Homophobia Addressed: What Needs To Be Done!

For thousands of years the concept of same-sex relationships has been around. Admittedly it has been in lesser degrees of the public eye than now in the past, but that does not exempt it from it being addressed. Our sexuality is governed by no one, not even ourselves, and the persecution felt by those who “dare to be gay” is unjust on the highest level.
We live in an acclaimed “civilised society” based on freedom of speech/action/choice whereby the only constraints put on us is the Law, and even that we can challenge through our opinions and government. It is surprising that homophobic attitudes are rife throughout the layers, strands and weaves of society when freedom is at our fingertips.
I was helping in an pre-GCSE English class today when a kid is analysing “It’s like trying to ride a horse made out of jelly and teeth.” Obviously for any English student the two main techniques to jump out at you are it being a simile and a clear hyperbole. When discussing this, the English teacher asks “But what is the writer trying to say about the horse?” To which a ‘very witty’ twelve year-old answers “Its like gays…weak and stuff.” I was utterly speechless. The English teacher made clear the homophobic comment was not acceptable, but yet the class still seemed to provide a roaring laugh of approval to Mr Wit. The point I make here is that societies views are not changing, especially where it matters: the younger generations. This needs to be rectified. How can a society grow and be handed down to morally failed generations of people? THIS CANNOT HAPPEN!
Gay-marriage is a whole other kettle-of-fish but religion plays a role in all of the aforementioned factors: religion, lets be honest, provides an excuse to doing what an authority wants to do, without being challenged, else you are threatened or oppressing religion and thus, hated by a population of people. A great example of this is the Catholic Church. In its one BILLION person membership it preaches of ‘no sex before marriage’; ‘no marriage for gays’; ‘pay off your sins because that’s what God wants you to do, and to make us rich”, etc. How can such an authority be respected in this global climate of freedom of will? The denial of the right to a religious marriage is selfish beyond belief; it is the epitome of institutionalised homophobia.
I call of the Government and you, society, to remove the church’s ‘devine’, Old-Testiment right to force people choice’s in their representation of their love for another human being. The different hormones and physicality of said loved person is exclusive from LOVE which they share!

A Very Handy First Transplant

After an extreme case of gout the lucky Mark Cahill, 51, became the first person in the UK to have a hand transplant.
Doctors at the Leeds General Infirmary report that good progress was made during the eight-hour operation. The pioneering surgery, to which the 51 year-old volunteered after deciding against a bionic hand, mapped nerves to insure hopeful movement and sensation. Progress so far indicates Mr Cahill is able to wiggle his fingers.
The surgery involved the amputating of the donor hand by one of the two surgical teams and the transplanting of the hand by the other.
Professor Simon Kay of Leeds General Infirmary, a consultant plastic surgeon, headed up the surgery noting how it was "extremely challenging".
The difficulty of finding the correct patient participant was finding their physical and psychological eligibility for the surgery. With the possibility of the hand just being a dead weight, the surgical team did not want a reaccurance of a case involving Clint Hallam, a New Zealander who had his transplanted hand removed after he said he felt "mentally detached".
In preparation for the surgery, the surgical team contacted experts from around the world asking for advice. Teams from France, who pioneered the first hand transplant in 1998, were key in this process.
Professor Norman Williams, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "This is yet another example of life-changing surgical advancements that are not possible." Later adding "care always ned to be taken in choosing suitable patients who understand the risks and benefits."

Norovirus Cases "top a million"

The highly contagious Norovirus, the Winter Vomiting Bug, has made it annual return in a dramatic fashion.
Compared to 2011's statistics, there has been an increase of 83% in cases, according to the Health Protection Agency, HPA.
Cases were predicted to be growing in number into the new year, however it appears that NHS is handling it well. Compared to the 2.9% of beds closed last year due to the Norovirus, only 2.4% remain closed. Additionally, no Accident & Emergency centres been forced to close.
With the increase in cases it has become increasingly imperative the public become aware of the transmission of the virus; the HPA report, as of the 16 December, for every 3,538 laboratory-confirmed cases 288 go unconfirmed.
The transmission of the virus is through contaminated objects and and surfaces, water and food. John Harris, an expert on the Norovirus from the HPA advised the washing of hands and, if found with the virus, staying away from hospitals, schools, care-homes or anywhere prone of outbreak. Specifically, anywhere "which may cause severe disruption". 

"Trojan-horse" Cancer Therapy?

In an "exciting" development in cancer research, researchers have developed a new means of delivery for cancer busting drugs. The "trojan-horse" system, still in it's laboratory phasing, is being developed by Professor Claire Lewis of the University of Sheffield. Tests thus far indicate the successes of this means of delivery, similar to the HIV virus, in which the treatment drug is transported within white blood cells.
After the treatments of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy has concluded, the resultant damage to the tissue needs repairing, and consequently white blood cells are sent to the scene of the damage. The virally infected white blood cells at this stage have a limited number of viruses, one or two, in them. However, once they macrophages reach the site, the virus can being to replicate. Twelve hours or so later, the white blood cells burst releasing a tidal wave of ~10,000 viruses, each. A formidable force against the tumour.
Mice used in Prof Lewis's who partook in this development were "eradicated" of their cancer after 40 days. The Professor continued to remark that the research was "ground-breaking", but noted the possibility of the treatment failing to have any effect on humans. Human trials are due to start next year.
It is truly remarkable how doctors soon may be able to harness the body's own immune system to deliver targeted treatment for cancer.
Dr Kate Holmes of Head of Research at Prostate Cancer UK commented: "If this treatment goes on to be successful in human trials, it could mark substantial progress in finding better treatments for men with prostate cancer which has spread to the bone".