Hi Joel,
Thanks for the trust -- let me assure you I'm a real mom of a real diabetic child with no affiliation with Pelikan. My excitement about the product is genuine, however; my son needs to check his blood sugar with 5-10 finger sticks a day (over 2,500 a year) and every single one used to hurt. It's not a cure, but it makes the wait for one a little less painful.
Beth

Pipenta says a parasite that affects humans might explain the last two presidential elections; allow me to present toxoplasmosis, which scientists have theorized has an effect on both individual and mass human behavior. A third of the world's population is estimated to host this parasite, including the those of us in the developed world.

For the individual, it makes women friendlier and better groomed but men the opposite; increases the ratio of boys to girls born, and increases the neuroticism of all. (Also makes the hosts fonder of cats, an essential part of the parasite's life cycle.)

In addition, says Kevin Lafferty, a USGS scientist at UC Santa Barbara, "The geographic variation in the latent prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii may explain a substantial proportion of human population differences we see in cultural aspects that relate to ego, money, material possessions, work and rules."

Just wanted to point out that we are part of the cycle too, and don't even realize it.