Adult stem cells hold promise
The hot topic in medicine is directed toward stem cells. Stem cells are cells that can become any type of cell in the human body. Stem-cell research has been encouraged by Michael J. Fox because of his fight with Parkinson's, which is a disease that comes from the depletion of dopamine in the brain.
Two scientists, John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka, recently won the Nobel Prize for their discovery that mature stem cells are capable of use. Vanderbilt University research scientists are cheering on these findings because it proves that adult stem cells can be used against Parkinson's and embryonic cells are not the only ones that can be used.
Researchers are generating brain cells to mimic the cells of someone who has Parkinson's. They will be able to explore what treatments would work best for each patient by testing cells made from the patients' stem cells. Adult stem-cell implantation should be funded more because it would provide the patient with new cells that would produce dopamine and allow the person a new chance at life.
Donations can be made at all.org/charities to donate to the funding of stem-cell research. Fox has brought stem cells "Back to the Future."
TAYLOR BECK
Cleveland, Tenn.
You can't fool Americans on rights
Congratulations to Hixson resident Sharon Peker who caught on to the latest tricks at people-management. The paper stated (Nov. 2) that at a town meeting where residents resisted a development in their area, efforts were made to break the people into cozy, small groups and cool their wrath. This latest dervish of political shenanigans was exposed by lecturer Dean Gotcher who named this procedure "Diaprax."
The purpose, of course, is to force your way through public resistance by this method and set a facilitator over each group which cleverly and oh-so-nicely shuts up any opposition to your plan. Having failed at smiling and other courteous measures of the new tyranny, the planners fell to group control.
I experienced this trick when Hillary Clinton and the Pew Foundation held such hearings regarding Social Security solutions in New York several years ago. Managing real Americans is very troublesome for tyrants since the spirit of dissent to property confiscation still lives, all glory to God. Soft music, slender staffers, smiling facilitators will not fool wide-awake Americans who still believe in property rights and individual liberties. The Bill of Rights lives on.
JUNE GRIFFIN
Dayton, Tenn
Union workers could aid rebuilding
There are thousands of union construction workers around the country who are "sitting on the bench" and would welcome the opportunity to help their neighbors in New York and New Jersey rebuild from the storm. We could quickly organize an actual army of highly qualified construction workers to converge on the devastated areas and begin to provide needed help!
A real opportunity may be lost to us. All we need to do is shake loose some of that federal money to bring it all together. I'm trying to persuade the carpenters unions to send immediate help!
BEAR McGINNIS
Dayton, Tenn.