A forty year study shows that exposure to sunlight reduces cancer.

A daily dose of vitamin D could cut the risk of cancers of the breast, colon and ovary by up to a half, a 40-year review of research has found. The evidence for the protective effect of the “sunshine vitamin” is so overwhelming that urgent action must be taken by public health authorities to boost blood levels, say cancer specialists.

A growing body of evidence in recent years has shown that lack of vitamin D may have lethal effects. Heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis are among the conditions in which it is believed to play a vital role. The vitamin is also essential for bone health and protects against rickets in children and osteoporosis in the elderly.

Vitamin D is made by the action of sunlight on the skin, which accounts for 90 per cent of the body’s supply. But the increasing use of sunscreens and the reduced time spent outdoors, especially by children, has contributed to what many scientists believe is an increasing problem of vitamin D deficiency.

Paul at Wizbang has a good headline roundup, including something I didn’t know, and that is that gift card spending doesn’t count until the card is actually used. This surprised me, because the money has been given to the store, but I guess it is offset by a liability until it is used.

And in addition, it seems to me that often someone will spend more than what is on their gift card. If you’re given a $20 gift card, you might buy a $25 gift and pay the extra $5.

Friday was Walmart’s biggest day ever. Amazon.com took 108 million orders. Holiday spending up 9%. etc.

With all sorts of year end lists floating around, I thought I would suggest this one to MZ readers. It’s a compilation of odd stories from the year.