Saturday, May 12, 2012

Saturday Stories: Disease Screening and an HBO Related Double Shot


Alan Cassels on how screening tests (for prostate cancer, breast cancer, etc.) over promise, under deliver and may cause more harm than good.

Jezebel's Lindy West and her Weight of the Nation inspired plea to stop shaming fat people.

John Hoffman, Executive Producer of HBO's Weight of the Nation discusses the basics of his documentary series.

[While a great many have been quick to condemn the documentary sight unseen, I'm looking forward to watching it. Certainly John's post suggests it'll be a far cry from individualized blame and instead  may well be a first mainstream and literally prime time foray into teaching the world that obesity's an environmental issue, that it's not as simple as just pushing away from the table and saying "no".  To me at least, that sounds like a monumental step forward and slamming folks for taking it may not be the best way to further, encourage or inspire an important shift in thinking.  Perhaps instead we should be looking to further their and the world's thinking through polite, thoughtful, and common ground acknowledging discussions.]