Well, we're all going on assumptions and it's certainly possible there was some bred-out genetic mutation, but I think we can also throw in environmental causes—particularly since it turns out that these mountains are rich in uranium. Breast tissue, by the way, is particular sensitive to radiation damage during…

Oh shoot—it's not just poignant, but devastating? By the guy who made Grave of the Fireflies? I really want to see it, but Tagahata knows how to break my heart. Hell, Pom Poko made me sad.

Nah, you can do dropped fruit and the occasional leaf. That way you're just eating their babies and maiming them.

Yep, an MD friend of mine would be squeeing with delight—she gave my kid a plush brain—kid was delighted, she was delighted. I'll be over here hiding under the bed, thanks.

When's the movie on Lifetime?

Don't forget the part where she gets paid to write about her nuttiness.

But I'm not comparing rates from the 19th century to the 21st century. I'm comparing rates from the second half of the 20th to current when there had already been a big increase in lifespan in women—primarily because of the big drops in infant mortality, lower mortality in childbirth and, of course, *vaccines*.

Thing…

Different Sand Snakes are different hues—I thought the one with the Septa mom was supposed to be pretty fair. I know one of the Sand Snakes cast is part-Maori, so I don't think there's major white-washing going on.

Yep, I'm still having problems with dropping a major character like that along with changing Tyrion's motivations.

Oh well, Write George RR Martin, Write!

Average age of onset is around 52—i.e. near menopause when the breast tissue goes through numerous changes. The risk actually drops in extreme old age. The change in female lifespan doesn't account for the increase. The incidence of breast cancer has begin climbing for a while, but really got going in the late 60s…

Researchers need money for their studies. There's not a lot of interest in funding anything that A) we couldn't do much about, B) would involve access to what's been classified data, C) would involve some really expensive population studies and D) could possibly find the U.S. government at fault.

Way back when x-rays…

If she were a platypus, she could lay an egg and be spared the third trimester.

That's the thing—I breastfed a long time and I truly believe that there are benefits, but it's also obvious that many, many people were never breastfed and survived just fine, so it's not my damn business to tell other women what to do.

You don't have to do things "perfectly" you just have to do them well enough. …

Well, the rate of breast cancer in the 20th century did rise dramatically, from an incidence about one in 32 to one in eight. I'm inclined to think radiation exposure had more to do with it than aspartame or vaccines since there is a radiation/breast cancer link (i.e. one of the big reasons that there was a change in…

What I've seen are lava rocks wrapped in leaves and poured-out booze bottles. Pele's a bit of a lush.

No, the volcanoes—it's actually suggested that you take a breathing mask with you for some hikes and avoiding some areas if you're pregnant, have young kids or have asthma or other breathing issues. Sometimes NPS closes Volcanoes National Park because of the fumes. Basically, you don't want to be downwind from an…

It's also one the areas where the population's growing most rapidly—thanks to the volcano, it's a *lot* more affordable than other parts of the island or the other islands.

It's not really a ticking time bomb because the volcanoes are monitored and the lava flow is slow and steady instead of explosive, but it is…

I wouldn't bank on that. I'll also bet some of these people fall on the libertarian side of things. Anyway, this isn't all that different than the way a lot of people lived pre WWII in rural areas—subsistence farming and hunting, limited fuel. It's a tough way to live, but it's not impossible either.

Yes, of course, the Pentagon is looking at a worse-case scenario—that's their job. That said, the U.S. is still in a much better position than about any other country. Everything that you say about limited resources will apply to every other country.

Our food-supply chains don't have to be that massive and because…

It's certainly very cyberpunk, but I also find the detachment/balancing inwardness of the characters and the plot to be very Japanese. It's contemplative.