Nothing To Do With Law

This is easy for even me to forget, but I was actually trained as some sort of scientist. (We'll withhold jugment about the quality of that training for the present.) In an effort to keep that part of my brain alive during the next three years, I read some dorky science-y things, the best of which is the Human Nature column on Slate.com. (The columnist, William Saletan, has some personal views that tend not to fall into an easy political box, which makes for interesting reading. Besides, he's a local guy.) It made me laugh today, so I thought I'd share. Click here for the full column.

Breast-cancer gene carriers are debating preemptive mastectomy. A quarter-million U.S. women have the gene, which gives you a 60 to 90 percent chance of getting the cancer. Self-invented name: "previvors." Mastectomy arguments: 1) You're lucky to be the first generation that knows what's coming. You'd be a fool not to take advantage of the knowledge. 2) If you do it, you'll never feel like a real woman again. 3) If you don't, you'll worry about cancer all the time. 4) If you delay it a few years, science may find a cure. 5) Science might find a cure in time for your daughters, not for you. Do it now so you'll live long enough to have them. 6) If you do it too early, no man will marry you, so you'll never have kids anyway. 7) Get married fast so you can have the kids and get the surgery early. 8) Rushing your boyfriend will just drive him away. 9) You can still get a man, by replacing your real boobs with fake ones. 10) No, fake ones look fake. 10) Yeah, but they're getting better. 11) Yeah, but to keep your nipples, you have to slightly increase your risk of cancer. 12) OK, then here's the deal: Lose the breast, keep the nipples.