What began as a bit of a practical joke might just have been the thing to save one man's life.
According to an article on Gawker, for a laugh the guy in question peed on a pregnancy test left behind by an ex-girlfriend. To his utter shock, the test came up positive. Then one coincidence led to another. A friend transformed the vignette into a humorous comic on Reddit...
Many commenters then weighed in, telling the man to get himself to an oncologist, pronto, as beta human chorionic gonadotropin, detected by a pregnancy test, can signal not just a baby on the way but possible testicular cancer, too.
"If this is true, you should check yourself for testicular cancer. Seriously. Google it," wrote one commenter.
And they were right. The man discovered he had a small tumour in his right testicle (which, you guessed it, also made its way into comic form on Reddit). If it weren't for that cheeky test, he may not have caught the cancer in time.
The power of the net prevails—again!
If you're a soda drinker, you may not want to read this. As a means to provide transparency, McDonalds style, Coca-Cola UK now has a new calorie counter on its website. But you may not really want to know just how many minutes of cardio you need to burn off a can.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, a woman who weighs in at around 133 pounds would need to do the following in order to burn off the calories in a single can:
As the website explains:
"Making sure there isn't an imbalance between the amount of calories you take in each day and the amount you burn can help you to maintain a healthy weight. And the best way to ensure energy balance is by eating a well-balanced diet and enjoying regular physical activity."
While it's great that Coke is informing its customers on how to strike a healthy balance, the plan may just backfire. I don't know about you, but I would have to want that can of Coke pretty damn badly to justify 70 minutes of ironing!
And if I was to consume such so-called 'empty' calories, I'd rather they were in chocolate. After all, at least chocolate has antioxidants...
Et tu? Will this information make you more conscious about your sugary drink consumption? Will it dissuade you from drinking Coca-Cola? Need a few more persuasive reasons to give up the soda—look here and here.
The media is ablaze over President Obama's re-election and Mitt Romney's defeat. To many, the triumph was palpable. Reading this letter addressed to the President from young Sophia Bailey Klugh is guaranteed to make you swoon.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, the ten-year-old girl who has two dads wrote to ask the President a very important question:
"I am so glad that you agree two men can love each other because I have two dads and they love each other, but at school kids think that it's gross and weird, but it really hurts my heart and feelings.... If you were me and you had two dads that loved each other and kids at school teased you about it, what would you do?"
Though some questioned the authenticity of the letter (as it came on personal—not White House—stationery), apparently insiders corroborated. Here was the Prez's heartwarming response:
"Dear Sophia,
Thank you for writing me such a thoughtful letter about your family. Reading it made me proud to be your president and even more hopeful about the future of our nation.
In America, no two families look the same. We celebrate this diversity. And we recognize that whether you have two dads or one mom what matters above all is the love we show one another. You are very fortunate to have two parents who care deeply for you. They are lucky to have such an exceptional daughter in you.
Our differences unite us. You and I are blessed to live in a country where we are born equal no matter what we look like on the outside, where we grow up, or who our parents are. A good rule is to treat others the way you hope they will treat you. Remind your friends at school about this rule if they say something that hurts your feelings.
Thanks again for taking the time to write me. I'm honored to have your support and inspired by your compassion. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to dinner, but I'll be sure to tell Sasha and Malia you say hello.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama"
Such tolerance and compassion is refreshing compared to the blatant homophobia and gender inequality frequently espoused during the Republican candidate's campaign. In Canada, we kinda dig diversity. Oh, and health care, too.
Are you as relieved as young Sophia and these 90 people that Obama will remain in office for another term?
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