I've Got a Labor-Saving Device

This is what happens when I get bored. I have no shame.

The Joys of Physiological Psychology

In physiological psychology, you get to learn EXACTLY how all the mechanisms of the brain work. This does this, this inhibits that, etc., etc.

Here's one lovely example:

Let's say Billy was an opioid addict. Billy is really craving that "high" feeling, but he's in prison now because he's a loser. If Billy had taken physiological psychology, Billy would know that all he has to do is say that he has diarrhea and acid-reflux disease, and ask for the corresponding medications for those conditions. Billy would know that the primary ingredient of most anti-diarrheal ("imodium") medicines is loperamide. Loperamide is an opioid receptor agonist, however it normally only works within your bowels (yes, your intestines have opioid receptors), and typically does not cross the blood-brain barrier and get into the central nervous system (which it would have to do to get Billy "high"). That's why Billy is also claiming he has acid-reflux. For, you see, omeprazole (or "Prilosec OTC") is a proton pump inhibitor. This means, among other things, that it will allow the loperamide to cross his blood-brain barrier, and tickle his happy little CNS opioid receptors.

And there you have a strange case of how anti-diarrheal and acid-reflux medications taken concurrently can result in opioid CNS agonism.

So next time you take your medicines, make sure you look at the label and read the contraindications! You never know if what you're taking might interact with something else in a (potentially) lethal way.

8 AM... it's too early!

It seems that no matter what time I go to bed the night before, the time when I am the MOST tired is precisely the time that my alarm goes off.

Oh well. Off to the shower.

Pastor Dave's Fungible Fridays!

Pastor Dave is now doing a weekly Friday "encouragement".

He Can't Do That!

Joe expresses moral outrage at the Ellensburg PD's indifferent attitude towards jaywalkers.

TODAY... 1/28/10 @ 12:48am

I went out to meet friends for drinks, despite my exhaustion and pile of essays to finish at home. So, on my trip back home, knowing I only had 2 cups of coffee left in the pot from this morning, I made a detour to Safeway for some sugar-free Red Bulls. I got one for tonight, and three to make it through a hellish day tomorrow that will see me staying at school until at least 9pm. So, I popped the Red Bull in the fridge, while popping one Red Bull in the freezer for consumption tonight. Unfortunately, I let it sit in the freezer for exactly 11 minutes, and by that time it had partially frozen, as I found out when I opened the can, it partially exploded, and then I tried drinking it to no avail. So, I had to open a smaller can that I was saving for tomorrow, leaving myself with only two Red Bulls for hell day instead of one. But, lo and behold, inspiration struck and rather than throw away nearly 100mg of caffeine, I chose to tip it upside down and leave it in a large cup in the fridge and I'll have it for breakfast on my way out the door in the morning. It will have lost some of the carbonation, but who cares? I beat the system. I think. Somehow it feels vindicating.

The Meetinghouse Church: Haiti Hope Initiative

Looks like The Meetinghouse Church is onboard with the whole "helping Haiti" thing. Here's Pastor Dave Richards with some info on The Meetinghouse Church's "Haiti Hope Initiative":