Pharmaco-intelligence

In Afghanistan, the CIA has been getting information about the Taliban from local chieftains in exchange for a few little blue pills. I don't like it... it reminds me too much of the British giving the Chinese opium at the turn of the century. Plus, don't you need a prescription for Viagra? Isn't that illegal distribution of drugs? (But I guess it's better than giving them weapons and money - which has normally been the case).

New meaning to brain waves

This was recently posted on Brain Stimulant blog (good to know that my young field has reached into the blog world). Researchers at the Arizona State are investigating the use of ultrasound to stimulate the brain. They've done some in vitro studies and found some pretty cool effects (it can cause cells to fire and release neurotransmitters). It has some potential benefits that TMS doesn't such as the possibility to target deeper and smaller structures. Of course, since ultrasound has been used to kill tumors, safety may be a factor (though for brain stimulation a much lower intensity is used).

Arizona State has a press release about it also. One thing that struck me is that they're already talking about using it to treat diseases and create artificial memories like in Total Recall. I understand that to get it out into the media (and to get it funding) you need to make it sound sexy, but that's a bit far fetched (and misleading).

Ultrasound of brain (for imaging purposes, not stimulation)

Read this, Democrats

To understand how angry and disappointed many Democrats are that Barack Obama has invited evangelical preacher Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inaugural, imagine if a President-elect John McCain had offered this unique honor to the Rev. Al Sharpton -- or the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. I know, it's hard to picture: John McCain would never do that in a million years. Republicans respect their base even when, as in McCain's case, it doesn't really return the favor.

Only Democrats, it seems, reward their most loyal supporters -- feminists, gays, liberals, opponents of the war, members of the reality-based community -- by elbowing them aside to embrace their opponents instead.

An opinion piece in the LA Times. My opinion is that with the great diversity that exists in this country, a two-party system just doesn't work. If the democrats continue making friends with republicans then I'll be doing my part to make another party more prominent.

If only I could have made this show...

Jay-Z and Phish, you don't get that everyday. Oh well, but I'm pretty excited that Phish is getting back together (although it makes that 26 mile walk I made on the way to their so-called "last show ever" less meaningful)... maybe after I get that playa hatin' degree this summer, I could go to some shows.

Come on, Mr. President-Elect - we dont' need more of this

Barack, the people who've backed you from the beginning and the people who have elected you want us to move away from nuts like this having prominent roles in our politics. We've voted the extreme right out, you don't need to and shouldn't pander to them. These are the same people who called you a muslim terrorist and made half-concealed racist remarks against you and your family... why do you keep supporting them??? All it does is reinforce them in their spread of hate.

I have little confidence that much of Bush's misguided policies will be reversed by someone who is so much into "reaching across the aisle" and afraid of offending the republicans.

Winter is cool!

Not really, it's my second worst season (fall is my worst, 'cause you know winter is coming). However, a cool snowflake photomicroscope at Cal Tech sure makes the white stuff I hate cleaning off my car look pretty nice. My favorite is the triangular crystals that occur at around -2 C (28 F, which would be a considered a heat wave right now where I am).

The holy cerebellum

Saw this on Pharyngula. Apparently a woman sees the virgin mary in her MRI. So obviously she tries to sell it on eBay (it's going for $610 so far). Well, I've got hundreds of MRIs just sitting there. Maybe I could find a virgin mary of my own. That's how I could make all this research pay off.