Sociology of Gender – Essay Example

Introduction

I visited City Lights Booksellers in San Francisco found along 261 Columbus Avenue. I reviewed a sample of Children Stories in the book store. Some of the books I reviewed includes; “Mockingbird”, “Roland Wright: Future Knight”, “Born to Fly”, “Matisse on the Loose” and “Leo and the Lesser Lion”. I analyzed the gender of main character, their activities and responsibilities in the sampled books.  My interpretation was on the gender role of socialization that children perceive after reading the books.

Observation

“Mockingbird” is elegantly crafted children story written by Kathryn Erskine. The main character is a ten-year old girl called Caitlin Smith. This girl captivated the reader while fighting Spurger syndrome. Despite that she memorized the expressions in her counselor’s office; moving emotion of the reader is hard in the best times. Unluckily, she attempts to carry out this while living with the recent demise of her older brother Devon, killed from shooting. The father is struggling to handle the death of the son and the daughter’s hard time, but he feels he is not equal to the task.

One single day, he heard the phrase closure in the shooting scenario. She became anxious and looked for the meaning in the dictionary. Then she found out this is what they must do. She sought advice from the counselor but was given unsatisfactory answer. These made her frustrated. Finally she found closure, who directed to path of healing to the community. The author perfects his art by giving the reader provision to experience the works of a small girl. Caitlin’s perception is authentic and spot on.

“Roland Wright: Future Knight” is about a ten-year old named Roland Wright. Young boy’s ambition in life was to become a knight. The only detriment from his dream is that the father is a blacksmith and owns a forge. It was beyond doubt that son of a nobleman becomes a knight. Astonishingly, message from King John arrived. Opponent with a bow shot the king on the shoulder while in the war. Luckily, strong Roland Ffather rescues him. To extend his gratitude, the King secured Wright’s son a put in the royal family for training to knighthood. The father was indifferent on who to choose between his two sons for knighthood training. The older son Shelby was sneaky, stronger and bigger.

Roland was proficient in sword fighting. Roland was certain the older brother will pick up Kings Offer. He traveled to seek advice on a local Knight. Roland learned that being a Knight entails smiting people and more. Knight are loyal, honorable and good mannered. Importantly the essence is not to beat the opponent, rather selfless and justly. On contest day, Roland hid to the advice. After ensuring the sword is in order, quinine tilted and chivalry displayed, he was very certain the older brother is stronger and that he has lost that chance in training. He gave up place of an armorer. The following day, after contemplation, the father chose him for training. The story is wound up as happy Roland prepares himself for training and his future. The author succeeds in combining humor and historical details.

“Born to Fly” setting is a small city in an Island called Rhode during the Second World War. The main character is a girl named Bird who like flying with her father who was a mechanic. Bird’s father was called for duty during the Japanese bombing. She was committed to fly the War hawk, despite the older sister admonition that girls cannot be pilots. She used to go through the manual that her father used to leave in the house. Not a while later, a Japanese American student called Kenji was enrolled in her school. He was accused of being a secret agent, this made Bird taunted by such accusations. Kenji and Bird saw an enemy in the submarine lake, but they were not believed. They had a difficult time to prove their allegation. They went ahead to take photos.

During the process, Bird stumbled, into the plan to show the local aeronautical firm and assassinate president of their country. The author does well in balancing the speedy action with a small, detailed and well written dialogue that makes it more than an adventure and action story. Matisse on the Loose is about a boy called Matisse a sixth grader who has ambition of his art showcased in a museum. The Novel opens by introducing Matisse family. Matisse sister has a syndrome called “purple Problem”. His mother’s action made him think she is a clown.

During the opening of exhibition of Henri Matisse a French artist at the Museum, it made the progress of events; this made Matisse to replace the artist famous portrait with unoriginal copy of his own art. Before returning it to it correct place, the visiting group entered the room. They were awed by unoriginal painting, thinking it was real. Matisse was proud at the same time horrified. He tries to replace the original painting without anyone’s knowledge. From that experience he learns that a true art is inborn. He also learns that the basic household arrangement can be an inspiration. The author creates an art that is involving. This is also appealing to readers are reluctant.

“Leo and the Lesser Lion” is a book about Mary Baylis, a prank and a spunky kid. She stays with her family during depression in Alabama. The father was a city doctor. The depression affected almost everyone. Her brother Leo drowned in a spring lake accidentally during the storm. Baylis was so affected that she nearly died, but was resuscitated by her neighbor. She became popular as a resurrecting child. She was told by her nurse that was given a second chance because she has a special obligation to do.

Baylis resolved to be a nun, much to the surprise of many. She made herself acquainted to saint’s life. Healing of her back, made her do some voluntary work. Not long enough the father hosted two orphans from an orphanage. Baylis became angry. She spoke little about his brother’s death. She thought silence was an amicable way to deal with the issue. She later developed love for the two strangers. Baylis offers up a fascinating sense of place and time. It perfectly tells the story of power loss of love to humans.

Analysis

Main character in “Mockingbird” was female, “Roland Wright: Future Knight” was male, “Born to Fly” was male, “Matisse on the Loose” was male, and finally “Leo and the Lesser Lion” was female. From the above sampled books it is clear that gender bias exist in the language, content and illustrations of children’s book. It is clear in the way gender is defined as the main character in books and their depictions. From my study majority of books are male dominated. They represent almost twice their female counterparts. Books with neutrality in gender rotate around male character. In stories where female are portrayed, they show the stereotype of feminine and masculine roles.

The stereotypes are common in almost all children’s book. The female characters are portrayed as naive, sweet, dependent and conforming, while their male counterparts are capable, independent, adventurous and strong. The boys play fundamental roles such as the rescuers, adventurers and fighters, while the female are mothers, caretakers, princesses and characters that give moral support to the male. They tend to fulfill their ambitions because of help from others. Boys meet their mission through perseverance and ingenuity. Girls who stay with active qualities are very few. Therefore it can be said that genders are presented in stereotypical terms.

 Conclusion

From the above finding it can be concluded that writers find characters of their own sex in books. Absence of girls in the books limits the chance for women to recognize with their sex and to allow their put in society. The way genders are portrayed in the children books has an effect on the child’s perception and attitude of sex proper way in society. The Gender issue is insidious that it silently conditions both sex to acknowledge the way they perceive the world. They give children inability to question the relationship. They give children with the chance to re-examine their assumptions and belief. Therefore, books give children alternatives and inspirations to believe in gender attitudes.

The stereotypical roles are limited to both sexes. Just as women are trapped in whiny and passive roles, men and boys are described rarely as persons demonstrating sadness and fear, and having occupations non-stereotypicaly men and boys and in roles where no meeting or competing high expectations. The stereotypes constrain girls and boys freedom to define them and make them behave in right gender-like rather that in a way that best suit their interest.

Reference

Corsaro, William A.. The sociology of childhood. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press, 2005.

Torres, Carlos Alberto, and Theodore R. Mitchell. Sociology of education emerging perspectives. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1998.

Wharton, Amy S. The sociology of gender: an introduction to theory and research. 2nd ed. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012

Wharton, Amy S.. The sociology of gender: an introduction to theory and research. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2005.

You tell me (part 1)

Introduction

People of any religious background have many things that are in common and that assembly them together as they base their beliefs and values in some truths which are to be revealed through their actions and sometimes their teachings. Muslims have had fundamental beliefs that have been drawn from the Holy Koran. This paper makes it public why truth seeking and good-loving people or person should remain or become Muslim.

Muslim Virtues

There are so many virtues that Islam teaches through the Holy Koran which every true Muslim must observe and be a true Muslim of all seasons and societies. However, it must be remembered that every denomination or religious sect are liberals and conservatives and even though these two camps exist, there is a general belief of the values and on the same virtues. Nevertheless, there are some who are radicals who distort the truth about the Muslim society and their beliefs and virtues. The actions of every true Muslim are outlined taught clearly in the Holy Koran. Moreover, the best way to live and act are taught and based in the Holy Book, the Koran. Inasmuch one misrepresentations and or misconceptions, there are those who are bent to smear murk and mire the virtues of Islam. For example, people who talk about and support jihad which is true and have put many genuine Muslims out in the cold and lastly and ending to loose opportunities. Some people have had phobia when they know they are with Muslims around. Strongly it must be known that true and genuine Muslims either conservatives or liberals live by the principles of Allah and some of them should seek Allah and live by the virtues revealed in and through the Holy Koran, for example, the virtue truth and good-seeking. The virtues were given to Muhammad and written in the Holy Koran for every Muslim and those who will like to convert into Muslim everywhere and anywhere in the world.

The loving Muslim must seek the truth and obtain or learn good qualities that will please the Creator to abundantly bless such a Muslim regardless of age, skin color, social status and gender. A true Muslim can only live comfortably by providing for the needy in the society which is for the purpose of signs of submission to God and respect to his Creation for the reason that He is the one who has created everything and everybody. The moral of good seeking and loving Muslims is ignited by the need to do well and enter into paradise which is the ultimate prize of devout Muslims. There are hundreds of virtues that good Muslims exhibit, which include friendliness, discipline, empathy, honesty, obedience, sharing, openness, self-respect, tolerance, cleanliness, understanding, forgiveness, thankfulness, responsibility, courageous respectfulness, among many other virtues. Many problems are evaded through the observance of the teachings of the Holy book, the Koran. These and other virtues that are not in the list, encourage Muslims to remain steadfast in their belief of doing well to others, the society and the world at large. Not only these virtues that encourage and promote the sense of a good Muslim but other social values like the family where respect for husbands and parents is paramount as the Holy book, the (Koran 3: 104) says, “let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong”. The great teaching of the Koran boosts the morale of those to be Muslims and those who yearn to convert into Muslims.

Muslims strongly adhere to and observe their teachings unlike other sects and some punishment to those who break laws and commandments are severely punished and hence even in the countries where there is Islam dominance; there is no robbery and crime. A free society from crime encourages other people to respect Muslims, Islam and its doctrines which in turn bring more converts, young and old. Their (Muslims) teachings encourage and beseech people to respect their parents, strangers, orphans and all people in any given society. The virtue of temperance is properly advocated by the Muslims and hence it encourages those who are Muslims already and those who are seeking to become ones. Temperance outlines that eating must be controlled and good foods should be eaten in order to take care of the body which has been given and blessed by God.

What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 6)

Stem Cells Research

The longer that researchers work with embryonic stem cells the more issues seem to crop up. The idea that ESCs can survive indefinitely in culture, thereby providing an inexhaustible source of cellular treatments, is only partially true. Recent studies have shown that while ESCs will reproduce quite happily again and again in suitable growth medium, over time they develop chromosomal abnormalities similar to those found in some cancers. Stem cell pioneer James Thomson agrees that embryonic stem cell lines have a limited “shelf life.” He notes that “over time, you accumulate mutations. It’s a fact of life. It’s just a question of differences in the rates. If you accumulate enough of those mutations, you could actually create cancer.” (Humber 2004) In fact, the dual threat of mutations and the introduction of mouse viruses in Thomson’s original stem cell lines is one of the reasons cited by researchers for lilting the Bush administration’s restrictions on funding for new lines of embryonic stem cells. (Humber 2004)

Moreover, while it is true that embryonic stem cells can be used to create “any kind of cell in the body,” that same developmental elasticity works against ESCs as well as in their favor. In fact, only a few researchers have been able to differentiate an embryonic stem cell culture into a pure cell culture of the exact kind of cell they were seeking. It is even more questionable whether the researchers who have been able to differentiate the ESCs into targeted cell populations have been able to consistently repeat the task. In the vast majority of “successful” attempts to change embryonic stern cells into specific cell types, the result was instead a petri dish that contained an unhealthy melange of unwanted cells along with the target strain. (Holland et al 2006)

But for now, only embryonic stem cells can he considered truly pluripotcnt, their inner essence still molten enough to shape. “They (ESCs) are a blank slate,” stated Dr. Theo Palmer, neuroscientist at the Stanford University School of -Medicine. “They do not know what their role is. An adult stem cell has enormous potential that’s already been realized.” (Humber 2004) Palmer asserted that embryonic stem cells should he easier to work with than the adult version for this very reason.

While scientists, admittedly, are still groping for ways to reliably “retrograde” the blank slate of the embryonic stem cell, the possibilities just seem too great to ignore. And embryonic stem cells, since they come from a point where the organism has yet to mature, simply provide much more insight into the complexities of stem cell function and development. Ironically, years of research spent on embryonic stem cells are very likely to teach scientists how to best reprogram an adult stem cell to make tissues as easily as an embryonic stem cell can.

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What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 5)

At the most basic level, the promise that stem cells hold is also the source of the controversy over them. The idea that replacement parts for our bodies might one day be as easy to create as ordering prescription medication from the local drugstore is breathtaking. But if these same cells can only work their magic through the destruction of human embryos, then cure and curse will be one and the same to many people. To those who see a human being’s life as starting from the moment of fertilization, regenerative medicine via stem cells is nothing more than high-tech cannibalism. There is an alternative, imperfect though it may be. In recent years, scientists have discovered that similar kinds of cells can be found outside the holy sphere of the human embryo’s blastocyst. These “adult” stem cells can be found in the blood, the pockets of our bone marrow, the umbilical cord, under the dermis of the skin, and, just perhaps, buried deep in the brain.

What Are The Adult Stem Cells?

Adult stem cells (ASCs) are the technology of choice among those who morally object to the use of embryonic stem cells. At a May 2005 White House press conference, President Bush reaffirmed his opposition to funding embryonic stem cell research outside of the existing stem cell lines, but praised the use of “alternative sources” of stem cells. (Potten et al 2006) The ones mentioned in the above paragraph, such as stem cells from bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, are classic examples of ASCs. “With the right policies and the right techniques,” Bush asserted, “we can pursue scientific progress while still fulfilling our moral duties.” (Potten et al 2006) But is this indeed the case, or is it wishful thinking? As with many complex subjects, there is no clear-cut answer.

The degree to which adult stem cells can be put to use often depends on who is being interviewed. However, if one sticks as closely as possible to what has been reliably reproduced in multiple laboratories over time, some hard facts do become available. That is, at least as “hard” as the facts can be, before the technology advances yet further and changes reality yet again.

Clinical Research

A fair number of therapies involving adult stem cells are in human clinical trials at present, and the number continues to grow. It is likely that these therapies will make their appearance at the local hospital or health clinic long before embryonic stem cells can even begin to make it to human trials. At the third annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, held in 2005, the clear majority of the presentations dealt with therapies related to adult stem cells. (Holland et al 2006) Clearly, the interest—and, not coincidentally, the private sector venture capital—lies in ASCs for now.

Embryonic Stem Cell 

There is simply no tool as powerful as the embryonic stem cell (ESC). In possesses, in the words of one researcher, “the potential to address every single disease or condition that our species is heir to.” (Holland et al 2006) This is because embryonic stem cells, which are extracted from the fifth day of the embryo’s blastocyst formation, have such a high degree of developmental plasticity that they are capable of becoming any type of cell in the body. It is medical fact that ESCs are incredibly pluripotent. (Humber 2004) However, a second look must be taken when advocates of embryonic stem cells claim that the cells can be grown in infinite numbers.

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What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 4)

What is Regenerative Medicine?

Regenerative medicine is a field that is still very much in its infancy. “Before stem cells can lie used routinely, there is a great deal more that researchers have to learn,” reports one embryonic stem cell researcher. “We still don’t know what signals are required to make the stem cells mature into specific tissue types. It’s also only educated guessing at this point about how to avoid tumor formation or rejection after transplanting stem cells into a new host. You might say that Nature holds her cards close.” (Potten et al 2006)

International Research Team Conclusions

The rejection issue is being researched at Stanford University, utilizing strains of laboratory mice for testing. Dr.Vlicha Drukker has been part of an international research team examining the immune response that might be launched against transplanted stem cells. “We used two experimental platforms to examine the in vivo immune system response toward transplanted stem cells,” said Dr. Drukkcr. “First, mice with both normal and immunodeficient immune systems were used to identify T cells as the major component that causes rejection.” T cells are a subset of leukocytes or white blood cells. They can be thought of as the “hunter-killer” cells that swarm an infection. “Second,” said Drucker, “mice that were conditioned to carry peripheral blood leukocytes from human origin were used to test the response toward undifferentiated and differentiated human embryonic stem cells.” (Potten et al 2006)

Using this model, Drukker’s research team detected only a minute immune response toward both undifferentiated and differentiated stem cells over the course of a month. “Our data showed that stem cells evade immune destruction due to a low immunostimulatory potential,” said Drucker. (Potten et al 2006) If this feat is replicated in human stem cell transplants, then the possibilities for healing damaged organs and tissue without fear of rejection greatly expands the range of possibilities for stem cell therapies.

Given enough time, it is likely that therapeutic cloning will become more acceptable to the vast majority of Americans who view it with certain queasiness today. This will be for two reasons. First, given the pace of advancements in the field of cellular surgery, it should eventually be possible to remove portions of the inner cell mass of a blastocyst without destroying the embryo. Second, a little-noted fact about stem cell research is that the knowledge gleaned at the cellular level allows the best window into how a disease such as Parkinson’s or diabetes works. Stem cells, in other words, can operate as valuable research tools in the background, instead of taking center stage as a transplant therapy. (Lovell-Badge 2001) Once every aspect of a disease’s biology is thoroughly understood, a targeted drug or therapy can be developed and administered. Eventually, it may be one where a patient will never know that a stem cell was involved in figuring out the remedy.

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What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 3)

Stem Cell’s Structure

In therapeutic cloning, the host egg is first isolated in a petri dish. The outer cell wall is then penetrated without destroying the egg, and a tiny pipette is used to gently suck the nucleus, with the host’s DNA, out of the cell in the same way one might pit an extremely tiny olive. The result is a hollow structure called an enucleated cell. The empty space within the host cell is quickly injected with a nucleus from the cell of the donor. (Alternatively, the donor cell can be placed in extremely close proximity and fused with the host cell by means of an electrical pulse.) Now the host cell’s mechanisms have essentially been “reprogrammed” to make copies based on the new nucleus’ genetic codes. (Holland et al 2006)

If ibis procedure were to be used for reproductive cloning, the egg would be stimulated to begin dividing and developing. The newly created embryo would be genetically identical to the donor source of DNA. The resulting offspring would have only one genetic parent with whom it shares all its genes. Once reaching the blastocyst phase, the embryo can be implanted in a womb to develop naturally. In therapeutic cloning, the embryo is also stimulated to begin dividing. Hut the cells will never be implanted in a womb. Instead, the embryonic stem cells are taken from the inner cell mass of the embryo, when it has formed info the ball-shaped blastocyst stage of just a couple of hundred cells.

The technology does not exist for doing this without tearing apart the delicate blastocyst. (Holland et al 2006) The procedure, which is not too unlike shelling extremely delicate peas from a microscopic pod, must necessarily puncture and destroy the embryo. This allows the precious cargo of stem cells to spill out for collection into the petri dish medium like a handful of jewels strewn on a blood-red carpet. One of the major biological concepts overturned by the therapeutic cloning process is that once cells have differentiated, they cannot be induced to revert. Yet in this one circumstance, the rules have been broken. The isolated nuclei of an adult donor cell can revert back to pluripotency by being exposed to the inside of an egg. (Holland et al 2006) In effect, this creates a fertilized egg with the donor’s genetic complement without going through the process of fertilization.

In the past, it has been conclusively demonstrated that human nuclear-transfer cloning works regardless of the most basic differences between the host cell and the donor cell. The nucleus donor and the host egg can be from the same person or from different people. The two parties can be of different races, gender, and ages—nuclei from people as young as 2 and as old as 56 have been successfully transplanted. (Holland et al 2006) Therapeutic cloning has great potential for generating stem cell lines that are genetically matched to the donor’s genetic makeup. These stem cells lines, in turn, have the potential to provide amazing therapies for illnesses and injuries that have no cure today. Therapies to remedy damage due to disease or genetic abnormality—and eventually, even physical injury—are part of the quickly expanding field of regenerative medicine.

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What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 2)

Stem Cell Research

The therapies being researched stand to decrease human suffering by unheard-of levels. They are replete with cures for multiple types of cancer, liver disease, sickle-cell anemia, and more. However, less than a handful are beyond the earliest stages of development, and even the most basic clinical studies are years—up to a decade or more1—in the future. Slightly more than $1 billion was spent on stem cell work in 2005, which again sounds like an impressive sum. (Carrier et al 2007) However, when compared to the total amount spent globally on health-care R&D, it’s less than stellar: a mere 1 percent. (Carrier et al 2007) The analysis cited also takes into account the potential hobbles of heavy government regulation and environmental concerns. Both are highly likely, given the public’s uneasiness with topics related to cloning and human embryos.

Predictions of the Scientists

The consultants at Bain & Company predict a far more modest forecast of a $100-million market for stem cell therapies by the end of this decade. (Carrier et al 2007) By 2015, the forecast is more optimistic, rising to $2 billion worldwide. (Carrier et al 2007) Again, impressive numbers when viewed in isolation. And yet one cannot help but notice that the conservative forecast for the decade disagrees with the optimistic one pushed by stem cell boosters by a factor of 100. The same ratio holds in the amount spent on health-care R&D: For every dollar spent on stem cells, $100 is placed elsewhere. (Carrier et al 2007)

Investment in Stem Cells

Another interesting fact is that more than four-fifths of the global investment in stem cells has come from governments. Private venture capital, the traditional engine of biotech start-ups, pumped an anemic $50 million into the field in 2005. (Carrier et al 2007) The trend is sharply higher today, but why has it taken seven years from the time the first stem cell lines were made available to even start to grow? The real issue at hand for the stem cell industry is funding: specifically, federal funding. Due to the compromise worked out by President Bush and the religious conservative wing of his party, federal funding is only available to firms that are working with stem cell lines derived from human embryos before August 9, 2001. (Carrier et al 2007)

There was a strong backlash against this decision by groups who wanted to press stem cell research forward as quickly as possible. Proposition 71 passed by California voters to hand over $3 billion in state money, was only the beginning. (Carrier et al 2007) Just as California tends to set trends for the rest of the country in terms of culture, the West Coast’s cutting-edge initiative system tends to do the same thing. California’s measure has set off similar legislative issues in other states.

When most people talk about cloning, they generally mean the copying of the entire organism, as in the case of Dolly the sheep. Since this is the kind of cloning that yields offspring, for clarity it is called reproductive cloning. At present, researching this kind or cloning to create new human beings is shunned in the scientific community, and nations that have any laws on the books at all in regards to stem cell research and cloning embryos expressly forbid the reproductive cloning of humans. When discussing the benefits of stem cell research, however, what is actually being discussed is therapeutic cloning. This is when embryonic stem cells are harvested from the newly created embryo and expanded in a culture dish. (Holland et al 2006) Though the goal in therapeutic cloning is different, both types of cloning yield a clump of cells that has the potential to grow into a whole organism.

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What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide (part 1)

What potential benefits can medical treatments using stem cells provide?

Within the scope of this research, we will assess the potential benefits that medical treatment using stem cells can provide. The term “cell” comes from the Latin word cella, or “small room.” (Potten et al 2006) Robert Hooke, a seventeenth-century Renaissance man, coined the term when he first peered through his handcrafted, leather- and gold-tooled microscope at a piece of cork. Reportedly, he came up with the name when the little cells he saw through the microscope reminded him of the small rooms that housed medieval monks. (Green 2001) In humans and other forms of animal life, stem cells are the special, primal structures in the body that retain two special traits: first, the ability to divide indefinitely, and second, the ability to differentiate into other cell types.

These traits are at the root of why stem cells are a source of both order and chaos, representing miracle cure and a societal curse. Specifically, the cells that show the most potential can only be retrieved with great difficulty—and through the destruction of a human embryo. It’s possible that these “embryonic” stem cells may lead to great things in the future, lint in the here and now, religious conservatives see their destruction as nothing more than a high-tech form of cannibalism. Belief over what is right permeates the field of stem cell study and its researchers.

The race to nail down venture capital for stem cell research is still wide open. Compared to the dot-com days, where venture capital was flowing in like a tidal wave, the behavior of the high-risk start-up “angel” investors strikes many as puzzling. While there is a great deal of media coverage about the great things that are just around the corner, the fact is that when a private investor moves to support the industry, it still makes headlines. To take one example. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has donated $100 million to John Hopkins University. (Carrier et al 2007) Even though an unspecified portion of the donation was to support stem cell research, the news reports touted this as a major—if not the sole—reason for the philanthropy. It is also more than a little interesting that other private investors have been much more active in spending money to encourage state government funding, as opposed to direct donation.

Some securities analysts have forecast that by 2010, the market for stem cell technologies will exceed $10 billion. (Carrier et al 2007) These are very heady numbers, ones that would make most investment firms salivate. But others have taken a look at these numbers and dismissed them as the same type of math that led to the over-valuation of the dot-com companies and their subsequent meltdown. According to The Economist, consultants with the firm Bain &c Company have taken a much more sober look at the state of the nascent industry. As of early 2006, there are now roughly 140 stem-cell-related products in development. (Carrier et al 2007) Again, depending on which end of the telescope one looks into, this can look promising or underwhelming.

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