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Howdy sit-rep, how you been doing?

sit-rep says: "I know Boot Hill well, and I know he is a WOD/anti-drug kinda guy...'What do you think of this?' was meant as a trigger to get him going..."

So you thought you just give the wasp nest a few quick whacks with the stick and then sit back and watch the show? Is that it?

Today was a bad day to try to distract me from life-beyond-the-net. My youngest son, his wife, and our new grandson came by to spend Easter weekend with us. Have I ever told you what a grand person my daughter-in-law is?

But since it is now late and all are in bed, and not wanting to disappoint you, let's see if I can find something nasty to rile up the drug-obsessed libertarians that usually infest these threads.

The author of this thread story is Jeremy Laurance, and he is the "Health Editor" for the UK Independent and just loves to write about marijuana (on Goggle, "Jeremy Laurance" + "marijuana" = 35 hits (no pun intended)). Let me offer a couple of recent quotes from his writings.

"Cannabis...could win a new role as the aspirin of the 21st century, with growing evidence that its compounds may protect the brain against the damaging effects of ageing." (Cannabis may become 'the aspirin of the 21st century')
"Evidence is growing that the drug [cannabis]...is a trigger of psychotic delusion, lung disease and immune dysfunction." (Cannabis 'may cause public health disaster')

Two stories, just five months apart with seemingly opposite and alarming or sensational messages about marijuana. What could account for this? Well, let's try one more quote from our "health" editor and see what's behind this.

"Health stories in the newspapers tend to focus on 'miracle cures' or 'deadly scares'. Editors are always looking for a sensational story. That's what sells papers." (Comments by Jeremy Laurance to ScienceMuseum.org about what motivates journalists)

There you have it, sit-rep, straight from the horse's mouth, sensationalism (not truth), "That's what sells papers"! If you want to know about advances in science ("...it may also help prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntingdon's and motor neurone diseases..."), consult a reputable science journal, but never, ever, try to learn about science from a newspaper.

One final note: recent research about the diseases that Laurance mentions above, has shown that they may be caused by a previously unknown class of organisms called "nano-bacteria", which are small enough to permeate the blood/brain barrier (called the "dura mater") where they can then act directly upon the brain. If this turns out to be the case, then the use of marijuana would only mask (some) symptoms and not "prevent" the diseases, as Laurance's column suggests. It would be sort of like suggesting that cough syrup could prevent tuberculosis because you would never have the characteristic TB cough.

So, does this qualify as "getting him going"?

Best regards,

Boot Hill