Maybe I chose the right time to give up

Yes, I know this was on the 7pm Project tonight but it's topical and it's relevant. According to a study carried out by the University of Minnesota and the National University of Singapore, I can now add soft drinks to the already-giant list of Stuff That Will Kill Me. Other members of that list include cling wrap, plastic water bottles, aerosol deodorants, red meat and aspartame.

The scientists followed more than 60,000 men and woment over 14 years and of those, 140 people died from pancreatic cancer. Those who consumed soft drinks more than once a week (the article is a bit shaky on the frequency so maybe we'll go with regularly) were found to have almost twice the risk of contracting the cancer, after taking other control issues such as red meat consumption into account.

The link: high consumption of sugary soft drinks causes the pancreas to secrete more insulin, which has been found to cause an increase in the number of cancer cells.

So there's a seven in 3000 chance that I might get pancreatic cancer (big leap, but let me have my numerical inacuracy please) due to my soft drink consumption. Is this a common ailment in diabetics, I wonder. Ooh, ooh, hang on - loophole! Diet soft drinks are less likely to cause the cancer as they aren't made from sugar. Diet Coke - we're still on as soon. The first day of May is looking better and better.

ABC: Soft drink doubles pancreatic cancer risk: study

On drinking

Just a few thoughts on raising the Australian drinking age to 21 (while it's somewhat topical).

•  Is this the same PM who raised taxes on RTDs to combat underage binge drinking? If he thought the outcry over removing the right of 16 year olds to get drunk in a park was largish, imagine what it'll be like if it was extended to the 20 year olds.
• At 18 we can vote, smoke and fight for our country. Surely a drink isn't going to hurt. I don't believe that alcohol is a right of passage as most of the people I know (myself included) had experienced intoxication well before they turned 18.
• The legal drinking age in the United States is 21. Look how well that works.

However, let's not forget that this is based on a hypothetical question asked on a panel show. I don't know K-Rudd personally but I think it's safe to assume that his personal opinion is not out of character. So why are we surprised that he would take this kind of action?

In the mean time the drinking age is still 18. Australians, charge your glasses!

ABC: Abbott against drinking age hike