Ewwww! That is NASTY!

Okay, so I was watching "Scary Movie: 4" tonight. It had its moments, so I am not going to pan it too badly. Hey, it's the same formula as its predecessors, so I knew what I was getting into, right? Anyway, there was a joke that I just didn't get. It was during the "Million Dollar Baby" take-off scene, where Cindy is being prepped for the fight by George. She is facing off with Mike Tyson in a black wig, and George is telling her not to worry, he has faith in her. At one point she says, "Okay, but when it's over will you tell me what my nickname means?", and he promises he will. Then you see her from behind, wearing her warm-up robe, and on the back is emblazoned "Cindy 'Dirty Sanchez' Campbell." Dirty Sanchez? I don't get it. My brother-in-law says, "Well she's had 20 fights and she still doesn't have her own robe." And I pointed out that her name was on the robe. Well, whatever. I finished watching the rest of the movie, "getting" all the other jokes (I think), but I was still puzzled by the "Dirty Sanchez" thing. So on goes the computer, in goes "Dirty Sanchez" to be searched by Google, and out comes...oh man, you have to look it up yourself. All I have to say is, "Yechhh."

Ay Karr-amba!

My turn to weigh in on the latest events in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case...

"Puh-leeze!"

This guy is without a doubt a whack job. I am sure that he is not without guilt, but not where JonBenet is concerned. He is no doubt a pedophile, having already previously been charged with possession of child porn, and the fact that he was arrested in the pedophile capital of the world further bears this out. But the murderer of little JonBenet? Don't think so. Some in the media are already laughing out loud at the prospect. And in one interesting piece I read, the author suggested that maybe the Thai police were investigating his actions while teaching children in Bangkok, and were ready to clap him in irons and leave him to rot in a Thai jail (probably not the world's most forward-thinking penal system). So, "Hm. I think I'll confess to the murder of the Ramsey girl and get a free ticket to the States, where I can later recant my confession and not suffer the consequences of fondling little Thai girls. Oh but how I love those little Thai girls!"

I dunno. I think that the Boulder police or whoever is responsible for the investigation is going to be the laughingstock of the year. Maybe they'll announce the arrest of Michael Jackson next year.

Word for the day: Nootropics

I just finished an assignment for my Psych class that is due tomorrow. It was to be a one-page reaction to an article dealing with psychological research. I chose nootropics ("smart drugs"). I thought that it would be a good idea to post it here, along with a link to the article it was based upon. This blog is supposed to be a forum for my thoughts and opinions, but I figure that it may as well reflect the "scholarly" part of me (snicker). The article itself is rather dry...but then again, so is my paper! Have fun...


The link to the article (PDF file, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) can be found here.

Man has always strived to surpass the limits imposed upon him by nature, and the quest for ways to improve memory and retention (referred to as “cognitive enhancement” in the article) is an apt example. The author first tackles the question as to our motives for seeking to enhance our memory, citing pressures from an increasingly technological society forcing us to acquire new skills rapidly and in ever increasing volume; as well as the advent of technologies which in effect make the world a smaller place, requiring us to be more socially aware of not just our own sphere of influence, but the world in general. I, for one, can attest to the veracity of such views. In my role as an I.T. analyst, I am required to assimilate a great quantity of information concerning new and existing technologies quickly, and must be able to remain “on the cutting edge” of technology. This is an all but impossible task, and I have found myself suffering the effects of “information overload.” The author further points out that nootropic drugs may not even be necessary as a means to improve memory in an otherwise healthy individual (that is, one not suffering the effects of neurological disease or injury), as other non-pharmacological methods have been available for centuries (at least from the time of Cicero). The role of the peripheral and central nervous systems in the process of memory acquisition (thus, “learning”) is covered in the article, and the author lists various drugs and compounds that have been found to have some effectiveness in memory enhancement—at least in lab animals. I found it interesting that the author pointed out that this process (the formation of memory) is better understood than is the recall of memory.

Given that trials have shown the limited success of memory enhancement in humans, a more reasonable approach (the author suggests) would be in protecting oneself from neurological decline, slowing the effects of aging upon the brain and thus retaining one's mental acuity longer; however, this is not without its own disadvantages. There is always the risk of unwanted side effects and adverse reactions associated with long-term drug therapy, so one would have to carefully weigh the risk factors involved to the potential benefit derived from such therapy.

Finally, the author addresses the ethical questions regarding cognitive enhancement. Will the development of successful memory-enhancing drugs open Pandora’s Box, allowing those that could afford such treatment an unfair advantage over those who have to suffer with the less-than-stellar mental faculties that Providence has provided them? Will there be a black market for these drugs, and will counterfeits and foreign-produced products outside the regulating power of the FDA abound? These are legitimate questions that should be thoughtfully considered beforehand.

I have yet to reach the point where the prospect of a decline in my memory is a pressing concern, yet I am not so young that I have disabused myself of the notion that the troubles associated with aging are well beyond the distant horizon. It is my sincere hope that the mysteries of these processes will be better understood within the next two decades, and that I will be able to benefit from great strides in nootropic research and development.

Garsh, that's hard work!

I am in the middle of writing my first story. Maria has goaded me into putting pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and doing something creative. So I created another blog for my imaginings. I figured that the thing to do was just to start writing without trying to brainstorm for an original idea, or create a work of creative genius at my first outing; surely, if I had taken that approach, I would still have a blank sheet of paper (screen) before me. So, I just started typing, and gave birth to a town and some characters to inhabit it. It's amazing how the process takes on a life of it's own. I also find it amazing how much work it is. It really is a laborious task. The hardest part for me so far was to put into words the experience of coming to terms with imminent death. The hero of my story and a dog (don't ask me to explain, you'll have to read it) are caught in the middle of a rocket attack on a pillbox on the Norman shore during D-Day. Of course, this is a thinly veiled allusion to my Hurricane Andrew experience. I spent hours trying to describe what I felt without relying on hackneyed phrases; "His life flashed before his eyes!", "the men were being mown down like summer wheat!", "the cliffs erupted in a sheet of flame!", etc. I don't know how I am doing, because the people critiquing my story are loved ones, and they think the world of me. So, I will just keep on keeping on with the story, and see how it all turns out.
My next project will be a story for the kids about the kids...I figure that maybe this will provide an impetus to get them more involved with reading. We'll see how that turns out...