BY DR. GLENN MOLLETTE 

Award winning actress Kirstie Alley was diagnosed with cancer shortly before her untimely death at the young age of 71. Grammy award-winning Celine Dion has recently been diagnosed with a neurological disease called Stiff Person Syndrome. The disease attacks about one in a million and is a very debilitating disease. She is 54 years old.

Disease, death and bad news can attack anyone at any age and none of us are immune.

Good news came to Britney Griner, who spent 10 months in a Russian prison for allegedly having hashish oil in her suitcase at a Moscow airport. She was recently released and is now back in the United States. The bad news is that arms dealer Victor Bout, who smuggled millions of weapons to the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa, was released from prison in exchange for Griner’s release.

Paul Whelan, a former United States Marine, received bad news in that he is still being held in a Russian prison accused of spying. Russia is apparently holding onto him for another deal with the United States. It’s tragic that he wasn’t released with Griner.

Please stay out of Russia, North Korea, Iran and China. There are other places to avoid as well, but there are plenty of nice places to visit.