The Littlest Supporter of Breast Cancer Awareness

This morning we attended the Pink Ribbon Walk in Hyderabad, the kick-off event for Breast Cancer Awareness month. It was a short two-kilometer walk and we were surprised at the number of people who participated.

In India the rate of detection is so low that the majority of women who have breast cancer aren't diagnosed until such a late stage that it is usually terminal. In Western countries it's easy for women to talk about their health. But remember a couple of centuries ago, when (male) doctors in the West had no idea what was going on with women's health? In India, because of the conservative culture, it's more difficult for women to discuss health problems with their doctors. It's more difficult for them to seek out treatment because of a lack of trained specialists. And then it's nearly impossible to pay for medical bills. Here in Hyderabad, KIMS (Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences), the organizer of the Pink Ribbon Campaign, is working with corporations and charities to get free and low-cost mammograms and treatments to the women who need them.

The press was mad for Muffin, especially once she got a hold of a sign. This is one time I didn't mind all the photos. If her little mug on the front page of the newspaper helps raise awareness it will be worth it. 

boo technology

You would think that living in a suburb of the techno-geek centre of the universe plus paying lots of money on a monthly basis would entitle us to an internet connection that is quicker than something powered by hamsters. The internets are as slow as the molasses today. The internet is a series of tubes, so I guess it's apropo that it's a hamster habitrail. Hamsters who have their feet stuck in molasses. Seriously, it's like dial-up slow today. Not Jetson's wireless quick, like we're paying for, and should have in the 21st century. Do I feel entitled to a better internet connection? Yes. In the San Francisco area, where it's tech central, everyone should have free, super-fast wireless internet connections. There are enough waves out there in the air to make it happen.

Valentine's Day Goodness

What better time to think about heart healthiness?

Mending Broken Hearts
As heart disease reaches epidemic proportions worldwide, researchers are moving away from the old "clogged-pipes" model to search for triggers lurking in our genes.

and

How does a seemingly healthy man suddenly drop dead at 44? The Hidden Epidemic: Heart Disease in America examines America’s No. 1 killer. Several ACC members, including President Steve Nissen, M.D., F.A.C.C., Paula Johnson, M.D., F.A.C.C., and Peter Libby, M.D., F.A.C.C., appear in the PBS documentary, produced for National Heart Month. Tune in to PBS at 9 p.m. ET on Feb. 14. (Actually, check your local listings... you know how wacky PBS can be. Oh, and ACC is who I work for.)

It's a Valentine's Day Miracle!

If they had held on to the press release for one more week.

Couple still hugging 5,000 years on
ROME - Call it the eternal embrace.

Archaeologists in Italy have discovered a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, hugging each other.

"It's an extraordinary case," said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.

"There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging — and they really are hugging."

Menotti said she believed the two, almost certainly a man and a woman although that needs to be confirmed, died young because their teeth were mostly intact and not worn down.

"I must say that when we discovered it, we all became very excited. I've been doing this job for 25 years. I've done digs at Pompeii, all the famous sites," she told Reuters.

"But I've never been so moved because this is the discovery of something special."

I *heart* science.

News Break

1) Sometimes The Onion publishes a story that's painfully true.

Area Man Guesses He'll Learn The Difference Between Shiites And Sunnis
PORTLAND, OR—Nearly four years into the war in Iraq, local sales representative Howard Morrison finally conceded that it was probably time to just pick up a newspaper and figure out what distinguishes Sunni Muslims from Shiite Muslims. "At first I really thought this whole thing would work itself out, and there was no need to figure out who was who," said Morrision, adding that it used to be enough to know the difference between Iraq and Iran. "But this is turning out to be pretty complicated and I should at least learn which side are the insurgents. I know one of them's Islamic." Morrison said he would have time for the new subject since giving up trying to learn the difference between trans fats and regular fats last week.

2) Does FOX secretly own every network? They've got all channels covering the big story of how mean American Idol is. But doesn't that actually promote the show? (As if it needs more promotion... Is it true that more people vote for American Idol winners than for president? Are the numbers skewed because of the age groups? And if the American Idol voting system is so reliable, why doesn't it become the system for presidential elections?) Anyway... Does NBC really think they're scaring potential American Idol viewers into watching their programming instead by interviewing people whose feelings were hurt by Simon Cowell? I have a feeling more people will be tuning in to watch the insults fly. (Not me though. I've never been interested in the show and have only watched one complete episode.)

3) Bill Richardson announces his exploratory committee, gets ignored.

4) Does this researcher collect royalties from New Order? Today is, scientifically speaking, Blue Monday. But fear not! Manalo to the rescue!