Possible link between formaldehyde exposure and myeloma

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According to a recent article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance Access published online on May 12, 2009, it looks as though exposure to formaldehyde could raise one’s risk of lymphohematopoietic malignancies (blood and lymph cancers).

For an extremely statistical look, read the abstract -> http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/djp096

I had some exposure to formaldehyde during my twenties. Nobody can say for sure if that was the risk factor for me though. I worked around plastics.  A certain type of plastic, called high density polyethylene,  gives off fumes that contain formaldehyde when it’s heated to a high temperature.  We stood around at a factory with melting HDPE around us all the time.

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More backyard wildlife

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I found this spider clinging to the side of the pool today, so I got the net and fished it out.   I tapped it out onto the lawn.  At the time, I didn’t realize her bumpy back looked that way because she was carrying baby spiders. I’ve been told this is a wolf spider.  I only had my iPhone with me instead of a proper camera, so the image is a little bit fuzzy.

Mother spider with baby spiders on her back
Mother spider with baby spiders on her back

Southern Pines, NC back yard wild life!  If you have pictures of North Carolina spiders to share, let me know!

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Froggies!

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A few days ago, the tadpoles who made their home in the water that collected on my pool cover developed into tiny frogs or toads.  I’m still not sure what they are.  I took a short video on my camera of them hopping around on the pool cover.  Since then, they’ve almost all hopped away.  I can see some in the yard if I look carefully.  There are just a few tadpoles left, but they’ve almost lost their tails and have legs now.

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Flashing lights

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Southern Pines Police car flashing lights This evening was the second of eight sessions of this year’s Southern Pines Police Citizens Police Academy. If your community’s police department has a program like this, I encourage you to get involved. It doesn’t seem like eight weeks is enough time to learn all there is to know.

During the first session, we had an introduction to the department and its functions given by Chief John Letteney, Community Services Coordinator, Bob Temme and the department’s chaplain.

Today’s lecture and demonstrations were conducted by Sgt Austin, who described the functions and responsibilities of the patrol division. We got to tour the department offices and take a look at some of the equipment used in patrol cars.

We talked a lot about impaired drivers and the methods used to determine the level of impairment by officers on patrol. Can you believe that there are people who think they can alter the results of breath alcohol detection instruments by putting a penny in their mouths?  Weird, I know.  I said I think we should start a rumor that putting a cat turd in your mouth will cause a negative reading.  I’d love to imagine drunk drivers sucking on cat turds when they get pulled over.  We laugh when we hear the stories about how impaired drivers bumble through field sobriety tests, but there’s really nothing funny about it. Drunk drivers are potential killers who have no care for the safety and well-being of others. I barely remember him, but my uncle was killed by a drunk driver.

Next week I’ll have some more pictures!

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Tadpole Salad

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This is a video of some tadpoles that live in the water that’s collected on top of my pool cover. They’re eating some salad greens I tossed onto the water for them. There are hundreds left, even though I’ve given at least a hundred away for kids to watch as they develop into toads or frogs, or whatever they’ll be. They don’t have legs yet, so it could be some weeks before they leave. If you’re local and would like some pollywogs for your classroom aquarium, let me know.

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This and that

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One of my classmates from the Travel Channel Academy has used her video skills to win the use of a car!

“I am one of 100 people to win a 2011 Ford Fiesta (international model) for 6 months! Be sure to check my blog (http://hotfuzzonmylegs.blogspot.com) and twitter (www.twitter.com/lex112884) for more info and to learn more about the winnings!”

That’s very cool.  I haven’t done much video myself, but have some projects in the works.  Just local stuff, which I’ll post when it’s ready.

I’ve been approved to attend the tenth session of the Southern Pines Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy, and am looking forward to participating. My nephew wonders if that means Buddy will get to be a police dog.

I have Zometa tomorrow.  It’s been a while since I did that, but there’s a possibility (I’m told) that it has an anti-myeloma effect. I only have it about 3-4 times a year now.

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