Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts

Monday, October 6, 2008

Cancer Research Blog Carnival #14 — Sciencebase Science Blog

Carnival Vol.Image via WikipediaWell, this morning I had a nice surprise after finding that some posts in my science and cancer blog made the Cancer Research Blog Carnival this weekend, thanks to the host David Bradley and ScienceBase.

You can read more about this great Carnival concept on his blog about the online event.

Everyone knows someone who has had cancer, so it's nice to learn what research is going on via the blogosphere. Who knows, one day we may find a cure for this terrible disease.





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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Picture of the Day

"monster" cell - triple labeled


From Trazy's Flickr Photostream - you can see it here. He does some awesome macro shots of various biology related subjects.

This one is a "monster" culture cell - a huge mutant with two nuclei and one centrosome. A normal cell can be seen at the lower right.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Cancer: the privacy vs. honesty argument

There has been a lot of hype and noise surrounding Steve Jobs' appearance at the WWDC conference and not just because of the new iPhone launch either. His gaunt appearance started a furore amongst the tech analysts and journalists as to how his health was, it was material they claimed.

Thus the setting was established for a interesting battle over someone's privacy and control versus the media herd wanting 'honesty'. Yet, Jobs has been very honest up front - his surgery for early stage pancreatic cancer is well known, no more need be said it's a private matter after that.

SAN FRANCISCO - JUNE 6:  (FILE PHOTO) Apple CE...Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The same journalists who praise research and information about stocks should practice what they preach and check out pancreatic cancer, it's all in the public domain. Fifteen minutes spent researching and reading about the topic would tell them all they need to know, without the rather distasteful and rather slimey hounding that is going on at present. Perhaps it's laziness, but sometimes I'm surprised that people who claim to be experts in one area cannot be bothered to research another in the public domain. It makes you wonder what their motives are, especially in the middle of a new product launch for the 3G iPhone.

Take another recent example, Prof Randy Pausch, who sadly died this week from pancreatic cancer. Late last year he gave an inspirational lecture at Carnegie Mellon University but made it clear up front what he wanted to talk about and what was off limits, ie his cancer and his family. His boundaries, like Jobs, on privacy were clear just as the initial medical condition was in both situations. After that, it's nobody's business, you can make your own judgements and act accordingly.

This issue is not about control or honesty, it's about money and greed for the investors. A little bit of research goes a long way, even the analysts will tell a novice investor that, so it cuts both ways.

We also have to remember that the media prey on negative news and 'noise' to generate interest and readership. You don't see much cheerful or good news do you? It's negative and fearful. Good news doesn't sell. Sadly.





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