we're all on drugs

i would like to continue my stream of scientific consciousness. particularly, in regards to medicine and pharmacy and their role in society.

one late nite last semester i came across one of those promotional tv programs where some blonde woman sits there, looks pretty, and tries to ask real questions of a guy in a suit trying to sell his product. most often its some fat-reducing miracle product, and in this case that actually was part of it. but this time there was more. he was selling his book which claimed to hold the cures for hundreds of different types of ailments, ranging from headaches to cancer! he claimed that naturally occurring cures existed for all sorts of illnesses, chronic and acute. one of his examples was how a diet containing vitamin c could completely cure scurvy.

furthermore, he claimed that the food & drug administration (fda, the american organization responsible for assuring and okay'ing the quality and distribution of foods n drugs) was trying to shut him up. the fda, he said, did not want these naturally occurring cures to be known to the public for fear of the destruction of the pharmaceutical industry.

i agree it does seem like a stretch, and a naturally occurring cure for cancer would surely have been marketable in some way, and would have been done so by now. his direct claims are the stuff of conspiracy theories.

nevertheless, there is an overriding theme here with which i do agree. pharmaceutical companies are businesses, and while they may strive to be the good guys, they are legally bound to stakeholders to make their mission about profit. the bottom line is that these companies must make money, just like any other business. thus, over time, these businesses are willing to develop and distribute as many products as possible, the real necessity of these products in healthcare is not questioned.

the competitive nature of the pharmaceutical industry is very evident in the usa. advertisements for drugs must outnumber similar canadian ads 5:1. while these commercials may be well-intentioned (or, not) they only underline the business model. first, let me say there are plenty of fantastic drugs out there, such as those battling parkinson's disease. but 9/10 of the commercials are not for these kinds of drugs. you may not need these drugs, you may be perfectly healthy, but somehow, these ads try to convince you that there is something wrong with you, stress, headaches, fatigue, depression, loneliness, anxiety, boredom, and that medication is the cure. to me, these are natural aspects of life. stress? as bill maher pointed out, of course we become stressed, we spent millions of years looking over our shoulder for predators on the hunt. these are reactions to our environment, and are aspects of life that cannot be cured by short term fixes and poorly understood pills.

we are over medicated. i think america is an extreme, since there is so much competition. around the world, millions needlessly ingest pills, while millions more die for want of medication. thus, while the man on the tv may have been raising egregious ideas, i do agree with the fact that pharmaceutical companies are poisoning much of society. these companies should be focusing on real illnesses, such as alzheimers, multiple scelrosis, cancer, AIDS, and cheaper ways of distributing quality medications, not quick fixes for stress and fatigue that could cause heart problems.

the issue becomes more dangerous now that we are entering an age of preventive medicine. based on family history, genetic profiles, and other variables, a doctor could prescribe a drug to you for something you could get. again, i think our focus should remain on promoting r&d to find cures and methods of prevention for the truly devastating illneses, such as those mentioned above. too often, it seems, big pharma goes after the "easy" fixes (with difficult side-affects) for depression and anxiety, and this should be avoided. there is no doubt we have come a long way in health care, every decade it seems people are living longer. however, this does not mean they are healthier or happier.

the science. to further aggravate the situation, i still believe our understanding of the human body as a system is quite poor. the listing of side effects one hears on the tv ads is a testament to this fact. we do not truly have a grasp of what the chemicals we ingest do to our systems. in order to improve the current quality of medication and health care, a far more holistic, systems approach will be required to understand the affects of our drugs. i often hear that doctors in asia provide better advice than doctors here, since often a more holistic approach is followed (and i have actually had first hand experience, its true). a holistic approach is especially true and necessary for preventive medecine: all aspects of any genetic profile must be considered before forming any conclusions. the number of cellular interactions are vast, and better technologies will need to be developed in order to accurately assess patients.

in conclusion, i think our reliance on drugs is just another behavioural/chemical input. we are systems of habit and addiction, and our systems are all too easily susceptible to sitmuli. our brains crave the biochemical activity that results from our behaviour. we must pacify our minds to find what it is we are looking for.

Jack, on the loose

this post contains up-to-date season V material... so if you have not seen episodes of this season, explore with caution...

blog on

i've added three blogs to the list: nodalpoint, biosingularity, and al fin. nodalpoint deals with issues and news specific to computational biology, mainly from a cs perspective.

biosingularity is an interesting read. the author "started this blog to chronicle the remarkable advances in biological systems and hopefully also to provide a conceptual framework to discuss reverse engineering biological systems and its profound ramifications for the future of humanity". woah.

lastly, the blog al fin further broadens the scope of scientific discussion to a level where the "primary interest is seeing that the best of humanity survives long enough to reach the next level". where do we go from here?

all three are nice blogs because they raise issues and discuss stories that represent the journey, not just the final chapter.

science & progress

it is an unfortunate fact that issues in science are simply not prominently discussed as much as they should be, specifically in the media. there is a simple reason for this: ratings. science makes for boring television. really? i think the true problem lies in the fact that the general population does not understand the ideas and facts behind the issues and problems at hand. furthermore, the media only covers news in science when research has culminated in a fantastic discovery or advancement. the public does not hear about the blood, sweat and tears that went into the research for the past decade, and the small steps required to get to the final achievement. thus, there is an overall impression that if the science does not work now, it never will, and the developments can not be trusted.

there are at least two sources that shape the people's ideas of science: education and media. i actually believe the state of affairs in the uk and canada are decent. the amount of research funding can not compare to that of the usa, but high school and undergraduate science courses are consistently strong across the nations, and there is an inherent belief that given time, science will work. in turn, the media does not sensationalize or ignore scientific progress; science and engineering schools and companies are strong and could be even better, if they had access to more funding.

on the other hand, the american educational system is inconsistent at best. in fact, when compared to other 1st world nations, most americans receive a below-average education, beginning in high school. thus, immediately, the people's understanding and belief in science is at risk. the media does nothing to aid this situation, and in fact makes it worse. they publicize and exaggerate the rare incidents of fabrication of data/results, and the real scientific issues, if covered at all, are sensationalized and politicized with buzz words, like bioterror, cloning, and stem cells (see ratings). as a result, many people don't trust science, or fear developments. surely there are ethical questions to be answered, but to question the advances without a true understanding of the facts is pointless and only undermines progress. most of the time, american viewers are bombarded not by real news, but more sensationalization: lawsuits, murders, evangelists, and political backstabbing.

offshoring. all this time, americans have been under the impression that only menial, administrative jobs could be sent to men and women in china and india. but that is changing even as we speak, and more and more r&d will be occurring offshore as well. furthermore, much of the science and technology being developed at the fundamental level in america is by foreign students. if the educational system here does not improve dramatically, there will be consequences twenty, thirty years down the road.

i believe canada has a lot of potential to be a global leader in science and research and technology. when paul martin first ran for pm, he talked about leading canada as one of the world leaders in scientific progress, and i was actually excited that may be martin was the man to take us there and realize this vision. unfortunately, shortly after he took office, he turned into a bumbling fool of a took! i doubt harper has the vision and leadership to take such steps (and a minority gov't does not help). although canada does have some of the world's best research ongoing in genetics and cell biology, and robotics, i think it will be some time yet until the nation's full potential will be realized; a strong, purposeful government is required to truly lead and implement goals on the international stage.

i'm a mercedes slk

You appreciate the finer things in life. You have a split personality - wild or conservative, depending on your mood. Wherever you go, you like to travel first class. Luxury, style, and fun - who could ask for more?

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz!

The Smashing Pumpkins - Thirty Three

only billy corgan could come up wit these sweet killn lyrics

speak to me in a language i can hear humour me before i have to go
deep in thought i forgive everyone
as the cluttered streets greet me once again
i know i can't be late, supper's waiting on the table
tomorrow's just an excuse away
so I pull my collar up and face the cold, on my own
the earth laughs beneath my heavy feet
at the blasphemy in my old jangly walk
steeple guide me to my heart and home
the sun is out and up and down again
i know i'll make it, love can last forever
graceful swans of never topple to the earth
and you can make it last, forever you
you can make it last, forever you
and for a moment i lose myself
wrapped up in the pleasures of the world
i've journeyed here and there and back again
but in the same old haunts i still find my friends
mysteries not ready to reveal
sympathies i'm ready to return
i'll make the effort, love can last forever
graceful swans of never topple to the earth
tomorrow's just an excuse
and you can make it last, forever you
you can make it last, forever you

the dirrty south

heh this some funny shit bitches... click on the title of this post to follow the link...

unto self

eyes closed.

upon the barren landscapes of time, a man, everlasting, waits. mapping his infinite steps, the clouds only linger, fleeting. a thought also waits, but does not rest, upon his struggling mind, torturing and twining the fibers of his consciousness.

eyes gazing upwards.

clouds may wander at will, untethered. and how? the darkness of his thoughts are wrought with a dread he has not known, caged within the boundless realms of his mind. and it will not settle. of serpents and phantoms. to which corner shall this darkness recede? this ever-gazing eye, shrouded, shall not sleep; it shall not recede...

eyes gazing inwards.

time manifests itself. and still, he suffers, the destitution of his purpose, the corrosion of his self, a mind infected. seeking understanding. if this darkness shall not recede, perhaps it is he who shall flee. escape. escape this shroud. escape this mind. what fate, then, will wait for him, his existence? awaken to realize a mind, freed of its vessel. if, in death, it is realized, then hasten this being...

eyes closed.

upon the barren landscapes of time, a mind, everlasting, is. mapping his ending, the clouds only linger, fleeting. but this mind, too, is ephemeral, detached, and waits with the halcyon, in solitude, letting go.
©

Channel 4 News Team - Afternoon Delight

Afternoon Delight
Performed by Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, Champ Kind, Brick Tamland

Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight
Gonna grab some afternoon delight
My motto's always been, "When it's right, it's right"
Why wait until the middle of a cold dark night?

When everything's a little clearer in the light of day
And we know the night is always gonna be there anyway.

Thinkin' of you's workin' up my appetite
Looking forward to a little afternoon delight
Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks ignite
And the thought of lovin' you is getting so exciting.

Sky rockets in flight,
pppeeeewwwwwww
Afternoon delight.
You guys have it, I think.
Afternoon delight!

holiday!~~

well the winter break has come to an end. all good things come to an end. 12/23 to 01/15. three weeks of sleeping, drinking, and eating. in fact, there was some time there where if i got less than 10 hours of sleep, i was feeling tired later that day. now thats the life! hi lights:

> cousins
> the "i miss my mommy" group lol... that ended up a decent nite tho
> republik
> new years: money + stayin up til 1030am at yans.. eat shit! fucking jerk!
> mariko's goodbye
> west lounge
> packing for spain!
> saw: thats one fekked up movie
> lotr all niters lol.. cant get enuf
> the weekend to end all weekends, angels, seeing the seaway crew, defying death at the steering wheel, fast times at palaches/goghs, the grotto, and Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident! ... boy, that escalated quickly

bwhammy!

all hail the smashing pumpkins

there were rumours last year that the smashing pumpkins were reuniting. billy corgan had taken out a full page in achicago paper stating his plea that the pumpkins reunite. but since then, all has been quiet on the TSP front. low down dirty shame. the pumpkins peaked in 1994/95 with their release of the double album, mellon collie and the infinite sadness. this is probably still my favourite album, the one album i would take with me to a deserted island. the range of emotions displayed on the album is unequalled: from zero to tonight, tonight, from bodies to stumbleine. probably also the most unique ensemble of instruments as well, exemplified in we only come out at night. all killr no fillr.

since that release, the pumpkins declined on the charts, with the albums adore and machinas, the pumpkins never reached the same success. however, the music scene was at a pathetic low at the time: britney spears and nsuck ruled the charts, and there was little room for any act seen with a guitar, nevermind an act that wrote its own music. i mean cmon, writing music is for real musicians...psshhh..

fortunately, in the past year or two or so, some better rockin' music has come to the forefront, and the opportunity to explore new bands has increased. given this kind of scene, i think the pumpkins, if they existed today, would be cranking out more chart toppers, and gaining more recognition as one of the top alternative acts of all time. they generated and explored entire spectrums of unqiue sounds that other bands would not touch, and then put these sounds together to create fuckin cool tracks.

billy, james, jimmy, darcy come back!

iiiidiots

the recent catastrophes in the southern states of west virginia and louisiana, though perhaps not avoidable, were made worse by the people responsible for improving the conditions and assisting the people. in fact, the officials responsible likely increased the number of deaths by negligent and impuslive actions.

we have all read or heard the reports from new orleans, thousands stranded without food and water. what's worse is that currently there is no active, ready plan to rebuild new orleans. national, state, and city organizations all hasve unique proposals and ideas for the new orleans. the city's mayor has created a commission responsible for creating a grab bag of ideas, with little attention to finances. while this seems permissible for a first step, there is no guideline of priorities when it comes down to making the decisions. in the mean time, residential communities lie flattened, futureless. video footage during and immediately after the hurricane made america look like a 3rd world nation; the beauracracy and in-fighting that is occuring, and the slow snail's pace at which decisions are being made, will only underline the corruption and lack of vision present at all levels of the government, from the city to the nation.

the second disastrous event became more painful than neccessary for the families of the victims. last week 12 miners were killed at the sago mine in charleston, west virginia. all family members were told that the miners were alive, and celebrations erupted. three hours later it was revealed that there was only one survivor. how this misinfinformation occurred is beyond anyone. investigation is currently on going, but it seems that officials without proper medical training declared to some members of the media that the miners were alive. because of this negligence and idiocy, families suffered tremendously.

in both events described, conditions worsened due to the inadequate vision, planning, and action of the officials in charge. furthermore, these are the kinds of mistakes rarely seen: even cities in malaysia and sri lanka are dealing with the effects of the much larger tsunami more effectively. and sure, miners always run the risk of fatality, and unfortunately accidents do occur around the world. but when have you heard of officials reporting 12 men alive, when in fact all 12 were already dead? on the officials' part, that is simply pathetic.

so what do these two events share? simply, idiots in charge, specifically the southern hicks. yep, i am saying it here, idiocy is a trait that runs through the bloodlines of the southern folk. obviously there are intelligent people from the south, but the positions of power are occupied predominantly by stupid, old, white, men. and they are all fools who can barely speak the english language, nevermind manage rescue operations. these are men who have mediocre education, little to no training for their specific position, and know a friend who knows a friend who lands them the job.

as long as these kinds of people remain in positions of power, the people and the cities of the south will continue to suffer. mark my words, new orleans will never fully redevelop with this kind of leadership.

napster never lookd so good

i guess napster is really gunning for the legal scene
a steady dose of this, and, well, ya... keep 'er comin...

sharing the future

ever wonder if our society will turn into one of those 1984-esque worlds? yeh, gets existential on yur ass. but i almost had one of those moments a few months back at my cousins place. shes like 7 or 8 years old. we were talking about her new mp3 player and i told her i just downloaded all my music. and i almost couldnt believe her reply: "downloading is illegal, you shouldnt". they've got ads on cartoon network yelling at them about such criminal activity.

now im not disputing the claim that file sharing is illegal, but more so simply observing that there may be an entire generation growing up who will not continue the file sharing paradigm, even if their parents did. i guess if that ocurred, the big man at riaa would have "won".

lets take this a step further. could the big man eventually wield enough power to convince children who knew their parents were violating copyright laws, to turn their parents in? ...a world where children spy on their parents in the name of the government. personally, i could see myself partaking in some form of copyright violation even when i am forty (perhaps more than today!); i wonder what the children of the next generation will grow up believing of such actions?

in truth, i doubt the internet will ever be fully regulated or controlled, and the haxor mentality is a somewhat natural extension in the fight for independence and/or anarchy depending on ones beliefs or motivations. thus, as the technology grows, the haxor community will persist. the questions are, in what form will it exist and how pervasive will it be?

flicks

ive done my share of exploring many unheralded, and/or independent bands, mostly canadian. online sharing of music has made this possible for smaller bands to get their sound out to the publik. toronto's edge 102.1 also does a great job of seeking out new talent, and runs an exclusive show called the indie hour sundays at 8pm, with dave bookman, who tends to talk a lot, but is one cool dj. chek it out.

access to new music is great, but its slightly more difficult to get at new, unheralded, indie films. currently its a bandwidth issue, and in the future, will likely be easier to access. but right now, i'd like to try to explore this content. if anyone knows of any torrent sites or what not that specializes in new flicks, hook me up! im sure there are some slick movies out there that just dont get much viewing.


on a related note, ray was very highly publicized. now im usually not a big fan of "best picture" winners, but this was a very slick movie and goes down smooth. the soundtrack is also obviously famous, but id never given much time to ray charles. after the movie though, ive been hooked on some of his tracks, ie hit the road jack, mess around, and i got a woman. in fact i may i look into buying somethin of his.....oooooh. may be when i get a job.

muse

“As balmy late evening sunshine gives way to darkness and cascades of rain, so Ash's breezy pop punk gives way to the tempestuous drama of Muse”

this band from devon, england has not had much radio play in n. america , but cranks out one wickd track after another. theyve been described as a mix between radiohead and nirvana, and the similarities can be heard; yet, their sound is heaven to a soul searching for something new and unique on the air waves. grand vocals, melodic tunes, and the oft-placed piano, blended with surging, visceral rifs leave you breathing the fire out of your lungs.

theyve released several albums, but have never really caught on in the north american scene - very unfortunate. but since when was the billboard a good judge of musik?! chek out the website link, and taste the fierce passion that is muse.

> favs
> bliss
> sunburn
> plug in baby
> apocalypse please
> sing for absolution
> time is running out
> butterflies and hurricanes
> thoughts of a dying atheist

nyc

well four months in nyc has been one helluva ride. the first month and a half was great - new people, new places, lotsa time to explore the infinite streets and avenues of manhattan.

come october however, school became very hektik. it wont be getting any easier in the spring semester (jan-april), more research, and more work this semester. i definitely had to relearn the meaning of hard work - in the 3 school weeks of december, i think i slept with the lights off for a total of 4 days. most of the time i would just pass out for 3 hours at a time in my clothes, lights on, and music loopin. the working life is weakening: money to spend, weekends to waste, evenings to relax, nights to sleep. none of the above exist while in school, especially grad skool.

overall though, i cant complain. if you had told me last year i would be here, i would say wishful thinking. but im here: great city, good people (so far), good school, and interesting work, so i just need to refocus and reign in my mind...

it's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
it's like a whirlwind inside of my head
it's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
it's like the face inside is right beneath my skin