Via the Hartford Courant:

U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. Dodd is scheduled to undergo surgery during the Senate's August recess and said he expects to be back at work after a "brief recuperation" at home. "It's something that's very common among men my age,'' said Dodd, who is 65 and the father of two young daughters. "In fact, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their life.'' Dodd, a Democrat who is up for re-election in November 2010, said he feels fine. "As you have probably noticed, I'm working some long and hard hours lately,'' he said. "And that will continue."

I am certain that everyone wishes him the best in his treatment and hopes for a speedy recovery. I only wish that every American could have a chance to receive the kind of treatment he will receive. Via tparty, An email from Sen. Dodd to supporters below the fold:

Sometimes, even in the deepest, stinkiest dungheap, you find a flower growing. From Dean Barnett at Hugh Hewitt's place:

I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW BAD I FEEL FOR ELIZABETH AND JOHN EDWARDS. I’m familiar with the body-blow of a sudden diagnosis that turns your world upside down. It’s incredible – you walk into a doctor’s office and within a span of minutes you find out your life will never be the same. In the back of your mind you nourish the hopes of miracle cures or that you might be like that guy in Dubuque who got the same diagnosis but oddly enough lived forever, but the reality of the situation sits there in your mind. You can’t shake it – it just won’t leave.

It's over. The Fundies have once again been conquered by those twin pillars of liberty: science and pr0n.

WOMEN may be able to undergo a "natural" form of breast enlargement using their own stem cells and fat.

The technique, pioneered in Japan, results in breasts that look and feel smoother than conventional cosmetic surgery using implants.

Stem cells, which have the potential to change into any cells in the body, are found in embryos, but the most plentiful supply in adults is from body fat. When body fat is transferred to the breasts, the stem cells enable the fat to grow its own blood supply, thus becoming an integral part of the breast rather than a foreign object.

Digby. When is it going to be enough? Will it take 100 million Americans watching 50 million needlessly suffering mothers living in their children's basements, eating cat food and drinking themselves through the pain because they can't afford drugs? Sure seems like it. I've made a lot of lists in my time, of what progressive should do, of what should be a priority for Democrats, etc. But seriously: fixing the health care mess in this country feels more and more like a "revolutionary" situation to me every day. Everyone gets sick, eventually. Everyone ages. Everyone dies. Even in a culture of massive desensitization, one which worships bloodshed and violence, people still don't like watching loved ones suffer needlessly. I don't know Jane personally, but I know many like her. Again I can only ask: who will be the smart, completely safe for two terms Democratic presidential candidate who wants to ride this wave? Runway models and cheerleaders aren't as popular as that person would be.

While researching for a blog post I was going to write, I came across this:

Curtis Salgado, the singer and bluesman who was the visual inspiration for John Belushi's Blues Brothers act, has liver cancer and has suspended concerts.