Oral Sex, Cancer and Science

This is interesting: Risk of a rare throat cancer is 9 times higher for people with more than 6 sex partners.

Now, consider it's a rare form of cancer. Hopefully it stays that way.
HPV16, the Human papilloma virus, is related to this. Hence the oral sex issues.
The study was only done involving 100 men and women diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer and 200 controls.
And finally, poor dental maintenance is also a factor in head and neck related cancers. Brush those toofies, folks.

The list keeps getting longer and longer on how you can fuck up your life by having unsafe sex with the wrong person.

Notes on sleep schedule modification

So, for the past week, I've been sleeping between 7:30am and 2pm in order to work the 8pm to 6am shift. Friday, I only slept between 8 and 11, and had the light cat nap in the plane back home. This worked as designed, as I fell asleep between 11am and midnight.

The cats were cuddly creatures. My sleep was interrupted periodically by cat snuggles and purrs. Sascha was at one point laying on a pillow next to the headboard, which in turn was right above my head. I do vaguely recall little soft cat paws laying across my forehead at some point until I tickled them out of the way.

Anyway, the end result is that I awoke too early. 4am, to be precise. I spent the time reading and watching Bill Moyers' Journal.

This show, of course, did nothing to cheer me up, but it was fascinating. Items covered include the rise in power of Regent University's Law School, founded by Pat Robertson. Recall that Monica Goodling, currently embroiled in the Department of Justice hiring/firing scandal, is a graduate from there. 150 employees in various aspects of the Bush Administration are graduates of Regent. The woman who did a lot of hiring for said administration was, you guessed it, a Regent graduate.

I respect people's right to live their lives as they see fit, including being a Christian Lawyer. I wish they would just respect the right to live my life how I choose as well.

The Iraq War is also still an issue. with pressure for a timetable, and continued deaths and fighting in Iraq, it has to be an issue. It's hard for most of us, who haven't served, or who don't come from war torn countries to understand what it's like to live in Iraq. We don't worry about being killed for our affiliation. We don't have to leave for work thinking that a suicide bomber will likely come in and destroy a business or home, or public venue. We don't have to pay that price.

But some of us do. Those that serve their country with a level of devotion that I don't think the current administration deserves. Take Sergeant Ty Ziegle (I haven't been able to confirm the spelling, yet). He suffered a loss an eye, part of his arm, a fractured skull, and severe burns while serving in Iraq. He is back home and has married his high school sweetheart. Here's a picture of the happy couple:

All this over forged documents and false pretenses.

Happy Mother's Day from Freakonomics

Here’s an agreeable way to usher in Mother’s Day: A study released by The University of Melbourne’s School of Behavioural Science shows that a significant number of college students consider their mothers to be the single most significant person in their lives. Out of a survey of university freshmen, 40% listed their moms as the most important and influential person they’d ever known, compared with 25% for fathers, 17% for romantic partners, 12% for friends, and 6% for siblings.

More information here.

Unsent Letters

Dear Inconsiderate Cyclists Whom I encountered on the Sidewalk,
Notice it's called a sidewalk, you cheeky pair of ass-mackerels, not sideride. I'm more than happy to share the sidewalk with you, but don't navigate the pathway like a wombat with a rocket shoved up its wazoo.

Thanks so much,

--A