Monthly Archive for November, 2007

Page 3 of 20

Kentucky Scientists Grow Cancer Resistant Mice

Published on November 28, 2007 in Education, Health and Holy Shit! Lookit This!. 2 Comments

No smart-assery on this post.

In the past two months, two colleagues have died of cancer, another is living on borrowed time. Four more friends have been diagnosed with cancer, and two acquaintances have it.

I know when you reach a certain age: SIXTY! the odds of knowing someone who has a deadly disease increases.

But these folks range in age from 47 to 90+.

You probably know someone who has cancer, don’t you?

Then this announcement today in Science Daily may give you pause.

A mouse resistant to cancer, even highly-aggressive types, has been created by researchers at the University of Kentucky. The breakthrough stems from a discovery by UK College of Medicine professor of radiation medicine Vivek Rangnekar and a team of researchers who found a tumor-suppressor gene called “Par-4″ in the prostate.

Here’s the other thing that will give you pause. There is no “but” in this report. The mice have no defects, grow normally, and have no toxic side effect. The mice actually live a little longer than control animals.

Can it be that we are within a decade of beating Cancer?

How Blogger Forced Me to Make a Phone Call

Published on November 27, 2007 in Blogging and Technology. 9 Comments

  Insert cartoon Bo-oiing SFX here.

Imagine my surprise when I found this today:

This Domain (goinglikesixty.com) Has Been Disabled
For information on restoring your account please call customer service as soon as possible

When/If you call our support help line, please have your site name ready.

So Gloria Hopkins is probably so stressed now she is eating donuts and drinking like a fish and has gained 1/2 pound. I have accomplished my purpose here.

FYI: Summary of Gloria Hopkins post in response to my post - all of which is true:

  • This person is an overweight person (meaning Sixty)
  • I have looked up his IP address, had to dig a bit but I have found the right one and have made my formal complaint to their legal department
  • by copying my portrait and placing it on his site for the sole purpose of making fun of me
  • TO THE COPYRIGHT VIOLATOR “GOINGATSIXTY” I am going forth with legal action. You can believe that. And I *always* accomplish my goals. In fact, I will not stop until I do. I am willing to drop it, however, if you publicly apologize to me at the top of the lie-filled post that you created about me, and if you remove both of my portraits. It’s your call – is trying to make me look bad worth a law suit? Because that is exactly what you will get. On the other hand, what is your wife going to think about you harassing a woman this way? Your call ……

So I removed the pictures, portrait of Gloria Hopkins, called my domain host and they removed the disability! (At least I got your name right! Gloria Hopkins.)

Insert Dum-Dum! SFX from Law and Order.

Honey, What You Need is a Fecal Transplant. Here, Let Me Help.

Published on November 27, 2007 in Health. 2 Comments

What more can I add? Well a lot actually, but hoo-boy there is no place to go with this story but down the sewer downhill.

Here ya go:

It must be one of the most stomach-churning medical treatments ever devised.A grandmother who contracted a potentially fatal superbug in Scotland has been saved after a hospital fed her daughter’s faeces to her. Ethel McEwan, an 83-year-old from Guardbridge, Fife, was near death after contracting Clostridium Difficile, the Daily Record reported.But she was saved after receiving a «faecal transplant» from her daughter, Winnifred.

The treatment involves liquidising a sample of faeces from a close relative of the patient, and feeding the liquid down a tube into the stomach.

The treatment restores the bacteria to levels at which they help the recovery process.

«When you tell people about the treatment, they wrinkle their noses,» Mrs McEwan told the Daily Record.

«But it’s not like they put it on a plate and have you eat it. You don’t ever see or smell a thing.

«People will have a blood transplant or a kidney transplant – what’s the difference with this?»

 Eat shit and don’t die.

Hearing Aid Feedback May Indicate I’ve Reached Infrared Absorbtion Limit

Published on November 26, 2007 in Technology. 6 Comments

There is a side effect to being an old fart in a high tech house. Hearing aid feedback. I’ve never experienced it in any other setting. It’s only the right ear, and the feedback is like a echoing tone.

Heh.

There is so much infrared being emitted from the house, when we get home, we will probably fire up every TV in our house.

That’s not all bad. I’m just sorry it won’t last. Helluva benefit!

Have You Made a 2nd Career Out of Hobby?

Published on November 26, 2007 in Money. 2 Comments


Here’s a note from my good friend at Business Week, looking for more story tips.

We are looking to interview people who’ve left their corporate/professional job and made a career out of what was formerly a hobby.
We’d like people who are really earning a living from these second careers, as opposed to people who walked away from corporate jobs with a bundle of money and can have a hobby/career without worrying about money to live. Keep in mind that people who fit the bill should be willing to offer financial details that are appropriate to the story.
If you or someone you know fits this description, please contact me and my editor Jeff Laderman: jeff_laderman@businessweek.com
Kudos again to everyone who sent us ideas and comments for the Cost of Kids Special Report. The response was overwhelming, and I got enough fodder to fill a book.
You can see the finished product here: http://www.businessweek.com/investor/special_reports/20071112thecostof.htm