Source: Newsweek | Author: Pat Wingert | Date: 14 May 2008

With summer approaching, the Indoor Tanning Association is gearing up for a campaign to advocate sun bathing for health reasons: sunlight is a source of vitamin D, which has been shown to prevent some kinds of cancer. Skin experts resist these claims, showing links between tanning, both indoor and out, to skin cancer and melanoma. High school girls hyper-conscious of their self-image have been spending record amounts of time in the tanning beds, and experts say that even if cancer is avoided, excessive tanning leads to wrinkles and sick, leathery skin. A somewhat interesting piece, if light on substance.

Permalink

Source: ESPN The Magazine | Author: ESPN The Magazine | Date: 14 May 2008

With the NBA and NHL playoffs often containing story lines about injured players, ESPN gives a crash course on how injuries affect play. Interviews with players like San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili reveal what it's like to play with aches and pains, while Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher shows what it's like to fight through mental anguish (his daughter being diagnosed with retinoblastoma). Meanwhile, trainers provide helpful information about what injuries really matter and how to deal with little problems like blood on a jersey. Some of this is pure filler, but there's enough varied information (including a wince-inducing timeline) to please most readers.

Permalink

Source: Fortune | Author: Geoff Colvin | Date: 13 May 2008

Aetna CEO Ron Williams compares the uninsured to bank robbers, who take from the health care system and force everyone else to pay. Insuring the 47 million Americans who presently have no health coverage would lower the cost for all participants, he says. So would connecting the entire system, from physicians to lab tests to prescriptions, into a personal health file for each individual. He talks about industry policies and standards, but is unsurprisingly reticent about privacy issues. It's an interesting interview from the industry perspective, but an exercise in hagiography.

Permalink

Source: The Colbert Report | Author: Stephen Colbert | Date: 13 May 2008

Oz appears to plug his new book, You: The Owner's Manual, but Colbert immediately takes issue with the concept, arguing he refers to the Bible for health tips because that book came from the manufacturer. Oz explains that his book could help explain why our body works the way it does. For example, he asks, "why does your bowel movement look the way that it looks?" Colbert answers: "because God likes cigars." Oz also remarks, "your penis is your dipstick for health," explaining the inability to get an erection is indicative of poor health. Finally, this provocative interview reveals how men can extend their life expectancy by three years by having more sex.

Permalink

Source: Digg | Author: ScienceDaily | Date: 13 May 2008

By turning protein folding into a video game, scientists hope to tap the masses of gamers who might find themselves being considered for a Nobel Prize. Developed by doctoral student Seth Cooper and postdoctoral researcher Adrien Treuille working with two University of Washington professors, the game aims to use the intuitive skills of some humans to save the time that would be spent by a computer trying every protein folding combination. Certain protein combinations have applications in everything from absorbing carbon dioxide from the air to curing HIV. The "protein folding" aspect isn't satisfactorily explained, but the game sounds exciting.

Permalink

Source: The New Yorker | Author: Sue Halpern | Date: 13 May 2008

Soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following service in Iraq are being treated with video games. Psychiatrists use the games as a kind of exposure therapy to re-immerse the soldiers in their traumatic experiences, hopefully allowing the memories to remain without their devastating associations. Although the treatment is still in its infancy, it seems to have great potential, as soldiers are much more willing to participate in a virtual reality program than in "therapy," which shows weakness in a masculine culture. The piece is well-written and interesting throughout, though at times it moves slowly, bogged down by anecdotes.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Michael Kinsley | Date: 13 May 2008

Congress recently passed a bill forbidding employers and insurers from discriminating against individuals based on genetic test results. Kinsley says the law's a good thing, but worries it could go too far. Some, like musically gifted Yo-Yo Ma, simply have better genes than others. To deny that, Kinsley argues, would smack of communism -- a governmentally enforced equality amounting to oppression. But he misses the point; the new law doesn't champion second-rate cellists gunning for Yo-Yo's orchestra seat. Rather, it protects average workers who have, for instance, a greater chance of developing cancer sometime in the future from being denied insurance or a job.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Sue Halpern | Date: 13 May 2008

Scientists are learning more about how the brain works, and it turns out memory loss really is a normal part of aging. It's a function of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that physically forms long-term memories by strengthening the synapses; it shrinks gradually from around age 60, or more rapidly in Alzheimer's cases. To make things worse the prefrontal cortex, which controls planning and organization, shrinks throughout life -- and falling attention levels further limit memory formation. Halpern gives a highly readable explanation that helps explain why drugs and diet can each combat memory loss.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Lisa Sanders | Date: 12 May 2008

Readers will sympathize with the 20-year-old subject of Sanders' medical mystery of the week, who suffers spells of debilitating abdominal pain that always resolve by the time he's X-rayed. His doctors (including his own father, a gastroenterologist) are baffled. Finally, a CT scan and an attack coincide, revealing an intussusception, a telescoping of one part of the small intestine into another. Intussusceptions are often cancer-related, but fortunately this patient suffers from a congenital condition that is easily treatable with surgery. This concise case study is no substitute for a weekly dose of CSI, but it will appeal to readers who enjoy doing their own medical research online.

Permalink

Source: The Washington Post | Author: Amy Goldstein & Dana Priest | Date: 12 May 2008

The immigration custody system was designed to quickly get offenders behind bars and then out of the country, but 33,000 detainees remain scattered around the country in a variety of makeshift facilities (including former World War II POW camps), some staying for months or years. Highlighting a female detainee with cancer, the Post details how this unwieldy and bureaucratic system proves unable -- even unwilling -- to provide adequate medical care. With a wealth of personal testimonies and official documents, Goldstein and Priest uncover a shocking pattern of inadequate care. Their vivid report is even more effective with scanned images of primary source documents, including one heated letter of protest from a prison warden.

Permalink

Source: Salon | Author: Robert Burton | Date: 12 May 2008

A PBS show features Dr. Daniel Amen claiming Alzheimer's disease is preventable -- then shilling DVDs and books on the subject. The problem is that there's little scientific evidence to back this view, and it was Amen who produced the PBS show, with no apparent vetting. Amen's medical expertise is questionable at best, and every media outlet that conveys his unfettered views simply adds to his undeserved credibility. Burton's piece is well-researched and says as much about the media as it does about Amen himself.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Ira Flatow | Date: 12 May 2008

Carnegie-Mellon University's Christopher Weber explains his finding that buying local foods does not reduce carbon footprints nearly as much as reducing the methane and nitrous oxide due to cows and other ruminant animals, their natural gases, and their manure management. Weber recommends continuing to buy locally, but becoming more aware of cutting down on non-energy-related greenhouse gases, finding out how local farmers deal with these gases, and eliminating red meat even one day a week to cut greenhouse gases. Weber's perspective on eating responsibly can be translated easily and immediately into everyday habits.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Ira Flatow | Date: 12 May 2008

The University of California's Holly Ingraham explains how she and her colleagues confirmed that the commonly used weedkiller atrazine disrupts endocrine functions. She discusses the benefits of using zebrafish in their study, how the genes used to control hormone signaling were changed in human placental cells, and her surprise that gene changes occurred even with doses significantly less than those found in drinking water. Although Ingraham makes it clear that she is a molecular biologist rather than an environmental toxicologist, the repercussions of this study for the environment and public health are certainly implied -- and somewhat scary.

Permalink

Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Carl Bialik | Date: 9 May 2008

As part of the debate over increasing deployment of dashboard breathalyzers, polling data has taken a prominent role. However, many critics are skeptical about the accuracy of the self-reported surveys, fearing that respondents are likely to either lie or not realize that they were legally drunk. Bialik explains, though, that the discrepancies aren't entirely the fault of drivers -- as sloppy questions can lead to misleading data; phrases such as "under the influence" and "legally drunk" have different connotations. Bialik pens a short, helpful introduction to the numbers behind the issue.

Permalink

Source: Tavis Smiley | Author: Tavis Smiley | Date: 9 May 2008

Environmental activist Majora Carter has a favorite slogan: "green the ghetto." Born (and currently still living) in New York's South Bronx, she continually fights for environmental justice in the inner city, in an area marred by toxic industries such as power plants and chemical facilities. She is the founder of Sustainable South Bronx, and is responsible for creating riverfront parks and implementing "green collar" job training in the area. In this passionate interview, she shares her inspiring vision of using local workers for ecological restoration, benefiting individuals and the community.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Michael Sokolove | Date: 9 May 2008

Women's sports have enjoyed a renaissance thanks to Title IX's stress on equal opportunities; but an unforeseen consequence is that women's injury rates have been greater than those recorded for young men typically enrolled in football programs. Sokolove's absorbing article focuses on Florida soccer star Janelle Pierson, who has injured her knees yet insists on playing despite pain and risk of further injury and surgery. Moreover, the cause of Pierson's knee injuries, medically described as ACL tears, is puzzling to sports medicine specialists. Pierson's youthful intensity and resolve, plus her concerted effort to gain recognition from college scouts, are representative of a national trend.

Permalink

Source: Gourmet | Author: Christy Harrison | Date: 8 May 2008

Daphne Miller's new book, The Jungle Effect, explores how traditional diets from around the world have extraordinary health benefits that America's fast food monoculture misses out on. In this highly informative interview, Miller, a San Francisco family practice doctor, introduces the book's thesis and provides practical tips on how we can eat more healthfully. She diagnoses America's obesity epidemic as a symptom of a totally dysfunctional food culture and challenges us -- without being a scold -- to rediscover longstanding "culinary traditions" and create from them a healthy food culture within our families.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Gina Kolata | Date: 8 May 2008

Interviews with physiologists and triathletes suggest that training for three disciplines at once takes an inevitable toll on performance in each individual sport. That's shown by a professional triathlete who switched to running only in the hopes of qualifying for the Olympic marathon team. Not only do swimming and cycling require different physiques, the nerve-firing cells work in different ways for each discipline. But doctors maintain that cross-training is still effective for non-competitive general fitness. Kolota brings some good anecdotes, but her piece is lacking in hard statistics.

Permalink

Source: Digg | Author: Alexandra Gedrose | Date: 8 May 2008

The five experiments Gedrose chronicles are, indeed, extremely depressing. They range from the Asch Conformity Experiment, in which a third of subjects agreed with obviously wrong answers if they were given already by three other people, to the infamous Milgram Experiment, in which subjects administered fatal shocks to a (fake) person in another room because "a dude in a lab coat asked them to." The experiments portray humans (well, Americans in the 1950s to 1970s) as conformist, prone to abuse of power, and unwilling to help others in dire need unless it's convenient and absolutely necessary. Worse, Gedrose asks the reader to envision these results when looking at the people around them.

Permalink

Source: Slate | Author: Shannon Brownlee & Jeanne Lenzer | Date: 7 May 2008

Brownlee and Lenzer investigate one recent episode of The Infinite Mind, a public radio show, in which four medical experts claimed that antidepressant dangers have been exaggerated. The dirt? The show's host and his four guests run a "consumer group" (read: industry mouthpiece) funded by drug companies, manage public relations for Lilly, Pfizer, and others, and have received research money aplenty from Big Pharma. Glossing over conflicts of interest is a disturbing trend in reporting, the authors warn, and their thorough investigation of an otherwise innocuous public radio episode provides ample evidence.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Alice Park | Date: 6 May 2008

Despite FDA warnings, raw milk is growing in popularity among health enthusiasts, who are looking to take advantage of bacteria that would otherwise be killed by pasteurization. In the 23 states where the sale of raw milk is illegal, procuring the liquid can look very much like dealing for other illicit substances, meeting a source on a corner at a specified time. Raw milk, the FDA warns, accounts for less than one percent of all milk consumed, but twice as many food-borne illnesses. Park's article is informative, but it's too brief to offer real insight into the rising demand for this black-market milk.

Permalink

Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Melinda Beck | Date: 6 May 2008

Worldwide studies suggest modern sleeping pills can cause memory loss and erratic behavior. It appears that in some patients the pills only affect parts of the brain, leaving people able to move and act without exercising judgment. The effects can range from the bizarre, like eating buttered cigarettes, to the dangerous, such as self-mutilation or attempting to drive. Doctors advise regular sleeping pill users to hide car keys and put an alarm on their bedroom door. Beck's piece doesn't really convey how common such side effects are, but she offers useful advice without scaremongering.

Permalink

Source: The New Yorker | Author: D.T. Max | Date: 6 May 2008

Ultra-creative Chicago chef Grant Achatz faced a particular challenge when diagnosed with cancer of the tongue: chemotherapy and radiation treatment have wrecked his sense of taste, which could take a year to return. Though he's still designing new dishes (including a dessert of strawberries, olive and violet), he's now reliant on junior staff to tell him whether they work. But his experiences have backed theories that much of our "taste" is informed by the other senses. While Achatz is a sympathetic subject, Max's profile is so lengthy that the marriage of food and health writing becomes jarring.

Permalink

Source: Nature | Author: Erika Check Hayden | Date: 6 May 2008

Thanks to California voters and philanthropists, the state now boasts one of the most audacious research programs in the world. While six states passed initiatives to fund work on human embryonic stem-cell lines following President Bush's ban on federal funding for such research in 2001, at $3 billion, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is the heavyweight of the lot. Hayden provides a comprehensive review of the history and promise of California's stem cell research initiative and the institutes it has spawned, as well as recent conflict-of-interest controversies over appropriation of funds.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Mark Oppenheimer | Date: 5 May 2008

Louise Hay's publishing company Hay House has sold millions of books, but since it's at the forefront of the new age movement, it works differently than a normal publishing house. Rabid fans and the changing definition of "new age" means authors have online radio shows and long, drawn-out tours, and they sell just as many playing cards as books. Oppenheimer concludes that the company's namesake (best-selling author of You Can Heal Your Life) is a riveting figure, though his adoration gets tiring. This piece is at its best when he challenges her, such as when he asks how her belief that people are responsible for their fate applies to Holocaust victims.

Permalink

Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: 5 May 2008

The ranks of the uninsured and the self-insured are growing, finds a health care study by the Commonwealth Fund. Reporter Nancy Marshall Genzer finds out one big reason why: Companies, even large ones, are dropping health insurance for their workers. The net result is $45 billion paid by taxpayers for government-funded health care and unpaid hospital bills. Genzer uncovers only vague reasons for the increase, namely a tanking economy and skyrocketing costs. It's an unsatisfying story that would benefit from more details.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times 'Week in Review' | Author: Benedict Carey | Date: 5 May 2008

When Albert Hofmann initially discovered the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, by accidentally ingesting the substance in 1943, he hoped that it could be studied as a therapeutic agent. However, the circulation of the powerful mind-altering drug doomed this dream, as irresponsible abuse of LSD led the US government to outlaw its distribution in 1966. This also led to the near-halt of research into what Hofmann called his "problem child." This January, however, health officials in his native Switzerland approved the first known medical trial of LSD in more than three decades, a fitting final birthday gift for Hofmann, who died last week at 102. Carey writes a quick but adequate history of the drug.

Permalink

Source: Wired | Author: Matthew Power | Date: 4 May 2008

The planet is growing thirstier by the day. As rivers and lakes dwindle, Power reports on three regions that are especially stressed in their effort to stretch each gallon. In London, hardly a desert, massively wasteful Victorian water systems and a string of dry winters have caused the system to be re-evaluated. Phoenix, Ariz. is hedging its bets by cleaning waste water to replenish aquifers; meanwhile, agriculture in southeastern Australia is increasingly difficult because it hasn't rained in two years. Power's sobering words, coupled with Donald Milne's photos, manage to remain optimistic even in the face of ominous evidence of environmental calamity.

Permalink

Source: Harvard Business Review | Author: Jean-Pierre Garnier | Date: 2 May 2008

It's not often that CEOs lay their business plans out for the public, but Jean-Pierre Garnier of GlaxoSmithKlein has done just that here. He is convinced that research & development is Big Pharma's best hope to weather the financial and confidence crises that plague the industry. R&D, he says, can't "perform as a ballet dancer and a football player at the same time," and needs to split its one giant mass trying to execute all tasks at once into smaller, more specialized segments. Simplifying will hopefully encourage more zeal and creativity in a workplace that lacks both. Garnier's writing is engaging, detailed, and passionate.

Permalink

Source: Texas Monthly | Author: Katy Vine | Date: 2 May 2008

Sex education is a prickly subject for families, schools and communities alike -- especially in Texas, which has more teenage births than any state despite spending $1 billion a year on sex ed. Ordinarily, the issue of what kids learn about sex in school (or don't) is a local one, decided by school boards. But in Texas, statewide conservative politics and morality also weigh in heavily, along with the health-textbook buying power of the second-most populous state. Vine provides a fact-filled look at the history of sexual education and the long arm of red-state social politics.

Permalink

Source: Gourmet | Author: Jocelyn Zuckerman | Date: 2 May 2008

This interview with John Powell, the Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, is a fine example of diplomatic bureaucratese. Powell's optimism in the face of riots over soaring food, fuel, and fertilizer prices is as amazing as his confidence in the charitable generosity of first-world counties asked to donate ever more in an era of increasing natural disasters, possibly related to climate change. Still, Powell is aware of problems as he quotes a Nigerian leader's words: "A hungry man is an angry man." The interviewer interjects tough questions, while this UN official provides sound bites.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 1 May 2008

The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) will bar employers and insurance companies from basing hiring and coverage decisions on an individual's genetic information. New York Representative Louise Slaughter, who fought for 13 years to get GINA through Congress, says everyone will benefit because the average person carries between ten and 30 "flawed" genes. A microbiologist by profession, Slaughter predicts GINA will stimulate new developments in genetic medicine as individuals who feared revealing their genetic disorders come forward to participate in research. This segment addresses a topic important to all Americans, and the listener comes away admiring Slaughter's pluck and passion.

Permalink

Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: 1 May 2008

Politicians are proposing a gas tax holiday this summer, saving Americans 18 cents a gallon, and commentator Robert Reich thinks it's an awful idea -- people will simply drive more, which will only drive oil prices even higher, and it will cost taxpayers $10 billion. The real solution, he says, is two-pronged. Strengthen the dollar, which will help stabilize oil prices, and institute a windfall profits tax on oil companies to fund research into alternative energy sources. Though Reich always seems to prefer raising or creating a tax rather than cutting them, in this case his argument is persuasive.

Permalink

Source: Science News | Author: Rachel Ehrenberg | Date: 1 May 2008

Recent research showing the accumulation of mercury in terrestrial birds and insects gives a new meaning to the idea of a poisonous spider. Once thought to be only a problem in aquatic environments, researchers are not entirely sure how the mercury is moving into terrestrial creatures, with the most probable link being microbial action. The mercury levels also bioaccumulate -- or increase in concentration with each step of the food chain -- and therefore are much higher in predatory spiders than other insects, affecting predatory birds further up the food chain. Ehrenberg keeps the story short, getting right to the point.

Permalink

Source: Charlie Rose | Author: Charlie Rose | Date: 1 May 2008

Jan Egeland, former UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, discusses his new book, A Billion Lives, chronicling his vast, varied experiences around the world. He cites poverty as the main cause of global suffering -- richer countries have a responsibility to a billion people surviving on less than $1 a day, and humanitarians can never replace a focused, proactive political approach. As distressing as his tales of worldwide misery are, his accounts of the peace he helped achieve and his optimism about solutions for areas of even the most terrible suffering are hopeful and galvanizing.

Permalink

Source: Science News | Author: Deborah Blum | Date: 1 May 2008

Inspired by the overwhelming number of cases of eating disorders she encountered as a high school counselor, Michigan State University's Kelly Klump has spent the past decade investigating the genetic factors influencing such behavior. Her current research involves studying females from mixed-gender twin pairs; in many respects, these girls act more like men, with masculine left-brain dominance and more aggressive behavior. From this evidence, Klump hypothesized that these girls would also be less prone to eating disorders, and her research confirmed the suggestion. This informative piece delves into the developmental science and explains the effects twin embryos can have on one another, yet is presented in layman's terms.

Permalink

Source: Newsweek | Author: Kevin Cronin | Date: 1 May 2008

REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin details his son's descent into drug addiction, concluding in an arrest for heroin possession. Cronin put aside his parental instincts and refused to bail him out, reasoning that the alternative -- four days in prison going cold turkey -- was the tough love required. Five years on, the son remains drug-free and has launched a recovery program for musicians with drug problems. It's a heartfelt column, though Cronin's level of fame isn't enough to make it stand out above the countless similar columns parents could write.

Permalink

Source: Newsweek | Author: George F. Will | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Judging by this hard-hitting column, Will would make a great debate moderator, as the columnist illustrates that he's willing to ask the tough questions -- such as why insurance companies and drug companies should be expected to "give up their profits," since such action would likely result in "much preventable suffering and death." Will also points out that Obama criticizes John McCain for watching home prices decline, and wonders whether the candidate's disapproval of such a strategy indicates his support for the government propping up prices.

Permalink

Source: Newsweek | Author: Kathleen Deveny | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Deveny decries the atmosphere of anxiety surrounding children and sexuality, lamenting the days when playing doctor was a harmless diversion. She cites several instances of unnecessary hysteria over childhood sexual development, like an incident in which school officials called the police after a 6-year-old smacked a classmate's bottom. "We need to relax a little," Deveny implores, maintaining that sexual curiosity is both natural and necessary for children. "It's their job to figure out how the world works and how they're different from their siblings and friends," she reminds us. A smart, levelheaded take on modern parenting.

Permalink

Source: Salon | Author: Elizabeth Grossman | Date: 30 Apr 2008

This brief piece explores the work of the scientists aboard the CCGS Amundsen, a research vessel scouring the Arctic Circle for ice samples. Despite the lack of industrial sources in the Arctic, the scientists have found disturbingly high levels of mercury in the water and ice, a result of coal-burning power plants in developed nations such as the United States and China. And while the frozen mercury wouldn't have harmful effects on wildlife, global warming is causing even permafrost to melt, releasing the toxin and contaminating the food web. Grossman competently covers yet another important side effect of climate change.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Sanjay Gupta | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Gupta comments on the disturbing decline in physical activity among girls, who have more opportunities to play competitive sports than ever, but are still only half as likely as boys to be physically active. Gupta identifies the phenomenon's causes -- girls' lack of confidence in their athletic abilities, fewer phys-ed programs, society's message that sports aren't a priority for girls -- and stresses the benefits of exercise, which include lower risk for diabetes and osteoporosis and higher self-esteem. He offers parents simple advice such as exposing their daughters to a wide range of physical activities, including non-competitive activities like dance and yoga.

Permalink

Source: Nature | Author: Meredith Wadman | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Wadman speaks with Dora Akunyili, the head of Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, reveals the struggles faced by Nigeria and other African nations on the issue of imported pharmaceuticals. While the short interview doesn't touch on black-market drug trafficking, her thoughts provide some intriguing insight into the legal trade of global pharmaceuticals, as well as a bit of effective managerial philosophy.

Permalink

Source: The Nation | Author: Katha Pollitt | Date: 29 Apr 2008

Pollitt offers a scathing critique of the Catholic Church and its Pope. In the wake of the Texas raid on the outpost of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, she likens the Catholic Church's influence in restricting access to abortions and contraceptives to the extreme male dominance exposed within the FLDS. Pollitt calls the Vatican "a major obstacle to the advancement of women's human rights" and passionately argues that the Catholic Church has simply found a different way to "keep women pregnant and in their place."

Permalink

Source: The Nation | Author: Alexander Cockburn | Date: 29 Apr 2008

The official casualty tallies coming out of Iraq might be misleading. While the real total of recent veterans suffering from psychological trauma may never be really known, the RAND Corporation has completed a study that shows 18.5 percent of returning servicemen suffer from PTSD or depression and 19 percent suffered traumatic brain injury. Combined with physical casualties, the 500-page report that slipped quietly out the media, indicates that for every year of the conflict, over 100,000 servicemen return physically or psychologically scarred. Cockburn's statistics are hard to ignore and help to inform the discussion about a continued US presence in Iraq.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Tara Parker-Pope | Date: 29 Apr 2008

This year saw the largest number of high-school grads ever, and the resulting stampede for college places might be causing physical and even mental health problems. The article cites one student with perfect SAT scores and a polished extracurricular record who was still rejected by both Stanford and Princeton. At a New Jersey high school guidance counselors are intentionally focusing on the potential for success for those who go to second-choice colleges. Meanwhile Stanford has launched a campaign to redefine youth success as being more than just academic achievement. Parker-Pope presents an interesting topic but, given she's a health columnist, there's surprisingly little elaboration on the medical aspects.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Jeffrey D. Sachs | Date: 29 Apr 2008

The cause of the global food crisis is simple: "rising demand has hit a limited supply, with the poor taking the hardest blow." Sachs offers three simple steps that could help alleviate the situation that has already led to political unrest in developing countries. The plan includes providing better access to fertilizer and high-yield seed, abandoning biofuel subsidies that steal from the dinner plate to feed the gas tank, and simple "weatherproofing" of farms to deal with an unpredictable climate. Sachs, always the pragmatist, outlines an urgent plan of action that seems hard to argue with.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 29 Apr 2008

For perspectives on the global food crisis, photographer Tyler Hicks discusses his visit to Haiti and economist Jeffrey Sachs, author of Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet explains how the food crisis developed. Hicks' descriptions of Haitians living among raw sewage and trash, scavenging through refuse for food, gives a horrifying human dimension to the issues. Sachs cites a growing world economy, a stagnant food supply, climate shocks, and ill-advised, politically motivated ethanol policies for creating the food crisis. Sachs pinpoints policy problems -- and who is to blame -- specifically in this particularly informative, and very disheartening, segment.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Nancy Gibbs | Date: 29 Apr 2008

In the spirit of Hogwarts, Gibbs celebrates her father's "Deathday." He died six years ago in a most ideal fashion, in his sleep after spending his final days surrounded by family and his wife of 49 years. In an age of longer life expectancies, people are dying older, slower, and without the support they need. Gibbs' questioning piece describes death as the one part of life we have no control over, leaving many in fear or regret. Her piece raises some good questions, but the format seems out of place.

Permalink

Source: Nature | Author: Allison Abbott | Date: 28 Apr 2008

A law in Switzerland stipulates that no genetic testing can be grant-funded if it offends the dignity of its subjects. The law is relatively clear when it comes to primate research or other animal experimentation, but how do we consider the "dignity" of a corn field? Some suggestions include that the subject not lose its independence -- in other words, being able to reproduce -- but researchers point to hybridization to produce sterile plants and seedless fruit as a long-standing industry standard. An impending legal quagmire may hamper research and drive research out of the European country, Abbott points out in this interesting piece.

Permalink

Source: Nature | Author: Declan Butler | Date: 28 Apr 2008

In order to avoid stigmatizing certain geographical areas, a number of strains of the H5N1 avian flu virus are being renamed. Strains that once bore monikers such as "Fujian-like" or "Qinghai-like" in reference to the area they were first observed in, are now being referred to by less obvious but more logical names that imply the virus's genetics, such as Clade 2.2. Butler, who laments the inaccurate and sometimes nonexistent recording of geographical location for the spread of the disease, writes a curious article about the intersection of political correctness and science.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times 'Week in Review' | Author: Kevin Sack | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Recently released statistics regarding life expectancy -- which provide statistical breakdowns for race, class, gender, and county -- have provided startling evidence to counter the belief that each generation lives longer than the last. By incorporating socioeconomic data, the research shows a startling discrepancy between "two Americas (if not more), measured not only by wealth but also by health" that is constantly widening. However, the piece merely states that the cause is a complex combination of access to health care, lifestyle, and regional issues that need to be studied further, and offers a blanket solution to utilize targeted public health strategies.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Alex Berenson | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Unlike the rest of the United States, patients in Alaska can be treated by dental technicians as well as fully-trained dentists. The scheme's supporters say it's the only way to serve remote communities where dentists don't want to live. Dental therapists go through a two-year training program and are barred from complex procedures such as root canals. With talk of spreading the scheme nationwide, the American Dental Association says it doesn't fear price competition but argues only fully trained dentists can cope with emergencies such as uncontrolled bleeding during treatment. Berenson's article covers the Alaska system well, but doesn't explore how likely it is to be adopted elsewhere.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Bob Morris | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Portrayed as a humorous generation clash, Morris details his struggles to incorporate (or impose) his exercise-based, outdoor lifestyle on his parents who would much prefer "their sanitized suburban bubble." The piece centers around a scene in downtown New York City, where Morris has convinced his aging father to explore the city with him by foot, only to then encounter a broken escalator that looms with Everest-like impossibility. Written with a touch of sarcasm, Morris successfully captures the spirit of parent-child conflict. But the story becomes poignant when he laments this struggle once his parents have passed away.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: Randy Cohen | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Cohen competently fields a question regarding whether it's appropriate to technologically enhance a singing student's voice on a recording being submitted in an application to a college's professional music program -- a deceptive practice he does not condone. Also, a 61-year-old reader about to re-enter the dating scene asks whether he should disclose having contracted gonorrhea when he was 21 to any potential sex partners. Cohen doesn't think so; the sex partners are only entitled to information that could affect their well-being today.

Permalink

Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: 28 Apr 2008

The more things change, the more they stay the same -- including division of household chores. Reporter Lisa Napoli chats with University of Michigan economist Frank Stafford, who studies housework patterns among men and women. Stafford found that when women married, their housework rose by 5.5 hours a week, while men's only went up 2.5 hours. On top of that, half the men's chores include lawn care and home projects, which people tend to enjoy more than doing dishes. It's intriguing, but the interview misses an important question: How much does work outside the home correlate with who does the housework?

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Ira Flatow | Date: 28 Apr 2008

Researcher Vladimir Mironov talks about the issues involved in engineering a "test-tube meat" in light of PETA holding a contest with a $1 million prize for the first to make and sell engineered chicken meat by 2012. Mironov discusses the problems of getting the correct fluid in which to culture the "meat," the decision about which cells to use, and the additional obstacles to creating the taste and texture of the meat rather than just the protein. Mironov's comments are a good primer to the engineered meat issue; Flatow's questions keep the discussion moving beyond the basics.

Permalink

Source: Gourmet | Author: Francis Lam | Date: 25 Apr 2008

With Mad Cow disease back in the news, Lam re-examines his year-long beef boycott in 2003, when the first US case of Mad Cow disease was reported. In retrospect, he finds his decision somewhat silly -- not because of his reasons (the government's unwillingness to test for the disease) but because opting out of eating beef entirely while still eating other factory-produced meats, was all too "convenient." Ideally he would have stuck to responsibly raised meat, but could he really opt out of the ethnic foods and taco truck culture, where this doesn't fit in the budget? Lam leaves his dilemma of allegiances open for the reader to decide, which will either be refreshing or frustrating.

Permalink

Source: Fresh Air | Author: Dave Davies | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Charles Barber, a lecturer in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, says that Americans are vastly overprescribed antidepressants. Barber, who is on Prozac himself for obsessive compulsive disorder, believes that drugs are essential in serious psychiatric illnesses, but credits aggressive marketing by drug companies with the overmedication of people with mild depression. He persuasively explains that cognitive behavioral therapy and other talk therapies are just as effective as drugs, with lower relapse rates. Barber's book, Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Is Medicating a Nation, is a critique of how psychiatric drugs have become a quick fix for ordinary life problems.

Permalink

Source: Newsweek | Author: David Noonan | Date: 24 Apr 2008

Struggling in Silence, a new television documentary airing on public television next month, aims to diagnose the "dark side" of the medical profession. Doctors, who pledge to do no harm to others often suffer in silence from untreated depression, and have the highest suicide rate of any profession. Noonan examines the culprits -- concerns about the privacy of their medical records, easy access to lethal drugs, and knowledge of how to use them. Though mostly a preview of the upcoming film, this article should raise a warning flag for the entire medical community.

Permalink

Source: Slate | Author: William Saletan | Date: 24 Apr 2008

PETA is offering a $1 million prize to any scientist who can bring in vitro, lab-grown chicken meat to market by 2012. And if the idea of test tube chicken nuggets repels you, just think how it feels to some of PETA's die-hard vegetarians. Animal-rights pragmatists within the group tout the benefits -- lab-grown chicken meat would involve no cages, no drugs, and no animal suffering. Saletan, who has championed in vitro meat in previous columns, commends PETA for publicizing the idea, but sidesteps the practical questions of how anyone could get such a product approved by the FDA, much less in stores, in just four years.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Barnaby J. Feder | Date: 24 Apr 2008

You know the economy is suffering when there's a downturn in the demand for ... Lasik eye surgeries? Feder delivers an interesting twist on the ubiquitous recession story by looking at the decline in the number of these vision-correcting procedures. Lasik surgeries are normally not covered by insurance, and customers are being more careful about discretionary spending, a trend that is also affecting demand for Botox injections and breast implants. Although research studies have shown a satisfaction rate of 95 percent, complaints are increasing, and the FDA plans to conduct a large study to track Lasik patients and their outcomes.

Permalink

Source: Newsweek | Author: Anna Quindlen | Date: 24 Apr 2008

Quindlen is not the first to find John McCain the presidential hopeful to be a different man than John McCain the senator and political maverick. However, she helpfully delineates major issues -- abortion, the Confederate flag, the Bush tax cuts, immigration, gun control -- on which McCain has flip-flopped. She finds his inability to take a stand on a "revamped GI Bill" troubling, a sign that the candidate is trying "to be all things to all people by being nothing at all." Political waffling may be old news, but this well-reasoned piece adds value to current discourse.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Stephanie Strom | Date: 24 Apr 2008

While banning smoking at charity bingo games might improve players' health, it has spurred a notable decline in attendance at such events. In this interesting piece, Strom speaks with bingo organizers in Minnesota, which in October adopted a statewide ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, and has seen charity gambling drop nearly 13 percent in the final months of 2007. California, New Jersey, New York, and Washington have initiated similar bans, and also experienced faltering finances, though supporters of the action argue business will pick back up after six months. Strom compiles a detailed report on this surprising trend.

Permalink

Source: Mother Jones | Author: Justine Sharrock | Date: 24 Apr 2008

The lack of consensus about how to inform the public about an emergency treatment for recent HIV exposure might be putting the health of many people unnecessarily at risk. About 40,000 in the US are infected with the virus annually. One way of dealing with the disease is PEP, the post-exposure prophylaxis treatment, which is FDA approved and widely available, but it's unpublicized for reasons which probably include fear of encouraging risky behavior if not outright homophobia. Sharrock's brief report on the issue is enlightening and instructive.

Permalink

Source: Mother Jones | Author: Britt Robson | Date: 24 Apr 2008

General Motors and Lockheed Martin may have big plans to produce electric vehicles, but electric storage technology enthusiast Lee Hart isn’t holding his breath. Hart, whose basement is a humming labyrinth of batteries, has built up a small fleet of cars retrofit to run on plug-in electricity. The technology of batteries has failed to keep pace with advances in computing or transportation, and represents the largest hurdle to producing a fully practical electric car. Robson discusses a range of battery innovations, and their often spurious claims of innovation, and provides an article that is more interested in the curious Hart than the electric car.

Permalink

Source: Discover | Author: Stewart Massad | Date: 24 Apr 2008

At 49, Kathy Harris found herself in sudden and crippling pain. The cause was ovarian torsion -- essentially the ovary had twisted out of position around its stalk, cutting off circulation to the organ, but due to misdiagnosis, the condition was allowed to persist until she developed a lump on her hip the size of a cantaloupe. Eventually the decayed ovary had to be removed surgically. Massad delivers this personal narrative and explains the condition as well as its testicular equivalent in language that is nauseatingly vivid.

Permalink

Source: Mother Jones | Author: Jennifer Kahn | Date: 24 Apr 2008

When the demand for electricity spikes in the hottest days of summer, utilities fire up "peaking units" -- small, inefficient supplementary power plants that can cost around three times as much per megawatt than their everyday cousins. To streamline electrical efficiency, Kahn argues for a Smart Grid, in which digitally equipped appliances and thermostats could communicate with the grid to alter usage and demand. While recognizing that the idea might not be attractive to an individualist society, Kahn smartly recommends a push in research and development for an ingenious efficiency solution.

Permalink

Source: Frontline | Author: Frontline | Date: 24 Apr 2008

Apropos of Earth Day, Frontline rebroadcasts this documentary about the failure of three presidencies to enact binding and significant environmental policy. Hampered by industry opposition, administrations from either side of the aisle have seen, and sometimes forced, international agreements to die before they can be realized. In a system best summed up by Newt Gingrich -- "The left insists on pain, and the right insists on avoidance" -- stagnation is ensured. The filmmakers remain hopeful, pointing to plans to meet energy growth in Texas revised to include renewable sources, and industry, starting to smell a profit, taking an interest in green technology.

Permalink

Source: Time | Author: Alice Park | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Natural birth is giving way to high-tech efficiency, as more and more mothers choose voluntary caesarean sections over vaginal delivery. Now 31 percent of US births are by C-section, and in other countries, it's as high as 80 percent. But it's more than a matter of preference; the operation is much safer than it used to be, thanks to better antibiotics and anesthesia. Vaginal delivery is also more likely to cause pelvic damage and incontinence, leaving obstetricians susceptible to lawsuits. Finally, today's mothers are likely to be older and more overweight, compounding risk factors. Park eloquently explains the pros and cons of both methods.

Permalink

Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: James C. Capretta & Peter Wehner | Date: 23 Apr 2008

The Medicare Prescription Benefit Plan might end up being President Bush's most lasting legacy, placing further privatization of Medicare and Medicaid within reach, the authors unconvincingly argue. The program has seen overwhelming criticism, with opponents noting an unnecessary $10 billion in increased costs and a $49 billion price-tag this year. But Capretta and Wehner defend, even laud, the privatized system, which boasts an 85 percent recipient approval and has cut predicted costs by 40 percent -- considering it a significant policy victory for free market reformers.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Julia Moskin | Date: 23 Apr 2008

It's straight out of a Seinfeld plot: Frozen yogurt chain Pinkberry, who touts their product as "healthy, nonfat and all-natural," is accused of deceptive marketing in a class-action lawsuit. Several of the treat's 23 ingredients were created in a laboratory, not nature, such as maltodextrin and lactoglycerides, according to one food scientist. Such additives are used to give the yogurt a creamy, tangy consistency it wouldn't otherwise have. While the science is kept simple and well-explained, Moskin's detour into the probiotic controversy adds little to the piece.

Permalink

Source: New York | Author: Adam Sternbergh | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Sternbergh has some bad news about the way we walk: We're doing it all wrong. It's not our fault, he claims -- it's our shoes that are the problem. Features like arch support and padding cause even the most comfortable shoes to prevent us from rolling our feet flexibly the way nature designed. To make things worse, sports medicine experts are beginning to find that athletes and arthritis sufferers do more damage to their joints with heavily padded footwear. And while some may scoff at Sternbergh's exploration of kinesiology and shoe alternatives, the accompanying series of incredible trompe l'oeil "shoes" painted directly onto models' feet are worth seeing.

Permalink

Source: Los Angeles Times | Author: Bruce Wallace | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Wallace paints a picture of the deprivation and desperation in Manila's slums as rice prices have exploded from 65 cents to 90 cents per kilogram. The UN World Food Program warns of a "silent famine" in Asia's poorest populations, and the Philippines government is scouring global markets to secure enough rice for domestic needs -- 2.1 million tons of new orders by July. With the cultural and financial implications of a rice shortage shadowing government efforts to change citizen's diets, unrest and riots are not unthinkable, nor far off.

Permalink

Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Millionaires like New York's Jack Davis don't like a law that allows candidates running against the super-wealthy to raise more campaign money. He lost two congressional campaigns, and now he's taken the so-called "millionaires amendment" to the Supreme Court. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports, interviewing all sides of the case -- from Davis' lawyer who claims the law merely enshrines incumbents in office, to Loyola law professor Rick Hasen, who retorts that "the Senate itself is a millionaires club." Genzer refrains from criticizing Davis herself; the facts and quick quotes do it themselves.

Permalink

Source: This American Life | Author: Ira Glass | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Glass explores apologies that aren't heartfelt in this episode inspired by political non-apologies. He explores the snide apology of William Carlos Williams' poem This is Just to Say, and features Sam Shaw's report on the terrible mistakes of Bob Nelson, president of the Cryonics Society of California in the 1960s. Despite promises to hold off on actually freezing bodies, Nelson began doing it before preparations are made, leading to several deaths. This story becomes more shocking with each twist, right up until its disturbing ending.

Permalink

Source: National Review | Author: Kevin D. Williamson | Date: 23 Apr 2008

Texans took a drastic approach to solve a serious problem. The state saw a severe shortage of doctors due to the high cost of malpractice insurance; it passed Proposition 12, which ruled that lawsuits against a doctor must be approved by another doctor. With medical malpractice suits effectively down to zero, doctors flooded into the state -- something residents are now benefiting from. Written from a conservative viewpoint, Williamson celebrates the law, but readers will wonder if they're getting the full story.

Permalink

Source: Slate | Author: William Saletan | Date: 23 Apr 2008

"The people who brought you the Internet are about to bring you replacement fingers," Saletan notes. Always on the forefront of technology, the military has announced the new Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, which has a five-year budget of $250 million to work on stem cell research to regrow tissues, bones ... even limbs. Unfortunately, Saletan tends to wander between topics, abruptly shifting from the necessity of easing the public into grasping such "freaky" concepts, to how the research might help Iraq War amputees -- but it's an engrossing topic nonetheless.

Permalink

Source: The Washington Post | Author: David Brown | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Women in almost 1,000 counties, mainly in the Deep South and lower Midwest, now have a lower life expectancy than in the early 1980s. It's likely due to the effects of smoking (which became widespread among women more recently than with men), as lung cancer and emphysema are on the rise. Increased deaths from diabetes could mean the obesity epidemic also plays a role, which could foreshadow a nationwide drop in life expectancy. Rises in life expectancy have been slower in the past 20 years, but there hasn't been a significant drop since the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. Brown's article has plenty of useful data, but all the statistics overwhelm the analysis.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Carl Zimmer | Date: 22 Apr 2008

To those who would dismiss human nature and individual quirks as the inalterable byproduct of genetic determinism, Zimmer has a simple counterargument. In truth, almost nothing is simpler than E. coli, that carefully studied denizen of the human gut which is grown in genetics labs around the country as colonies of billions of genetically identical bacteria. And yet E. coli in these mobs of clonal cousins don't act the same at all; under identical conditions, individual bacteria will behave in surprisingly disparate ways. While Zimmer's laboratory anecdotes are interesting, his larger argument feels somewhat superficial.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: John Tierney | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Magician and escape artist David Blaine's next feat will be holding his breath longer than any human on record -- a little more tha 16 minutes. The natural impulse for most people to stop holding their breath is not due to lack of oxygen but because of the painful buildup of carbon dioxide. Blaine's training to overcome this includes exercises every morning in which he breathes for only 12 minutes per hour, and he sleeps in a "hypoxic tent" in his Manhattan apartment that simulates the atmosphere 15,000 feet above sea level. Blaine seems poised to break the record, but whether people are still interested in Blaine's stunts isn't mentioned here.

Permalink

Source: Slate | Author: Meghan O'Rourke | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Bottled water sales have boomed worldwide to $100 billion, thanks to its cachet -- purity, convenience, status. However, every boom has a backlash, and this one's a doozy: The PET plastic used in the bottles can leach poison; vast quantities of oil are used both in manufacturing and transporting water bottles to your store; and fewer than 15 percent of the bottles get recycled, meaning mountains of clear plastic bottles in the landfill. O'Rourke delves into these issues and more, and offers a plethora of statistics in this well-written, absorbing piece.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 22 Apr 2008

After Monday's 112th running of the Boston Marathon, John Powers of the Boston Globe weighs in on the winners, several historic milestones they set, and finishers' chances at getting a spot in Beijing. Gabriel Sherman discusses his Slate article, Running with Slowpokes, which argues that the democratization of marathon running has turned it into an event rather than a competition, diluting it for serious runners. John Bingham, author of Running for Mortals, acknowledges the appeal of running as a lifestyle change, not just a competition. Callers are particularly critical of the exclusive, elitist attitude that characterizes Sherman's message, adding to a comprehensive debate.

Permalink

Source: BusinessWeek | Author: Catherine Arnst | Date: 22 Apr 2008

The provocative headline belies the rationality expressed both by Arnst and everyone she quotes in this brief article, which starts off with a bang by citing studies that show female doctors work fewer hours than their male counterparts, but soon unleashes an avalanche of comments, studies, and statistics that hint at the deeper story beneath the accusation. A worthwhile read for what both male and female doctors have to say about their expected hours, preferred practice groups, and recommended societal changes, but readers expecting a polemic will be disappointed.

Permalink

Source: BusinessWeek | Author: Michelle Conlin | Date: 22 Apr 2008

When employees suddenly find their vending machines stocked with dried fruit and the cafeteria serving veggie burgers, who's to thank -- or blame? At companies from Google to Yamaha to Microsoft, human resources chiefs are taking the reins at improving employees' diets, putting healthy snack food in office kitchens and offering catered lunches of salads and healthy sandwiches. While no change was made without initial resistance, every company cited seems to be happy with its new lifestyle. And why not -- at the end of this eminently readable article, Conlin cites sobering statistics that show just how much unhealthy employees can cost their companies.

Permalink

Source: Gourmet | Author: Barry Estabrook | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Estabrook pens an informative four-part piece about goings-on in the political world of food. First, he notes that mad cow disease might have made its first appearance in America and points to the Virginia Department of Health's current investigation into whether a 22-year-old woman died from a related infection. Next, he warns of the massive tax bill resulting from a related beef recall. Third, Estabrook reports that pesky weeds are developing in southern agricultural states that are resistant to powerful herbicides. Finally, he reveals his excitement about a new cruise that educates passengers on "the ethos of fresh, local, and sustainable."

Permalink

Source: Fresh Air | Author: Terry Gross | Date: 22 Apr 2008

Tim Fitzgerald of the Environmental Defense Fund explains how to make ethical decisions about seafood, and how to use the Seafood Selector To-Go, a pocket-guide with information about health risks and environmental issues. He discusses the danger to certain fish due to overfishing, how fish ends up on the "best choices" list, how management structures protect sea life, and how global economies and financial incentives have a major impact on fish populations. Any listener who eats seafood, even tuna, will be disturbed at certain methods this discussion reveals about seafood mishandling.

Permalink

Source: The Onion | Author: The Onion | Date: 22 Apr 2008

The Onion reports in this comic bit that 1 in 1,000 grandfathers and nearly 4 in 1,000 grandmothers are mistakenly switched during hospital visits, resulting in substantial trauma to their unsuspecting families. Hospital officials defend their mishaps by pointing out similar-looking liver spots and double-bypass scars among the patients, while family members bemoan the pain, suffering, and sense of loss experienced at learning the true identity of the man they called "grandfather" for several months. With input like "You know how they can be at that age," The Onion draws a tight parallel between infants and the elderly.

Permalink

Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Steven Mufson | Date: 21 Apr 2008

With Earth Day this week, political questions about the environment will be in the air -- especially concerning legislation that puts a price on greenhouse gases steep enough to curb emissions, but not so steep that it ruins the economy. The leading plan, sponsored by Sens. John Warner and Joe Lieberman, is described as a "cap-and-trade" system -- caps are set to allow companies certain amounts of emissions, but more efficient companies can sell (trade) their extra emissions to less efficient companies. Mufson effectively highlights the pros and cons of new legislation, including multiple perspectives and hard numbers.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Jeremy W. Peters | Date: 21 Apr 2008

It rarely shows in public, but New York's governor David Paterson faces numerous challenges by being legally blind. With no teleprompter, he must learn speeches by heart or ad-lib them, while it can take more than three hours a night to get through memos, which must be spoken onto tape rather than written. He copes by listening to chipmunk-like sped-up recordings, while bodyguards double as physical guides. Peters' article is packed with valuable examples of how blindness affects both Paterson as governor, and the visually impaired in general.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 21 Apr 2008

Rebecca Thomas discusses her essay, Life as a Tall Girl, about being 6 feet 3 inches in high school, and novelist Jane Smiley (who is 6 feet 2 inches) talks about her own experience growing up tall. The women agree on the problems of feeling comfortable with a boyfriend, finding clothes that fit, and getting asked, ad nauseum, whether they play basketball. Still, both say that society has changed to accommodate tall females, and they offer particularly interesting discussion about feminism's impact on the perception of tall women.

Permalink

Source: Marie Claire | Author: Karen Springen | Date: 21 Apr 2008

"The pill" isn't just birth control; it also acts as a "lifestyle drug," treating symptoms such as PMS, bloating, acne, heavy bleeding, and cramping. With choices ranging from pills that give you only one period a year, once a quarter, or once a month, to pills simply shortening your period, women are able to find a contraceptive that suits their body and lifestyle. This informative health guide offers key facts including potential downsides of the different pills available -- helpful to any woman assessing her contraceptive options.

Permalink

Source: The New York Times | Author: Andrew Pollack | Date: 21 Apr 2008

There's still plenty of opposition to genetically modified foods, Pollack reports, but several factors, ranging from higher prices to riots in places like Haiti, are softening that stance. Exporters no longer shun engineered crops, while importers seek less regulation -- even in Europe, where many call the stuff "Frankenfood." Still, some claim that biotech proponents are exploiting the food crisis for their own gain. Pollack's article provides a sense of the context in which this trend is taking place, as well as a nice balance of the differing views on biotech foods.

Permalink

Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Anna Wilde Mathews | Date: 21 Apr 2008

In an attempt to emphasize concerns over the "unsustainable" growth rates of Medicare and Medicaid, Congressional Budget Office director Peter Orszag has made analyzing health care bills his primary focus. With the Medicare hospital trust fund expected to run out by 2019, cost is a primary concern, and Orszag's analysis, a report on "comparative-effectiveness research," will help policymakers create more intelligent, effective legislation. Mathews picks an important topic, but Orszag doesn't make for a robust profile.

Permalink

Source: Marie Claire | Author: Sarah Elizabeth Richards | Date: 21 Apr 2008

With her biological clock ticking, Richards shelled out the $13,000 to freeze her eggs, which lifted pressure off her mind and relationship. The 30-something New Yorker explains matter-of-factly the cumbersome process of freezing good eggs, the risk of in-vitro fertilization working after the eggs are thawed, and the relief that comes with reduced anxiety and rumination. Although she comes across as self-indulgent, the piece offers an interesting, detailed perspective on an important life choice for women.

Permalink

Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Sandra Tsing Loh | Date: 21 Apr 2008

California, often beset by relentless sunshine, seems like the perfect place for solar energy to take root, but adoption of the technology remains low. Loh recounts her troubles trying to persuade her friends to "go solar," who were quick to cite the large initial outlay involved. Loh's elitist tone and tendency toward self-aggrandizement (she compares herself to Don Quixote fighting windmills) is off putting -- and unlikely to find many solar converts.

Permalink

Source: Talk of the Nation | Author: Neal Conan | Date: 21 Apr 2008

In the year since the Virginia Tech shootings, colleges have re-evaluated strategies of dealing with students' mental health. Tristan Davies, a writing teacher at Johns Hopkins University, discusses how he approaches students when possible warning signs of depression, suicide, or violent tendencies arise in their work. Cornell's Gregory Eells explains how his school involves everyone from professors to janitors in a comprehensive approach that stresses caring (rather than monitoring) while attempting to achieve non-punitive, coordinated care -- without overreacting. While Eells outlines an impressively dedicated system, he maintains -- and callers' stories reaffirm -- that no strategy is perfect.

Permalink

Source: Sunday Morning | Author: Jerry Bowen | Date: 21 Apr 2008

Low water levels along the banks of the Colorado are indicative of serious trouble ahead for the Southwest, says Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Experts agree that places like Las Vegas will have to consume 90 percent less water just to keep reservoirs high enough to keep power flowing out of Hoover Dam. Agriculture is the other main drain on the reservoirs, and groups like the avocado farmers in this report are suffering under forced restrictions. There are enough disturbing statistics in this report to argue, as Kennedy does, that the struggle over water will soon be a defining issue for this generation.

Permalink

Source: National Geographic | Author: Brook Larmer | Date: 21 Apr 2008

In the last 40 years the volume of China's Yellow River has fallen by 90 percent, and what embarrassing trickle makes it to the sea is so horribly polluted that livestock die within hours of drinking from it. Fueled by the desire to maintain China's economic boom, cities and factories are springing up along the river, using vast quantities of water then dumping human and industrial waste, leaving 50 percent of the river "biologically dead." Larmer writes an alarming catalog of the habitat's villains and victims, as well as the beginning of Chinese grassroots environmental movements.

Permalink

Source: Tavis Smiley | Author: Tavis Smiley | Date: 21 Apr 2008

Jessica Queller, the author of Pretty Is What Changes, explains why she chose to have a double mastectomy at the age of 35. A year after she lost her mother to cancer Queller tested positive for the BRCA genetic mutation, which meant that she had an 87 percent chance of developing breast cancer. Rather than suffer the way her mother did, Queller chose to remove the risk. Her pre-op worries about being comfortable in her body faded after plastic surgery stepped in. Smiley sensibly maintains a soft line of questioning, letting Queller's story shine to anyone who hasn't heard it yet.

Permalink

Source: Discover | Author: Erika Check Hayden | Date: 18 Apr 2008

With more than 16,000 species listed as threatened by the World Conservation Union, projects to preserve habitat abound. But the traditional way of determining what habitats and species to protect by looking for the most severe threats to th