Hyper Thalamus

WANT SOME MORE RED BULL, MAN? SURE YEAH MAN!!!

2008-09-26T11:20:00.003-04:00

From the NY Times, an article concerning the abuse of caffeine, calling for accurate labeling of energy-drinks as to actual caffeine content. An excerpt:

"Dr. Griffiths notes that caffeine intoxication is a recognized clinical syndrome included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases. It is marked by nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeats, restlessness and pacing, and in rare cases, even death."

Get yourself a cup of coffee, then read the entire Times article.

RIP G.C.

2008-06-23T11:28:00.002-04:00

From the New York Times:

George Carlin, the Grammy-Award winning standup comedian and actor who was hailed for his irreverent social commentary, poignant observations of the absurdities of everyday life and language, and groundbreaking routines like “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” died in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday, according to his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He was 71.

Read Obituary at NY Times

Ye will be sorely missed by many.

Whatever

2008-06-04T11:58:00.003-04:00

The Science of Sarcasm (Not That You Care)

By DAN HURLEY

Published: June 3, 2008

There was nothing very interesting in Katherine P. Rankin’s study of sarcasm — at least, nothing worth your important time. All she did was use an M.R.I. to find the place in the brain where the ability to detect sarcasm resides. But then, you probably already knew it was in the right parahippocampal gyrus.

What you may not have realized is that perceiving sarcasm, the smirking put-down that buries its barb by stating the opposite, requires a nifty mental trick that lies at the heart of social relations: figuring out what others are thinking. Those who lose the ability, whether through a head injury or the frontotemporal dementias afflicting the patients in Dr. Rankin’s study, just do not get it when someone says during a hurricane, “Nice weather we’re having.”

Read Entire Article from the NY Times Here

Operator on Temporary Leave

2008-05-14T21:32:00.002-04:00

Your operator will be out of the country until May the 26th. Please check back then for continuing reviews and news. Feel free to leave comments in the meantime. And thank you for reading!

Spirit Review - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

2008-05-10T20:52:00.004-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 5.5 / 10.0

From the Label:

"Introduced to Scotland by Welsh Druids
in the 9th Century, elderberry ale was part of
the Celtic Autumn festivals where the ale
was passed round the people of the village.
This recipe was taken from a 16th
Century record of domestic drinking in the
Scottish Highlands. In medeaval times
elderberries were used in various
concoctions and are known to be high in
fruit tannins and oils. It is a rich black ale
with fruit aroma, soft texture, roasted
grain and red wine flavour, with a gentle
finish.

Ingredients: Malted Barley bree,
elderberries, roasted oats & barley and
hops.

Brewed and bottled by Heather Ale Ltd.
Williams Bros Brewing Co.
Scotland UK.
www.heatherale.co.uk"

To that I will add that it is indeed rich in flavor, with wine and fruit overtones. I enjoyed the flavor very much. My only disappointment was that there was little to no head to speak of, and, while tasty, this brew was rather flat. What you see in the photo above was pretty much all the head there was. I cannot be certain whether this ale is meant to be this way, or if I simply received a bad bottle from a flat batch.

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale is 6.5% alcohol by volume, and cost me $2.79 for an 11.2 fluid ounce bottle from my local ale supplier.

Spirit Review - St. Peter's English Ale

2008-05-09T19:01:00.002-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 8.0 / 10.0

This amber - to - coppery-brown ale features "organically grown hops & barley," and is brewed at St. Peter's brewery in Suffolk, U.K..

A mild, nutty sweetness is finished with a heady dry hoppiness, the bitterness of which was the perfect accompaniment to a piece of ginger bread. Really - I recommend this coupling.

Next, I switched to a thin slice of aged cheddar, and this brought the bitter hops to the fore, but overall the ale still retained a balance of smoothness.

Bottom Line: a symmetrical ale, balancing sweet with bitter and finishing dry and crisp. Very much an "even-handed" ale -- not too heavy, but you'll know you've had a pint. Should be just dandy with an English Roast, or a bacon cheeseburger.

$4.99 for 1 pint, 0.9 Fluid Ounces at my local purveyor of fine spirits.

New Music Review: The Black Crowes -- Warpaint

2008-05-09T11:19:00.005-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 9.0 / 10.0

The Faces. The Rolling Stones. Jimi Hendrix. Led Zeppelin. The Band. Dr. John.

The Black Crowes have always worn their influences on their chests, and have proven time and again that not only are they fans but, in a musical sense, they understand their heroes. Chris Robinson and Co. are neither a novelty act nor a museum piece. They have produced consistently vital rock and soul music, and their latest effort, "Warpaint" may be the best so far.

On one hand, I sometimes feel guilty comparing musical artists to other musical artists. I mean, the Black Crowes stand on their own without having to make unfair comparisons to the Rolling Stones, right? On the other hand, they DO often sound like the Stones, and what's wrong with that? Would the Crowes really mind if anyone said so?

Besides, I think such comparisons are inevitable and unavoidable. What other way should we talk about music than to show its connectivity to tradition? And certain musical forms are more rooted in generational traditions than others -- like Jazz and Blues, for instances. One really shouldn't discuss the Rolling Stones without mentioning Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters. Laying out such landmarks for reference points gives credit to the source and also lends credence to the artist for proving worthy of being mentioned in the same breath. Ultimately, it allows for a broader commonality of rich musical language that we can all converse in, once sufficiently enlightened.

So, with that out of the way, let's go through this album for my second listen, and put down some random thoughts concerning musical guideposts.

Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution
This playful sense of rhythm - simultaneously loose and tight, sloppy but disciplined - is a 100% nod to The Faces. But the Crowes have now made this sound their own - it is now the "classic" Black Crowes sound. Wonderful slide guitar work.

Walk Believer Walk
Starts with a riff I can only describe as AC/DC, but soon turns into AC/DC heavy gospel dirge. More tasty slide work. I love the bass during the refrain. A little solo vocal chanting, a la Black Dog.

Oh Josephine
Almost everything about this cut sounds like Rolling Stones circa 1973: the opening acoustic sound, the soft wah filter on the lead guitar, the Keith Richards harmonies, the Nicky Hopkins-like piano, and Chris Robinson's lead vocal. If he wanted to embark upon a career as the Mick Jagger Experience, this would be a good demo. Really a beautiful song. Wonderful instrumental ending with a lovely little modal vamp line.

Evergreen
Heavy introduction - sublime dissonant intervals on guitar riff -- strong musty whiffs of Manic Depression -- more perfect organ work - C. Robinson in fine full sonority. Guitar solo = more shades of Hendrix. Who is this drummer? Note: must learn more about the drummer - he is extraordinary.

Wee Who See the Deep
Drum intro: Cripple Creek? Guitar riff: a graft of 25 or 6 to 4 with the turnaround lick from Hey Joe. Glorious and unexpected harmonies on the Chorus. I love the guitar solo, and now want to touch the hem of the drummer's garment. Outro features a breakdown to piano, vocal and slide guitar. Nice.

Locust Street
Mandolin intro - piano entry at chorus is absolutely spot-on gorgeous. I'm wishing they could have gotten hooked up with Emmylou Harris for this one. Beautiful chorus melody like a long lost child of Graham Parsons. This one is pure Americana.

Movin On Down the Line
It's all right sisters, It's all right brothers. Is that a mellotron? (Led Zep - No Quarter) Intro vocal chant build up and build up until it sounds like an outro instead, then the rock kicks in. Turns into some kinda New Orleans / Dr. John funk for a few lines. Main lick sounds like a little piece of Beatles' I Feel Fine riff. Instrumental breakdown section in funky 7/8 time with sweet harmonica soloing. Rhythm section is making me ruin my underpants.

Wounded Bird
Chordal intro -- The Seeker? After the first verse, song enters a beautiful and totally unexpected melody for the chorus -- it's grabbing me hard. Is this my favorite of the album? Could be.

God's Got It
Swamp stomp. Heavy. Think: Buddy Guy's "Sweet Tea" album.

There's Gold in Them Hills
Lyrically, a variation on Bob Dylan's Isis? Musically -- stunning. Just Brilliant. Chris Robinson's full talents as a singer are on display here -- excellent phrasing -- inspired melodies. Also, the Crowe's combined talents as an ENSEMBLE unit shine and shine and shine here. The honky-tonk section of this track is worth the price of the entire album. Random associative thought: the movie, "McCabe and Mrs. Miller."

Whoa Mule
Lyrically and musically, a perfect follow up to the previous track. The B.C.'s show off some folk roots, with this Irish / English-style jig transplanted to American soil. Wistful and innocent, it proves to be an effective way to cap this rootsy and soulful album.

So what else can I say? If you have even the tiniest inkling that you might enjoy this album, then by all means go buy it today. . . Now! I didn't think they made 'em like this anymore, so get it while it's hot.

Racism & Bigotry -- Built In?

2008-05-07T09:44:00.002-04:00

From the Utne Reader Online

Children just 3 months old prefer to look at people with similar skin color to their own. Babies also prefer people with similar accents and who speak the same language as they do. In fact, if a child is offered food from two people—one who speaks the baby’s language and the other who does not—the child will prefer the food offered by the native speaker.

These innate preferences are being uncovered by a Harvard research team led by Elizabeth Spelke, profiled in the British newspaper Telegraph. Some hope that these discoveries will eventually enable us to reduce or eliminate racial prejudice, but before that can happen, Spelke says, “we have a great deal more to learn.”

Get Flirting

2008-05-01T21:11:00.001-04:00

At the office, flirt verbally, because men, researchers find, are not good at reading nonverbal cues

Penelope Trunk, Featurewell

We all know that the workplace is a minefield for sexual tension. Where else do you lock up people of the opposite sex for eight hours a day, and tell them to talk with each other but not touch? It is unnatural, and ever since men let women into the workplace, we have been adjusting. It is totally normal to have a crush on someone at work. And it is totally normal for people to tell you not to act on it. And it is totally normal to throw caution to the wind. According to Helaine Olen, author of the book Office Mate, more than 50 per cent of the population is dating someone from work. So if you're going to do it, here are some best practices for getting the guy:

1. Flirt Verbally Rather Than Nonverbally

According to research reported in the Journal of Psychological Science, men are not good at reading nonverbal cues. They mistake a friendly smile as a sexual overture, for example. But researchers found that men also missed nonverbal signs of sexual interest: "When images of gals meant to show allure flashed onto the screen, male students mistook the allure as amicable signals."

Read Entire Article

New Music Review 02 -- Moby: Last Night

2008-04-29T17:35:00.010-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 2.0 / 10.0

If Found, Please Feed Roasted Pork
and Place in Incubator.

Moby has been one of the most popular proponents of club / electronica for several years now, although I'll admit I've never been quite sure why. Aside from a couple of excellent tracks and a handful of recognizable commercial beds, his brand of music has always struck me as particularly fey. Ecstasy will do a lot for your listening pleasure, however, and one thing's for sure -- there is nothing in his oeuvre that could in the least bit offend anyone, being utterly innocuous as it is. Like a bowl of vanilla ice cream with marshmallow topping, Moby music eases by with nary a lump or an audio double-take.

This preconception notwithstanding, I sat down to absorb "Last Night" with my ears as open as they could be. I'll offer a running commentary on a handful of tracks.

Ooh Yeah: If you have ever felt the desire to hear a classic Abba disco track with all of the interesting parts removed, and slowed down to a nearly unbearable tempo, then this will be "right up your alley." I imagine the title comes from the fact that a sampled "oohyeaH" is heard consistently, unerringly at the beginning of every four beats. Just a guess. The strongest part of the track is the female vocal harmonies, which are kept timidly buried in the mix, as if Mr. Moby is afraid to make any one part stand out too much.

Okay, that's enough of that - the above-mentioned description holds true for pretty much the rest of the album: one endlessly repeated vocal sample, buried in the mix behind limp disco beats and soft house chords. That's the formula. Nothing interesting in the way of harmony, timbre, or rhythm. Move along, people - nothing to hear here.

Ironically, Moby takes a public stance against the use of drugs. I say ironically, because I think the only way I could be brought to enjoy this music is stoned beyond my cortex. And even then. . .

Overall, after giving "Last Night" the old college try for a few listenings, I would describe it this way: tired, bland, uninspired, and frustratingly unwilling to take a musical stand at any point along the way.

In the Apollonian / Dionysian continuum, music works best at one extreme or the other, unless we're talking about that rare artistic genius who can meld both elements with equal creative aplomb. "Last Night" sits oh so comfortably in some sort of detritus filter, smack dab in the middle of Blah-ville. If it were a book, it would be a competently written plumber's manual.

My advice: save your money for the plumber's manual.

How do Penguins Tell Each Other Apart?

2008-04-25T10:29:00.001-04:00

How Animals Identify Each Other: Insights Into How The Nervous System Processes Sensory Information

ScienceDaily (Apr. 24, 2008) — The Stowers Institute's Yu Lab has published the results of large-scale imaging experiments examining how social signals are represented in the sensory system. Working with a newly-developed line of transgenic mice that expresses the genetic calcium indicator G-CaMP2, the team monitored neural activity in the vomeronasal organ (VNO), a sensory organ found in many vertebrate animals that detects pheromones.

Read Entire Article from Science Daily

New Music Review - Neptune - by The Duke Spirt

2008-04-24T12:37:00.003-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 7.5 / 10.0

"Neptune" -- My introduction to The Duke Spirit -- was recommended to me, and I am thankful for that. After 35 years of voracious music consumption, it is still so rewarding to find something new by creative and inspired musicians - and that is certainly an apt description of the members of this pop/rock group from the U.K.

Without a doubt, the standout feature of The Duke Spirit is the singing of Liela Moss -- rich, deep and full-bodied. Sexy. She has a great instrument and she knows how to use it. I hear slight shades of Janis Joplin, Siouxie Sioux, heavier amounts of early Grace Slick, and, here and there, touches of Hope Sandoval. From the band, I hear some very early Rolling Stones and Kinks, Stax/Volt, and Motown - all well blended with a mix of the major developments in English pop music over the last 30 years. Oh - and a healthy fascination with Sonic Youth.

I hear yet another great British band that knows more about the history of American music than most Americans. This is Rock n Roll -- with a rhythm section that kicks it right on every time.

Equal parts driving and seductive, "Neptune" provides a solid listening experience with nary a clunker in the lot.

The songs are all original, and show a mature sense of song craft, featuring rich and powerful arrangements. These are musicians who know how to interpret their own material. It takes a firm grasp of the musical arts to decide where and when to use a Rock n Roll Flugelhorn.

"Neptune" is a real treat - I am very much impressed - and I recommend it whole-heartedly.

Members:
Olly Betts - Percussion, Piano, Drums, Glockenspiel, Backing Vocals
Toby Butler - Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals, Horn Arrangements, Vox Organ
Luke Ford - Guitar, Vocals
Dan Higgins - Guitar, Autoharp, Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals, Omnichord
Liela Moss - Vocals, Organ, Harmonica, Percussion, Piano

A New Reason to be a Pot Snob

2008-04-23T13:00:00.003-04:00

Pot Plus Alcohol Kills Young Rats' Brain Cells
Tuesday, April 22, 2008; 12:00 AM

TUESDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- A combination of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and mildly intoxicating doses of alcohol caused widespread nerve cell death in the brains of young rats, a German study finds.

Researchers from Humboldt University, Berlin, administered THC, a synthetic form of THC, ethanol, an anticonvulsant called MK-801, and phenobarbital to rats between one and 14 days old. A previous study by the same team found that ethanol and drugs such as sedatives, anesthetics and anticonvulsants caused extensive nerve cell death in the brains of young rodents. The new study was conducted to determine if cannabinoids caused similar harm.

The researchers found that THC and synthetic THC did not cause nerve cell death when administered alone but did cause cell death when given with mildly intoxicating amounts of ethanol. The combined effect increased according to the dose of THC and was strongest when the rats were seven days old.

The researchers also found that the CB1 receptor blocker drug Rimonabant reduced brain nerve cell death in rats given a combination of THC and ethanol. Rimonabant, brand named Acomplia, is an anti-obesity drug that may help treat addiction, the team noted. The fact that the drug counteracted the effect of THC and ethanol suggests that activation of CB1 receptors may be responsible for the effect that THC has on the neurotoxicity of ethanol, the researchers said.

The study was published in the journalAnnals of Neurology.

More studies are needed to examine how THC boosts alcohol's harmful effects on the developing brain, the researchers said.

"With the use of behavioral and stereological techniques, such studies would explore whether acute changes reflect permanent neuronal loss and lead to behavioral deficits," they concluded. "The results of the acute studies have interesting potential therapeutic implications for including the use of CB1 receptor antagonists for preventing brain damage in fetuses and neonates exposed to ethanol, sedative and/or anticonvulsant drugs."

The German group noted that marijuana is among the most commonly used illicit drugs by women during their childbearing years. There's growing concern that use of marijuana, either alone or in combination with other drugs, during pregnancy may harm fetal brain development.

More information

The March of Dimes has more about the dangers of drinking during pregnancy.

SOURCE:Annals of Neurology, news release, April 2008

Resources:
Go Here for the NIDA's Sheet of Marijuana Facts

Book Review -- I Am America (And So Can You)

2008-04-23T11:29:00.004-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 6.0 / 10.0

"I am no fan of books. And chances are, if you're reading this, you and I share a healthy skepticism about the printed word. Well, I want you to know that this is the first book I've ever written, and I hope it's the first book you've ever read. Don't make a habit of it."

And so begins, "I Am America (And So Can You)," by Stephen Colbert, of the Comedy Channel's "Colbert Report." If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Colbert's show, or if you have a difficult time processing extreme irony, then this book will be of little value to you.

On the other hand, If you are familiar - perhaps too familiar - with Mr. Colbert's week-nightly performance as a hyper-surreal Bill O'Reilly/Sean Hannity-type conservative pundit, then you will want to check out his book. Colbert uses the medium effectively, and there are bits of humor that could only work in print: graphs, charts, stickers, coupons, illustrations, photos, and marginal asides abound. In Colbert's brand of meta-humor, the very concept of the "Book" becomes a target of satire, and I will give major Kudos for the creativity involved.

But I will also point out one caveat: the persona that Stephen Colbert has developed for his "act" is ESSENTIAL for an accurate reading of this book. I do not think that this book will work for most readers who cannot see and hear Mr. Colbert performing this book in their minds as they read. In that sense, it is only for the true fan.

I have not yet heard the audio CD version, but I will go out on a limb and speculate that perhaps that may be the best way to enjoy this material. Or - you could make Stephen really happy, get the audio version, and use it to follow along with the print copy that you've also purchased.

According to the credits, the audio version is read partly by Stephen Colbert, but also contains segments which are read by the other writers involved. You could look at it as a down-side that Colbert doesn't read it all himself, until you look at the other people involved: Paul Dinello, Kevin Dorff, Greg Hollimon, Evie McGee, David Pasquesi, Amy Sedaris, Allison Silverman, Bryan Stack, and Jon Stewart. With this line-up of comedic talent, the audio book does indeed have entertainment potential.

In short, if you love the whole Colbert thing, then you should check out "I Am America." But, if you're willing to go that far with your credit card, then you might just want to go for the audio version.

In any case, I'll leave you with one final testimony:

"A great read! I laughed, I cried, I lost 15 pounds! I cannot recommend this book highly enough!" -- Stephen Colbert --

Movie Review -- Superbad

2008-04-21T02:24:00.005-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 6.5 / 10.0

You remember those guys from your high school, right? Those guys who were inseparable - who did everything together? Sat at the same table for lunch, sat next to each other in class, looked to each other for validity on every topic? Everyone just wanted them to admit they were gay for each other and go get a room already? Sure - we ALL knew those guys.

Heck, I was one of those guys. That's why I relate to Superbad. Not because this relationship continues today. My high school friend is not my next door neighbor or anything. To be truthful, I'm not even sure where in the world he lives. I barely know that he is still alive at all. Unlike Seth and Evan - the two protagonists of Superbad - my pal and I DID go off to college together. We even roomed together, and over the course of our freshman year at Michigan State University, discovered that we didn't have nearly as much in common as we had always thought we did. Turns out that the little world we grew up in pushed us toward each other, and once we got out of that world and into a much bigger world, the pressure dropped considerably and we discovered that there were actually other human beings on Earth whose company we enjoyed and, ultimately, preferred.

So, why does Superbad resonate with me again? Well, because there was a time when all of that was different. And Superbad isn't necessarily about the bondings that create a life-long friendship (although it could be). Superbad is more specifically about a certain segment of life when anything is possible and rapid shifts to your personal paradigm are occuring daily. High school is at once a magical time and a horrible time. I wouldn't want to re-live it for anything, but a movie like Superbad allows one to look back at it with some fondness and remember that there were some good things about it. Superbad is about coming of age and getting some glimmer of hope that, in spite of our worst anxieties, everything might turn out okay after all.

In a nutshell, Seth and Evan (Jonah Hill & Michael Cera) are two weeks away from graduating high school. Seth is putting pressure on both of them to get girls for the Summer so they can get all practiced up on their sexual techniques before they have to start college. As Seth puts it, they don't want to enter college so inexperienced sexually that women might find out they, "Suck dick at fuckin' pussy."

Their super nerdy friend, Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), has just informed them that he is going to get a fake I.D. at lunch, and meantime, through a twist of fate, Seth gets invited to a party hosted by Jules - a girl he "really wants to get with." Hoping to impress, Seth promises to supply alcohol for the entire party. Seth and Evan are now dependant on Fogell's ability to wield his new fake I.D. which bestows upon him the name of "McLovin." Epic adventures ensue.

Superbad is super funny and contains enough heartfelt pathos to make it more than just a stupid teenager movie. It's a stupid teenager movie with some redeeming social intelligence. The three principal actors all put in fine, funny performances, and the 70's funk soundtrack is great fun listening.

Superbad was written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and ---- hey, wait a minute ---- Seth and Evan. I wonder if those guys. . . ? You think? Geez, they should get a room already.

Movie Review -- Death Proof

2008-04-20T19:43:00.003-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 6.5 / 10.0

Written / Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Released: 31 May 2007

Last things first -- let's talk about the soundtrack. For some reason, many folks think this is the best, and possibly only redeeming, feature of Death Proof. I don't really agree that it's the only thing this movie's got going on, but in typical Tarantino fashion Death Proof does have a killer soundtrack, featuring the following play-list of tunes:

The Last Race - Jack Nitzsche
Baby It's You - Smith
Paranoia Prima - Ennio Morricone
Jeepster - T. Rex
Staggolee - Pacific Gas & Electric
The Love You Save - Joe Tex
Good Love, Bad Love - Eddie Floyd
Down In Mexico - The Coasters
Hold Tight! - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
Sally and Jack - Pino Donaggio
It's So Easy - Willy Deville
Riot in Thunder Alley - Eddie Beram
Chick Habit - April March

This is a fine collection of vintage tracks - well worth the price of the CD to have them all on one disc. In particular, I for one had never heard this version of "Baby, It's You" and really enjoyed the Groovy take. "Hold Tight!" is related to some Pete Townshend trivia which is covered in the film's dialog. And "Chick Habit", which plays along to the final credits, is a fine choice for summing up the moral of the story.

As I said, many people think the soundtrack is the saving grace of Death Proof, and the film has been unabashedly trashed in many circles. While I agree that it has its weak points and that Planet Terror (the other "Grind-house" feature) far outshines it, I also feel that Death Proof has been undeservedly bashed.

I have watched Death Proof one time, and will admit that halfway in, I was having doubts and reservations. As many people have complained, I too felt the first sequence dragged on with a lot of sub-Quentin-standard dialog. It seemed wooden, trite and full of effort. Not all of it - but enough to notice. Even so, I kept watching as I was still having FUN with it. And of course, smokin' hot females with long tan legs packed into very tight shorts does not hurt its watch-ablility.

Then the second sequence begins, and without giving too much away, let's just say that things get twisted, humor and madness ensue, and whole film ends off by being a heck of a lot of good clean fun (okay - maybe not clean).

I do think a lot of folks have forgotten that FUN is the point of this movie. It's not supposed to be Casablanca, or Gone With the Wind. I love those movies too, but if that's what you want, seek elsewhere. Death Proof is violent, silly, and full of foul language - no doubt about it. It features a Hollywood stereotype of a misogynist who kills women - but somehow, through the magic of storytelling, it is also a girl's movie.

I'll recommend Planet Terror more - but I DO recommend Death Proof if you are prepared to accept it in the spirit it was made.

Movie Review - No End In Sight

2008-04-15T21:40:00.005-04:00

Hyper Thalamus Rating: 7.5 / 10.0

I took the DVD out of its little red Netflix envelope and snorted in disgust. The playing surface of the disc was covered in fingerprints, greasy smudges, and some sort of filmy liquid residue. I began to polish the silver platter with my t-shirt, and cursed the Netflix people for their failure to even check the product before shoving it in a new sleeve and jamming it back in the mail to go to the next poor sucker down the line. Then I remembered what the film was about, and realized this failure by Netflix was even worse, because they had provided erroneous off-the-subject ammunition to the type of people (if there truly are any left) who would like to continue to defend George W. Bush and all of those he has surrounded himself with and the disastrous, criminally insane series of gaffes and blunders that have led up to our current situation vis-a-vis Iraq.

I can hear it: "Would you look at the mess they made of this DVD, honey -- this is the sort of character we're dealing with -- bleeding heart liberal phonies who want to tax all my hard-earned income away and spend it on free handouts for slackers! The kind of people who roll marijuanna cigarettes on their DVD's and then use them to spread organic co-op peanut butter on their hemp toast. They have no respect for decent hard-working Americans like you and me and all of our friends, they have no respect for authority, and all they wanna do is take money for criticizing our leaders in Washington. They're all just like that fat communist creep, Michael Moore!"

Except, this movie -- "No End in Sight" -- was not made by Michael Moore. As big and as easy a target as Mr. Moore is - he had nothing to do with this particular film. Nor had he anything to do with several other films upon the same subject - all of which I intend to review over the coming weeks.

No, this movie was not made with a smirk and a nudge and wink and a poke -- "Now, watch this drive!" (har har har !!)

"No End in Sight" is infused with a grim dose of reality - something which has been lacking in American public discourse for at least 8 years now. This film relies heavily upon face-to-face interviews with a long list of high-level people who testify one after another as to their involvement with the Iraq war process, the recommendations they made to administration officials which were dismissed or ignored, and the actions taken by administration-appointed officials which were utterly counter productive to any working solutions in Iraq. The litany of bungles, missteps, and HUBRIS stampeding in bareback on top of IGNORANCE began before the declaration of war and continues to this day.

If you think you have a sense of the utter madness of this operation from watching and reading the "news," you're wrong. You're not even close. No End in Sight presents to the viewer an un-ignorable parade of VIP's involved intimately with various on-the-ground operations in Iraq - and their testimony is nothing if not entirely damning to the administration and its policies.

Among those interviewed are:

Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of the State Department under Colin Powell
General Jay Garner, in charge of Iraq's reconstruction until being replaced by L. Paul Bremer
Ambassador Barbara Bodine, who had been in charge of the Baghdad embassy
Robert Hutchings, former chairman of the National Intelligence Council
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell's former chief of staff
Col. Paul Hughes, who worked in the ORHA and then the CPA

If "Fahrenheit 9/11" made irresponsible, loose-cannon hints that the current administration may actually be comprised of War Criminals who Murder for Money, then "No End in Sight" unfortunately renders few other conclusions tenable. While watching this series of interviews, the phrase "They could not have done worse if they had screwed up ON PURPOSE!" should fly through your brain and out of your mouth at least 5 to 10 times.

I don't personally care where your politics may lie. For me is it utterly beside the point what your personal politics may be in relationship to this film. The professionals interviewed for No End in Sight are credible, while the story that emerges from their testimony is an incredible pile of evidence pointing to the explicit guilt of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Georgie Bush in the wanton destruction of a country and the slaughter of untold thousands so that they and a coterie of their friends can get rich.

You don't think so? Okay, I'll shut up -- but YOU -- YOU watch this film and decide for yourself.

No End in Sight
Released, July 27, 2007.
Directed by Charles H. Ferguson
Distributed by Magnolia Pictures

We are All On Drugs

2008-04-14T13:52:00.005-04:00

Another article concerning the recent survey, which found that an alarming (though not particularly surprising) number of professionals are taking performance-enhancing "smart drugs" to get a leg up on their more chemically pure co-workers.

Remember, kids: Reality is for People who Can't Face Drugs.

Professionals Use Drugs to Sharpen Their Minds, Survey Finds
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
Wednesday, April 9, 2008; 12:00 AM

WEDNESDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- One in five respondents to a scientific journal survey acknowledges using so-called "cognition-enhancing drugs" -- such as ADHD and heart medications -- to sharpen their focus, concentration or memory.

The most popular drug was Ritalin (methylphenidate), which is prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but has emerged in recent years as a campus "study aid." Coming in second was the stimulant Provigil (modafinil), followed by blood-pressure drugs called beta blockers, which can also help to reduce anxiety.

The online survey was open to subscribers ofNature-- who tend to be researchers and scientists -- and the results are published in the journal's April 10 issue. The survey found that people of all ages are using these drugs for cognitive enhancement.

"That people of all ages are taking the stimulant medications was somewhat of a surprise. We didn't expect the number to be so high," said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Eighteen- to 25-year-olds are where you have the highest rates of substance abuse, including prescription medications."

Read Entire Article Here

Readers of Science Journal are On Drugs

2008-04-11T10:15:00.001-04:00

ANNE MCILROY

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

April 10, 2008 at 5:01 AM EDT

The prestigious science journal Nature surveyed its readers to find out how many were using cognitive-enhancing drugs, and found one in five have boosted their brain power with compounds such as Ritalin.

"Poll results: look who's doping," says the headline in today's edition of the British journal. The informal Internet survey involved 1,400 people from 60 countries. Most were from the United States, but 78, or 5.5 per cent, were from Canada.

About 20 per cent of respondents said they had tried to improve their memory, concentration and focus by taking drugs for non-medical reasons.

They were asked about three drugs in particular: Ritalin, a stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; Modafinil, prescribed by doctors to treat sleep disorders but also used "off-label" to fight fatigue and jet lag, and beta blockers, which are usually prescribed to treat irregular heartbeats but can reduce anxiety.

The readers of the journal are mainly academics and scientists, but include people in other professions as well.

Read it All Here

The Neuroscience Delusion

2008-04-11T09:36:00.002-04:00

Neuroaesthetics is wrong about our experience of literature – and it is wrong about humanity
Raymond Tallis

Not long ago A. S. Byatt published a TLS Commentary (“Observe the Neurones”, September 22, 2006) in which she purported to explain why, since she discovered John Donne’s poetry as a schoolgirl in the 1950s, she had found him “so very exciting”. She discussed some of his most compelling love poems and in places showed the kind of sensitive attention to the writer’s language and intention that we look for in a good, that is to say helpful, critic. This made it puzzling, indeed exasperating, that the primary concern of her piece was to explain the poems and their effect on her by appealing to contemporary neurophysiology. She took up this theme again in a shorter piece, on the novel, last year (November 30). The literary critic as neuroscience groupie is part of a growing trend.

We have become accustomed over the past half-century to critics sending out to other disciplines for “theoretical frameworks” in which to place their engagement with works of literature. The results have often been dire, the work or author in question disappearing in a sea of half-comprehended or uncritically incorporated linguistics, mathematics, psychiatry, political theory, history, or whatever. Why do critics do this?

Read Entire Article

Classic Album Review - 02

2008-04-10T10:26:00.004-04:00

"Everything appears to be ready - are you ready?. . . is everybody ready? . . . I think I better fasten up my trousers so they don't fall down - you don't want my trousers to fall down now do ya?. . . . . . paint it black..paint it black....paint it black you Devil. . . . . . Charlie's good tonight innit he? . . . . . . We're gonna do one more, and we gotta go. . . The Greatest Rock n Roll Band in the World -- The Rolling Stones -- The Rolling Stones !"

By the time I was 12 years old, I was a full-on believer in Rock n Roll, and I had my first guitar -- a little acoustic number that my Dad had found for sale somewhere. I don't remember the make or the model - I think it was a fairly no-name type of affair. A school friend of mine had gotten one about the same time, and we started hanging out on the weekends, trying to teach ourselves how to play. He figured out a thing here and showed me, and I figured out a thing there and showed him. We both know older kids who played and we got tips and lessons that way. In retrospect, a lot of what we thought we had "figured out" was way off in terms of melody, but we had a good sense of relative pitch and good rhythm -- I have always had a good sense of rhythm.

Mostly how we learned was to do what most every other self-taught musician does - play along with records. We each had our favorites. He was fond of Black Sabbath as I recall, and I tried to cop a lot of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, the Who, the Beatles, and whatever was on the radio. For a period of about 2 years, the majority of my lessons came from my turntable in the form of "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out - The Rolling Stones in Concert."

Released in the fall of 1970, GYYYO has long been considered one of the best live albums ever - certainly the best live album by the Rolling Stones. It is drenched in Rhythm and Blues, features the excellent lead guitar playing of Mick Taylor, some of Jagger's best singing, and nary a beat is dropped by the duo of Watts and Wyman. This live recording represents the Stones at their absolute peak of potency -- they were coming off the "Beggar's Banquet" and "Let it Bleed" albums, and a few days after these concerts, they entered the studio at Muscle Shoals and put down the first tracks of "Sticky Fingers."

For a kid learning to play guitar, "Ya-Ya's" is a blues-inspired garden of earthly delights. Heavy riffs in the lower registers on Jumpin' Jack Flash and Live With Me. Two shots at working out "that Chuck Berry thing," on Carol and Little Queenie. A very soulful lesson in arpeggiation on the Robert Johnson classic, Love in Vain. Bo Diddley lessons from Keith himself on Sympathy for the Devil, as well as monster chord mashing on Street Fighting Man. And the creme de la creme of rhythm workouts -- the ultimate live version of Midnight Rambler. After the breakdown section in Rambler, the band locks into a 6/8 triplet groove that builds in intensity on a slow grind, until finally busting out -- up-shifting the tempo into the original riff in 4/4 meter. I didn't know how to describe that moment when I was 12, but it knocked my socks off! It still does.

And if you were lucky enough to have had an older kid teach you the magic "blues scale," then GYYYO gave you an entire album to work out your solo technique. Remember - above all else, and throughout all of their various permutations - the Stones have always been about the blues. When I got older, I arrived at the source of this - "discovering" Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and many other blues men. The Rolling Stones got this great music from America, ingested it, made it their own, and then brought it back to us. "Get Yer Ya Ya's Out" bears the finest fruits of that endeavor.

Title: Get Yer Ya Ya's Out - The Rolling Stones in Concert
Release: September, 1970

Track Listing - Side One:
1. Jumpin' Jack Flash (3:13)
2. Carol (3:35)
3. Stray Cat Blues (3:35)
4. Love in Vain (4:50)
5. Midnight Rambler (8:32)

Side Two:
1. Sympathy for the Devil (5:45)
2. Live With Me (2:58)
3. Little Queenie (4:10)
4. Honky Tonk Women (3:00)
5. Street Fighting Man (3:47)

2008-04-08T08:33:00.000-04:00

First off - a small article concerning the regeneration of spinal cord fibers.

Nanotechnology may help spinal cord injury

EVANSTON, Ill., April 7 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have created a nano-engineered gel that can enable severed spinal cord fibers to regenerate and grow.

Spinal cord injuries often lead to permanent paralysis and loss of sensation because the damaged nerve fibers can't regenerate, Northwestern University scientists said. Although nerve fibers or axons have the capacity to re-grow, they don't because they're blocked by scar tissue that develops around the injury.

The nanogel developed at the university's Feinberg School of Medicine inhibits formation of scar tissue and enables the severed spinal cord fibers to regenerate and grow, the scientists said.

The gel is injected as a liquid into the spinal cord and self-assembles into a scaffold that supports new nerve fibers. When the gel was injected into mice with a spinal cord injury, after six weeks the animals had a greatly enhanced ability to use their hind legs and walk.

"It's important to understand that something that works in mice will not necessarily work in human beings," said study leader Dr. John Kessler, who noted that if the gel is eventually approved for humans, a clinical trial could begin within several years. The research is reported in the Journal of Neuroscience.

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Now, that is a wonderful breakthrough in treating spinal cord injuries, but I want to go back and point out an easily glossed-over passage: "When the gel was injected into mice with a spinal cord injury, after six weeks the animals had a greatly enhanced ability to use their hind legs and walk."

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, the leading causes of spinal cord injuries are falls, and motor vehicle crashes . How did the researchers at Northwestern U manage to find so many car-crash-surviving mice? Had the mice failed to wear their seat belts? Or had the mice merely fallen?

"What happened to your mice?"
"Oh, they uh. . . er uh. . they fell down the stairs."

Anyway, thanks to this research, the mice will be on their feet and back on their little motorcycles in no time.

The Ultimate Conspiracy Theory

2008-04-07T10:35:00.002-04:00

Or -- Just Because You're Paranoid Doesn't Mean They're Not Out to Get You.

A few notes on "Nova Express" by William S. Burroughs.

A full-blown literary analysis of this book could take years -- especially in conjunction with its companion works, "The Soft Machine," and "The Ticket That Exploded." So I'm not going to try. The amount of reference and sub-reference contained between the covers of this book make "The Waste Land" look like the Sunday Funnies. Perhaps an annotated version could avail us. Let me just jot that down as a possible future project for when I run out of other things to do.

What I will tell you is that "Nova Express" may be the most in-depth exploration of paranoia in the English language -- in Techni-Color Scatological detail. This is Franz Kafka gone sideways. Mechanized Death. Mind Control. Human Tools. Meat Puppets. The World is a Vampire.

The first section, fittingly titled, "Last Words," is an indictment of all who have sold the future of the world for power and material gain.

Listen all you boards syndicates and governments of the earth. And you powers behind what filth deals consummated in what lavatory to take what is not yours. To sell the ground from unborn feet forever--
"Don't let them see us. Don't tell them what we are doing--" . . . .
. . . . Are these the words of the all-powerful boards and syndicates of the earth? These are the words of liars cowards collaborators traitors. Liars who want time for more lies. Cowards who can not face your "dogs" your "gooks" your "errand boys" your "human animals" with the truth. Collaborators with Insect People with Vegetable People. With any people anywhere who offer you a body forever.

On the other hand, we know that truth is always stranger and more horrible than any fiction. Nothing is created in a vacuum. "Nova Express" seems - even now - like something new and strange, something very 'modern.' But it is really concerned with a story as old as time: man's inability to come to grips with himself -- with his history, with his present predicament, and with his possible future.

Burroughs cuts and splices the symbols representing thought (words) and rearranges them into a new language -- exposing in the process the socializing aspects of words and syntax. He thwarts our expectations of setting, mood, language, and style. He is trying to get us out of our ingrained patterns of thinking. He sees language as a limiting trap.

Plan D called for Total Exposure. Wise up all the marks everywhere. Show them the rigged wheel of Life-Time-Fortune. Storm The Reality Studio. And retake the universe. The Plan shifted and reformed as reports came in from his electric patrols sniffing quivering down streets and mind screens of the earth.
"Area mined--Guards everywhere--Can't quite get through--"
"Order total weapons--Release Silence Virus--"
"Board Books taken--Heavy losses--"
"Photo falling--Word falling--Break Through in Grey Room--Use Partisans of all nations--Towers, open fire--"

In most places, this employment of cut-up language induces a cinematic effect, much like the "newsreel" sections of Dos Passos's "42nd Parallel." With Burroughs, the scenery changes rapidly and abruptly and sometimes the reader has to fight to stay with it. There is a lot here to process.

To keep this short - yes, I recommend "Nova Express" as essential American Literature. Discovering Burroughs for the first time often opens up whole new worlds of thought for most people - and this I always advocate.

Get Your Second-Hand Telecommunication Away From Me - I'm Trying To Smoke Here

2008-04-06T11:54:00.000-04:00

I'm petitioning for a moratorium on all cell phone usage in public places. Second-hand radiation from your call, notifying your friend of your whereabouts for THIS 5 minutes, could have adverse affects on my brain. Perhaps we should shove that thing into your sinus.

Mobile phones 'more dangerous than smoking'

Brain expert warns of huge rise in tumours and calls on industry to take immediate steps to reduce radiation

By Geoffrey Lean
Sunday, 30 March 2008

Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation.

The study, by Dr Vini Khurana, is the most devastating indictment yet published of the health risks.

It draws on growing evidence – exclusively reported in the IoS in October – that using handsets for 10 years or more can double the risk of brain cancer. Cancers take at least a decade to develop, invalidating official safety assurances based on earlier studies which included few, if any, people who had used the phones for that long.

Read More About How Cell Phones Are Killing You

Farmer Splits Property with Ex-Wife

2008-04-05T21:53:00.000-04:00

I love this kind of story, because one can either relate to it on an immediate emotional level, or examine it abstractly in terms of human behavior and brain functioning. It gives us a chance to look at the humans and study their habits.

BELGRADE (Reuters) - A Serb farmer used a grinding machine to cut in half his farm tools and machines to comply with a court ruling that he must share all his property with his ex-wife, local media reported on Thursday.

Branko Zivkov, 76, told Belgrade daily Kurir he had been ready to give his wife Vukadinka her equal share of everything earned during their 45-year marriage, but was furious at being asked to give away half his farming equipment.

Instead, he bought a grinder and cut in two all his tools, including large items such as cattle scales, a harrow and a sowing machine.

"I still haven't decided how to split the cow," he told the newspaper. "She should just say what she wants -- the part with the horns or the part with the tail."

(Reporting by Ljilja Cvekic, Editing by Ellie Tzortzi)