Current Event 5/10/13

This cartoon is showing the hypocrisy of these different people (Hitler, KKK, John Thune). All of these people were trying to "protect their rights" by taking away the rights of others.

Friday Current Event Political Cartoon 4/11/13

This political cartoon is showing how China is putting no effort into stopping North Korea from fighting South Korea, even though that is what our goal is. 

Universal/US Health Care Pros and Cons

Universal Health Care

Pros:

• People with pre-existing conditions can still get health coverage
• Medical Professionals can concentrate on healing the patient rather than on insurance procedures, malpractice liability, etc.
• More people are uninsured

Cons:

• The Gov. is more likely to pass additional restrictions or increase taxes on smoking, fast food, etc. leading to less personal freedoms.
• Loss or private practice options and possible reduced pay cause less future doctors to pursue the profession.
• Gov. controlled health care would likely lead to less patient flexibility. 

US Health Care

Pros:

• Any person requesting medical attention at a hospital will get medical attention.
• The US Health Care system has one of the quickest responses to people in need of medical help (we have a short wait at hospitals compared to other countries).
• We have the ability to choose our doctors, instead of being assigned to one.

Cons:

• Doctors are paid by the quantity of their procedures, not the quality.
• Pharmaceutical companies decide the prices of their drugs, and the government can't negotiate a lower price.
• Health Care providers are for-profit, and are for the denial of claims in order to make money.



US Health Care/Universal Health Care Pros and Cons

Universal Health Care

Pros:

• People with pre-existing conditions can still get health coverage
• Medical Professionals can concentrate on healing the patient rather than on insurance procedures, malpractice liability, etc.
• More people are uninsured

Cons:

• The Gov. is more likely to pass additional restrictions or increase taxes on smoking, fast food, etc. leading to less personal freedoms.
• Loss or private practice options and possible reduced pay cause less future doctors to pursue the profession.
• Gov. controlled health care would likely lead to less patient flexibility. 

US Health Care

Pros:

• Any person requesting medical attention at a hospital will get medical attention.
• The US Health Care system has one of the quickest responses to people in need of medical help (we have a short wait at hospitals compared to other countries).
• We have the ability to choose our doctors, instead of being assigned to one.

Cons:

• Doctors are paid by the quantity of their procedures, not the quality.
• Pharmaceutical companies decide the prices of their drugs, and the government can't negotiate a lower price.
• Health Care providers are for-profit, and are for the denial of claims in order to make money.





Friday Current Event 3/22/13

China's new president, Xi Jinping, wants to ease the tensions between the two Koreas. China has been a helper in North Korea's economy for quite a while, but they also try to be close to South Korea, who happens to be a better country to trade with. Xi thinks that their friendship between each other would benefit them both.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/world/asia/china-leader-says-he-wants-to-ease-tensions-between-two-koreas.html?_r=0

J.A. 3/21/13 Top 5 Worst Pandemics

1. Black Death
2. Spanish Flu
3. Plague of Justinian
4. The Third Pandemic
5. The Plague of Athens

Friday Current Event 3/15/13

This political cartoon is saying that the Catholic Church wants the new pope to fix the problems that they are having. One problem is scandals. Catholic priests have, over the years, been accused of molesting children. The other problem is falling membership. There are members of the Catholic Church leaving because of these scandals. If the church can get the new pope to clear up all of these scandals then the church's members will come back, and their problems will be solved.