A new study supported by Horizon of Hope and the American Cancer Society has determined that a psychological intervention program designed for breast cancer patients improves their health and increases their chance of survival. Researchers at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center conducted the landmark study, which found that patients participating in an intervention program reduced their risk of dying of breast cancer by 56 percent after an average of 11 years. Participants also reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 45 percent. "If psychological interventions to reduce stress are delivered early, they can improve mental health, health, and possibly even their odds of survival," said Dr. Barbara Andersen, lead author of the study and a member of Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of psychology.

Re-watching Iron-Jawed Angels, I was again moved by Alice Paul, who “was the architect of some of the most outstanding political achievements on behalf of women in the 20th century” including getting Congress to pass the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote, which followed that of black men, by the way, evidently reflecting the right of white women to be president, and evidently reflecting our pecking order in this country.

Had Hillary Clinton secured the Democratic nomination for president, McCain presumably would not have asked Sarah Palin to be his vice-presidential running mate, and would most likely have chosen Mitt Romney. (Much as he would’ve preferred, there’s no way he could have chosen Joe Leiberman.) A McCain/Romney ticket could have possibly defeated Hillary Clinton (and given Obama a run for his money) so I’m grateful to Sarah Palin for her part in McCain’s downfall.

The political pundits keep talking about how Sarah Palin has alienated Republican voters. Well, she has done better than that – she has galvanized Democratic voters like myself to take action. Thanks to her I have become politically active: I registered voters, called voters, and am canvassing voters through the election because I do not want to have to move to Canada.

There was some talk that Sarah Palin should jump ship to help save McCain’s campaign but it’s too late for that. She says she wants to remain on the national political scene but based on her SNL appearance, I think she should pursue an acting career instead, a more historical event than becoming Vice President since many actors have become politicians, but I don't think the reverse has yet to happen. At any rate, I wonder if Sarah Palin was what Alice Paul had in mind when she said, “I never doubted that equal rights was the right direction. Most reforms, most problems are complicated. But to me there is nothing complicated about ordinary equality.”