Stands Against Waterboarding: Which Republican Candidate?

Which remaining Republican candidate stands against waterboarding in support of the anti-torture bill just passed by the U.S. Senate?

Make That Bitter (Very Dark) Chocolate Please!

...the very thing that makes chocolate good for you — the antioxidants called flavanols – also make chocolate taste bitter. As a result, confectionery makers often take out the flavanols, stripping the chocolate of its main health-promoting properties. Worse, labels usually don’t tell you whether your chocolate comes with or without flavanols, making it tough to know if a particular piece of chocolate has any health benefits at all.

This depressing news comes just a month after Circulation, the medical journal for the American Heart Association, created a stir when it reported a study of 22 heart transplant patients who were given a dose of dark chocolate or fake chocolate. Just two hours after eating the real thing, patients had measurable improvements in blood flow and vascular function and less clotting, compared to placebo chocolate eaters, who experienced no changes.

The Circulation report is the latest in a string of studies touting the benefits of chocolate. The flavonoids in chocolate, which include the antioxidants called flavanols, are similar to those found in tea, red wine and some fruits and vegetables, foods also known for their heart-healthy effects.

To boost your chances of getting a flavanol-rich bar, the best bet is to look for very dark chocolate with few added ingredients, notes Dr. Jacob Shani, chairman of the Cardiac Institute at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.

The darker the chocolate, the higher it’s likely to be in flavonoids, according to the February issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. A typical bar of dark chocolate contains an average of 53.5 milligrams of flavonoids. A milk chocolate bar contains less than 14 milligrams, while white chocolate doesn’t have any, according to the Mayo report.

But even if your chocolate is loaded with flavanols, it won’t be a wonder drug. Most studies show only modest benefits from chocolate, and even though it’s good for you, you still have to pay attention to calories and fat.

CABG Superior to Drug-Eluting Stents in Coronary Artery Disease

For patients with multi-vessel coronary blockage, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) has a lower 18-month mortality compared to Percutaneous Intervention with Drug Eluting Stents according to a study published January 24, 2008 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Edward Hannan and co-workers reviewed outcomes from the New York State Department of Health databases for 9963 patients who received drug-eluting stents (DES) and 7437 patients who underwent CABG between October 1, 2003 and December 31, 2004. The patients were followed until December 31, 2005. The risk-adjusted rate of death in eighteen months was 6.0% (CABG) versus 7.3% (DES) for patients with three vessel disease and was 4.0% (CABG) versus 5.4% (DES) for patients with two vessel blockage. Both these differences were statistically significant (p<.03 and P<.003 respectively).

These results favoring CABG over DES are not surprising. They are consistent with earlier studies comparing CABG with Bare Metal Stents (BMS). It has been shown that there is no survival benefit or myocardial infarction benefit with DES compared to BMS. What was surprising in this study was the high repeat procedure rate after DES; 30.6% of patients had repeat procedures within 18 months ( ~1/3 of these may have been planned staged procedures).

Senate Moves to Prohibit Waterboarding and Other Forms of Torture

The prohibition was contained in a bill authorizing intelligence activities for the current year, which the Senate approved on a 51-45 vote. It would restrict the CIA to the 19 interrogation techniques outlined in the Army field manual. That manual prohibits waterboarding, a method that makes an interrogation subject feel he is drowning.

The House had approved the measure in December. Wednesday's Senate vote set up a confrontation with the White House, where Bush has promised to veto any bill that restricts CIA questioning.

Arguing for such restrictions, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said the use of harsh tactics would boomerang on the United States.

"Retaliation is the way of the world. What we do to others, they will do to us _ but worse," Rockefeller said. "This debate is about more than legality. It is also about morality, the way we see ourselves ... and what we represent to the world."

Mr.Rockefeller says it well here. I think I've heard this somewhere before. Let's see: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What do you know; it's the 'golden rule.'

Chinese Factory of Heparin Ingredient to be Investigated in Wake of Deaths

On Monday, Baxter (International) announced that it had temporarily suspended production of heparin because of about 350 reactions potentially tied to the drug, including four fatalities, primarily in patients undergoing kidney dialysis and heart surgery. An FDA official estimated that around 40% of the bad reactions potentially linked to the drug were classified as serious. Patients' reactions have ranged from stomach pain to vomiting and diarrhea, low blood pressure, speeding heartbeats and fainting.

Heparin, which is derived from pig intestines, has been sold in the U.S. since the 1930s. Baxter had been selling the product at a rate of about 100,000 vials a day. Given either intravenously or by injection, the drug is used in a wide range of medical procedures to treat or prevent clotting. In particular, it is essential during procedures like cardiac surgery, in which a patient's blood is removed from the body. It is also used in kidney dialysis and in apheresis, a procedure used for some patients with immune-system disorders in which blood is taken outside the patient's body and some components of it are removed.

A Baxter spokeswoman confirmed that the company gets the active pharmaceutical ingredient for its heparin from a U.S. supplier that operates a plant in China and another in the U.S., but she declined to identify the supplier. She said that Baxter, in cooperation with the FDA, plans to inspect the Chinese factory, but she declined to say when.

Do Cholesterol Lowering Drugs Damage Memory and Thinking?

The Wall Street Journal reports...

Memory Loss: Do Statins Cause It?

From the Wall Street Journal:

Thinking and memory problems are difficult to quantify, and easy for doctors to dismiss. Many people who take statins are elderly and have other conditions and medications that could have cognitive side effects.

Still, the chronology can be very telling, says Gayatri Devi, an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, who says she's seen at least six patients whose memory problems were traceable to statins in 12 years of practice. "The changes started to occur within six weeks of starting the statin, and the cognitive abilities returned very quickly when they went off," says Dr. Devi. "It's just a handful of patients, but for them, it made a huge difference."

Barrage of Violence: Man Stabs Psychologist in Her Office

A man armed with a suitcase full of knives fatally stabbed and slashed a well-known psychologist in her office.

Originally, the assailant had arrived at the offices, about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, asking to visit Dr. Kent T. Shinbach, 70, a psychiatrist there, the police said.

But at some point he disappeared inside the office of another counselor there, Kathryn Faughey, 56, the police said.

There, he unleashed a barrage of violence, fatally stabbing Dr. Faughey. At some point, when Dr. Shinbach heard the attack and went to the office of his colleague, the assailant turned on him and Dr. Shinbach was seriously injured, officials said.

Mike Huckabee Answers the First Question: WHY?

Governor Mike Huckabee emails:

The first question I am often asked these days is: "Why are you still running for President?"

It is because I believe that I am the best candidate to represent you in the fall against the Democrats. Why? Because I have core conservative beliefs that I have never wavered from:

I believe in the Human Life Amendment and I will fight for it from Day 1 of my Presidency.

I believe in the Marriage Amendment.

I believe in massive tax reform and am an advocate of the FairTax.

I believe that President Bush's tax cuts should be made permanent.

I believe in the Surge, our troops and General Petraeus.

I believe the 2nd amendment is one of the best ways to protect us from tyranny and I will work tirelessly to protect it from activist judges.

I believe in real border security and have proposed a detailed 9 point plan to secure our borders.

I believe the best judge is a conservative judge that won't legislate from the bench.

These are some of the reasons why I am running for President and let me also say that YOU are another reason. I am running to give you a voice in the process. To lift up your voice with mine and to tell our Party and our government that we need to do better. We need to think big and fight for our ideas.

Best in Show Goes to 'Uno' the Beagle

RICHARD SANDOMIR writes:

Uno became the first beagle to win best in show in the 100 times the Westminster Kennel Club has picked a winner.

Deep Concern for John McCain: Failure to Win Conservatives

Howard Fineman writes:

Looking closely at the NBC exit polls from Virginia, I see numbers that will make delightful reading for the Barack Obama campaign--and a cause for deep concern in John McCain's camp. Obama, the figures show, is expanding the demographic reach of his surging Democratic candidacy, while McCain is hemmed in by his increasingly glaring failure to win over conservatives and evangelical Christians.

Heath Ledger Now the Brunt of Jokes

Tastelessness in Hollywood reaches new low: jokes are being made about Heath Ledger's recent death.
Courtney Hazlett writes:

Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange made jokes about the recent death of Heath Ledger during a Feb. 2 comedy show in Las Vegas, and the New York post reports New York City tour company Rich and Famous Tours has added the SoHo apartment where Ledger was found dead to its list of stops.

Both actions have prompted some to ask, “Is it too soon for this sort of thing?” No one asked me, but I say yes.

Too soon? When will it ever be time to joke about the death of a human being? Too soon? How about yes, it is not only too soon, it is too callous, too tacky, too pathetic?

Hillary's Deputy Campaign Manager Resigns

Mike Henry resigns from Clinton campaign.

Midwest Weather: Chicago and the Ohio Valley

Ohio Valley residents began emerging from ice-induced hiding Tuesday after a storm knocked out power, flooded roads and slicked highways. The treachery promised to blow into the Northeast and tie up travel there.

In Chicago, more than 400 flights were cancelled due to the winter weather by early Tuesday evening. Many other flights saw two-hour delays.

Mike Huckabee Protests Washington Republican Party's Calling Race for McCain

SEATTLE TIMES reports:

Huckabee's campaign took issue with Washington state Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser's decision to call the race Saturday night with 87 percent of the precincts counted.

At that point, McCain was ahead of Huckabee by 242 delegates out of the 13,000 counted, Esser said. The Huckabee campaign contends there were another 1,500 or so delegates not counted.

In the face of the Huckabee protest, the state Republican Party quickly resumed its count Sunday, a bit sooner than it had planned.

In a news release, Huckabee's campaign said there were "obvious irregularities" in the state's Republican caucuses and that it is sending lawyers to explore "all available legal options regarding the dubious final results."

Mike Huckabee and John McCain in Close Race in Virginia

CNN reports that as of 8 pm, Mike Huckabee is leading in Virginia by a slim margin!
At just 4 minutes later, McCain and Huckabee are in a dead heat, tied at 46%.

Warrior Wear: Uniforms With Built-In Tourniquet

A frustrated physician has designed a uniform with built-in tourniquets, ready for use on the extremities of the soldiers wearing the clothing. Only problem: the military has yet to approve its use.

Democratic Party Super Delegate System: Why and How

Mike Huckabee Takes On the Media

Barack says he'd like to "argue" with John McCain; Hillary questions Barack's integrity; John McCain says the general in the field and not the politician running for president should decide when troops come home; and Mike Huckabee says the media has prematurely called the race.

Barack Projected to Take Virginia

Barack Obama apparently defeats Hillary Clinton in Virginia's Democratic Primary.

Lynching Jokes and Noose Displays Are Offensive

Japanese Gangsters

photo credit: Carley Evans
Christian Caryl and Akiko Kashiwagi write for NEWSWEEK:

If you ever want to see Japanese gangsters at work, look no further than Tokyo's Shinjuku area, which holds a Tori-No-Ichi festival each November. Members of the yakuza, Japan's storied mafia, show up to accept tribute from business owners in the nearby red-light district, who shell out hard cash to ensure the coming year will be free from "difficulties." It's a system that's gone on for decades, if not longer. Except that nowadays the gangsters use computer spreadsheets to track payments and coordinate by text message.

As the scene in Shinjuku suggests, the Japanese mob is still very much alive, and parts of it are thriving. But years of recession, forced restructuring and global competition haven't just changed the way Japan Inc. does business; they've also forced Japan's criminals to adapt. Back when the country's economy was booming, a hood's work was fairly predictable: gambling, protection rackets, and maybe a little drug dealing could ensure a comfortable life. But nowadays, in an age of tougher laws, greater competition and a shrinking, aging domestic market, only those gangsters who can change with the times are flourishing; others are growing poor or dropping out entirely.

"Looking Good for Jesus": Cosmetics Pulled From Stores

A cosmetics range with cheeky taglines that extolled the virtues of "Looking Good for Jesus" has been pulled from stores in Singapore after some Roman Catholics complained the items were disrespectful, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Promising to "Redeem your reputation and more," the product line included a "virtuous vanilla"-flavored lip balm and a "Get Tight with Christ" hand and body cream, as well as bags and other items sold by British retailer Topshop and produced by Blue Q, The Straits Times said.

Wing Tai Retail, which manages Topshop in the city-state, removed the range late last month after receiving complaints, the newspaper said.

Imagine wearing make-up that extols its ability to make you virtuous!

Exit Polls in Virginia

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, had a couple of supporters too, like Sharon Webb, a homemaker and former military careerwoman.

“His values are in line with mine,” said Ms. Webb, a Hispanic woman. “I don’t think McCain has the same values as me on immigration.”

Ken Kessler, 68, an Army veteran and an engineer was a Mitt Romney fan until he dropped out of the race last week. He said he voted for Mr. Huckabee because “I’m conservative, and he’s the best I could do.”

Barack Obama: "Not Running to Make History, But To Be President"

Barack Takes Maine Easily

Barack Obama defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Democratic Party's Maine caucuses on Sunday, grabbing a majority of delegates as the state's Democrats overlooked the snowy weather and turned out in heavy numbers for municipal gatherings.

With 70 percent of the participating precincts reporting, Obama had 57 percent of the vote, while Clinton had 42 percent.

Despite the Tough Talk

On the Republican side, Mr. McCain hit a unsettling bump in the road to his near-certain nomination. The victories by Mr. Huckabee, a populist ordained Southern Baptist minister, raised questions about Mr. McCain's ability to bring religious conservative voters to his side for the general election. Turnout was low among Republicans, and many of those who did show up were party-faithful religious conservatives. The wins give Mr. Huckabee renewed energy going into Tuesday's primaries, which had been seen to favor Mr. McCain.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Mr. Huckabee won the Kansas caucus with 60% of the vote to Mr. McCain's 20%. Texas congressman Ron Paul received 11%. In Louisiana, the vote was tight. Mr. Huckabee had 43% to Mr. McCain's 42%, with 99% reporting.

"It was an important victory, especially after the pundits spent the past few days saying this campaign is over," said Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman after the victory in Kansas. Despite the tough talk, it's mathematically unlikely that Mr. Huckabee could catch Mr. McCain. After Mr. Huckabee's Kansas win he had a total of 234 delegates, compared with Mr. McCain's 719, according to the Associated Press. A candidate needs 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination.

Barack and Mike Take States in Saturday's Primaries

Barack Obama beat Hillary Rodham Clinton in contests in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington, while Mike Huckabee embarrassed John McCain with wins in Kansas and Louisiana.

Jesus' Face Is Wiped

Jesus Nailed to the Cross