto the green grasses below. It made the painting so real that I felt like I was staring at a picture taken with a camera rather than a painting.
As i observed the painting i had a peaceful feeling come over me. I could image myself laying down in the shady grass under the tall trees while the wind blew, rustling the leaved above me. It would be the perfect scene for rest and relaxation.
Growing up in a small town, while on the way home we traveled over mountains filled with fields of aspen trees. I remember staring out the window at the tall slender trees wrapped in white bark. The painting "September Aspens" is the exact picture that I would see floating outside the car window.

Jelly Belly "How many flavors are there?"

In 1976 the first eight Jelly Belly flavors were born, Very Cherry, Lemon, Cream Soda, Tangerine, Green Apple, Root Beer, Grape and Licorice. Today there are currently 50 flavors that are available, and out of those 50 beans still remain the original eight.

The company also creates special promotion Jelly Belly's like the ColdStone Creamery jellybeans, Sport Beans, and BeanBoozled jelly beans. Jelly Belly teamed up with ColdStone Creamery and came up with some flavors that are like some ColdStone treats. The Sports Bean is a energizing bean, and the BeanBoozled jelly beans are a box of good and not so good tasting beans like Peach,Vomit, licorice,and Skunk Spray.

apostrophe

I always forget when writing where to put the apostrophe, is it before or after the "S" that makes it possessive.

For example:

Apostrophes are used to make nouns possessive, to show ownership. When nouns are singular, we generally add an apostrophe and the letter "S" to indicate possession:
* Jeremy's laundry took forever to dry.

When singular or plural nouns end with the letter "S," we most often drop the final "S" after the apostrophe

* The horses' hooves were shiny. (More than one horse has hooves.)

Here is a web site that has examples on where and when to add a apostrophe.

TAKEN

Staring Liam Neeson, Taken is a must see movie. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole show. At the beginning of the show you learn about a father and daughter. The daughter ends up going over seas with a friend, and while she is there she find herself caught in a very bad situation. While on the phone with her dad, some one comes and takes her to be thrown into slave trades.

"I don't know who you are, but if you don't let my daughter go... i will find you... I will kill you."You can't help but to love how Neeson runs around and brutally eliminates those heartless monsters that were involved in the disappearance of his daughter. It is not stop action and determination to succeed.

In reading reviews I came across this comment about the movie. (This is not a movie about moral dilemmas-it's about a father who will rip out your eyeballs if you don't give him his daughter back.) Brian Holcomb Kinetofilm. So take some time out of your day if you haven't seen Taken and go to a movie!

semicolon ;

I try to avoid using semicolons because I'm afraid of using them incorrectly. My last English instructor told us to shy away from them in our papers, so I never really got the chance to practice using them correctly. This WEB site has some helpful tips and exercises that are of good help with using semicolon's correctly.

problems with essay

My biggest problem that I came across with my essay is coming up with ideas to write on. I tried to find something that interested me so that i would be motivated to put more work into my paper. I also had to find a topic that was convenient for field work, and interviews. unfortunately i was only able to get one interview.

Writing Numbers !

I didn't realize that there was so many rules for writing numbers. Below are three of the sixteen rules that I found. The rest of the rules can be found HERE.

Rule 1.
Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.

Correct Examples:
I want five copies.
I want 10 copies.

Rule 3.
Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.

Examples:
One-half of the pies have been eaten. A two-thirds majority is required for that bill to pass in Congress.

Rule 14.
Use noon and midnight rather than 12:00 P.M. and 12:00 A.M.

considerations for cultural essay.

My essay is going to be on Animal Shelters, and the people who work/visit them.

#1 option- volunteers, what is there reason for volunteering?
#2 option- what is the top five reasons for animals being brought into the shelter?
#3 option- what is the most challenging part of working as a Animal Control Officer?

These are some of the options I have been considering. If you have any other ideas or comments on the above options I would like to hear them. thank you.

The Dash

While exploring different punctuations, I came across the dash. Sometimes when reading I see the writer using a dash, but have never used it myself. I read that the dash is a informal device that is fun to use when writing. It worked really well in dialog to show a break in some one's words. example's of how to use the dash are found HERE. ( I love the web site its full of quizzes)

revision

On the 28Th day of July, 2001 ,I stood up in front of family and friends, and muttered those two little words that every girl dreams of. We got married outside an old historical building, it was not very big, but I loved it.Lined up inside the little old house waiting for the music,my dad turned to me and gave me a big hug. " I'm so happy for you, and I love you", he whispered. Together my dad and I walked down my path,with Unchained Melody playing in the back ground. There at the end of the path stood my best friend. His red and puffy eyes were focused on me, and not once did they stray until that very first kiss of our new lives together

confusable words

Sometimes I find myself misspelling words that sound the same but have different meanings. Its to bad that spell check doesn't pick them up either. If I don't go through my papers and read them carefully, I sometimes miss them and they don't get corrected. I read somewhere going through a paper backwards will help you catch some of these mistakes. HERE is a fun web site that has some facts and quized to take on commonly cofusable words.

play list

#2-song

When my niece was two she came and lived with my husband and I for nine months. Her mother, my sister, was going through some hard times and need to focus on herself, so she asked if I would take care of her daughter until she was able to fully give her daughter the loved she needed. For nine months we watched the little girl grow without her mother in her life. We grew very close and gave her as much love as we could to help her through this hard time. At night when I tucked her in she would always ask of two things from me, a story, and a song. Her favorite movie at the time was Dumbo, a movie that her mom had given her. I spent a couple days listening over and over to Baby Mine, until I had it memorized, and that was the song that she would fall asleep to almost every night. I had a hard time singing to her some nights. My eyes would fill up with tears as I told myself that I should not the one laying her, it should be her mom. It was heart breaking to see a little girl ,so full of life ,having to be without her mother. After nine months her father came into her life, and has since then, given her a life full of love. My husband and I still to this day hold a special place in our hearts for the moments we shared with her.

play list

#1- Song

On the 28Th day of July, 2001 ,I stood up in front of family and friends, and muttered those two little words that every girl dreams of. We got married outside an old historical building, it was not very big, but for some reason I loved it. We all lined up inside the little old house waiting for the music to start before we walked out two by two down the aisle. My dad turned to me and gave me a big hug. " I'm so happy for you, and I love you", he whispered before we walked out the door. Together one step at a time my dad and I walked down my path,with Unchained Melody playing in the back ground. There at the end of the path stood my best friend. His red and puffy eyes were focused on me, and not once did they stray until that very first kiss of our new lives together.

Grammar post

I seem to have a hard time with remembering all the rules with commas. I guess that I'm so worried about having them placed in the correct spot that I sometimes misplace them. I usually have to pull the rules up when going over my paper so that i make sure I have obeyed the comma laws. The easiest one is when I'm reading i look for breathing points, but that does not always work. There is also using a comma when you are using a series of something. Example: My dog has many talents, fetch, begging, dancing, staying, and sitting.I found a site that I thought was helpful. It has a list of punctuations and rules that go with them. HERE check it out!

What was I thinking

(1)I was young, but old enough that i should have known not to get into a car with a total stranger. My friend and I were ditching school, which was not uncommon, and ended up at the mall. As we were walking outside a man pulled up to us and started talking. (2)The man was not good looking at all. He was a little on the heavy side, and definitely had a bad boy image going on.He had is little girl in the back seat, and was telling us how he was on his way to drop her off at her moms. My friend, at that time, decided that she would invite us to go with him.(3) I still to this day have no idea what i was thinking when i climbed into the back seat of this strange,and very older mans car. As we drove i didn't do much talking. My friend, who was in the front seat engaged in most of the conversation. After the man dropped his little girl off he then told us that he had to go somewhere and feed his friends dogs. I then started to feel really nervous, because the dogs just happen to be on the outside of town down a long dirt road. At first I thought he was making up stories, but then we came upon two run down trailers with some salvaged material around them, with the dogs tied up outside. (4)I wanted to panic,but remained calm. I kept lying to myself about how dangerous the situation could turn at any moment. During the drive I was really glad that i was in the back seat, and that my friend did most of the talking, which made me very relieved. Nothing happen to either one of us during the ride,but to this day i get a really creepy feeling just thinking about what could have happened. I would have to say that was the most stupid thing i have ever done.



Show and Tell:(2)
Remembered thoughts and feelings:(4)
present perspectives:(1,3)

review on "Remembering an event"

In the first story "Calling Home", a young girl goes to the mall with her family and steels something small. She gets caught, and was arrested for the event. The girl was so ashamed of what she had done and hated the fact that she was a disappointment to her family. In the second story"An American Childhood", a girl throws a ice ball at a car, and is then chased by the cars owner. When the owner of the car finally caught up to her, he did nothing but lecture her on her wrong doings. She was not mad at the man, but amazed at how much effort he had gone through to give his lecture to them.
With both stories the girls got caught, and punished for their actions. In the first story, jean is so ashamed for what she had done so she needed no more punishment. The guilt, and embarrassment was extreme for her. In the second story, the girl did not seem to care so much about her action, but about how the man gave all he had to catch her and her friend. She new that if the man did catch her that he would do her no harm, but she kept running just for the sport involved in the chase. I think the reason that she was not angry with him is that she respected for catching them, and after all she did hit his car on purpose with the ice ball.

One thing that makes a good story would have to be something that is not boring, or dragged out. Keeping the story exciting and full of life is what draws me to read something. I'm not much of a reader so I have to be very interested in a book to actually read it all the way to the end.

The arrow maker

In the "Arrow maker" the person outside the tent did not make him self known, so he was shot in the heart with an arrow,and left behind.Communication plays a big part in being successful. These blogs that we are creating is a great way to communicate ,and will also to help us get to now one another. Today there are many people that are posting information about themselves on the web, and clearly some of those people want to be known by everyone. Others are posting private pages, which is a great way to communicate with family and friends.