From the American Council on Science and Health

Israeli study on sugar substitutes is complete bullsweet - Can mouse taste buds predict human waistlines? No! The basic premise of a new study claiming that artificial sweeteners contribute to obesity is so flawed chemically, that the conclusions being drawn are completely meaningless. Garbage In, Garbage Out….. “The authors really should have dug up a chemist before they got involved with this silly study. There are plenty of us around—mostly unemployed. Because he/she would have pointed out the gaping hole in the logic of the study—that you cannot group a chemically diverse group of chemicals simply because they are sweet, and draw any conclusion whatsoever about anything other than the taste. Read more.

Young Americans increasingly too heavy to serve in our Armed Forces - Seven in 10 young Americans are ineligible to serve in the military. For a quarter of those, the reason is they are too fat. Military groups argue these numbers show Congress should not retreat from the fight to implement new nutrition standards in schools. Read more.

My Take – Let’s get real.  It’s still all about calories in and calories out.  If kids don’t exercising they get fat….period.  The next time you drive past a public baseball diamond notice what’s there.  No one!  In days gone by they were played on daily…every day!  Now the kids watch television, play games on computers…that’s especially a problem…and phones to jabber on or text to with their friends all day, none of which burns any real calories.  Let’s get this – people are going to do what they want to do, and real leadership is encouraging people to do what they should and help them do what they would.  Central planning is a waste of money, along with editorial blathering and hand wringing. 

Want to really reduce climate impacts? Don't fear fracking, promote nuclear instead! - An op-ed in today's NY Daily News calls for attention to be paid - to nuclear energy. This would help fill our energy needs without any impact on climate. It is posited as a message to the masses streaming to NY for the climate march this Sunday. Read more.

Antibiotic crisis: Obama cares? - In the "twenty years too late is better than nothing " dept., the antibiotic crisis is in the news after Pres. Obama issued an executive order that will establish an inter-agency task force to develop a strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Read more.

Mandatory flu vaccine for healthcare workers: The debate rages on - Flu season is here, and again the question arises as to whether vaccinations should be mandatory for healthcare workers. Results of a survey from the CDC indicate that only 75 percent of healthcare workers received the vaccine. Unacceptable! Read more.

Study finds an association between middle-age male pattern baldness and aggressive prostate cancer - A new study assessing the relationship between middle-age male-pattern baldness and the later development of aggressive prostate cancer seems to show some link. But it's no reason to assume a cause-and-effect relationship. Read more.