The Tao of Zen Nihilism
They say it’s your birthday but ask us who cares!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
We tie up your feet and throw you down the stairs!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
A cake with the candles all over the place!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
When you blow them out they blow up in your face!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
But you know we love you, yes God knows we do!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
Cause no-one here quite shows their age like you do!
Yo ho, it’s your birthday!
Oh, I think you’re gonna like this one.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) — Scientists say mice genetically altered to develop an Alzheimer’s-like illness undergo “silent” brain seizures.
According to researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine, the seizures may explain why some people with advanced Alzheimer’s have “spells” of increased confusion. The seizures observed in the mice would not be recognizable in the same way a convulsion or epileptic seizure can be noticed.
These subtle seizures may be linked to cellular changes caused by high brain levels of the Alzheimer’s-linked amyloid beta protein.
Understanding the process behind the seizures may lead to treatments that can prevent or even reverse the progression of the disease, the researchers said in the September issue of Neuron .
The research team recorded electrical brain waves in the hippocampus, deep in the mice’s brains. The hippocampus is a brain area associated with memory.
“This discovery has helped identify a new and potentially reversible neural mechanism that can explain the episodes of sudden severe confusion found in cases of advanced Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Jeffrey Noebels, director of the Bluebird Circle Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine, said in a prepared statement. “The cellular changes that give rise to this hyperexcitability appear slowly as the disease progresses, and, at a certain point, the brain networks actually become hyperexcitable, despite the loss of synapses and brain cells in this brain region. Further study may point to early treatment that might prevent these electrical brain spells, as well as slow down the progression of this debilitating disease.”
Prior to this research, spells of increased confusion were thought to be a result of degenerating nerve cells. According to the researchers, the study indicated that they may result from excess amyloid beta and could signal future cognitive failure. Amyloid beta is a toxic protein fragment found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and similar disorders.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease, which is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and cognitive function. There is no known cure for the disease.
“The results of a brain examination of Chris Benoit found significant damage from both repeated concussions and sub-concussive blows that may have played a part in his killing of himself, his wife and son in late June… (t)hey noted his level of damage would lead to cognitive impairment, major depression and heightened aggression.”
Read more here.
After visiting LA, I decided to sit down and relax. Watch some TV. Calm down.
John Mellencamp was on Bill Mahr’s show. Mahr was asking, “Why does the Midwest fall for all the politicians’ lies?”
Mellencamp said, “Because in the Midwest, when someone says they’re telling us the truth, we assume they are telling us the truth. That’s because in the Midwest, people do just that. They tell you the truth and they expect the same.”
Something rattled inside of me. An old memory. A memory of growing up in my hometown.
A memory of trusting people.
My visit to Los Angeles taught me much. It reminded me why I needed to leave. Reminded me why I don’t want to go back.
I’m living with people I trust. That means a lot to me. More than I knew.
(thanks to Draco)
Everyone: Dismantling Iraq Army was a mistake.
Paul Bremer: Bush told me to, but I told him it was a mistake.
Bush: No, I did not.
Bremer: Here are the letters you sent, you lying son of a bitch.
I had a blast at Strategicon. I got to run a whole ton of Houses demos, sold a whole ton of Houses promo packs, got to see a bunch of great folks, and got to pick up a couple of games.
Running Houses for complete strangers–and a few friends–was great. Lots of laughing and excitement. I haven’t seen people this excited to play a game since I first ran the L5R RPG for L5R fans.
No strange men standing on the side of the road this time. Whew.
I missed seeing a bunch of folks I wanted to see. Saw a few people I didn’t want to see.
Had GREAT talks with jim pinto, Josh, the Mighty Mighty Paul Tevis, Matt! and watched Jess riff on Houses.
All in all, a wonderful show.
I had a blast at Strategicon. I got to run a whole ton of Houses demos, sold a whole ton of Houses promo packs, got to see a bunch of great folks, and got to pick up a couple of games.
Running Houses for complete strangers–and a few friends–was great. Lots of laughing and excitement. I haven’t seen people this excited to play a game since I first ran the L5R RPG for L5R fans.
No strange men standing on the side of the road this time. Whew.
I missed seeing a bunch of folks I wanted to see. Saw a few people I didn’t want to see.
Had GREAT talks with jim pinto, Josh, the Mighty Mighty Paul Tevis, Matt! and watched Jess riff on Houses.
All in all, a wonderful show.