I seem to recall some types of breast cancer are estrogen dependent, and some are not. I think it is something they can determine when biopsying the tumors.

Me too.

[eta I just skimmed them both & didn't see Gladwell making the argument that the other guy thought he was making, but agree with other guy's initial assumption that less mucking about with the hormones, the better.]

Of course, food-wise we're exposed to incredible levels of hormones. We're already mucking in addition to the menstruating so much more than historically.

OK, I won't worry. I brought up the bp issue when we talked about my options, and the NP thought I'd be fine. We're not thinking long-term, just 4-6 months in hopes my body will get the message that 19-21 day cycles are Not Good. (We're also testing me for anemia and to make sure nothing weird is going on hormonally. NP thinks maybe on the former--"you do look pale"--but no on the latter.)

And on a totally different note:

So, husband-person. Paying any attention to the game? King Felix is pitching rather well again.

I've heard that claim too, but I also thought I'd heard that the evidence was scant. Which is why I went looking for the rebuttal.

Unfortunately for the rebuttal, it's on a site (well, site for a deceased Doctor) that Quackwatch lists. (The site actively pimps "natural" solutions, from what I could tell.)

Gladwell's article didn't actually tell me anything new about hormone research--my mother keeps up on that, so if I'm not tuning her out, I'm hearing about it--but I thought the history of the Pill and the RCC was quite interesting.

I thought the history of the Pill and the RCC was quite interesting.

It was definitely the strongest part of the article -- I thought the rest fell into the same which-is-more-natural business that he started out questioning.

(And oddly, as I write this, I'm getting an ad for Seasonale. Five years after the article, it's the convenience factor that's selling.)

And oddly, as I write this, I'm getting an ad for Seasonale. Five years after the article, it's the convenience factor that's selling

That's pretty funny.

But, hell, it was the convenience (and low hormone dose) factor that sold me on my current method of birth control. Well, that and the potential for no periods for five years. Hard to beat that.

(Pimps Mirena again.)

Dammit, there went the no-hitter.

Rita is now #3 with a bullet on the Most Intense Hurricanes Of All Time list.

They didn't get a good read with the dropsonde, so they think it's 898mb. Only Gilbert's 888 and the Labor Day Hurricane's 892 are ahead of it now.

Monster, people.

And wife, noted that King Felix is pitching pretty well. Home shortly.

Political chatter was kept to a minimum at both events, with performers mostly sticking to the program: championing aid for New Orleans. But a few artists angrily denounced government officials for their slow response to Katrina's devastation. "I Wish New Orleans was dry and Washington was underwater," said Tom Waits. Bette Midler had even stronger words: "I got a letter from the Republican Party the other day. I wrote back, 'Go fuck yourself.'" She then added, "George Bush is a fan of mine -- he came to see me in the Seventies. His coke dealer brought him."

[link]

I swear I didn't jinx it. I only obliquely hinted to Dylan, and I was waiting till the end of this inning (the 7th) to call the neighbors to make sure they were watching.