10 Breast Cancer Myths Debunked
If you believe any of them, you've been duped — or worse.
By Marisa Weiss, MD, with Barbara Loecher, Prevention

Could that sexy underwire bra cause breast cancer? What about that frozen yogurt you just ordered? Or hormone therapy? And how would you know if you had the disease until it was too late anyway? Don't some studies show that examining your breasts and getting mammograms are useless?

Amid all the rumors and controversies surrounding breast cancer these days what causes it, how to diagnose and treat it it's hard to know what to think. Or do. One thing we can tell you is that being able to separate fact from fiction could make the difference between life and death.

Hey, Doctor Weiss, what about the one where having an abortion can increase the risk for breast cancer? I was just thinking, you seemed to have left that one out--it happens to be one of the most pervasively false breast cancer myths out there. It is covered on your organization's site...and breasts are a big topic here on my site. E-mail me and let me know.

Labels: Daughters, Politics, Religion

Posted by Ahenobarbus at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

Call for Miss France to quit over photos
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
Monday December 24, 2007
Guardian

The fiercely competitive world of French beauty pageants is not known for sparking philosophical debate between Catholic bishops and politicians, let alone a threatened uprising on an exotic ocean island. But the pre-Christmas contest for Miss France 2008 has caused a row over blasphemy, race and ancient colonial prejudice after it emerged that the winner once posed in a bikini as Jesus on a crucifix.

Miss World's swimsuits and high-heels may be seen as passé in Britain, but across the channel the Miss France competition is a festive institution attracting about 10 million viewers in a three-hour prime time TV show.

This month a panel of sporting and showbiz celebrities, aided by a public vote, gave the crown to Valérie Bègue, 22, a mixed race business student from the Indian Ocean island, Réunion. She returned to a hero's welcome by the 800,000 inhabitants of the island off Madagascar, which, like Guadeloupe and Martinique, is considered as much part of France as the Côte d'Azur. The first Réunion islander to be voted Miss France since 1978, Begue spoke of "diversity and tolerance" and celebrated the anniversary of the end of slavery.

But the mood soured when photographs taken three years ago were sold to a French magazine last week showing Bègue posing as Christ on a crucifix in a pink bikini. Other pictures showed her eating yogurt in a suggestive manner.

...In your jesus christ pose.

Labels: Jesus, Religion, Valérie Bègue

Posted by Ahenobarbus at 6:41 AM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: Hieronymus Bosch, Magical Thinking, Religion

Posted by Ahenobarbus at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments

Galileo Ordered to Recant Scientific Views (1633)

When he was almost 70 years old, Galileo was summoned to Rome, tried by the Inquisition, and forced to "abjure, curse, and detest" his work that stated that the sun was the center of the universe. He complied, but was nonetheless convicted on "grave suspicion of heresy" and sentenced to life imprisonment.

-Thanks Christ's followers, that guy was a nut! Just look at his eyes.

Labels: Galileo Galilei, Religion

Posted by Ahenobarbus at 5:42 AM | Permalink | Comments