This afternoon I just happened to be at Barnes & Noble, searching for a magazine, and lo and behold, who should be staring me in the face but George W. Bush. Not in the flesh, mind you, but on the cover of the Economist.

I have to say I was shocked. Unless the Economist hired a photoshop expert to play with the picture, the man looked worse than I’ve ever seen him. He looked OLD. Head completely gray, face pale, drawn and crinkled. Like all the juice had leaked out and here was this dried out prune.

So what gives? Is there a secret conspiracy? Does Dubya have some fatal disease that he’s not telling us about yet? Did he forget to take his Geritol before the photo was taken? Is his make-up artist and hairdresser on vacation?

Or could it be, that the conscience of the man who talks to God is finally kicking in. It does take a toll on the soul when you realize how many tens of thousands of deaths that you are personally responsible for. Perhaps he’s being visited at night by the spirit of dead American GIs, bloody Iraqi children, and visions of disabled American veterans. Or maybe its mothers and babies who needlessly died, thanks to having funds cut off.

At any rate, he sure looked bad. Kinda looks like Laura’s father now, rather than her hubby.

You can never go wrong by posting a fluff face. I’ve got a few deadlines, but don’t want to totally ignore my blog. Plus, I need a reprieve from all of this dreadful news….

The news can be, well, so depressing. Health news is generally talk of a new disease that shows that everything we’ve been doing for the past 20 years is wrong; or that a dreaded new microbe is set to attack; or that we’re too fat, too anorexic, too old, too ugly, or eat too many Twinkies. Basically, it’s rarely optimistic–or at least, the good news is generally overwhelmed by the bad.

So I just looked at Google Health news, as I procrastinate. Here’s a rundown:

Drugs stockpiled to beat deadly flu
This is London – 1 hour ago
The Government has unveiled detailed preparations on how the UK would cope in the event of a deadly flu pandemic. Health Secretary John Reid announced that 14.6 million doses of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu …

FDA Official: Power to Write Drug Labels Could Help Public
Reuters – 2 hours ago
Information about serious side effects from drugs such as Merck & Co. Inc.’s withdrawn Vioxx could get to the public quicker if regulators had the power to write the …

Implanted Electrodes Combat Depression
Forbes – 2 hours ago
TUESDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) — A procedure that involves drilling two holes into a person’s skull and then implanting electrodes in the brain has shown promise in treating individuals who are severely depressed and resistant to other types of …

Osteoporosis Linked to Celiac Disease
Forbes – 5 hours ago
TUESDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) — People with osteoporosis, the bone-weakening condition, may also have celiac disease and should be screened for that illness, too, a new study recommends.

Daily cannabis use linked to psychosis
New Zealand Herald – 3 hours ago
People who use cannabis every day are nearly twice as likely to suffer psychotic symptoms than non-users, a Canterbury University study has found.

Blood Vessel Disorder Linked to “Mini” Strokes
Forbes – 2 hours ago
TUESDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) — French researchers have linked an obscure blood vessel disorder to “mini” strokes that can damage small areas of the brain.

Let The Market Find A Cure For AIDS
Forbes – 8 hours ago
NEW YORK – At the Annual Retrovirus Conference, which ended its 12th get-together last Friday in Boston, there is always an air of optimism, as new drug discoveries are revealed, and researchers report steady progress in battling HIV, the virus that …

Beauty Pageant to Choose Miss HIV
Reuters – Feb 28, 2005
There is a catwalk banquet, hordes of journalists, traditional dancing and time-consuming hair styling — but at Botswana’s beauty pageant every competitor must be HIV positive.

Nordic Nations Warn Against Sun Beds
Scotsman – Feb 28, 2005
Nordic authorities advised against the use of solariums today, saying such tanning machines increase the risk of skin cancer. Children, young people and those with fair skin are at the greatest risk, said …

A great weight is lifted
News & Observer – Feb 28, 2005
One after another, they signed the requisite release forms, donned safety glasses and picked out their weapon of choice. Then, protective gear in place, the women, college-aged …

Prostate Cancer Drug Has Lifesaving Potential
WebMD – Feb 28, 2005
Feb. 28, 2005 – The drug Proscar helps prevent prostate cancerprevent prostate cancer and could lengthen the lives of many men, researchers say.

Aussie scientists stumble across HIV therapy
New Zealand Herald – Feb 28, 2005
BRISBANE – Australian scientists have accidentally stumbled upon a simple way to dramatically stimulate immunity to deadly viruses like HIV in what’s considered a major discovery in the fight against Aids.

Prison medical firm has lethal record
Indianapolis Star – 12 hours ago
Brian Tetrault was 44 when he was led into a dim county jail cell in upstate New York in 2001, charged with taking skis from his ex-wife’s home.

Man denied transplant because of online plea
Bradenton Herald – Feb 27, 2005
ORANGE CITY – Alex Crionas needs a kidney, and Patrick Garrity has one to give him. They went through rigorous blood and tissue testing last month at LifeLink HealthCare Institute, which coordinates the transplant

Study Shows Snake Venom’s Hisstory
Forbes – 21 hours ago
MONDAY, Feb. 28 (HealthDay News) — Snake venom is one of nature’s most sophisticated bioweapons, containing toxins that cause their victims’ bodies to turn against themselves.

Tobacco export tops 117 mln dollars in SW China province
People’s Daily Online – Feb 28, 2005
Southwest China’s Yunnan Province exported 81,500 tons of flue-cured tobacco in 2004, which topped 117 million US dollars, creating a record high, according to local customs on Monday.