The Democratic Nominee

Yeah, I know that Obama's acceptance speech is now considered old news, especially since McCain swept in the next day announcing that he picked a female running mate that has only governed a small state for two years and has no foreign policy interest or experience, but I still want to post the transcript of Obama's speech and my favorite part:

You know, this country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit, that American promise, that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night and a promise that you make to yours, a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west, a promise that led workers to picket lines and women to reach for the ballot.

Exactly.

From Jezebel.com:

Kid Rock on political endorsements: "I truly believe that people like myself, who are in a position of entertainers in the limelight, should keep their mouth shut on politics…Because at the end of the day, I'm good at writing songs and singing. What I'm not educated in is the field of political science. And so for me to be sharing my views and influencing people of who I think they should be voting for ... I think would be very irresponsible on my part."

I completely agree.

Fall Fashion Frenzy

There are many reasons I love Jezebel.com, their "September Smackdown" between Elle and Vogue being one of them:

Last year we treated you to cage-matches between the behemoth September issues of the major women's magazines. The winner: whichever bloated publication has the most expensive shit festering between its pages. The prize: our loathing.

They compare the total prices of all the apparel, accessories and beauty products in the two magazines, pointing out the most expensive in each magazine in each category. The most ridiculous? A 24k gold encrusted mink coat in Vogue, $64,300.

Elle has Vogue beat in Total Shit, mostly on the strength of its accessories (just try telling time with that diamond-encrusted watch). But Vogue has a mink coat dipped in gold, and everyone knows that with fur AND gold, you just can't lose.

Gardasil, Ctd, Part II

The New England Journal of Medicine published this study today, titled: Human Papillomavirus Vaccine- Reasons for Caution. The introduction:

Despite great expectations and promising results of clinical trials, we still lack sufficient evidence of an effective vaccine against cervical cancer. Several strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer, and two vaccines directed against the currently most important oncogenic strains (i.e., the HPV-16 and HPV-18 serotypes) have been developed. That is the good news. The bad news is that the overall effect of the vaccines on cervical cancer remains unknown. As Kim and Goldie¹ point out in this issue of the Journal, the real impact of HPV vaccination on cervical cancer will not be observable for decades.

And conclusion:

With so many essential questions still unanswered, there is good reason to be cautious about introducing large-scale vaccination programs. Instead, we should concentrate on finding more solid answers through research rather than base consequential and costly decisions on yet unproven assumptions.

This study has resulted in over 200 news stories displayed by Google News. The New York Times. Wall Street Journal. Bloomberg. ABC News.

Finally! And don't forget, you read it here first.

Gardasil, Ctd

There was an incredible article today in the New York Times about Gardasil and the major marketing efforts which has made it so incredibly popular, especially for a vaccine, in such a short amount of time. The statistics are more than enough to make a consumer raise their eyebrows, if not become angry at the fact that pharmaceutical companies are playing off their fears and the trustworthiness of doctors to make a quick buck. Some quotes:

“Merck lobbied every opinion leader, women’s group, medical society, politicians, and went directly to the people — it created a sense of panic that says you have to have this vaccine now,” said Dr. Diane Harper, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School.

...

In 2006, hundreds of doctors and nurses were signed up as unofficial spokesmen for Gardasil, trained by Merck, provided with a multimedia presentation and paid $4,500 for each 50-minute talk, delivered over Merck-sponsored meals. Many were paid for attending Merck “advisory board” meetings to discuss the shots.

Merck said it provided assistance to speakers “to make sure they are providing accurate information in accordance with F.D.A.-approved labeling and to make sure dissemination of information is always appropriate,” said Amy Rose, a company spokeswoman.

Does this raise a huge red flag for anyone else? Conflict of interest, maybe? If these doctors were lecturing on the drug without taking any compensation, then I would believe that they truly believed in this vaccine. But they are getting paid too much for me to think that they are endorsing this purely for the good of the people.

Then there is this gem:

Gregory A. Poland, a vaccine expert at the Mayo Clinic, was a nonvoting member on the C.D.C. panel that recommended Gardasil in 2006 and has publicly defended the panel’s decision. Records show he received at least $27,420 in expenses and consulting fees from Merck from 1999 to 2007. Both the C.D.C. and Dr. Michael Camilleri, chairman of the Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest Review Board, speaking on Dr. Poland’s behalf, said the payments complied with institutional requirements.

So much about this article was shocking to me, and I do suggest you read it, especially if you are a woman considering this shot. The reason they need such a huge marketing campaign full of lined pockets and lies (again, its not a cervical cancer vaccine) is because the drug is mainly worthless. Gardasil protects against four types of HPV, two of which can possibly become cervical cancer 70% of the time. Over 80% of the population will contract HPV in their lifetime, but the majority of cases are benign and go away on their own, so most women don't even know they have it. Even though Gardasil is touted as the "cervical cancer vaccine," it is recommended that women get regular Pap smears anyway, which test for precancerous cells. Paps are done so that if there are precancerous cells present, they can be treated before becoming harmful. So, even though cervical cancer is detected early enough for treatment by regular screenings anyway (which you will still need even after Gardasil) Merck is saying that the only way to prevent cervical cancer is to receive the "vaccine."

Maybe some of you don't understand why this gets me all worked up, and why I have now posted about this drug three separate times. The reason is because Merck has made many mothers think they are bad parents unless they make their daughters receive this drug. They have played on the fears of the population, making them terrified of a disease that kills 3,600 women in the U.S. each year and isn't even on our top ten deadliest cancers list. They have made false promises (some doctors say the vaccine won't even work anymore after three years) and now even our doctors have gotten reeled in, being compensated very well to push the drug on their patients. This campaign really makes it easy to think that pharmaceutical companies have one interest true to heart: your money. And they will do whatever they need to to get it.

Secret Obama Emails

I wanted to blog about this last week when I read it, but I forgot. You may have heard about The Atlantic getting a hold of Clinton campaign memos. Honestly, I didn't read them because Clinton is old news. I did, however, enjoy the Obama campaign emails. My favorite one:

Gardasil

Awhile ago I posted about Gardasil, Merck's drug that they promote as a "cervical cancer vaccine" when it is not. It just helps guard against certain types of herpes that can possibly turn to cervical cancer. There was a lot of controversy when it came out because some schools were going to require that all girls have the shot, but because it was linked to sexual activity a lot people protested that move. If you're considering getting the shot or know someone who is, you should watch this video on CNN first, about a girl who developed an auto immune disease after receiving the vaccine.

What I find most surprising is that over 9,000 people have had adverse side effect, but yet they are considered "anecdotal."

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Let me preface with this: I read a lot of books. Within the past year alone, I have read 30. Although most of the books I finish are good (I wouldn’t finish a bad one, I have better things to do with my time), it is very rare that a book comes along that it makes me reevaluate every literary piece I have devoured, and becomes the measuring stick as to which all future books are held. This has only happened to me three times in recent memory: We Were the Mulvaney’s, The Namesake, and now, The Time Traveler’s Wife.

The story is told by the viewpoints of Clare and Henry. Henry is a time traveler, and visits Clare at all different points of his life. Their love story is one that spans time and dimensions. Niffenegger writes about the time traveling without any cheesy science fiction references, and although she doesn’t fully ever explain what makes Henry time travel, she doesn’t need to. She portrays it so that knowing why isn’t as important as exploring with Henry, and watching his past, present and future unravel in no subsequent order. It’s too confusing to explain, but wasn’t too confusing when I read it.

It’s very difficult to write about love without sounding cliché, and in the history of literature not many authors have been able to do it successfully. Niffenegger does it. Their love story might have elements that none of us will experience (like your husband time traveling, for instance) but deep down, the feelings they have for each other seem very real.

To me, a good book is one that although you want to know the ending, you’d rather take your time getting there. The story is so good that you forget you’re reading a story at all, and although the conclusion should be satisfying, you so enjoy the journey there that seeing the last page almost feels like a disappointment, instead of the usual sense of accomplishment many people may feel when finishing a long novel. I felt that way throughout this book. I read it on the train, almost missing my stop a couple of times because I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to find out how Clare and Henry worked out this unorthodox relationship, but I didn’t want their story to end. You need a book recommendation? You just got one.