May 18th, 2007
In Case You Missed it Weekend.
All this busy-ness, plus a friend who crashed here overnight and who yelled “get off the blog” every time I went near the computer, has led me to a mere “in case you missed it weekend”.
In Case You missed it: there is a study - claiming no conflict of interest, published in the New England Journal of Medicine which basically says the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer also sharply increases the risk of certain types of throat cancer among people infected through oral sex.
Case–Control Study of Human Papillomavirus and Oropharyngeal Cancer
The public health implications of our findings are underscored by the annual increases in the incidence of tonsillar and base-of-tongue cancers in the United States since 1973.36,37 The widespread oral sexual practices among adolescents may be a contributing factor in this increase.38 Our results and those of other studies provide a rationale for HPV vaccination in both boys and girls — since oropharyngeal cancers occur in men and women.
WAPO interpretation -Virus Spread by Oral Sex Is Linked to Throat Cancer
“When researchers looked at sexual history alone, the number of partners emerged as a risk factor for developing the cancer. Those subjects who had had one to five oral-sex partners were 3.8 times as likely as those with fewer oral-sex partners to have it, whereas those who had more than six oral-sex partners were 8.6 times as likely. It made no difference whether the partners were male or female.”
Limited study to be sure but like I’ve always said….
My mouth is my temple.
The fact that it also remains unclear as to if kissing who had HPV poses a risk….is worrisome. but then again I hate to take a limited study like this and see the whole conservative nation heave a collective ecstatic sigh of I told you so.
The risk remains relatively low according to the researchers, but in addition to grabbing up the Gardisal it looks like you guys are going to have to start talking to your children again about the implications of where they put or what they put in their mouths.
Some people may call this a scare tactic, I call it prudence. Knowledge in this case is power.
In Case You Missed It: Two Views on China via Foreign Policy
What’s Your China Fantasy - James Mann takes on David Lampoon
In Case You Missed it: Where they live longer
One thing for sure, the men who live the longest do not live in the same place as the women who live the longest.
There ya go.
In Case You Missed It: Mizzy B is back with some so long Barcelona Video, Jason’s getting his balls back in shape and Inde is back from his mini sabbatical.
Ev is not afraid of you all so I hope to see more of her, she has some fab blogs.
Pia, is going on vacation soon and now that she told us where she is going we can stalk sneak up on her and maybe have a couple gin and tonics while chatting up the good and the bad of NYC.
This post put a nasty taste in my mouth.
Someone had to say it.
It makes perfect sense, and it will cause the abstinence only crowd to pee their pants because no one will look at it reasonably.
Looks like you should have stayed in Australia. The men are hearty there.
So the friend wished for you to have contact with flesh and blood instead of machine life? What a concept …
No, not that kind of contact. At least, I presume not …
;)
Nah, kissing just causes foolishness.
New York is good. I’m not :)
Thanks for the life expectancy stats. I could never remember San Marino’s name. Just the other country in Italy. One road leads to it and goes back. Maybe the women die of boredom, and the men are too mindless to notice they live in a country where absolutely nothing ever happens.
It does pays to take care of your mouth.
They need to come up with some kind of HPV killer mouthwash.
Think of the fortune.
dane: Lucky for me I can’t even imagine it.
oc: That’s what I thought. I’m glad to be rid of said friend, sadly the friend will return for a few days and again I will be harassed and made fun of for my addiction to the blog. It’s ok though as he is one of the few people I know who loves to hike - sometimes you just have to compromise.
Doug: I thought so.
pia: Yes everyone should know their life expectancy.
john: Get to work on it then, and please let me be the first to purchase stock.
HPV is quite common, actually. At least they’re studying it.
And thanks for thinking about my balls :P
Have a great weekend!
Jason: Yes it is quite common but it is an STD.
You’re welcome, probably the first balls I’ve thought of all week.
cough
Wasn’t shocked to see an African country at the bottom of the life expectancy chart. I thought it was an interesting line in Blood Diamond that whenever a natural resource was found/discovered and eventually exploited in Africa, the population was sure to be besieged. In a place where there is no middle class to speak of, killing for the opportunity to be one of the wealthy is a worthwihile gamble. From what i’ve read, and believe, corruptions if the crux of problems in Africa. It is difficult to give aid to a country when the “haves” steal the food and money meant for the ‘have-nots.’
My National Security Studies instructor-self pronounced extreme liberal, said at the time, he thought the US was way out of line getting involved in Somalia, but now thinks the US didn’t do enough. He feels the US needed to completely break the country before rebuilding it-but the US doesn’t have the political will to do that-my .02
I think Somalia is an interesting story to follow. The only way peace will come to Somalia is once they have oppressive leadership that will brutally put down any rebellion. The Islamists almost had this in Somalia before Ethiopia stepped in with US support.
How would you rather live? Under an oppressive Taliban like regime, or in a constant war zone? It is kind of like saying, ‘Would you rather be killed by a Tiger attack, or a Lion attack?”
I think Somalia is important, because I don’t see an answer for it outside of an oppressive Islamic dictatorship because the US isn’t willing to take the necessary steps-the American public would never support it.
sauerkraut: hush you
Danny: Africa I expect but one might expect to see the US a little further up on the totem poll.
The American Public is extremely ignorant about what goes on in other countries, face it they are extremely ignorant abut their own government most of the time.
I’m not sure this is a bad thing I am coming to the conclusion that when dealing with government and politics history dictates ” the people” have very little control and usually do not have the will to gain that control so we might as well just live our lives and do what makes us happy. If that involves trying to make the world lessharsh for other so be it, if not..whatever. This changes from hour to hour.
Actually, Cooper, as you must know, I think the American people have great control over our government. The problem is, most Americans exercise that power by voting for American Idol. The politicians see that, and behave accordingly.
A long while ago, too long ago for me to track down the source, I heard/read the opinion that the American governmental system is actually an elective dictatorship. We the People prefer to have the Guvmint tell us what to do, so long as we think we have the privilege to “throw the rascals out” at election time, if they offend too severely - for example, by screaming on the campaign trail.
The problem with “just living our lives” is that it emphasizes the individual - and an emphasis on the individual provides neither the training nor the practice that is needed to ensure an effective community response to a challenge or emergency.
One of the prime reasons that I cannot forget about Abu Ghraib is, that episode (see also Gitmo, black helicopters, etc.) signals for me a lack of training in, and practice of, the ethic that, whatever the provocation, torturing the enemy is wrong. The loss of that ethic transforms America from a metaphor of a better life to just another corporate bully. Something that a better life metaphor can be targeted against.
Hitler made damned sure that average German citizens could “just live their lives” while he went about the conquest of Europe. And the average German citizen, awash in stolen goods, happily went shopping. Until the bombs started dropping …
OC: yes all you say is true.
I was looking at it philosophically. Sometimes I have to stop thinking about it all because it is overwhelming - these things which disturb me.
You see the fact is people have to make a decision, and while we while away the hours engrossed in ourselves the world and it’s leaders continue on this political power trip of destruction/corruption.
What it would take to change this is really a massive shift, the falling of millions of American people into misery, I don’t think we are quite there yet.
Don’t let them scare you. I think most studies bear a second look, or a third.
Viruses are viruses so yea, it pays to be careful.
I am coming to the conclusion that when dealing with government and politics history dictates ” the people” have very little control and usually do not have the will to gain that control so we might as well just live our lives and do what makes us happy.
I’ve done this for years at a time. My dad is so frustrated with politicians-hard core conservative-as I am. But he listens to Rush and those types-I’m too cynical to listen to Rush. I believe that the best thing that every happened to Limbaugh was when Clinton got elected. I believe that the radicals of both sides are there to make $ off of our frustration and they don’t give a flying leap about what they are really talking about.
Thanks for mentioning that I’m back. If it appears here, it’s definitely official. (anyhow, I’ll try my best not to leave everyone hanging again.)
Thanks for mentioning me. I hope when you said had it was a typo…I haven’t died yet. And unless you know about a contract killing, I plan on being around for a while. But then again, you might have some insight with the big guy upstairs….and in that case, I should start planning my funeral.
By the way……everybody likes to add letters to my name…I do not know why. But they do. Its honest to God is 2 letters. Its on my drivers license and my passport. Ev
I love this blog……..its the greatest. But I just got back from a wedding and found out I was the black sheep. Not a surprise. Just validation I needed. So now I have to recover from validation and foot in the mouth disease. Its so much fun to be me!