I'm not sure how they figured that I'm "pro-family". Probably because I support Ron Paul. Contrary to their assumption, I am capable of appreciating his positions without being a social conservative. The message behind the cut is stimulated by the Student Nondiscrimination Act which is before congress. They claim that this will be the last straw causing our descent into the vice of promiscuous sex, by way of indoctrinating our youth in "pro-homosexual" values from kindergarten on. I don't know about this being a significant law in the great scope of our cultural slide, but the writer is correct in his panic that all will be lost. What he does not see is that the new thing which arises from the ashes may well be an improvement. My personal position on homosexuality is as follows: May all people love who they love, no matter. Now, on to the ridiculous slant of this email:

Dear pro-family American,

The Radical Homosexuals infiltrating the United States Congress have a plan:
( behind the cut is the text of today's anti-homo spam emailCollapse )

A teenage girl sued her school to get a prayer taken down from the gym wall, and won. Local Catholics then showed how classy they are when challenged.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/us/rhode-island-city-enraged-over-school-prayer-lawsuit.html?_r=2

Recent research has shown that children who are young relative to the other kids in their school classes are more likely to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD. This is presumably because they are younger, less well socialized and more childish than their classmates. That childishness can be problematic so they are singled out by teachers and sent down that path toward mind bending pharmaceuticals.

Last weekend's seminar supported my impression that ADHD may be a low dopamine state, either due to decreased levels of the neurotransmitter or decreased receptor activity or numbers. It also supported my impression that low dopamine can follow from childhood trauma. We all know how vicious kids can be, so just being the youngest may constitute trauma. We also know that low status primates within a group have lower serotonin levels.

I personally know two adult humans who are beneficially treated for their ADHD with ritalin. Ritalin's mechanism of action is unknown, but it is thought to influence several neurotransmitters, most especially dopamine. Some texts say it is a dopamine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

My question is this: How does being a younger, smaller and lower status individual in a group of mammals affect your dopamine function? And what IS the relationship of dopamine function to ADHD?

A single engine is idling on the track less than two blocks from my window. The wisteria is blooming purple and sweet outside the window, and the grape vines are just starting to leaf. It's 62.2 degrees F and dry. I went for my standard walk wearing my long gray coat, because it somehow feels really good to sweep along in it even though I don't need the warmth. I am slow to admit that spring has sprung here, because so often I will end up chilled by a dark drizzling fog sometime when I left home without enough layers.
( braindumpCollapse )

and misery.... good article about it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/health/chen10-30.html?_r=3&emc=eta1

There's a new bill before congress that would provide a mechanism to forgive the student loans of those who have paid steadily on the debt for 25 years. Seems like light at the end of the tunnel for me, given the ridiculous cost of higher education today in combination with the declining economy. The other light I see is that if inflation causes a mass devaluation of our currency, my debt will be nothing.

I want to serve humanity, and it is absurd that I am getting saddled with a debt that is more than I have earned so far in this life. It seems unlikely given the situation that I will ever be able to repay it, and just that thought is burdensome. Primary care providers are desperately needed. But I'm not sure I want to be under the gun for the rest of my life to do it. Or do I? Maybe I am a masochist.

HR 2492 is bipartisan and will be coming to a vote sometime soon, so your contact to representatives could make a difference. The Income-Based Repayment program sets lower monthly student loan repayments and forgives both debt and interest after 25 years. The amount forgiven would be taxed as income to the borrower. The idea is to wipe the slate clean for responsible borrowers.

Please take a moment to write to your representative: Urge him or her to support H.R. 2492 and ensure there's really a light at the end of the tunnel.

Click on this URL to take action now:
http://capwiz.com/ticas/utr/2/?a=13579871&i=94349062&c=

THANK YOU!

It's snowing tonight, another strange coating of white stuff in this coastal city. Tomorrow another session of school begins: 10 weeks of classes, 1 week of practical exams and papers due, another week of lecture exams. I am wound tight as a....ball of rubber bands? Not sure what is as tight as me right before one of these races begins. But begin it I must. Providing that I passed all my classes from last quarter, I am 1/3 of the way through this program, not counting board exams. I don't know yet if I passed everything. And if I didn't pass, the remediation exams are this coming Friday. Crazy way to do things. But here goes....here goes.
( I read a book todayCollapse )

Phew. I am glad that's over. The pathology exam wasn't as hard as I expected, but then, I did study for it most of the day yesterday. I studied in my indirect way---find one thing that he said is important, and look it up until I actually understand it. There are lots of things I didn't even look at, but the things I did look at I believe I will actually remember, for a while at least. I was so engrossed in studying that I missed choir practice. I had meant to go but just didn't notice the time.... I will have to review the music on my own, since I have missed the last two rehearsals prior to the concert. My throat is not entirely better, but I think I can sing enough to contribute to the choir.

New York Times, 10/8/08: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/health/chen10-30.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

I had a pleasant weekend in good weather. Worked my hydro shift Saturday morning, then in the afternoon went up to Austin Hotsprings on the Clackamas River with M. The area of the springs has been recently rearranged by the owners using a bulldozer. The pools have all been filled with gravel and there are new concrete barriers blocking entry to the place. Rumor has it that a woman and two children were badly burned there about a month ago. Apparently the owner was trying to minimize his liability by destroying the pools, but somebody had already built a new pool and while we were there we were working on a second one. You can't stop a hot springs from coming up out of the ground, and you can't stop people from trying to get in it. People stay clothed at this hotsprings because it is so close to the road, and because a lot of Russians use it, and they are conservative.
( the restCollapse )