Finger #21

Campaigns aren't cheap, and despite his public distain for wealth and American capitalism, Bernie Sanders does need a revue stream. As a result of his younger following, the powers of the internet as well as major clothing manufactures have come together to create a clothing line with Bernie as the star- the proceeds going to his campaign. What makes this different than any other merchandise seen from any other politician is that it is not what one would expect? Instead of New Times Font, and the traditional patriotic debacle plastered across normal campaign hoodies and mugs, Bernie’s team has opted for prints such like this, with bright, pastel colors and an overall alternative, urban outfitters vibe. And it’s working. Already, his merchandise sales are over twice as greater than all the republicans and Hilary Clinton's combined. They are so popular that they are seen more a fashionable tool then a political statement by teenagers, who wear such clothing in order to 'send out good vibes' By taking to social media and following current trends, Bernie is reaching out to a slew of people that other candidates have generally neglected- the younger Americans. Even though they may be less powerful (and less able to donate) crowd, they have allowed what should have been a short campaign to run to the point where Bernie has a real chance of winning the democratic nomination. This tee shirt is more than just a social media icon- it is changing the face of what it means to run a successful campaign.

IRB

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer is a book written by Siddartha Murkehea, an Indian-born American physician and oncologist. Published on 16 November 2010 by Scribner, it won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize. From beginning to end, the book itself tells the complete story of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions. Then it switches to sweeping historical narrative; with intimate stories about contemporary patients; and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs that may have brought us, at long last, to the brink of lasting cures. The first part of the book is driven by the obsession of Sidney Farber and philanthropist Mary Lasker to find a unitary cure for all cancers. (Farber developed the first successful chemotherapy for childhood leukemia.) The last and most exciting part is driven by the race of brilliant, maverick scientists to understand how cells become cancerous. Each new discovery was small, but as Mukherjee, a Columbia professor of medicine, writes, "Incremental advances can add up to transformative changes." Mukherjee's formidable intelligence and compassion produce a stunning account of the effort to disrobe the "emperor of maladies."The book itself is a tour de force. Effectively does Mukherjee weave together all the various facets of this iconic disease throughout history, from describing cancer from the patient's perspective, to viewing the never ending battles of physicians and medical researchers with cancer over the centuries, to examining the mysteries of the cellular nature of cancer itself and what really goes on in there, to the pro and con impact of this never ending plague on the spirit of the individual human and on our race as a whole, to peering into a crystal ball for a glance of cancer's and our future together. While doing all of this the alchemy of Mukherjee's writing continually turns science into poetry and poetry into science.