The New Face of Asperger’s Syndrome

Well, the NY Times Health blog, has a post about Heather Kuzmich, the recently eliminated America’s Next Top Model contestant who has Asperger’s. Asperger’s was endlessly discussed on the show by Tyra Banks and other cast members, generating newfound awareness of the syndrome. A definition of the condition can be found here.

Kuzmich auditioned for the show because “It was a point in my life where I was thinking either Asperger’s was going to define me or I was going to be able to work around it.”

Those interested in learning more about Asperger’s should read Tim Page’s moving first account of life with Asperger’s. Page is the Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music critic of the Washington Post.

– Lakshmi Gandhi

The Semantics of Hunger

According to the USDA, 11 percent of U.S. households experienced what the USDA call “food insecurity” in 2006. Three years ago, the USDA used the term “hunger,” but a 2003 expert panel deemed “hunger” to be a misleading word for the sensation one gets in her belly when she lacks sufficient food.

A recent article in Mother Jones magazine challenges a report from The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, that says these 12.5 million hungry people eat too much food and therefore shouldn’t get more money to buy more food. The online discussion that ensues, much of which is in favor of The Heritage Foundation, is rather interesting too.

World AIDS Day

This public service announcement was produced by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.  A recent NY1 article said that 100,000 New Yorkers have HIV, including one in 40 African Americans.

– Lakshmi Gandhi