Far From Home

Long Live Mighty Mouse!

 No, not the cartoon character.  Although he's cool too, I guess.

Turns out science has presented us with yet another genetic marvel--  A mouse that lives 20% longer, with nothing more than one gene removed from its' genetic makeup.

Also compelling is the fact that the increase of lifespan is accompanied by (or facilitated by?) a distinct lessening of age-related ailments.  

Dominic Withers, the co-author of the study explains, "These mice were resistant to type 2 diabetes ... and they also appeared to have reduced incidence of the mouse-equivalent of osteoporosis -- so they had stronger bones." 

The list of noted improvements goes on, including improved balance, strength, coordination, and brain health-- the latter indicated by an abnormally inquisitive nature.

Here's the twist, however..  All this super-mouse greatness wouldn't do Mighty Mouse any good...  or Mickey, for that matter.  These effects were witnessed exclusively in female mice.

Relax, Minnie.  

One intelligent and uplifting commenter on the original blog post on Discover's website had this to contribute:

No thanks… Lifes not really working out for me so well. Im not interested. Somebody else can have mine. Death may be the only way I can escape you f***ers.

Ah, gotta love the internet.  

via [gizmodo] via [Discover]

Baby Steps Toward Marijuana Legalization

Since my last post on the subject, a even greater tempest of media coverage is swirling and picking up speed.  I'll go out on a limb and say that Obama seems to be waiting for "the people" to make enough of a stand on the matter so it doesn't have to be "his idea".  But seriously -- Obama can't truly be opposed to pot legalization on a personal level.. that just isn't believable, if you ask me.  I can understand, that said, the tactical avoidance of any bold moves in this already incredibly intense political climate. 

Anyhow, here are some links to keep you up to speed on the latest progress, segmented logically.  This is a merely a tiny subset of the vast sea of media coverage.  It is quite remarkable.

General / Perspective

• America's New Marijuana Zeitgeist (thehill.com)
• Let's Tell The Truth About Marijuana (Reality Catcher)  
• Marijuana Legalization Gaining Steam Across the US (thinkingfluidly.com)
• Mr. President, It's Time To Talk About Marijuana (eyesonobama.com)

Political / Policy Related

• Is Marijuana Legalization Politically Risky Anymore? Not Really.. (stopthedrugwar.com)
• Medicinal Marijuana is Legal in Michigan (mapinc.org)
• Michigan Accepts First Application for Medicinal Marijuana (detnews.com)

Studies / Scientific Findings

• Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows (sciencedaily.com)  

"The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University. Researchers do not know why THC inhibits tumor growth, they say the substance could be activating molecules that arrest the cell cycle." (sciencedaily.com)

• Possibility of Marijuana as Cancer Treatment (cancermarijuana.com)

This blog (cancermarijuana.com) has fascinating discoveries to speak about, offered in easily-consumed, weil-written articles.  Highly recommended reading material, even if it does lack the scientific references to truly be considered "unbiased reporting." :)

Celebrities / Cultural 

•   Drew Carey Responds to Obama about Marijuana (jimboland.com)
•   Carlos Santana Tells Obama to Legalize Marijuana (huffingtonpost.com)

Another Ten Years? Sure Doesn't Look Like It...

Now here is an interesting chart:

 

This chart accompanies this article and illustrates the width of the societal divide on the issue of legalizing marijuana over the years... and I dig the chart... but I actually have to go ahead and disagree with the analysis that accompanies it.  The author makes the case that pot legalization is coming, but probably not for another 10 years.  He notes that in order for legalization to occur, the number of people in support of it would have to be a supermajority, and currently is stil a minority at 40% of the population, with 46% opposed.
The perspective given by the author proposes that by following the upward, roughly linear trend established between 1990 and the present, a 60% majority for legalization is likely around 2022 or 2023.  Intepreting this data with a linear trendline is totally inappropriate, particularly given the social and political climate that we live in, and the widespread desperation bred by the still worsening financial crisis.  I look at the sudden curve between 2004 and today and I see what looks like the beginning of exponential growth.  
There is currently a 6% gap between those in favor of legalization and those who oppose it.  Simply a rough estimate by looking at the graph--but it seems that around 2006, this gap was roughly 30%.  So, over the past three years, we have a favorable increase of legalization to the tune of about 24%, or 8% per year.  If that rate was to remain consistent, there would be a majority in favor in less than two years, and a very significant majority in less than five.
But those numbers are STILL likely to be wrong.  The value of this data is found in the acceleration of the rate of changes in opinion. The magnitude of the recent jump in support for legalization is exceeds that of any other period of time shown.  Only in the early 70s, during the years following the Controlled Substances act of 1970, do we see anything similar.  And by comparison, recent years show an increase of even greater proportion.
Summarily, I'll make no prediction of my own on the timeframe, but when marijuana is finally legalized, in observance of the highly reactive nature of human society, it is almost certain to happen quite suddenly... And there is a very real possibility that we are living the prelude to that change today.

Marijuana Legalization on the Horizon

There's so much about this in the media that I'm not even going to attempt to summarize it myself.  Instead, I'm just going to provide you with a selection of links on the subject.

• Legalization of Marijuana Bill in California (sfweekly.com)
• Legalizing Marijuana More Popular than GOP Leaders (thinkprogress.org)
• US: 40% Say Marijuana Should Be Legalized (rasmussenreports.com)
• New Jersey votes today on bill to legalize medical marijuana (pressofatlanticcity.com)
• Cali. to legalize marijuana and produce 1 billion in taxes?? (drugscience.org)
• Republican Christian: What My Life Was Like Before Cannabis (timberjay.com)
• Zogby Poll: US Weed Legalization Support Grows (norml.org)  

Seriously, I could go on for pages.  This news is everywhere, so I'm sure most of my readers know to some extent... but hot damn!  Exciting prospect, to see common sense starting to pop up in American policy making!  Too bad it takes a crisis of such magnitude to affect this kind of change.  Hopefully we will be a more proactive nation in general after this mess is over.

Phelps and Beyond: Pot. All this, over POT?

The notion of Michael Phelps being attacked for smoking pot on camera is absurd, but wasn't unexpected.  Some initial backlash, fine, but with everything our nation is going through these days, is all of this REALLY necessary?

If the attack on Phelps can finally, truly expose the futile, counterproductive, harmful, and downright unconstitutional nature of our drug legislature, then sure, I'm willing to sacrifice Phelps for the cause, and while I'm not sure he feels the same way, I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Drug use, and in Phelps' case, the use of marijuana, is a victimless crime.  In fact, if we really must categorize it as a "crime", then it can only reasonably be considered a crime against one's self.  Given that perspective, law enforcement has been empowered to not only pass judgement on, but administer additional punishment to those who are involved in matters of personal choice that have strictly and exclusively personal implications.  

Caffeine: Common Workplace Hallucinogen

This isn't in the least bit surprising, but it's funny:

"Research suggests people who drink more than seven cups of instant coffee a day have an increased tendency to hallucinate."

Frankly, if you aren't hallucinating after that many cups of office coffee, you probably have bigger problems than drinking too many cups of coffee...

"They studied 200 students who were asked about their typical intake of caffeine products.

Those who had a high caffeine intake were three times more likely to have the heard voice of someone non-existent than "low" users who consumed less than one cup of instant coffee or its equivalent.

Seeing things that were not there, hearing voices and sensing the presence of dead people were among the experiences reported. Researchers also found that people drinking as few as three cups of brewed coffee each day may experience mild hallucinations, such as hearing voices that aren't there."

This explains a lot about my average workday.  With the amount of coffee consumed by some people I've worked with, it's amazing they aren't speaking in tongues at least 60% of the time.  In all seriousness, many people are heavily dependent on it, which isn't a big problem, generally, but it falls into the category of behavior that probably has a negative impact on one's maximum life expectancy in some way or another, surely.

"Researchers believe the hallucinations stem from the caffeine, rather than the coffee. Besides coffee, caffeine can be obtained from sources such as tea, chocolate, "pep" pills and energy drinks."

Really, you think it might be the fairly powerful stimulant causing these effects?  Or is it the "coffee"?   What is this mysterious "coffee" in scientific terms?  Perhaps the aroma of the fresh brew is simply too intoxicating to handle. :)

Or perhaps this is a sensationalized repositioning of nothing more than the information found on a No-Doz(TM) warning label?  On wikipedia, a description:

"An acute overdose of caffeine, usually in excess of about 300 milligrams, dependent on body weight and level of caffeine tolerance, can result in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine intoxication,[71] colloquially "caffeine jitters". The symptoms of caffeine intoxication are not unlike overdoses of other stimulants. It may include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heart beat, and psychomotor agitation.[69] In cases of much larger overdoses mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations and psychosis may occur, and rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) can be provoked.[72][73] "

At any rate, don't try this at home, folks.  There is nothing fun or interesting or amusing about the psychadelic effects that you might acquire from excessive caffeine consumption.  They would more aptly described as hellish and should be avoided at all costs.  There are significant cardiovascular risks when consuming such large doses of caffeine, as well.

[source: foxnews]

Mouthwash Linked to Oral Cancer

It's always good when products that are intended to improve your health in some way actually end up likely to damage it.

"The study, published in the Australian Dental Journal, concludes there is ``sufficient evidence'' that "alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of [the] development of oral cancer.

The ethanol in mouthwash is thought to allow cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and cause harm.

Acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product of alcohol that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth, is also believed to be carcinogenic."

[foxnews.com]

Goats on the Rise

I recently watched a television show on the Science Channel that highlighted research that had led to the genetic engineering of goats that produced spider silk in their milk in large quantities.  Yes, as in the material that spider webs are spun from.  Pretty cool, no?  Them goats are some useful goats indeed!

THEN I read this article on FOXNews.com : Drug from genetically engineered goats a first.

I've always had the sense that there was more to goats than meets the eye.  Goats are definitely on the rise.  Hot damn.

Sanjay Gupta - Surgeon General??

Obama really never ceases to amaze me.  What a brilliant move...  He has nominated CNN host Sanjay Gupta to be Surgeon General.  This article from the Washington Post explains this choice far better than I, so here you go:

"A neurosurgeon who is also a correspondent for CNN and CBS, Gupta was chosen as much for his broadcasting skills as for his medical résumé, suggesting that the incoming administration values visible advisers who can drive a public message. He has also been offered a top post in the new White House Office of Health Reform, twin duties that could make him the most influential surgeon general in history."

Yes, Sanjay Gupta, the same guy who, as the New York Times points out:

"...is paid for speaking engagements, a controversial practice for a journalist. The All American Talent and Celebrity Network lists his speaking fees as $30,001 to $50,000."

Is the average American more influenced by media celebrity or political clout?  The answer is clearly media celebrity, in my opinion, but the question need not be asked when the two spheres of influence are merged into a single, massively influential force.  Yet another good move, Barack!

Meditation for ADHD?

Yes, that says meditation, not medication.  This doesn't come to me as much of a surprise, as someone with ADHD who has dabbled in meditation... Certainly makes sense, but quite interesting to see that there are studies being done to investigate these possibilities.

Meditation seen promising as ADHD therapy - from Reuters.

"The practice of transcendental meditation may help children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder manage their symptoms, research suggests.

In a pilot study, researchers found that lessons in transcendental meditation, or TM, appeared to calm the anxiety of children with ADHD, and improve their behavior and ability to think and concentrate."

Even if this does prove to be the silver bullet for ADHD, of course, I can't imagine this actually translating to a common approach to treatment... ADHD is a huge source of profit for pharmaceutical companies, and I'm sure they'll do just about anything to keep it that way.