Sick Americans, Sodaless Children, $100K Mommies, Erectile Dysfunction, Crazy-Beautiful, and In TV We Trust

1. Despite spending twice per person on health care as England, the United States still ends up with sicker citizens. According to a study in the Journal of The American Medical Association, Americans, immaterial of class status or national lifestyle, show higher rates of diabetes, strokes, cancer, and heart and lung disease. The article gets good though when it talks about how some experts attribute the mysterious result to the U.S.'s more diverse population. However, when researchers removed minorities from the sample, the results for white Americans were the same--still sicker. (AP)

2. In a shocking pharmaceutical move, Pfizer and Eli Lilly will be shifting their marketing strategies for their respective products, Viagra and Levitra. In their new ad campaigns, erectile dysfunction will be portrayed as a "medical condition" instead of a "lifestyle concern." This is to capture a greater share of the market and curb their disappointment from recent years' slumping sales. Funny how the sales and the "condition" run parallel. (AP)

3. To fight the battle against fat children, Cadbury Schweppes, Coca Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association have agreed to a deal announced by the William J. Clinton Foundation: to halt nearly all soda sales in public schools. Under the deal, the distributors can sell only water, unsweetened juice, and low-fat milk. Yeah, even I wouldn't go near that. Go dehydrated fat children. (Fox News)

4. Results from a global survey by the BBC, Reuters, and The Media Centre, found that the BBC, Fox News, and Al Jazeera are the most trusted brands in their respective countries. Other findings were that national television is the most trusted news source, the Internet is becoming more trustworthy, and blogs are simultaneously trustworthy and not ...aka blogs are the most sexy news source out there. (Reuters)

5. Moms in the U.S. deserve $134,121 for their work each year, according to a Salary.com study, which compared the role to related jobs, i.e. houskeeper, day-care teacher, cook, etc. Remember this next time you hear a nasty divorce debate. (Reuters)

6. Jessica Simpson is on the prowl for one prey in particular, and according to Star, it's none other than James Blunt. One of the more potential bizarre pairings to date though obviously not most. *cough*tomkat*cough*