Shrimp Treadmill - How Much it Cost Taxpayers

The famous shrimp treadmill study (video), conducted by researchers at Pacific University and College of Charleston, came under scrutiny during debates over the federal deficit and wasteful spending in 2011. Yes, the shrimp treadmill research cost taxpayers more than $3 million over the course of a decade. That includes a $559,681 grant for research into Impaired Metabolism and Performance in Crustaceans Exposed to Bacteria. But dont blame Congress, as the AARP did in a major television ad buy in 2011. The decision to fund the research actually came from the National Science Foundation. Shrimp Treadmill Grilled The AARP suggested the shrimp treadmill was but one of many examples of wasteful spending in a commercial it ran in the spring and summer of 2011, as Congress debated ways to trim the nations debt. The ad read: If Congress really wants to balance the budget, they could stop spending our money on things like a cotton institute in Brazil, poetry at zoos, treadmills for shrimp. But instead of cutting waste or closing tax loopholes, next month Congress could make a deal that cuts Medicare, even Social Security. I guess its easier to cut the benefits we earned than to cut pickle technology. AARP was not the first to cast the shrimp treadmill in a harsh light, though. About the Shrimp Treadmill Study The shrimp treadmill and National Science Foundation were initially targeted as an example of pork by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma in 2011, though the research had begun years earlier. As a practicing physician and a two-time cancer survivor, I have a very personal appreciation for the benefits of scientific research, Coburn wrote in a report titled The National Science Foundation: Under the Microscope. Investing in innovation and discovery can transform and improve our lives, advance our understanding of the world, and create meaningful new jobs. He added, though: The theory in Washington all too often tends to be if you throw enough money at a problem, you can solve all our nations problems. But when Congress commits the nation to significant increases in spending, Congress owes it to the U.S. taxpayers to pay careful attention to how those dollars are being spent. Researchers developed the shrimp treadmill to test whether sickness would impair the mobility of the crustaceans. It remained unclear, however, what the practical impact of such research would be. Sick shrimp have more limited mobility, which may mean they are less likely to avoid being eaten. A decrease in performance may mean the difference between life and death, Scholnick was quoted as saying. About the National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense†¦ Under its congressional mandate, the NSF funds fundamental research and education in all fields of science and engineering. With a budget of just over $7.5 billion in fiscal year 2017, the NSF funds about a fifth of all federally supported basic research conducted at U.S. colleges and universities. NSF funding for research is distributed through grants, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the United States. Of the more than 48,000 competitive requests for funding it receives every year, the NSF awards about 12,000 new research grants. At the time, the NSF responded to Sen. Coburns criticism of the â€Å"Shrimp on a Treadmill† study by pointing out that the projects it funds have advanced the frontiers of science and engineering, improved Americans lives and provided the foundations for countless new industries and jobs. About the National Institutes of Health As another major source of congressionally authorized research funding, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), agency of the cabinet-level U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), bills itself as nation’s medical research agency. Currently, the NIH awards nearly $32.3billion in grants annually for medical research in support of its stated mission of seeking â€Å"fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.† Almost 50,000 research studies funded by NIH grants are being conducted by over 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 universities, medical schools, and other research institutions in every state and around the world.

Social Contract Theory and Cultural Relativism Essay

Thomas Hobbes’s social contract theory is minimally related to that of cultural relativism. Both deal with human nature and the search for peace. But while cultural relativism is in some ways a noteworthy theory, the social contract theory is the only one of the two that could logically work in an active environment. Cultural relativism theorizes that the best way for different societies to function together at peace is for them to recognize that each culture must be allowed its own system of beliefs. One individual may believe that his or her culture’s belief system is the one true way. Is there any way to absolutely prove that that person’s morals are not correct? Not in the cultural relativist view. Cultural relativism states†¦show more content†¦Therefore, we can state, as James Rachels does on page 24, â€Å"there is no objective ‘truth’ in morality. Right and wrong are only matters of opinion, and opinions vary from culture to culture.† Since no differing beliefs may be considered right and wrong, the only solution is to let cultural relativism take effect. Any rational people understanding this theory will realize that their beliefs are considered to be true merely because it is their own culture’s beliefs. Others’ views must be held just as high as their own even though the two are not in agreement. Ideally, cultural relativism could allow this kind of understanding recognition between societies to develop and bring about coexistent peace. In reality, however, this can never be achieved to its supposedly full potential. This view of cultural relativism would theoretically work if everyone would cooperate like this. Sure, it sounds wonderful: two different cultures can put aside their differences and live in peace and balance together to make the world a better place where everybody gets along and will live happily ever after. But – here is where the nasty part comes in – humans are apt to disagreements no matter what. Of course, many would adhere to culturally relativistic beliefs if this theory were somehow globally instated, but there are too many trivial issues in the theory that would still be left open for more argument. It does not follow, â€Å"from the mere fact that people disagree† (Rachels 24),Show MoreRelatedAct Utilitarian1168 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition of Social Contract Ethics Social contract ethics is the â€Å"state of nature† that we are living in. According to Waller (2005) Thomas Hobbes describes social contract ethics â€Å"as life in the state of nature is â€Å"war of all against all† and in the state of nature life is â€Å"nasty, brutal and short† (p.64). We are didn’t have to sign a contract to be a part of this we are born into it. Life is not what we sign up for it is what we come to know and learn. Example of Social Contract Ethics RaceRead MoreEthics And The Principles Of Ethics1608 Words   |  7 Pagespart of human beings for over five thousand years yet the development of specific concepts and theories were not realized until around 400 B.C.E. with the ancient Greek philosophers (Argosy University, 2015). Since this time, ethics have been thoroughly examined and developed throughout the course of history; the results of which continue to change and evolve as our understanding of ethics and cultural views evolve. Although we may not always realize it, ethics are something that we all contendRead MoreEthnocentrism1047 Words   |  5 Pages(Ethnocentrism vs. Cultural Relativism) As a Sociologist, should we practice Cultural Ethnocentrism or Cultural Relativism? We must first understand the two distinct theories regarding perception of outside cultures: Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism. Ethnocentrism is judging another culture solely by the values and standards of ones own culture.[1] The ethnocentric individual will judge other groups relative to his or her own particular ethnic group or culture, especially with concernRead MoreEthical Concepts And Principles Of Business Ethics1673 Words   |  7 Pagestoday s economy has heightened businesses responsibilities to protect consumers and the environment. Businesses have product knowledge and expertise far in excess of that held by consumers, and so they have an obligation above and beyond the sales contract (and let the buyer be aware) to exercise due care in preventing consumers and the environment from being harmed by their products. Organisations that follow Utilitarian ethics assess economic externality factors relating to their operations in termsRead MoreThe Ethics Of Capital Punis hment Essay1675 Words   |  7 Pagesto retain it as a form of punishment. Moreover, the two ethical theories I will use to carry out this analysis involve the Harm Principle and Moral Relativism. Both ethical theories can support the pro and con side, so I will be using both as I look at each side of the debate. Using the principles outlined in the Harm Principle and Moral Relativism, I will analyze the morality of capital punishment and access which side the theories gravitate towards. To begin, I will analyze the international underdogRead MoreA Good Deed Of The Elephants1639 Words   |  7 Pageselephant that is hurting or killing humans, but that solution should be temporary until villagers find a better method to cope with the elephants. Delving deeper into Africa lies the nation of Tanzania, and its government also follows suit with the theory of utilitarianism. The government is holding a large stockpile of ivory tusks from decades of collecting (DocuMatForEdu1, 2016). All the tusks range in size, so the tusks were taken from elephants of all sizes, from youngling to mature adults. TheseRead MoreEthics : Discovering Right And Wrong1331 Words   |  6 PagesKenya Ramirez October 11, 2015 Philosophy 122-2374 Professor Price Objectivism Over Relativism In Ethics: Discovering Right and Wrong, Pojman states that morality refers to the actions we take either right or wrong. This paper should analyze the favor of moral objectivism and the rejection of ethical relativism. According to Pojman, â€Å"Ethical relativism holds that moral rightness and wrongness of actions varies from society to society or individual to individual.† (p.19) That is, what is consideredRead MoreEthics Is A Central Component Of The Way Things1313 Words   |  6 Pagesinteractions that make a business successful, calmer, more productive, and more focused than those that are unethical. By creating a highly coordinated and stable society that will require a lot of ethical people by working together. Personal success or social stability or something greater is the key in religious traditions for eternal life. Some religious belief is that life’s good behavior leads to rewards in the next life. But in Ethics there are many different views on what is g ood or bad behaviorRead MoreA Relativist Is More Tolerant?1314 Words   |  6 PagesA Relativist is more tolerant because he or she does not impinge upon people an absolute standard of right and wrong by which to compare and contrast morally contradictory cultural values. A Universalist proposes values that are based on his or her own set of values. This can promote intolerance because it provides a basis to make moral judgments between cultures. This is also an example of ethnocentrism, or judging another culture by the values of one’s own culture. Essentially, moral rightnessRead MoreEthical Ethics Of The Environment1447 Words   |  6 Pagesethical solutions including, environmental issues, should be made in the ethical standpoint of an ethical egoists, but I believe that it should not due to, not everyone thinks the same, not everyone has the same values, and not everyone has the same cultural environment that they were raised in. Ethical egoists only think of themselves, in a sense that they are almost very selfish at times. This is bad when it comes to the environment because it leads to the question of who or what will harm the environment

Week One Journal Free Essays

Week One Journal Alicia Campbell COM 320 March-Eleventh, 2013 Sheila Yarbrough Week One Journal This is the start of a long journey in learning to enhance my interpersonal communication skills. I know there is much in store to learn and I plan to take full advantage of the ideas to help me succeed. There are many elements in the communication realm and I never would have thought that they fit somewhere in my life; however, I learned differently. We will write a custom essay sample on Week One Journal or any similar topic only for you Order Now I experience source-receiver every day when I talk to my husband about his day at work or just playing with my boys. Encoding-decoding is done daily as well when I instruct my four-year-old to complete a task and I know when he completes it, he has decoded what I instructed him to do. I experience competence every day as well in the form of communication I use with my husband vs. my children. When I put myself together to go out because I want to look presentable to others, I am giving them the message that I care about how I look because I want to make a good first impression. When I am on Facebook daily; I am channeling my friends and family when I post messages for them to read. Context comes in my free time, when I have a chance to glimpse through a magazine; I will most likely read cover articles than any of the others. This is a physical dimension of context. My youngest son sees the Dr. monthly, and she uses doctor jargon, which is difficult to comprehend which is a form of noise. I learned ethics from a very young age; I was taught to respect my elders, talk politely, and listen. I realize all these elements incorporate in my life somehow I will take them into account more often. By taking the quiz in chapter one, I learned I do not know much about my interpersonal communication skills. I did not realize that all of the answers were supposed to be false because I answered some true. Most of these statements were generally false; however because each of these statements is a learned skill because you are not born a competent communicator. Therefore, I plan to practice ways to improve my communication skills with people from different walks of life. One thing I did not realize is that quality matters over quantity in the amount of communication skills with others. Because I do not have much adult interaction throughout the day (stay-at-home mom), I try to choose my words wisely when I do have adult interaction. In the context of the situation, I need to remember to adjust my communication type. I just experienced this the other day when my son came to me crying because he got hurt; I got down to his level and told him everything was going to be all right versus laughing at him. This also goes along the lines when communicating with people of different cultures; people with different backgrounds attribute different meanings to a message. I experience this firsthand when I was employed, I had to choose what I discussed and how to choose my words carefully because women from different ethnic backgrounds were employees that may take the topic of discussion more to heart. I know I am a person who tries to avoid meeting new people if I can help it; I am a very shy person. However, I am getting better at this quality. I am the one that waits for the other person to talk; I reply back. Practicing this fear will help regardless. Another point to remember is to keep from avoiding conflict. Every once in a while some type of conflict is healthy for a relationship. I do not see this, though, because I have so many people that tell me this since my husband and I rarely argue. Personally, I do not see how conflict is healthy for a relationship. Even though I communicate with people verbally and nonverbally daily, I did not know the true definition of interpersonal communication and what it entailed. I think it is important to study interpersonal communication because I will need use these skills for the rest of my life and studying it will only help me get better at the qualities I am not so good at. Once I get better at communicating in different situations and with different types of people, I will come across more professional at job interviews and relate to people more effectively. Looking back at how I have communicated with people in the past and what I have come to just shows that the world moves at a much faster pace than once was. One area I hope to improve on is this, I used to write hand-written letters to my husband; however, time is changing so now all I do is Skype or e-mail when he deploys. I still need to be thankful though that he has the opportunity for this; however, it would be nice to get a letter every once in a while. It just seems life has us moving in fast forward these days. So, I hope to get as much from this class as possible. The areas I need to improve on are all of them from what I see. I want to learn how to communicate more professionally with people of higher stature because I always get nervous, which makes me sound like I am not confident when on the other hand I want to communicate at an effective level. In general, I want to become a more confident speaker and lessen my fear of speaking with new people. I plan on soaking up all the information this course throws my way and use it to my advantage. Interpersonal communication is part of everyone’s daily lives. I am going to take in every idea this course has to offer and my communication skills should get better as time progresses and make me a more confident person in all aspects of life. These girls look like they are sharing secrets and the girl with the shocked facial expression shows me that she is receiving the message from the source. This man is using his messaging skills because he is showing he knows how to make a good first impression. Man and woman experiencing conflict and man trying to block her out by holding up his hand which shows me he is refusing to listen to anything she has to say. This is a form of psychological noise. This woman is receiving a hand-written letter via mail (the medium), which is a form of channeling. I see this photo as a form of encoding-decoding. The parents are reading the book to the boy and he is showing that he understands what is read (decoding) by laughing. When this woman chooses to read a topic from the front cover that caught her eye, she is showing an example of context in the physical dimension. These two women are doing a form of gossiping, which goes against an individual’s ethical standard. The patient is conversing with the doctor in a way that aligns with her competence. This means she is adjusting her communication style because of the person she is talking to. References Alo Mukerji. (2010). [Photograph of two woman what looks like gossiping]. Retrieved from http://blog. compete. com/2010/11/01/the-latest-gossip-on-a-site-about-gossip-tmz/ Bridal Guide. 2012). [Photograph of woman getting her hair done while reading a bridal magazine]. Retrieved from http://www. bridalguide. com/blogs/bridal-buzz/david-tutera-bridal-guide-cover-shoot Classroom Tales. (2010). [Photograph of parents reading little boy a book, and he is laughing] Retrieved from http://classroomtales. com/2010/10/09/580/ Digital Den. (2011). [Photograph o f two girls one whispering to the other]. Retrieved from http://thedigitalden. files. wordpress. com/2011/10/bigstock_secrets_910281. jpg P. Nannini. (2013). [Photograph of woman getting letter out of a mailbox]. Retrieved from http://providencepcc. org/awesome-things-getting-a-handwritten-letter-in-the-mail/ Regrounding. (2011). [Photograph of female patient talking to doctor]. Retrieved from http://regrounding. wordpress. com/2011/07/06/the-arts-of-doctoring-and-patient-ing/ Younglifeperception. (2012). [Photograph of man in suit reaching out to shake some ones hand]. Retrieved from http://younglifeperception. wordpress. com Younglifeperception. (2012). [Photograph of man and woman fighting; man putting up his hand to block her out]. Retrieved from http://younglifeperception. files. wordpress. com How to cite Week One Journal, Papers

Week One Journal Free Essays

Week One Journal Alicia Campbell COM 320 March-Eleventh, 2013 Sheila Yarbrough Week One Journal This is the start of a long journey in learning to enhance my interpersonal communication skills. I know there is much in store to learn and I plan to take full advantage of the ideas to help me succeed. There are many elements in the communication realm and I never would have thought that they fit somewhere in my life; however, I learned differently. We will write a custom essay sample on Week One Journal or any similar topic only for you Order Now I experience source-receiver every day when I talk to my husband about his day at work or just playing with my boys. Encoding-decoding is done daily as well when I instruct my four-year-old to complete a task and I know when he completes it, he has decoded what I instructed him to do. I experience competence every day as well in the form of communication I use with my husband vs. my children. When I put myself together to go out because I want to look presentable to others, I am giving them the message that I care about how I look because I want to make a good first impression. When I am on Facebook daily; I am channeling my friends and family when I post messages for them to read. Context comes in my free time, when I have a chance to glimpse through a magazine; I will most likely read cover articles than any of the others. This is a physical dimension of context. My youngest son sees the Dr. monthly, and she uses doctor jargon, which is difficult to comprehend which is a form of noise. I learned ethics from a very young age; I was taught to respect my elders, talk politely, and listen. I realize all these elements incorporate in my life somehow I will take them into account more often. By taking the quiz in chapter one, I learned I do not know much about my interpersonal communication skills. I did not realize that all of the answers were supposed to be false because I answered some true. Most of these statements were generally false; however because each of these statements is a learned skill because you are not born a competent communicator. Therefore, I plan to practice ways to improve my communication skills with people from different walks of life. One thing I did not realize is that quality matters over quantity in the amount of communication skills with others. Because I do not have much adult interaction throughout the day (stay-at-home mom), I try to choose my words wisely when I do have adult interaction. In the context of the situation, I need to remember to adjust my communication type. I just experienced this the other day when my son came to me crying because he got hurt; I got down to his level and told him everything was going to be all right versus laughing at him. This also goes along the lines when communicating with people of different cultures; people with different backgrounds attribute different meanings to a message. I experience this firsthand when I was employed, I had to choose what I discussed and how to choose my words carefully because women from different ethnic backgrounds were employees that may take the topic of discussion more to heart. I know I am a person who tries to avoid meeting new people if I can help it; I am a very shy person. However, I am getting better at this quality. I am the one that waits for the other person to talk; I reply back. Practicing this fear will help regardless. Another point to remember is to keep from avoiding conflict. Every once in a while some type of conflict is healthy for a relationship. I do not see this, though, because I have so many people that tell me this since my husband and I rarely argue. Personally, I do not see how conflict is healthy for a relationship. Even though I communicate with people verbally and nonverbally daily, I did not know the true definition of interpersonal communication and what it entailed. I think it is important to study interpersonal communication because I will need use these skills for the rest of my life and studying it will only help me get better at the qualities I am not so good at. Once I get better at communicating in different situations and with different types of people, I will come across more professional at job interviews and relate to people more effectively. Looking back at how I have communicated with people in the past and what I have come to just shows that the world moves at a much faster pace than once was. One area I hope to improve on is this, I used to write hand-written letters to my husband; however, time is changing so now all I do is Skype or e-mail when he deploys. I still need to be thankful though that he has the opportunity for this; however, it would be nice to get a letter every once in a while. It just seems life has us moving in fast forward these days. So, I hope to get as much from this class as possible. The areas I need to improve on are all of them from what I see. I want to learn how to communicate more professionally with people of higher stature because I always get nervous, which makes me sound like I am not confident when on the other hand I want to communicate at an effective level. In general, I want to become a more confident speaker and lessen my fear of speaking with new people. I plan on soaking up all the information this course throws my way and use it to my advantage. Interpersonal communication is part of everyone’s daily lives. I am going to take in every idea this course has to offer and my communication skills should get better as time progresses and make me a more confident person in all aspects of life. These girls look like they are sharing secrets and the girl with the shocked facial expression shows me that she is receiving the message from the source. This man is using his messaging skills because he is showing he knows how to make a good first impression. Man and woman experiencing conflict and man trying to block her out by holding up his hand which shows me he is refusing to listen to anything she has to say. This is a form of psychological noise. This woman is receiving a hand-written letter via mail (the medium), which is a form of channeling. I see this photo as a form of encoding-decoding. The parents are reading the book to the boy and he is showing that he understands what is read (decoding) by laughing. When this woman chooses to read a topic from the front cover that caught her eye, she is showing an example of context in the physical dimension. These two women are doing a form of gossiping, which goes against an individual’s ethical standard. The patient is conversing with the doctor in a way that aligns with her competence. This means she is adjusting her communication style because of the person she is talking to. References Alo Mukerji. (2010). [Photograph of two woman what looks like gossiping]. Retrieved from http://blog. compete. com/2010/11/01/the-latest-gossip-on-a-site-about-gossip-tmz/ Bridal Guide. 2012). [Photograph of woman getting her hair done while reading a bridal magazine]. Retrieved from http://www. bridalguide. com/blogs/bridal-buzz/david-tutera-bridal-guide-cover-shoot Classroom Tales. (2010). [Photograph of parents reading little boy a book, and he is laughing] Retrieved from http://classroomtales. com/2010/10/09/580/ Digital Den. (2011). [Photograph o f two girls one whispering to the other]. Retrieved from http://thedigitalden. files. wordpress. com/2011/10/bigstock_secrets_910281. jpg P. Nannini. (2013). [Photograph of woman getting letter out of a mailbox]. Retrieved from http://providencepcc. org/awesome-things-getting-a-handwritten-letter-in-the-mail/ Regrounding. (2011). [Photograph of female patient talking to doctor]. Retrieved from http://regrounding. wordpress. com/2011/07/06/the-arts-of-doctoring-and-patient-ing/ Younglifeperception. (2012). [Photograph of man in suit reaching out to shake some ones hand]. Retrieved from http://younglifeperception. wordpress. com Younglifeperception. (2012). [Photograph of man and woman fighting; man putting up his hand to block her out]. Retrieved from http://younglifeperception. files. wordpress. com How to cite Week One Journal, Papers