Bush Afflicted by Non-Cancerous Moles

Staff / Truthdig Feb 18, 2007 The president has had two benign growths removed from his temple, the latest of several sun-exposure moles he's had to deal with. Perhaps if he spent less time clearing brush in Crawford, both Bush's face and the nation would be in better working order. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

New Mexico Tries Talking Urinals

Staff / Truthdig Feb 18, 2007 New Mexico's transportation department has installed 500 talking deodorizers in urinals around the state in an effort to curb drunk driving. The motion-activated device plays a recorded message that encourages the captive listener to phone a friend or a cab if he has "had one too many." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Texas Governor Ignores the Zealots

Staff / Truthdig Feb 3, 2007 Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has issued an executive order mandating the use of the HPV vaccine, which can help prevent cervical cancer. The conservative Christian's decree trumps opposition in the Legislature and elsewhere from opponents who feel the treatment encourages premarital sex. Texas will be the first state to require that schoolgirls receive the vaccine. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Health Risks of Modesty

Staff / Truthdig Feb 2, 2007 A new study in The Lancet says doctors need to be more aggressive in questioning their patients about sex. According to the authors of the study, sexual problems are often related to serious health risks: "If a man comes in with erectile dysfunction, it can be the tip of the iceberg." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Forgetting Addiction

Staff / Truthdig Jan 26, 2007 When a stroke victim and two-pack-a-day smoker woke up having forgotten his habit, researchers went looking for the damaged part of his brain that seemed to have switched off his cravings. Having found it, scientists are hoping to discover new methods to understand and treat addiction. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Drug-Resistant Bacteria Follow Soldiers Home

Staff / Truthdig Jan 26, 2007 The US military's evacuation chain that removes wounded soldiers from combat, while effective at saving lives, has helped give rise to an antibiotic-resistant superbug that has spread to civilian hospitals in the U and Europe. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Our Own Weapon of Mass Destruction

Staff / Truthdig Jan 23, 2007 This disturbing documentary by former "60 Minutes" producer Barry Lando chronicles the horror that 13 years of U.S.-backed sanctions wrought on Iraq, including the deaths of hundreds of thousands -- many of them children. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Chavez Raises Doubts Over Castro’s Health

Staff / Truthdig Jan 20, 2007 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has reinvigorated speculation over Fidel Castro's health after announcing that the Cuban leader is "locked in a battle for his life." The two leaders are known to be close, and Castro has yet to make a public appearance since undergoing surgery in July. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Anti-Obesity Gum

Staff / Truthdig Jan 16, 2007 British scientists are developing a chewing gum that could help to regulate the appetites of obesity sufferers. Although the research is promising, the first infomercials are years away. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Sen. Johnson’s Health Improves

Staff / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., whose sudden illness last month briefly threatened the Democrats' control of the Senate, has been given a medical status upgrade from critical to fair. We wish him well. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Franken-Heifers Immune to Mad Cow

Staff / Truthdig Jan 3, 2007 Using a combination of genetic engineering and cloning, scientists from the U.S. and Japan have successfully eliminated the protein that causes mad cow disease. So far the cows in the lab have proven immune to the illness, which shreds its victims' brains, driving them mad. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Froma Harrop: The James Brown Paradox

Staff / Truthdig Dec 31, 2006 When they said a candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, they couldn't have been talking about James Brown, whose surprising longevity made fools of the health-conscious. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )