I pulled out my Smartphone to check the time and ensure I would not be late, and used the phone’s GPS capabilities to determine my location and search the surrounding area on the map for a wine and liquor store. I then thought it would be nice to bring all the fixings for her to make her favorite drink, so I used my phone to search the recipe on Google Search and found the nearest grocery store to pick up the ingredients for a mojito. I was able to gather all the information I needed to make the drink, well before I reached the restaurant.

Though at the time my need to purchase her gift seemed urgent the convenience of a Smartphone goes well beyond enabling the purchase of last minute gifts. Take for example a man by the name of Dan Woolley who was able to use his iPhone to stay alive when he was buried for 66 hours under rubble caused by Haiti’s earthquake. Woolley downloaded an app that assisted him with the treatment of his bleeding and fractured leg, for the life saving cost of only $3.99. He also set an alarm on his phone to ring every 20 minutes as a means of keeping awake.


Dan Woolley’s use of his iPhone is a prime example of how to use technology to its utmost capabilities. But what about those who use technology to accomplish a goal that is far from lifesaving? Information and communications technology is a great convenience but it can also be used to cause harm or commit a crime. Anyone who wants to create a bomb can type in “how to make a bomb” on Google Search and they will be provided with step by step instructions. If money is needed for the production of the bomb, it’s easy to create a website that asks for donations.

Need help with ending your life? Just type in “how to commit suicide” and you’ll be given many ways to do so. If you want to live a long life trafficking in drugs, using child pornography, defrauding innocent people, the internet will prove to be an invaluable tool.

But you could be using communication technology for innocent ends and still be a hazard to people. In March of 2011, the National Safety Council estimated that 23 percent of all traffic crashes involved cell phones and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes each year involve drivers who were texting.

Maybe technology is not so good after all. There are many social theories that would debate this and Marshall McLuhan would say that technology and society are cyclically co-dependent and co-influenced. I think that technology is necessary in that it influences our values of a society by changing expectations and realities. But I sure hope that our expectations and realities are not shaped by the endless crimes that can be committed through the use of the internet.

I have a love hate relationship with technology and I believe many can relate. When in the midst of using technology to accomplish daily tasks I think it’s great, but when used in such a way that it has adverse effects I absolutely despise it. I have experienced the adverse effects of technology first hand when my AOL email account was hacked and my friends and family began receiving spam and viruses from my account. Needless to say I was unpleasantly surprised when I received a phone call from my grandmother stating she had a virus on her computer all because of the email I sent her. Although, having my email account hacked does not come close in comparison to the monstrosity of child porn and bomb making, it was my first taste of the evils of the internet.

But the genie is long out of the lamp and won’t return any time soon, if ever. Technology has always offered the bad with the good, and it is through more technology that we combat the bad. However, no matter how hard we try we will never be able to entirely combat the bad. So we must accept the positive with the negative, because if it were not for technology Dan Woolley may not still be alive and my friend may have never received the libations she so desired.

“I never had a conversation with somebody about dementia. Before, I didn’t even know this was an illness that can even happen. Nobody talks about this. Not here anyway,” Taly says. “Younger people talk about cancer – the things that everybody knows somebody who was affected,” Taly says. “You would talk about the regular diseases that everyone has.”

My other stepsister, Hagit Rosenzweig, agrees with her sister Taly’s analysis. Hagit says she hardly ever discussed dementia with anyone before her grandmother became ill, because she “never really had the need for it…We just don’t talk about it. We usually talk about kids, never grandmothers.”

“If we had some kind of awareness, people who would explain it to us, we wouldn’t have fought with her,” Taly says, remembering the countless arguments between her mother and grandmother. Rosette would angrily accuse her family of stealing from her or of lying about her illness. Her daughter, Rachel, not yet realizing that her mother was suffering from more than just aging memory, would staunchly defend herself.

“When she tells me I am a liar and I’m trying to steal from her, what do I say?” Taly says she thinks the stress that Rosette’s illness placed on her family would have been alleviated “if they could tell us the little signs to look for. If they would tell us how to behave, how to deal with her. We didn’t think it was going to be that bad. We would just say to her, ‘Oh, we forget things too.”
Another factor in the family’s lack of preparation for the difficulties associated with dementia was the lack of proper support from a physician. When Rosette’s family first sought medical attention, the doctor just took some blood tests and prescribed anti-depressants. No cognitive tests were ever administered.

“[The doctor] treated the depression that comes with realizing you have a problem.” Taly says the doctor prescribed the pills to Rosette to “make her cheerful,” but never discussed any of the available pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment options for the dementia itself. According to the doctor, Rosette was suffering from the early stages of dementia at the time of diagnosis.

The 2010 World Alzheimer Report describes, in a nutshell, the rapid growth of the global epidemic of dementia: “if dementia care were a country, it would be the world’s 18th largest economy, ranking between Turkey and Indonesia. If it was a company, it would be the world’s largest by annual revenue, exceeding Wal-Mart and Exxon Mobil.” According to the report, about 35.6 million people, or roughly 0.5% of the world’s total population, live with dementia. That number is expected to nearly double every 20 years.

According to Dr. Jessica Langbaum, a researcher at the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, this is due to the aging of the population. “The older population is growing,” Dr. Langbaum says. Despite the disease’s exponentially increasing prevalence, it is still stigmatized and misunderstood in many parts of the world, and lack of political attention only exacerbates the problem.

A UK Department of Health report identifies stigma of the disease as an impediment to recognition and diagnosis because it “creates a background where both the public and non-specialist professionals find it hard to talk about dementia, and seek to avoid addressing the possibility of an individual being affected.” A study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry in 2005 found that countries with more dementia health care services also had national guidelines in place, multi-disciplinary clinics, and innovative programs dedicated to new practices and services. The study also found that dementia-related stigma was less prevalent in these countries.

According to Grainne McGettrick, Policy and Research Officer at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland in Dublin, dementia is viewed as a “source of great shame and fear” in Ireland. Grainne says this has a significant impact on the lives of afflicted individuals and their families because the disease is rarely discussed, and “people with dementia experience significant exclusion and isolation as a result.” The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s report entitled “Perceptions of Stigma in Dementia” found that, “despite advancements in knowledge” and ways of addressing the illness, “dementia continues to be associated with some social unacceptability and as a result can remain hidden.” In addition to causing afflicted individuals to feel the need to hide their illness, stigmatization influences the level of medical care patients receive. According to Grainne, doctors have “stigmatized the condition and believe that nothing can be done.” It is therefore not uncommon for doctors to avoid disclosing the diagnosis to patients altogether because they think it is “pointless.” Grainne says dementia is often diagnosed late, and public awareness of the illness is very limited. Many people do not realize that dementia is a disease, and they attribute symptoms to normal aging. According to Grainne, early diagnosis is vital because it allows patients to plan for the future, and gives them a say in “determining their own lives.”


According to Grainne, the government in Ireland is “keen to reduce the number of people in residential care and all the policy points towards keeping people at home.” Therefore, the burden of care generally falls on families. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has a series of public awareness campaigns, including the Dementia Manifesto. According to the Society’s website, the Dementia Manifesto is the “cornerstone of the Society’s political lobbying campaign outlining solutions to the inadequate and disjointed policy, planning and service issues impacting those living with dementia.” The ultimate goal is making sure dementia is recognized by the government in Ireland as being a National Health Priority. Grainne believes Ireland needs to adapt the approach being taken in some other countries, such as England, France, and Scotland, by developing a “national dementia strategy with a comprehensive implementation plan and investment of resources.”

In Australia, dementia has recently received political attention in conjunction with federal health and aged care reform. Ita Buttrose, president of Alzheimer’s Australia, addressed the 14th Alzheimer’s Australia National Conference held in Brisbane on May 17, 2011. Buttrose discussed the lack of attention and resource allocation to dementia awareness, care, and research in the government’s aged care reform initiative.

“It’s time for the government to take a different view of dementia,” said Buttrose in her speech at the Conference. “We need to improve diagnosis and primary care, develop an awareness campaign, and make hospitals safer places for people with dementia. We also need more investment for dementia research.”

Alzheimer’s Australia is a dementia advocacy group that provides support and training to patients and families, primarily through government funding. The organization was formed in 1989, when government funding for dementia care programs was limited. In 2000, a National Office was established. The program began to receive federal funding, and to advocate for recognition of dementia as a National Health Priority. This was accomplished in the 2004 federal elections, and Alzheimer’s Australia has since worked with the government to ensure dementia care is given apt consideration in aged care reform.

Mark Butler, the Australian Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, spoke at the Conference as well. Butler discussed the importance of government and community response to the growing problem of dementia. In addition to funding for research and prevention, promoting awareness and understanding of the illness is an integral part of that response. This will work to eliminate the stigma associated with dementia and will foster acceptance of the disease within the community which, according to Butler, is one of the first steps towards encouraging early diagnoses.
In South Korea, dementia is often misunderstood and perceived as a source of shame. It is referred to as “disease of knowledge and the brain which makes adults become babies.” However, as the percentage of the elderly population afflicted with dementia has increased, so has the country’s emphasis on awareness and preparation for an impending epidemic. South Korea is among the fastest-aging countries in the world, and the number of afflicted individuals is expected to more than triple over the next 40 years. South Korea’s “War on Dementia” has included promoting awareness and appreciation for the severity of the disease among 11 to 13-year-old children, who are being trained as “dementia supporters.” This training includes simulation exercises, in which the children wear splints and fogged glasses while performing day-to-day tasks, and learning how to give hand massages in nursing homes.

In an effort to eradicate the stigma associated with dementia in South Korea, participants also view educational materials with information about the disease as part of their “training.” In South Korea, government emphasis on dementia care has already begun to manifest itself in improved quality and availability of care. The number of care facilities and homes in South Korea has increased significantly, and a national dementia database allows afflicted individuals to wear iron-on identification numbers so that wanderers can be identified and returned safely to their families. This has been accomplished through the allocation of government resources and funding, as well as through revenues generated by increasing health insurance premiums.

Taly and Hagit are not the only people close to my family whose lives have been directly affected by dementia, and the cultural perceptions surrounding this disease. In Denmark, Krystyna Nielsen, a friend of my family, has had an experience with dementia that is somewhat different from that of my stepsisters in Israel. Krystyna’s mother, Mrs. Smosarska, lived with her daughter for over 20 years. They were a tight-knit family and support system for one another, until the first signs of Mrs. Smosarska’s illness began to emerge when she was 78. Krystyna noticed that her mother was acting strangely, but she attributed the forgetfulness to aging.

After two years of denial, by the time Mrs. Smosarska was 80, the disease had progressed so much that her forgetfulness encompassed more than just the functionality of a key or the location of the bathroom. She began forgetting that she lived with Krystyna and was constantly asking to go home. Krystyna sought help from caretakers trained to provide in-home care, but they were not medical professionals. They helped Krystyna care for her mother on a daily basis by making sure Mrs. Smosarska’s basic needs were attended to, and watched her so that she didn’t harm herself. Mrs. Smosarska had a tendency to wander out of the house sometimes, and the police would notify Krystyna that her mother had been found.

Mrs. Smosarska never had any medical tests, mainly because they were extremely expensive. A non-specialized doctor concluded she was suffering from dementia based on her behavior, and the family had no doubt about the accuracy of that assessment, so it was decided that diagnostic tests were unnecessary. There was sufficient evidence to conclude that Mrs. Smosarska had dementia.

Mrs. Smosarska lived with her daughter until age 82, when the dementia became too severe for Krystyna to care for her mother at home. She needed round-the-clock care and was placed in a care facility, where she lived out the last year of her life. Although the home did not exclusively specialize in dementia care, there was a designated wing for dementia patients with additional personnel.

According to Krystyna, most people in Denmark are fearful of dementia. There is a significant amount of anxiety associated with the possibility that it might afflict anyone. Most people don’t know very much about it unless someone close to them is affected, and many view dementia as a disease that is associated with aging. Krystyna says there is some sense of shame associated with dementia in Denmark. She recalls her 20-year-old son’s reluctance to invite his friends to their house because he was uncomfortable explaining his grandmother’s condition. She says young people cannot relate to an aging condition, but adults are more likely to realize that it may affect them and are therefore more fearful of dementia.


Krystyna, on the other hand, felt fear, hopelessness, and sadness for her mother, with whom she had always been very close. Eventually, this sentiment turned into feelings of despondency, anger, and resentment at the enormous burden the disease had placed on Krystyna and her family. The disease eradicated any and all connection between mother and daughter, and Krystyna felt as though she began mourning Mrs. Smosarska before she had even passed away.

It took Rosette Abadi a year to realize for herself that something was wrong with her and, when she did, it was impossible for her to wrap her head around it. She became depressed and didn’t want to admit she was suffering from an illness.

“I think she was ashamed. When she realized that she had a problem and that we were on her side, she started to feel ashamed,” Taly recalls. “She was depressed about living, she just wanted to die. She was asking God why he doesn’t just take her.”

Taly Raz may not have experienced stigma firsthand, but her family’s experience with dementia has been influenced by Israeli culture. “My friends know about it now, through me,” Taly says. “People react with compassion, but they don’t really relate to this disease.”

“I don’t think people see it as a disease. Not like how they see cancer,” Taly says. “I think that people think it’s an old people’s thing. They don’t think it’s a disease, they think it’s just a stage in life.”

The thought of cockroaches tends to make my skin crawl and I am sure that I am not alone in this feeling. But why is it that we creep out because of cockroaches, mosquitoes, and green flies and not by, say, fireflies and lady bugs? This thought crossed my mind after I was able to escape the cockroaches and laugh about my reaction that night. Frankly, I am not a fan of any bugs but my tolerance for fireflies and lady bugs is obviously higher than for cockroaches. Is this because certain bugs are more culturally accepted then others or are we unconsciously aware of the specific biological characteristics of one bug as opposed to another?

Fireflies are connected with the nostalgia of bug collecting and less with their biological characteristics. I can remember as a child the excitement of capturing a “lightning bug” in a jar and watching in amazement as it lit up again and again. The fascination with fireflies can be explained by the unique qualities they posses, though most people are unaware that fireflies use bioluminescence as a means to attracting a mate or to ward off prey and not to entertain humans.

The firefly is a member of the Lampyridae family, which is in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles much like ladybugs or, as a scientist might say, Coccinellidae. So maybe our appreciation for certain bugs over others is purely determined by the family to which they are associated. Do we appreciate one family of insects over another? Is it ok to collect a lightening bug or ladybug because they are of the beetle family and not of the order Blattaria or Blattodea—cockroaches? I cannot be certain but one thing is for sure: as humans we tend to assign certain insects the label of pests, which refers to any insect or animal that is detrimental to humans or human concerns.

I guess our hatred of cockroaches could stem from the fact that they stampede into our homes, eat our food and are capable of carrying a variety of diseases. The ugliness of cockroaches may attribute to our disgust for the insect as well. Fireflies are simply pretty in the same way that fireworks are, although without the noise. And ladybugs are the quintessential idea of adorable with their playful color, shiny shell and inquisitive antennae’s. By contrast, cockroaches appear sinister and their dingy brown color can attest to their ugliness. Cockroaches, mosquitoes, and green flies are nothing more than a foul-natured nuisance. Take, for instance, green flies, which consume dead flesh and tissue as well as fecal matter, or mosquitoes, which fall into the category of parasites. It is impossible to see the beauty of something that feeds on dead rotting flesh and blood as means of nourishment and add the disease-carrying factor and you have a repulsive organism. The essence of beauty has no association to the words dead, rotting, and blood. So instead of classifying these insects as beautiful we see them as mere scum.

Not only do we consider cockroaches, mosquitoes, and greenflies to be ugly but when portrayed in pop culture they are negatively depicted. The firefly and ladybug, on the other hand, are instead portrayed more endearingly. Pixar’s A Bug’s Life is a perfect example. In the movie we find reference to ladybugs, caterpillars, and even ants, but never is there the inclusion of cockroaches. And let’s not forget Walt Disney’s Princess and the Frog where one of the main characters is played by a Cajun firefly named Ray. By virtue of the fact that he is a firefly we’re more inclined to relate to his trials and tribulations. Now, had Ray been a cockroach or even a mosquito, for that matter, I don’t believe we would be as receptive to his light-hearted nature.

In reality, we find cockroaches, mosquitoes, and greenflies to be ugly and fireflies and ladybugs to be beautiful. Regardless of the inherit reasons for my fear and hatred of cockroaches, mosquitoes, and green flies, there will never be anything or anyone who can alter the way I feel about them, and if I encounter them again on a dark sidewalk, I will no doubt shriek and run.

Jasmin Sosa is a Communication major with a concentration in Technical Writing. Aside from writing, she enjoys running, swimming, cooking, and traveling.

A couple of years ago, I knew these hives somewhat well. The five original hives were all healthy, with the exception of one having a spider infestation. There was also a new hive that arrived that year with great potential.


During my recent visit, however, I returned to find the new hive was knocked over and disassembled during the winter by some kids wanting to sled. The hive behind the greenhouse was taken over by the cold, or the spiders. The two in the field I didn’t see at all, and heard no stories, but perhaps they were blocked by crops (I did not get a chance to investigate them). The two hives I did see were by the main barn. It looked as though the strongest hive, which was a tall stack of bee boxes by the main barn, had been split into two separate hives. No one was around that knew anything about them to give me updates, but from my observations I was reminded of the great collapse facing honeybee colonies everywhere.


As one may notice from my accounts, most of the original hives were healthy. The chances of the hives surviving winter should have been high, however the disadvantage with weather is that they are in Vermont. So, why did the hives diminish to two? Spiders and students, perhaps, but the rest is a mystery. Since 2006, if not before, beekeepers have been reporting the loss of their colonies. The number of bees within the hives were greatly reduced over time, indicating that many worker bees left the hive and never returned. The loss of worker bees causes the hive to become weak and eventually the queen will die. This issue is being called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).


In many locations CCD has been attributed to pesticide usage, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirms this. However, the EPA claims that no hives have been destroyed as long as the pesticides were used according to their instructions. CCD is also affected by large-scale climate change, mites, diseases, and cell phones. Though the news seems to report less on the matter, it is currently a severe problem. Without bees, there is no pollination and food production becomes threatened. When most of the bees are dead and within the hive, it is often a mite or chemical poisoning the bees. Varroa mites are one of the most damaging parasites for honeybees since they are invisible to the naked eye and suck the blood of the bees they attach to. These mites will attack both younger and older bees, and if the young survive they are often deformed. Mites in general weaken the hive and individual bees making them more susceptible to viruses and other problems. When the bee boxes are filled with significantly fewer bees than at peak strength, the bees are considered lost. According to an article on the Health Freedom Alliance website, when worker bees become lost, it is sometimes due to the frequency of cell phones. The current frequency of cell phones interrupts the signals that the worker bees use to find their way back to the hive after flying miles away for pollen. If the worker bees cannot find their way home, then pollen is not delivered and there is nothing for the queen and other bees to eat. Some tests have been done with devices being placed on hives directly. These devices transmit the same frequency of cell phones and though the results were not profound, it was proven to reduce the number of young being produced and to increase the confusion of hives and induce swarming.

Returning to Philadelphia, I was reminded of urban beekeeping. Urban beekeeping is fascinating but difficult to manage when so many chemicals are nearby and neighbors are within close proximity as well. For these reasons, urban beekeepers may be more susceptible to losing bees than an apiary in a remote countryside from chemical poisoning or from neighbors taking legal action. However, these risks should not discourage anyone from learning about ways to boost the honeybee population and try keeping bees. In Philadelphia, there are no rules for beekeeping. It is said that hives should be 10 feet from the property line, and no more than 4 hives should be allowed per quarter acre, but these are not laws.


However, not every place is so lucky. According to the New York Times, Minneapolis charges beekeepers an annual fee of $100 per hive, and they must have a petition signed by their neighbors. Personally, I feel strict rules like these are no help to the bee populations. How can people afford to support a necessity of life when an underlying basis to our food production costs a hundred dollars a year on top of what people already buy to survive? It is upsetting, and research on the mite-cell phone-climate issues are pending. All we can do now is keep bees and try to keep them well. However, some people purchase new hives after the other dies, but if the hives keep dying then what good is really being done?

I pass a small garden on Drexel’s campus regularly, and have spoken to a worker there. I asked if the hive was live, and they said they were not sure but that the hives sometimes die and the person in charge may buy a new one. During the times that I am able to stop by this garden, I have only found the same individual working. I have no new information about these hives, but I have yet to see anything hovering around them and fear the hive must be dead.

While researching urban beekeeping online, I found the Guild. The Guild is a Philadelphia based group of beekeepers. There are groups of beekeepers all over the country, where the experienced educate the beginners and they discuss various things, including Colony Collapse Disorder, the best equipment to buy, how to have the hives survive winter, and much more. Recently, the Guild had a screening of a film that I only became aware of from their website, Vanishing of the Bees. Having not seen the film, I cannot report on it per say but it seems like a highly researched film with a thorough investigation of all issues affecting the colony collapse. On the film’s website there are links to various screenings across the world, and anyone can pay to do a screening of the film on their own.

Bees are not easy to keep, and many people cannot handle them. There is fear built around their existence, and then it is forgotten that they are necessary. Though bees are low maintenance they require some innovative techniques to survive the winter; sometimes mites show up, or individuals realize they are allergic the hard way.

Never forget the necessity of bees and if they are not your thing, at least support your local beekeepers!

During a discussion of the varying languages and functions of language across cultures,
my anthropology professor mentioned a book she had come across, written by a
surgeon who actively promotes the use of song for physical healing. This led to a
conversation I had with my professor after class, in which I learned that the book was
called The Scalpel and the Silver Bear, written by Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord.

I proceeded to find a copy of the book and read some interesting excerpts about the
use of music therapy in western medicine. The practice of medicine trends toward
innovation by seeking new or more refined treatments in order to better serve patients.
Music itself is hardly new, but its use in medical care, as studies have shown, is.

I had been aware that for years surgeons have been listening to music while performing
operations. This concept has become commonplace to the point where many operating
rooms come equipped with an Ipod and dock. This facility is implemented with the main
intention of relaxing the surgeon and providing a background rhythm with which to
work. However, the use of music to aid the healing of patients was a new concept to
me.

I discovered that during the post-operation period, many hospitals have been
supplementing bed rest and medication with music, which is sometimes chosen by the
patient. Music played during the healing period has been shown to provide multiple
benefits, notably relaxation. In most cases, it allows the patients, experiencing much
discomfort after the surgery, to find an easier entry into the much needed sleep that
is crucial for physical healing. Music also relieves post-surgery anxiety and elevates
mood. Music therapy appears to reduce healing time, even if it is a minor reduction.
Faster healing results from the induced calmer state of the patient, allowing the body
to more efficiently take its course in healing. This faster recovery is not only beneficial
for the patient, who gets to return home sooner, but also for the hospital, as a swifter,
successful healing process allows them to reduce the costs of post-surgical patient care
and nursing staff.

One study of 67 heart surgery patients by a doctor at the Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta
found that those who were provided with music after surgery overall spent less time in
the ICU before transfer to a regular room.

After exploring The Scalpel and the Silver Bear further, it was evident that this seemingly
innovative practice is not new at all. In fact, music therapy has been used so far back

that it can be traced to tribal methods of healing. The author, Dr. Lori Arviso Alvord,
a general surgeon who currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Surgery at
Dartmouth Medical School, is half Navajo, and in her book she discusses how she has
adapted her practice by incorporating some elements of her culture. The Navajo have
long held the tradition of using song as a means of healing. Dr. Alvord found difficulty
practicing medicine with the Navajo when she returned from her training at Stanford
to work on a reservation near her tribe. This difficulty arose through a clash between
modern Western practices and ancient tribal rituals. The solution, as Dr. Alvord found
then, is the same solution that many hospitals are implementing now: music therapy.
The inspiration for Dr. Alvord’s implementation of modern music therapy arose from the
healing songs of the Navajo. In her book she writes, “At the basis of Navajo philosophies
of healing is a concept called ‘Walking in Beauty.’ It is a way of living a balanced and
harmonious life, in touch with all components of one’s world. This is a path to better
health and healing and life.” To many modern day medical practitioners, the use of
music in that context may seem nonsensical. However, as various studies and programs
have demonstrated, music therapy in conjunction with medical practices has found
substantial success in the healing process of patients.

It is becoming increasingly clear through various studies and support from doctors like
Dr. Alvord that the benefits of music therapy are ensuring it’s widespread use. This
practice, demonstrating a reduction in both healing time and patient anxiety, has
presented an opportunity to allow the cutting-edge world of medicine to borrow from
more tradition oriented cultures like the Navajo. I remain curious to see how far this
practice will reach and what further advantages it may provide.

Since then, I found it increasingly difficult to go about my day and its never-ending, almost insurmountable obstacles without faith. Prior to my departure, I had consistently relied on my Catholic upbringing to explain the difficulties that would arise during the course of a regular day. For instance, if I had received a poor grade on an exam or paper in place of the good grade that I had earnestly expected, I would contemplate the result in the teleological sense – perhaps, something good might come out of this? Or, maybe, this is what God intended to happen?

In light of the amounting priest scandals and the repeated inconsistencies with the Catholic Church, particularly its refusal as an archaic institution to acknowledge its flaws, I chose to “leave” the Catholic Church, namely by refusing to attend Church. However, along with my physical departure from the Church, I also decided to abandon my Catholic faith altogether. I no longer prayed or considered the “deeper meaning” of occurrences; quite simply, I took each and every event as a coincidence rather than as an act of fate.

I realize that it sounds somewhat odd – a college student discussing her reliance on faith and religion in the modern secular world. Especially as a biology major and an aspiring physician, I am taught that science, through natural selection-driven evolution, and not some superhuman, higher Being is responsible for the miracles and wonders of the natural world. It is difficult to grasp, I admit – my dependence on faith to explain everyday phenomena. As I mentioned in my previous article, “Having been born, baptized, and confirmed within the Catholic Church and having attended Catholic School for nearly twelve years,” faith is an absolute necessity for me, namely as a coping mechanism.

After a death in my family this past summer, I returned to my faith. The loss of my close family member was certainly unexpected and proved both physically and emotionally crippling. Accepting the loss and bereaving was one thing but trying to explain the sudden departure of my loved one without faith was an entirely different ordeal. My relapse was not planned in any sense; rather, to allude to Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love as an example, it was sudden, similar to Gilbert’s introduction to faith as she cries to God, seeking an answer to her discontent with her marriage. Just as she received the simple response of “Go back to bed,” so did I receive the answer that not every occurrence necessitates a reason worthy of human comprehension.

With time, I have come to accept the fact that I cannot seemingly attempt to explain everything using faith, as faith itself, for me at least, is somewhat elusive, thereby superseding human cognition. I have since physically re-entered my Catholic parish, namely to pray in the midst of a presumably faith-filled congregation. I do not place my trust and faith in human and therefore flawed Church leaders. I do listen attentively to their homilies and pay close attention to their public statements; however, I make it a point not to again confuse the Catholic Church institution with faith. My faith is not dependent on the Catholic Church institution and its overseeing officials. For me, faith is a very personal matter that is not subject to their external scrutiny and guidance.

In returning to my concluding remarks in my previous article, initially I had felt that I had perhaps betrayed my readers, as I did not stay true to my word – I returned to my faith, albeit unintentionally. However, as I stated prior, it is my faith that I have reincorporated into my life and not the Catholic institution and its refusal to concede and finally accept its shortcomings.

Giby George is currently a senior at Drexel University, majoring in biological sciences with a pre-med concentration.

In recent years, schools have been cutting art programs in order to save money and resources. One of the main reasons why school boards decide that these programs, which include classes such as visual art, music, drama, foreign language, and even history and literature, are the first to go is because they are considered as extracurricular subjects in schools; that is, unnecessary but fun subjects for students. But it is a lot more than that. These programs and classes are also known as humanities, which are defined as subjects that examine the human mind and concerns as opposed to the natural world and social affairs.

Humanities are how people relate to each other and learn how to be self-expressive. It is what makes us human and learn how to both communicate and relate to each other. It is learning how to show emotion and, in a sense, to just be simply human.

In 2007, a study funded by the J. Paul Getty Trust involved five visual-art classrooms, in two different schools, that were videotaped and photographed for an entire year in order to really see what was going on inside these art classes. After further analysis, as well as interviews with both teachers and students, it was determined that through learning how to draw, mix paint, and other art techniques, students were learning many mental habits that were not articulated in other subjects. These habits include observation, envisioning, self-reflection, self-criticism, and the ability to experiment, as well as learn from mistake, skills that are important and yet not measurable by mere standardized tests.

Two other important skills that are strongly developed through the arts and creative thinking are innovation and problem solving. In college, students majoring in areas such as the fine arts, design, and media are taught and drilled to think outside the box and to discover how to better things through creative means. Paul McKeever, managing director of one of the world’s top web studios, Front, explains: “Design is really about problem solving. Great design goes beyond superficial by genuinely understanding consumers’ needs and wants, then translating the range of possibilities into solutions that offer customer value and opportunities for the client.” By cutting away arts programs in schools, students may be losing strong abilities to solve problems that don’t necessarily involve numbers and younger generations may be losing not only great creative thinkers but innovative leaders who are able to set trends and help improve the world they inherit.

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and he’s right. When the cutting of art programs in schools was just mere rumors, millions jumped up to prevent that from happening. Not only did people start up programs and fundraisers to help save the arts, but also awareness was raised at just how important they were. Studies were conducted to prove that arts helped children to develop better and become better rounded. Even today, people continue to promote the arts and show how much of a positive effect these programs can have on society. R+I Creative Studios will soon be coming out with their documentary, Influencers, which will not only talk about how things become trendy in society but what it means to be a person who has the ideas to start those trends.

Children in their art classes know all too well that they are getting so much more out of learning how to draw, paint, sing, or dance. What they are receiving is passion, inspiration, confidence, self-esteem, the ability to take risk and the understanding that it’s okay to fail as long as you keep trying until you succeed.

So the next time you’re in the shower, singing at the top of your lungs, or make doodles in your notebook because you’re bored, remember that it’s really part of what being a human is about, and, by allowing schools to cut away the arts and humanities in schools, we are preventing children from knowing what being human is all about.

Justine Wan is a junior majoring in graphic design.

While only one percent of Americans are diagnosed with Celiac, ninety-five percent are unknowingly living with the symptoms and remain undiagnosed due to lack of awareness and education. The percentage of Americans with Celiac has increased fourfold in the past half century. This remarkable increase has stirred a movement that works toward greater awareness and more gluten-free options, such as Sweet Freedom Bakery. Sweet Freedom Bakery is the first bakery in Philadelphia that offers baked goods that are not only gluten-free, but also are vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, corn-free, peanut-free, soy-free, casein-free, and free of refined sugars.

Sweet Freedom Bakery is one of the 200 plus bakeries and restaurants whose employees have been trained by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. The NFCA is a nonprofit organization that offers training and resources for food services and healthcare professionals. Gluten-Free Resource Education and Awareness Training (GREAT) provides a system to deliver safe and tasty gluten-free food to the public, as well as comprehensive resources needed for healthcare professionals to identify the ninety-five percent of undiagnosed Celiac sufferers. GREAT’s services are available in person, online, or via webinar, which is a seminar that is conducted online.

Sweet Freedom Bakery, located on South Street between Broad and 15th Street, is a small bakery with meter parking and a lot conveniently located next door. The cost to park in the lot is $8 but it is poorly monitored, so for a quick visit parking there would not be a problem. Once inside, the guest is greeted by one of the friendly and knowledgeable employees behind the counter. The bakery is modestly decorated in blue, pink, and brown colors, with a cushioned window seat and a few barstools if you wish to enjoy your sweets in the shop. At 4:30pm on a recent Saturday (Sweet Freedom closes at 7pm everyday except Sunday, when it closes at 4pm), the shop was empty and the display cases were almost bare. New treats are continually baked throughout the day, a sign that the bakery is very popular and busy, so try to get there early in the day! Saturday’s specialties include Banana Chocolate Chop Cupcakes, Brownies, and Macaroons. Each day, the bakery serves special items, but they advise you to call ahead if you are looking for something particular.

The banana chocolate chip cupcakes, my new favorite, combined the flavors of banana and chocolate in perfect ratio. The cupcake’s texture was moist and indistinguishable from a gluten-laden cupcake. The apple oat crumble is the perfect substitute for any apple pie lover. Rich caramel and a hint of cinnamon complimented the taste of the fresh apples. The icing on the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Sandwich is very sweet and sugary. The consistency of the cookie was soft, not cardboard-like as some gluten-free products are. I thought that the Cinnamon Sugar Loaf’s cinnamon flavor was overbearing and the texture was too powdery.

Sweet Freedom Bakery raises the awareness of the need for a gluten-free-friendlier community and provides delicious treats at the same time.

Carolynn McCormack is a junior at Drexel University majoring in English. She is also working toward the Certificate in Publishing and Writing.

A wave of panic washed over me before I remembered that I was safely snuggled in my bed in South Jersey with my family snoozing a few yards away, but I worried about my schoolmates party-hopping and enjoying their 4th of July without checking their phones or even hearing the beep of a message alert.

According to an article written at the beginning of the year, there were 305 people killed in Philadelphia in 2009. The Philadelphia Police Department releases weekly statistics on crime. From 6/21/2010 – 6/27/2010 there were 7 homicides, 18 rapes, 54 robberies with guns, and 138 cases of aggravated assault in the city. Violent crime rates are dropping in Philadelphia, as many outlets have been reporting, but does that mean that we should feel any safer in our city?

I know that I don’t. Every day when I ride the subway I feel that I don’t have enough eyes to look out for myself. It doesn’t help that others like to tell me their experiences on the Market-Frankford Line. Recently I was telling someone that I had just mustered up the courage to use the subway (yes, I lead a very sheltered life). Her response to my timid approach to public transportation went something like, “Oh, you’ll be fine! I was only jumped twice and once someone stole my phone.”

Jenna, a Drexel biology major entering her senior year this fall, says, “I generally feel safe on campus, but that feeling doesn’t extend to all parts of Philly. Some of the parts I find most unsettling are the areas directly surrounding campus like the Spring Garden area.” Though she does not have a particular personal experience with crime, she believes that her gut feeling and the stories that she has heard are plenty justification for her thinking the city unsafe. As for Drexel itself, Jenna explains, “I guess the number and presence of people on campus is what makes it feel so safe.”

It is difficult as Drexel students to avoid most areas as we go on co-op interviews, to work, meetings, and events all over the city. Crime will, unfortunately, probably always be prevalent in cities and it is up to us to ensure our own safety even when we are on campus or other places that normally feel safe. The National Crime Prevention Council’s website has a list of things we can do to protect ourselves, such as only carrying the money that we will need for the day, keeping electronic devices like cell phones and iPods hidden, using the buddy system, and if someone does try to rob us, giving up our property.

Drexel’s Public Safety site also has valuable tips like keeping roommates informed of where we are, when we will return, and who we are with. If we feel unsafe, we can call Drexel Public Safety at (215) 895-2222 or the Walking Escorts at (215) 895-2822. Also, it is important to register with Drexel’s alert system. When there is an emergency, the text messages may pour in at all hours as they did recently, but they could also keep us out of danger.

While for some religion is not required in order to overcome and cope with the obstacles of daily life, for me, faith has been an absolute necessity over the years. Having been born, baptized, and confirmed within the Catholic Church and having attended Catholic School for nearly twelve years, the recent absence of this Catholic bedrock has been difficult. Although a number of sex scandals involving Catholic priests have surfaced over the years, the most recent scandal, seeming to have implicated the Pope himself in the cover-up, has severely shaken my Catholic beliefs.

It is not exactly the news of the sex scandal itself that was the impetus for my—temporary, I hope—departure from the Catholic faith, but rather, the fact that the Catholic Church, headed by Pope Benedict XVI, refuses to bring to light, acknowledge, correct, and repent for these mistakes. Quite simply, it is the failure of the Catholic Church to recognize itself as an imperfect and flawed institution that pains me the most.

The first major modern sex scandal involving a Catholic priest was reported during the 1980s with Louisiana priest Gilbert Gauthe pleading guilty to molesting eleven boys. Since then, additional accounts have been reported over the years, with the most recent being the molestation case in Munich, Germany, where the Pope previously served as archbishop. A number of other molestation cases have also been linked to the current Pope, including the case of the Wisconsin priest, Father Lawrence Murphy.

In response to the continuously surfacing reports of priest sex abuse scandals, Pope Benedict XVI, like the majority of the Church leaders before him, has refused to publically acknowledge and attempt to correct such flaws. Although, according to reports, he has “apologized” to the victims of the sex scandals, the Pope has neglected to take further action, such as defrocking and expelling the indicted priests from the priesthood and providing further assistance and support for the victims of such sex abuse scandals.

Newsweek’s Lisa Miller recently labeled the Pope a “Bad Shepherd” for allowing the accused perpetrators to continue to work as priests within the priesthood. Miller points out that it is not a submissive and meek Pope that the Church requires in these times, but an authoritative and reliable leader that is willing to uncover and expose the corruption embedded within the Church.

Many individuals since, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, have called for the resignation of the Pope; however, since such an event has only happened a handful of times, the chances of the Pope resigning are small. The best option that remains is for the current Pope to adopt an entirely new approach that would aggressively expose corruption within the Catholic Church.

Indicted priests must be held accountable and, if proven to be perpetrators, must be defrocked and therefore, expelled from the priesthood. The requirements for becoming a priest and the actual process itself must be made more stringent in order to, in some way or another, weed out pedophiles, despite the difficulty this will cause in light of the current Catholic priest shortage. And victims of sex abuse must be acknowledged and supported in any way possible.

I am only one person, but I don’t think I’m alone: As of now, although it pains me, I have not yet returned to the Catholic Church and I will not do so until the Catholic Church has made a genuine effort to acknowledge and take action to correct its mistakes.

Giby George is currently a sophomore at Drexel University, majoring in biological sciences with a pre-med concentration.