Leukemia.

Cohen, Elizabeth. "Drugs for the dying: Compassionate use." CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, 5 Apr. 2014. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/05/health/cohen-compassionate-use/index.html?hpt=hp_c2>

N/A. "Leukemia Survivor Cupcakes." Photograph. Flickrcc. Yahoo, 26 Nov. 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. <http://goo.gl/cA5s75>

         In this article it describes how a mother of a fourteen-year-old son feels after laying her son to rest. The mother, Sandy Barker, attended the "Food and Drug Administration" to listen about experimental drugs for ill patients. Sandy's son, Christian Barker, passed away two months later after reaching a bone marrow transplant. The donor cells in the bone marrows attacked his body. Before he was approved for the experimental drug, it was too late. The quote: "The FDA program that allows patients to use experimental drugs is called "compassionate use." Barker wonders, as do many others, if there might be a way to make it a little more compassionate" really makes me wonder as well. How could they make it a little more compassionate? Could they actually test the patient earlier, so therefore, they can help them quicker to stop their pain and suffering? This article contributes to my grandmother, Lucille Franklin. She doesn't have Leukemia, but she is a cancer fighter. This past Thursday I came home from school and was not recognized by her at all. My aunt, Teresa, rushed her to the emergency room in Charlotte. Comes to find out, her stage four cancer has finally reached her brain. Lucille has been on the experimental "Study Drug" for two years. The treatments she is going through is the same Christian would be going through. Instead of passing away two months later it would've been three to four years. My heart goes out to the Barker family.

• How does the author support his claim? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The author supports her claim by describing the bone marrow procedure and the mothers supportive actions. The quote: "My son was dying. He was hemorrhaging four liters of blood a day. When exactly was I supposed to call my congressman?" Barker told CNN" (Cohen), really helps the reader imagine the pain mentally and physically that the mother went through. I really hate the fact that Christian didn't have the opportunity to live his life longer. Things happen for a reason though. How would I react as the mother losing her 14-year-old son? I would more than likely lose my mind. Especially when I knew that there was help out there, it just din't reach my son in time to help him live longer. I would think that there was a way that the doctor's could research and determine that the new bone marrows wouldn't affect the patient, such as, infection, or diseased.

"A Gift From God."

This article is about the use of marijuana and how it is 'a gift from God.' People are telling their opinions about how cannabis is not a drug, it's something that helps with pain. "Time after time these patients tell me that medical cannabis works better than the pills, and with fewer side effects" (Smith). This quote represents the main argument in the article. People find the marijuana is less harmful, than taking pills for the pain. The side effects of pills are much worse. This argument to me is very important. I think cancer patients really have the gate way to smoking pot. The worse off patients are, the harder it is for them to eat. Their throats swell, so it's harder to swallow their pain pills.
This article connects to a paper I am writing in creative writing. I am writing about how my grandmother asked for marijuana to smoke for her lung cancer. Her pain is so unbearable sometimes she can't swallow her pills.


What is the central idea of the passage and how is it developed and refined throughout the selection? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The central idea of the passage is developed by giving other peoples input on cannabis. Why they think its useful and examples for curing pain. 

Smith, Stephanie. "Minister's daughter: Cannabis 'a gift from God.'" CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, 7 March 2014. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/health/cannabis-pain/index.html?hpt=hp_c3> 

Sara. "Marijuana." Photograph. Flickrcc. Yahoo, 15 Jul 2008. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. <http://goo.gl/Vu6O2M> 

Dead Mississippi man begins breathing in embalming room.

McLaughlin, Elliott. “Dead Mississippi man begins breathing in embalming room, coroner says.” CNN. Turner Broadcasting System, 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/28/us/dead-man-comes-back-life/index.html?hpt=hp_t1>

Smith, Kim. “Graveyard.” photograph. Flickr. Yahoo. 11 Feb. 2007. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://goo.gl/HFDDX1>

This article is about a man located in Mississippi who comes back to life in the embalming room. Howard and Byron Porter from Porter & Sons Funeral Home go to pick up Williams body. They checked his pulse and pronounced him dead at 9 o’clock that afternoon. After placing his body into the bag and start heading back to the morgue something strange happened, the bag moved. As they arrive and unzipped the bag, Williams started to kick and started breathing again. They think when they placed him into the bag his defibrillator, implanted beneath the skin on his chest, jump-started his heart. "What you mean not yet?" Hester recalled asking his cousin. "He said, 'Daddy's still here.' " This quote really helps me express the feelings that the child must of had for their daddy’s death. If I were to ever get a phone call about my dad coming back to life, I would have passed out. That family has received a huge blessing.

My connection to this article is my grandfathers brother just passed away. He was diagnosed with cancer eight years ago. Richard was laid to rest yesterday around six o’clock. He was a very outgoing man. He was also known as, “the real Santa.” He had a long white beard with blushy red cheeks. Richard use to sit in the malls and have little kids come take pictures with him, because he looked like the real Santa.

• How does the author use language to advance her point of view? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The author uses dialogue from Williams children to show how dramatic the death was. But for him to come back to life really shocked his children. They say it was a real blessing to have him back.

THE DEVIL'S BIRD!!!

This article is about the new game “Flappy Bird.” This game came out in mid-January. Flappy Bird is a very addictive and aggravating game to play. They call it the “Devil’s Bird.”"I am sorry 'Flappy Bird' users, 22 hours from now, I will take 'Flappy Bird' down," developer Dong Nguyen wrote on Saturday. "I cannot take this anymore." (Shoichet). This quote describes how the maker of Flappy Bird will be taking down Flappy Birds. My belief of why this game would be taken down is because, the game looks like Angry Birds and Super Mario. So the maker, Dong Nguyen, is taking the game down off of the web.

My connection to this article is my patience and not getting my homework done. Flappy Birds is the most difficult game you could ever play. So when people post their high scores on the internet, you wanna go farther than them. So it automatically pulls your attention away from what you’re suppose to be doing. My thought on the game being taken down is really surprised. The company was making $50,000 a day. That’s why I agree about Nintendo contacting about the recreation of Mario in 2007. Dong Nguyen will be taking the game, Flappy Bird, down in the next twenty two hours.

• How does the structure of the text refine and support the author’s claim? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The quote “Hundreds of phones with "Flappy Bird" installed have suddenly appeared for sale on eBay at prices up to $15,000.” Supports the claim by how addictive it is and how crazy people are over this game.

Shoichet, Catherine. “Developer yanks 'Flappy Bird' after game soars to success.” CNN. 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2104. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/tech/flappy-bird-removed-from-app-stores/index.html?hpt=hp_t3>

aoitenshi, Jullienne. Mario Background. 15 Apr. 2008. New York. Flickr. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Justin Bieber arrested on drunken driving, resisting arrest charges.

This article is about Justin Biebers arrest. He was speed racing in a yellow Lamborghini, smoking marijuana, prescription medications were found in the car, and failed a sobriety test. Biebers bond was $2,500 on Thursday, January 23, 2014.

This relations to all of the lectures that we have been given in Drivers Ed. We are learning how important drinking and driving is. We also took notes on how some kids follow into others footsteps, well if you think about how many people are going to be street racing now due to Biebers arrest. When people get a hold of money and fame they change forever, until they lose it all.

I feel that this article is very dramatic due to all of the reports the officers were reporting of what Bieber was saying. You may have money and fame but more than half of the time it all goes to peoples heads. This event affects me because, if it was someone else who was speed racing in a Lamborghini, smoking marijuana, prescription medications were found in the car, and failed a sobriety test they would have to serve time and get a bigger bond instead of just $2,500.

• How does the author use language to advance her point of view? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The author includes the language Justin uses to let the audience see how disrespectful and disturbing teenagers with fame can be. Justin says "What the f*** did I do? Why did you stop me?" after being pulled over for speed racing, as if he had permission to do so in the first place. This is why I don’t think teenagers should be aloud all of the fame and glory they get because they simply become crazy. Also they think they personally own the public. So now were probably going to hear Justin rap/sing about speed racing and drinking or even smoking marijuana. Which is going to lead fans the same direction.

LiLJaiiY. "Justin Bieber" August 23, 2011. New York City. Web. 24 Jan 2014. <http://goo.gl/ps2RTC>

Duke, Alan. "Justin Bieber arrested on drunken driving, resisting arrest charge." 23 Jan 2014: Web. 24 Jan 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/23/showbiz/justin-bieber-arrest/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews>

Father convicted of manslaughter in infant’s death.

<Mckelway, Bill, "Father convicted of manslaughter in infant's death.", 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.>

<Pearce, Timothy. Flickrcc. 2005. Flickrr. Web. Photo. 12 Jan. 2014>

In this article it talks about a 24 year old man that was convicted of killing his newborn son. The kid had an  autopsy done showing evidence of broken ribs and cranial bleeding that an expert would have testified stemmed from shaken baby syndrome.

This article connects to my Creative Writing class. I have been writing about how younger adults don't deserve children. This is a perfect example of way. Young adults like this should be punished and beaten as the kid was to teach them a lesson instead of sending them off to prison for 20 years.

This event affects me due to having a four year old niece. Like I couldn't see her father beating her brutishly and being sent to prison for 20 years. This really bothers me because, you never know how many parents beat their child while they are young and never get caught/ punished for their actions.

• What is the author’s point of view, and how does it impact the overall effect of the text? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The authors point of view is very emotional due to the first sentence being, "Shane Daniel Walls lived 120 days, much of that time in hospitals because of his prematurity and then from the injuries inflicted by his father." This shows how pathetic the society has gotten.