Category: Body & Mind

Lowered Chance of Recurring Breast Cancer

There is new hope for people who have HER2 type of breast cancer – a type of breast cancer that is infamous for its relapse rate. HER2 also affects 20-30% of breast cancer cases. A new drug, Herception, has reduced relapse by 50%!

“The results of these clinical trials provided consistent evidence that treatment with Herceptin following standard chemotherapy reduces the risk of cancer recurrence by about 50%. Herceptin has clearly demonstrated that it provides the best chance of long-term survival when used as early as possible in the course of the disease.”

Taxes Don’t Need to be Taxing

Taxes stink, right?

Not according to a new Finnish organization: the Happy Taxpayers’ Association. The purpose of the organization is to help taxpayers to focus on all the good that their dollars are doing, rather than the obvious negatives. This doesn’t mean that they’re blithe about it; in an interview on CBC Radio, the founder stated that the group strives to be “happy and critical, rather than happy and stupid.”

Remember, taxes pay for things like roads, health care, public art, and my salary. Do you like these things? I think you do.

Helping out Darfur

Canada’s Prime Minister announced that we’re gonna step in and help the troubled Darfur region of Sudan with $40-million in foreign aid.

“First, working through the United Nations, the lead organization on the ground, we will help to provide urgently needed necessities like food and water, deliver medical care to the afflicted and the suffering and build desperately-needed sanitation services,” Stephen Harper said on May 23, 2006.

Humanitarian needs, such as food, water and sanitation are of the highest importance here, but steps will also be taken to implement the Darfur peace agreement. The suffering people of Darfur will finally get some much needed help! The UN has also decided to step in with a peacekeeping force.

Violent Video Games

According to a study done by the British government violent video games do not trigger violent children. A broader look at video games actually means the kids can benefit from playing them.

“The games can improve children’s decision-making and instil ‘positive learning traits’, some research suggests. At least one study argues that make-believe violence helps children ‘conquer fears and develop a sense of identity’, as gruesome fairytales once did.”

The debate between video games = violent children and video games = smart children seems to be reaching an end with increasing reports of increased intelligence thanks to the games.

Arab League to Improve Science Literacy

SciDevNet has an article on how ALECSO will go about increasing science literacy. The strategy will encompass television shows, websites, and outreach to schools – and all to ensure people get a better understanding of science.

“The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) has approved its first strategy for promoting science literacy as a tool for development in the 22 Arab states.

The strategy, which took four years to prepare, was approved during the annual meeting of ALECSO’s executive council, which took place in Tunis, Tunisia on 6 – 10 May.”