| Older Blacks, Latinos Struggle With Diabetes Control
People without diabetes usually have an A1C level less than 6 percent. When the researchers looked at diabetics taking medications to control their blood sugar, they found a significant difference in A1C levels for whites, blacks and Latinos. Whites had an average A1C reading of 7.22 percent, but for blacks it was 8.07 percent, and for Latinos it was 8.14 percent. There was an even larger difference among the 286 people between 55 and 64 years old, making them too young for Medicare eligibility. The average A1C reading for whites was 7.46 percent, for blacks it was 8.96 percent and for Latinos it was 8.91 percent. There was less of a difference in A1C levels among those over 65, the researchers noted. Heisler noted that these disparities are consistent with Medicare eligibility.
Hold Politicians’ Feet to the Fire
Two words that have all too often been vacuumed off government Web sites and erased from government scientific studies. If the press isn't making the connection, Bill McKibben is. In 1989, he wrote the book "The End of Nature," one of the first books to describe global warming as an emerging environmental crisis. Now, almost 20 years later, he is leading a campaign to draft mass grass-roots participation to publicize the potential catastrophe of climate change and to demand federal action to "Step It Up." The first Step It Up day of action, April 14, 2007, organized in local communities through a central Web site, saw 1,400 coordinated activities pulled together in just three months. The second day of action is planned for Nov. 3, organized through the Web site stepitup2007.org.
Kylie's Britney Advice
As Britney Spears is pictured crying on a pavement... Kylie Minogue has come forward with some grounded words of wisdom. Brit has barely been off the front pages of late, in a month which has seen her temporarily hospitalised, lose custody of her two sons and, most recently, breaking down in front of the paparazzi after apparently rowing with her pal Sam Lutfi. Now Kylie, who has managed to retain an even keel, scandal-free run of it during her three decades in the spotlight, has lent her voice of experience to the whole Britney saga. "Who knows what is going on in her life?" Kylie told The Sun in reference to Brit. .
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