Archive for the ‘Health and Medicine’ Category
What happened to Twiggy?
You know, Twiggy the original mod supermodel.
Here she is as she looks on the current episodes of America’s Next Top Model:
Here she is now in a photo from a Daily Mail article about Paul McCartney’s son:
The caption at the bottom of the image on the article says, “M&S model stops by: Twiggy is an old friend of the McCartney family”.
There’s only one model named Twiggy that I know of so here’s the question: What has Twiggy done to herself? Is she sick? What’s going on?
Thompson will run on social non-issues instead of something important?
In an interview with CNN, Fred Thompson said that he would work towards a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and overturning Roe v. Wade.
I don’t think that one state ought to be able to pass a law requiring gay marriage or allowing gay marriage and have another state be required to follow along,
Nevermind the fact that the current DOMA exempts marriage equality from the Full Faith and Credit Clause.
When asked about how he would deal with Iraq, the only answer he gave was, “We can’t run away with our tails between our legs.” (paraphrased)
CNN Political Ticker Thompson: Roe ‘bad law and bad medicine’ «
The most stupid thing I’ve read all day
This is by far the most stupid thing that I’ve read all day, maybe all of the past week. Rod Bullough is an idiot a member of Freedom2Choose, a group that campaigned against the newly-instituted smoking ban in England:
The smokers are really being discriminated against and treated how we wouldn’t treat any ethnic minority.
Obama translations
During the Democratic debate last Thursday night, Joe Biden and Barack Obama had this exchange:
Joe Biden: …I got tested for AIDS. I know Barack got tested for AIDS. There’s no shame in being tested for AIDS. It’s an important thing because the fact of the matter is, in the communities engaged in denial, no one wants to talk about it in the community and we do not have enough leaders in the community and outside the community demanding we face the reality, confront the men in the community as well as the women, letting them know there are alternatives.
Tavis Smiley: Thank you.
Barack Obama: Tavis, I just got to make clear that I got tested with Michelle when we were in Kenya in Africa, so I don’t want any confusion here about what’s going on.
Joe Biden: Well, I got tested to save my life because I had a blood transfusion.
Barack Obama: I was tested with my wife.
Tavis Smiley: And I’m sure Michelle appreciates you clarifying that.
Barack Obama: In public.
He was so insistent that it was just a publicity stunt. God forbid anyone think he got tested because it’s a responsible thing to do.
TerranceDC at Pam’s House Blend has another take on it. He might be, and probably is, right:
Maybe I’m drawing too much on my experience as a black gay man, but Obama’s reaction came across to me as much like the reaction of so many “bruthas” when the topic of homosexuality comes up. Even the most seemingly non-homophic will follow up a seemingly progressive statement about homosexuality by saying or otherwise affirming that “I ain’t no punk.”
Pam’s House Blend:: Did Obama Blow It? That Depends…
On Joe Biden, though, and his second quoted statement, I never knew that he’d had a transfusion. I wonder if there was a real concern of tainted blood or if it was just a routine test and he’s being dramatic.
Infectious diseases and the no-fly list
With the news that a man infected with a resistant strain of TB was allowed to fly to Europe and back, I’m wondering why this man wasn’t put on the TSA‘s no fly list. ABC News reported on World News with Charlie Gibson that the man was advised by the CDC that he should not fly, but he decided to anyway.
The public health officers of the CDC have the authority to have a person who they believe to be a threat to public safety arrested and confined but they didn’t. The reason: they didn’t know that the strain that he’s infected with was as resistant then. Apparently, they didn’t see the need to confine him. They do now, though.
I guess the question I have is that if he was infectious at all, why was he just given an “advisory” not to travel. If people critical of Bush can find their way onto the no-fly list, why can’t people who pose not just a health hazard to others but also a genuine security threat to America and other nations?
Miss Tammy Faye, Part 2
I wrote a year ago about Tammy Faye Messner’s fight with cancer and how things weren’t looking good. A year later, things are looking worse. She’s down to 65 pounds and her doctors have stopped their treatment of her. She’s posted a letter on her website about her illness and its effect on her life.
The doctors have stopped trying to treat the cancer and so now it’s up to God and my faith. And that’s enough! But please continue to pray for the pain and sick stomach.
Tammy Faye Stops Cancer Treatments — Towleroad
Tammy Faye Bakker writes farewell note to fans | U.S. | Reuters
Related: Miss Tammy Faye « JeffSay…
Sunburn and $82,000
Today was our local March of Dimes WalkAmerica event. I helped out with registration table and wound up getting a sunburn on just one side of my body. I hate it when that happens. Anyway, the walk today brought in about $6,200 in cash at the registration table and somewhere around $82,000 altogether which is just a bit shy of last year’s total but still a respectable sum.
The bulk of the money came from teams and businesses’ matching grants, but there were a few outstanding individuals who raised money by themselves. I know one woman raised at least $275 on her own. I think she’s the mother of a premature child so she had some extra incentive but that doesn’t make it any less admirable.
It was a great day (75° and sunny) and a great cause. I’m proud to have been a part.
Tony Snow has cancer
CNN is reporting that White House Press Secretary Tony Snow had a growth removed from his abdomen Monday and that it is both cancerous and has spread to his liver.
The story’s not made it to an actual article yet on CNN but it has made it to USA Today.
Presidential spokesman Tony Snow’s surgery to remove a small growth showed that his cancer has returned, the White House said Tuesday.
He may work for the devil incarnate but he doesn’t deserve this. No one does.
Tests show Snow suffering from recurrence of cancer – USATODAY.com
Report: 42% of homeless youth are gay or lesbian
QueerSighted today posted an article about new-ish report from the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce and the National Coalition for the Homeless that detailed the disproportionate amounts of homeless youths who identify themselves as gay or lesbian.
Nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, each year between 570,000 and 1.6 million youth are homeless or run away. This means that up to 672,000 of these youth are LGBT.
And why are they homeless? Let’s see:
In one study, 50 percent of gay male teens who came out to their parents experienced a negative reaction and 26 percent of them were told they must leave home.
I guess these parents haven’t heard that you’re supposed to love your kids unconditionally. emphasis added
Other findings:
- LGBT youth report experiencing discrimination, harassment and violence at shelters and service providers. For example, one facility in Michigan forced youth who identified as or were perceived as being LGBT to wear orange jumpsuits.
- LGBT homeless youth are more likely to suffer from mental health issues and substance abuse than are their heterosexual peers, and are more likely to be victimized by sexual predators.
I recommend the QueerSighted article; it offers excellent commentary.
World AIDS Day 2006
It’s December 1st yet again. Another World AIDS Day has come. It celebrates the progress made in the fight for a cure and reminds us of the remaining challenges.
The UNAIDS organization estimates that there are 39.5 million people living with AIDS (a decrease of 500,000 over last year) in the world and 24.7 million of those are in Sub-Saharan Africa (a decrease of 300,000).
They also estimate that at least 4.3 million people died from AIDS across the world in 2005, an increase of 1.2 million people
More than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.
Africa has 12 million AIDS orphans.
By December 2005 women accounted for 48% (+2%) of all adults living with HIV worldwide, and for 59% (+2%) in sub-Saharan Africa.
6,000 young people are infected with HIV every day.
Of the 6.8 million people (+300,000) in developing and transitional countries who need life-saving AIDS drugs, only 1.65 million (+600,000) are receiving them.
