It seems every other health alert these days warns of a new cancer risk. Who would have thought bacon, hot dogs and — dare we say — Spam would be on that list? Wink, wink.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, adviser to the World Health Organization, reports that eating processed meat raises the risk of colon cancer and that other red meats “probably” raise the risk as well.

While processed meat was placed in the same risk category as alcohol, asbestos and tobacco smoke, Dr. John Ioannidis, chairman of disease prevention at Stanford University, cautioned that the risk from red meat is much less than smoking or alcohol.

It’s all about moderation. So if you do eat Costco hot dogs or Spam musubi on a daily basis, you might seek out alternatives.

Shock and awe: Airline cuts a fee

Nowadays, it’s a rarity for airline consumers to get any break on fees; usually, it’s the other way around, with fliers bracing for the next pocketbook hit.

So we can’t help but laud interisland carrier Island Air for waiving its $15 fee on the first checked bags during November, for kamaaina. (A second checked bag will still cost $25.) Every little bit helps, and next month does launch the holiday season in earnest, which may mean family travel.

The fee waiver might largely be PR, given Island Air’s small 3.4 percent share of the interisland market and the promo’s one-month duration. But hey, it wouldn’t hurt for such marketing ideas to spread to other airlines.