Automatic After-death Organ Donation

Ever heard of the term "Presumed Consent?" Currently twenty-four European nations have adopted presumed consent legislation to address the stagnant transplant rate and shortage of human organs.

Presumed consent for organ donation is the systematic framework in which a deceased person’s consent to be an organ donor is assumed. Those wishing not to be donors must express their objection in a national registry or a family member must object to organ donation after the person’s death. Thus, presumed consent differentiates itself by being an “opt-out” system, whereas the majority of the world’s organ donation systems are “opt-in”, requiring an individual to register their intent as organ donors. 

After watching the movie "Inhale" I was left wondering how far we as civilized nations will go to treat fatal medical conditions.  If my son or daughter were dying and only a healthy organ transplant would save them, would I turn a blind eye to unethical alternative methods by which a healthy organ can be acquired? I pray I'll never have to face that dilemma, and yet many parents have found and are finding no choice other than the unethical as a means of saving their child.

From the movie I learned that organ trafficking is a "public secret" that often goes undetected and unpunished.  There are Organs Watch groups throughout the world who investigate and document sales of and trafficking of human organs, violations of international laws and human rights.  Provides research and publications, documented cases and laws by country pertaining to organ harvesting and transplantation.

Men from Baseco, a slum in the port area of Manila, the Philippines, show their scars from kidney sales in a photograph from 1999. © Pat Roque/AP/Press Association Images - See more at: http://newint.org/features/2014/05/01/organ-trafficking-keynote/#sthash.ddaD975S.dpuf

If we thought the illegal arms trade was something to keep an eye out for, then the illegal organ trade is something we'd best not take our eyes off of.  It's been steadily growing over the years.  It's organized, wealthy, internationally networked and their product is in high demand.  

The scariest thought, as suggested in the movie, is that medical caregivers and civic agencies could be in concert with illegal organ traffickers.  Or worse; they could be running the organ cartel.  Fact or fiction?  Just follow the money.  And just who the heck came up with the Presumed Consent scam anyway? Bernie Madoff?



2007  paper on the state of international organ trade

2011 blood, bones and organs: the gruesome "red market"

2014 human traffic: exposing the human organ trade

Raiders Pound The Browns In Cleveland

#28 Latavius Murray

Chorus 

Excuse and disregard, 

If I make you uneasy or come off hard, 

My only intentions are, to let you know it's over.

The Oakland Raiders led throughout the game in their win over the Cleveland Browns.  The high power passing game opened up the running game. Running Back Latavius Murray, breaking off a 54 yard run, had 139 total yards rushing and rookie Amari Cooper had 134 yards receiving.  Coop had a fumble, but the young man brings so much explosiveness to the team that one bad play can't negate his positive contributions.  #89 Amari Cooper is the cog that propels our offense. AC/DC Baby!

QB Derek Carr was 20/32 for 314 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The passing game is the Raiders strength.  The defense had 5 sacks but are not quite there yet as a top unit. They were getting close all game and put enough pressure on the quarterback to effect many throws.They're still jelling together.  

Old man Charles Woodson, playing with a sore shoulder, came up with a clutch, game ending interception of a Josh McCown pass as the Browns were marching downfield to tie up the game in the final minute. Woodson appeared out of nowhere to snatch a would be catch and run to the end zone by Browns receiver Travis Benjamin. Instead of a tie game with the threat of overtime, the Raiders would take over and run out the clock for the win.

As much as I  enjoyed seeing the Raiders show their domination on the road, I keep reminding myself that it was "just" Cleveland.  An improved Cleveland perhaps, but still.  

The Raiders, with a 2-1 record, are looking like a legitimate professional football team.  I'd like to see them tighten things up on defense and work on eliminating penalties overall. And as explosive as the passing game is, there's still work to be done with everyone being on the same page. I love what my boy #10 Seth Roberts brings to the receiving corps, but he can't continue dropping passes. Seth's 13 yard touchdown catch made up for his early drops. 


Shout outs to Michael Crabtree, Andre Holmes, Marcel Reece, Malcolm Smith, Aldon Smith, Khalil Mack, Neiko Thorpe, T.J. Carrie and the entire Offensive Line.  Oh yeah, punter Marquette King was good on 3 of 4 punts.  King took one for the team when Browns rushers incurred a running-into-the-kicker penalty. The Raiders would go down and score a touchdown to give them a 10-0 lead. 

In our wtf moment, my jaw dropped when I realized the Raiders putting Amari Cooper at risk returning punts. That experiment needs to just stop now. What, risk injuring the cog? Come'on coach Del Rio, you're smarter than that. The risk vs reward scale weighs heavily on the risk side. 

Final Score
Raiders 27
Browns 20

Raider Mikey at Raider Central pops off another hot rap only the way Mikey can. I'm really liking the Raider Central host kicking it to the beat 'Game Over."

Raiders Outscore Ravens in Week 2

#4 Derek Carr

On one of the hottest days of the month, the Oakland Raiders got their first win of the young season against a feisty and favored Baltimore Ravens. With both defenses vulnerable againt the pass, Quarterbacks Derek Carr and Joe Flacco launched aerial attacks that made for one exciting game. No lead was safe and no hole too deep to climb out of as the two teams battled down to the final 30 seconds of the game.

Everyone felt that the team to have the ball last was likely to win the game. The Raiders got the ball back trailing the Ravens 30-33 with 2:10 left on the game clock.  Our receivers Crabtree, Cooper and Holmes got us close and my boy #10 Seth Roberts slammed the door shut with a 12 yard touchdown catch from Carr.  I believe the game clock showed 26 seconds left. The Oakland Coliseum went Beserk as suddenly every Raiders fan realized they might just win this game.

Its a sad fact that losing teams like the Raiders of late, instill in their fans a dreadful feeling of doom even when things appear to be going their way.  Not until Raiders cornerback Neikro Thorpe intercepted a Joe Flacco pass with 20 seconds left did the entire stadium exhale and begin a much needed early season victory celebration.  It was a true thing of beauty.

Final Score
Raiders 37
Ravens 33






Checkout Raider Mikey rapping about the win on Raiders Central.  Go Mikey! Go Mikey!

Raiders Sign LB Aldon Smith

Justin Tuck and Aldon Smith? Oh Boy!

somebody pinch me

What the......Who knew.  Former 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Raiders.  Now somebody tell me we ain't got Defense!

Aldon Jacarus Smith is a Raider, and even though he's likely facing suspension time for off field issues, when he does hit the field in silver and black expect our defense to be that bully that once head coach Hue Jackson talked about.

Speaking of Hue, he visits the Coliseum this weekend as Bengals offensive coordinator.  But back to the Smith signing.  Aldon is a beast of a player. You match him up with Khalil Mack and you got yourself a championship caliber defense.  Isn't the saying Defense wins championships?  Well folks, if Aldon can get his off field act together and Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. can harness the beast mode out of him, expect some serious silver & black bruising to opponents on Sundays.

The San Francisco 49ers have become the minor league team for the Raiders pickings.  Former Niner wide receiver Michael Crabtree is already on-board with the silver & black.  Don't rule out seeing Kaepernick in a Raiders jersey sometime down the road.  In the meantime, it's the Friday before the first regular season game of the season.  The Raiders host the Cincinnati Bengals.  As a Raiders fan, its a season that carries the most promise since Gruden days.  

Let's get ready to rumble!

The Braxton Spin

In breaking down the science of Ohio State running back Braxton Miller's electrifying, 53-yard touchdown run, no vocal description can accurately depict what one observes with their own eyes while watching the video.

What's been deservedly labeled, "The Braxton Spin," is a once in a season (maybe football career lifetime) juke by a running back that may go down as the greatest non-Barry Sanders spin that's ever been caught on film. 

What makes the move so nasty is not only the instinctive speed, agility and timing of it, but the angled after spin run with Braxton barely breaking stride. After the spin it was nothing but open field in his sprint to the end zone with would-be tacklers in hot pursuit. 

The Virginia Tech. defenders must still be trying to figure out the Houdini-like magic in the move; how he do that?

It's a jaw-dropping, what did I just witness, never to be duplicated escape move that puts Braxton Miller in the top 10 of any "Best Of" college football plays of all time. They'll be talking about this play easily for the next 40 years.

Sibling Beauty Unrivaled

Serena Williams defeats sister Venus in US Open Quarterfinal.  The sisters both played spectacularly.  Not being much of a tennis fan, I was impressed with the moment; two professional athlete sisters playing one another for a chance to be the best in the world. And on the biggest stage for the game. Incredible!

It's not the first time the two have met in a grand slam match, Serena now leading the sibling series 9-5. Other than the extraordinary talent of these two being on display for the World to see, the beauty of family, friendship and fun was not lost in the moment of competition. 

The end game hugging of these two sisters was the most beautiful sports moment I've witnessed this year. The two share a genuine love and respect for the game of tennis and each other. Now that's success.

The Williams family should be proud of these two young women as they remind us all that winning fame and fortune can never replace the love and support that comes from strong family values and spiritual guidance. 

Serena and Venus, I'm sure your parents are doing everything in their power to stay humble, lest their pride for the love you two have for one another infringe on a heavenly commandment. Knowing that our Lord is a loving and awesome Father himself, I trust your parents will some day be honored for an earthly job well done.  You Go Gurlz!

Blessings!

Final

(1) Serena Williams

(23) Venus Williams

1	2	3
6	1	6
2	6	3

Arthur Ashe Stadium - 3rd Match

European Migrant Crisis

Germany bound: A young boy holds a German flag in front of the railway station in Budapest earlier this morning

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3220673/All-aboard-migrant-express-Germany-Chaos-Budapest-police-reopen-station-following-two-day-stand-hundreds-immediately-swarm-trains.html#ixzz3kjKCWtZZ


Syrian refugees in Budapest trying desperately to board trains for Western Europe.  Situation critical!

Migrant Crisis

Update: Thousands of Refugees Arrive In Germany