Wow.  Fascinating.  Check out this article at Corante regarding a study of rats and alcohol consumption.

The results aren't what you’d expect.

Here’s my two-part theory about this study's results: alcohol naturally occurs in foods that are spoiling.  Animals who have a tolerance for alcohol may have a larger food supply to draw from, including both fresh and spoiling products versus fresh products only.  Animals with genes that have this tolerance are therefore preferred, given a longer life span for reproduction.

Secondly, foods which produce alcohols on breakdown may also contain a higher level of natural nutriceuticals that act as anti-oxidants AND anti-inflammatory agents.  Most diseases and physical degradation from aging are either inflammation or cell breakdown caused by toxic free radicals.  Animals which ingest foods richer in alcohols may also be eating more disease-preventing anti-inflammatory agents and cell-repairing anti-oxidants.

What’s your take on this?

12:18:06 PM    comment []

I can’t help it, I’m having one of those days where I’d like to rip the heads off little fuzzy bunnies.  Too much frustration with the economy, the environment, the state of the state, the state of the nation.  Probably just overload from campaign news and spending too much time looking for too few jobs.

Seeking a little levity, I took a detour to browse my referrer log.  Ah, no problem, there’s humor to be found.

Some poor unsuspecting soul stumbled upon my blog when Googling “planning a Christian dinner”…

Heh.

Don’t forget to invite the lions!

Heh-heh.

How about serving a nice chianti and some fava beans?

<snort>

Okay, I promise, I’ll try to lighten up.  At least I’m done picking on “Christian dinners”!

10:41:45 AM    comment []

This week has seen some of the best the Democratic Party has to offer.  Senior statesmen, Al Gore and Ted Kennedy, gave two of the finest speeches ever.

Please take the time to read or listen to them.

Al Gore on Global Warming

He is extremely relaxed, casual and easy – and frank.  This isn’t some stuffy scientific treatise; my kids could understand this readily.  In fact, show it to your kids.  Let’s hope they save us if we can’t save ourselves.  Fantastic graphics available.

Ted Kennedy on America, Iraq and Presidential Leadership

Yes, it’s long, but it’s worth it.  If you can find a video version, watch it; you’ll see how intensely Kennedy feels about the topic matter. 

They make me so proud to be a Democrat.  I hope that the Democratic candidate paid close attention to both form and content; these are very big shoes they must fill as they become senior statesmen themselves.

9:12:16 AM    comment []

<announcement>

Just wanted to clear the air here, make sure that we share an understanding about this blog.  My blog.

I've covered in no small depth these topics: feminism, post-humanism and science; national politics, global terrorism, state and federal budget issues; reading materials and launching a book club at local and internet level; raising children, weather - both local and space.  I'm sure I've missed something in this recitation. (Oh yeah, my abortive attempts to moblog...)

That's just THIS PAST WEEK ALONE.

This is the nature of my life, laid out here in text and graphics by my own hand.  It's highly local and extremely global in subject matter and content, as well as in its readership. 

If this isn't satisfactory, there are lots of other challenging blogs at http://blogs.salon.com and the internet beyond which beckon readers. 

You are welcome to them with my encouragement.

In closing, I want to extend a hearty Thank You to those of you who've continued the conversation behind the blog by email; I appreciate the additional depth you've added to the experience as well as the new topics you've encouraged.

</announcement>

8:21:46 AM    comment []