LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY nebris)

"Conservative religious groups have caused an uproar by opposing the development of a vaccine for the second-deadliest cancer for women."

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY wyldraven)

So the Louisiana legislature thinks it can rewrite the biblical Ten Commandments, to pass muster at the Supreme Court, for display on government buildings.

A House panel decided Tuesday to do a little editing on the Ten Commandments.

Lawmakers made the alterations as they debated which version of the ancient biblical law — Protestant, Catholic or Jewish — should be embodied in a proposed state law.

The House and Governmental Affairs Committee then advanced Senate Bill 476 to the full House.

The bill would allow the display of the Ten Commandments, along with other documents of religious historical significance, in government buildings.

OK, someone, anyone, tell me how you "rewrite" Commandment number 1 without, by definition, giving governmental support to a specific religion? Also from the story:

Contacted after the meeting, Jewish Rabbi Stan Zamek of Beth Shalom Synagogue said choosing what version of the Ten Commandments to place in a government building points up the deficiency of the idea.

“I think there’s a problem displaying any version in a government building. I think it’s a dangerous intrusion of government into people’s religious liberties in any case,” Zamek said.

“You are inevitably choosing one religion over another,” he said.

I think Rabbi Zamek gets the point.

Thanks to starcat_jewel for bringing this to my attention here.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY vanar_en_daeor)

If you recall, I said that I wanted to find information on vaccinating those outside of the recommended 9-26 age range of the Gardasil vaccine (made by Merck). Competitor GlaxoSmithKline is working on an HPV vaccine that may help those of us above 26 (I just turned 30 in May). It is worth keeping an eye on.

================

Glaxo HPV vaccine shows promise for women 26-55
Mon Jun 5, 2006 10:18 AM ET

ATLANTA (Reuters) - An experimental cervical cancer vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline Plc produced immune responses in all women ages 15 to 55 in a clinical study, the first evidence that a cervical cancer vaccine may work in women ages 26 and older, the company said on Monday.

The vaccine, called Cervarix, is designed to prevent infection with the human papilloma virus, or HPV, which causes most cervical cancer.

( Read more... )

=====================

I also found another article that suggests that Cervarix's protection may last longer than Gardasil's.
( Read more... )
The comments by an FDA medical reviewer 'highlighted a couple of issues that are advantages for GSK`s vaccine and disadvantages for Merck`s product,' Malik said.

This includes that the 'immune response for Merck`s vaccine declines over time,' he said. 'The risk is you can have the emergence of the virus over time.' In particular, 'the antibody to HPV type 18 seems to be diminishing after 3 or 4 years,' which is important because this subtype together with 16 are the cause of the majority of cervical cancers, he said.

Cervarix, on the other hand, seems to offer longer lasting protection that may persist for 15 years.

'Cervarix`s immune response is very strong even five years out ... and Glaxo has said it has the potential to be a one-off jab over 15 years,' Malik said. If that holds true, 'there`s no way a competitor product that requires boosters could ever compete,' he said. Gardasil is administered in 3 shots over 6 months.

Still, both vaccines will rake in a few billion dollars in sales. 'But Glaxo sales will be much more momentum-based,' Malik said.
( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY nebris)

~NASCAR has long been a hot bed of Christian triumphalism, but a new crew of fanatics is horning in on their action. lol

From Wired News
Tuesday, 13 June 2006
Nascar Puts Faith in Dianetics

Nascar is opening up sponsorship to just about anyone with a checkbook, including the Scientologists.

On Saturday June 10 at the Irwindale Speedway Kenton Gray was scheduled to compete in a super late model race with a Ford Taurus emblazoned with the Dianetics logo, courtesy of sponsor Bridge Publishing, which sells the book.

Apparently the power of positive thinking wasn't enough to propel Gray to victory as he wasn't listed among the qualifiers who finished the race.

Since we now have shampoos and accountants sponsoring race cars, why not Hollywood's favorite belief system?

Perhaps Tom Cruise will take the wheel for Days of Thunders II: Hubbard's Revenge to show that Scientologists are excellent drivers.

~I'm interested if any of you have noticed any Dommie foaming at the mouth over this yet.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

I would like to thank Bridgidsblest and Arliss for contributing to our paid account. Your gifts are greatly appreciated. Same goes for those who chose to remain anonymous.

And thank you to everyone here who plays a part in keeping this community interesting and inviting. We now have 786 subscribers, which is pretty good for a community this specialized. Here's to another good year!

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY njtech)

Colorado Rockies look to sign and trade for players who have *character*

PS: Having jesus Christ as your personal lord & savior = character

read the comments, they're hilarious. I got this info from a daily humor list I subscribe to, and below the cut are ( The Top 16 Signs a Sports Team Has Been Born Again )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ellid)

http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=32&url_article_id=16104&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jokermage)

Lance Mannion: Godless

There's an argument that an ethical system that doesn't include God, or a God, is flawed because it has no rock bottom. There is no absolute authority to say, stop, do not go beyond this point, and without that people can reason their way to all kinds of unspeakable crimes.

God, the argument goes, is there to say, stop quibbling. You can't do this because I say it's wrong.

The trouble with that argument, besides how it shows that the person making it hasn't studied their philosophy lately, is that God rarely tells anybody to stop.

He has a bad habit of telling the faithful to go right ahead. Do it. Take it. Own it. Kill it. Hate it.