Poking around, I've found new articles from a few years back talking about a study using mice that showed caffeine may help with Alzheimer's disease.  This article at the London Times is dated today, but I don't know if it's referring to a new study, or the older one (possibly with new analysis of the results).  In any event, the study showed that in mice with the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's, a daily dose of caffeine not only halted the progression of the disease but actually reversed it to a degree.

The dose was equivalent to about 500mg in humans, or about six shots of espresso.  The nice thing is that, even if it doesn't pan out, folks can try it out anyway as caffeine is currently legally available in many forms and its effects are pretty well understood.

This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/560676.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

What the national anthem of the United States might have sounded like had Hendrix played it on a violin. Note what the violin is made from.



Hat tip Scalzi.
This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/560394.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

"The Modern Liberal believes in the supremacy of the state, thereby rejecting the principles of the Declaration and the order of the civil society, in whole or part. For the Modern Liberal, the individual's imperfection and personal pursuits impede the objective of a utopian state. In this, Modern Liberalism promotes what French historian Alexis de Tocqueville described as a soft tyranny, which becomes increasingly more oppressive, potentially leading to a hard tyranny (some form of totalitarianism). As the word 'liberal' is, in its classical meaning, the opposite of authoritarian, it is more accurate, therefore, to characterize the Modern Liberal as a Statist. ... The Conservative does not despise government. He despises tyranny. This is precisely why the Conservative reveres the Constitution and insists on adherence to it. ... For the Statist, liberty is not a blessing but the enemy. It is not possible to achieve Utopia if individuals are free to go their own way. ... The Statist's Utopia can take many forms, and has throughout human history, including monarchism, feudalism, militarism, fascism, communism, national socialism, and economic socialism. They are all of the same species -- tyranny. ... The Statist is not interested in what the Framers said or intended. He is interested only in what he says and he intends." --Mark Levin in "Liberty and Tyranny" This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/560244.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Via the Patriot Post.

THE FOUNDATION

"Every new regulation concerning commerce or revenue; or in any manner affecting the value of the different species of property, presents a new harvest to those who watch the change and can trace its consequences; a harvest reared not by themselves but by the toils and cares of the great body of their fellow citizens." --James Madison (likely), Federalist No. 62

POLITICAL FUTURES

"The Heritage Foundation's senior policy analyst for energy and environment, Ben Lieberman, has produced a stellar paper on [the cap and trade bill]... Based on available evidence and analysis, Lieberman concludes 'that both the seriousness and imminence of anthropogenic global warming has been overstated.' But even if we assume the problem is as bad as the hysterics claim, the proposed bill 'would have a trivial impact on future concentrations of greenhouse gases. ...[It] would reduce the earth's future temperature by 0.1 to 0.2 degree C by 2100, an amount too small to even notice.' The bill would bind only the U.S., not other nations, many of which, like China, are 'polluting' at a record pace. Also note that many European nations that have already imposed similar emissions restrictions have seen their emissions rise. But what would the costs be for this quixotic legislative paean to earth goddess Gaia? Contrary to the flawed analyses being advanced by the bill's proponents, Heritage estimates that the direct costs would be an average of $829 per year for a household of four, totaling $20,000 between 2012 and 2035. But when considering the total cost as reflected in the cost of allocations and offsets, the average cost to that family unit would be $2,979 annually from 2012 to 2035. Adding insult and hypocrisy to injury, the bill would hurt the poor the worst because they would bear a disproportionate burden of the higher energy costs the bill would trigger. Now here's the kicker. The bill is also projected to harm the manufacturing sector and cause estimated 'net' job losses, averaging about 1.15 million between 2012 and 2030. The overall gross domestic product losses would average $393 billion per year from 2012 to 2035, and the cumulative loss in gross domestic product would be $9.4 trillion by 2035. The national debt for a family of four would increase by $115,000 by 2035. Enough already. Throw the bums out." --columnist David Limbaugh
( Read more... )

THE LAST WORD

"A week ago, CNN, the Washington Post and other major news outlets covered Obama's killing of a fly as if it was a major news event. (At least when the Russian press similarly gushes over Vladimir Putin, he's karate-chopping cinderblocks in half.) The good news: More photo-ops are coming, because the White House apparently has a major fly problem. I know that because I read the New York Times' flood-the-zone coverage. As Kool Aid-allergic columnist Robert Samuelson has noted, such sycophancy is a serious public-policy problem because the president is proposing a radical overhaul of pretty much everything, and for the most part the press hasn't cared that his explanations are iffier than gas-station sushi, his assurances more dubious than a North Korean press release. Obama's ongoing promise that he's 'creating or saving' jobs is as plausible as the chess team captain's claim that his supermodel girlfriend can't fly down from Canada for the prom. Maybe the fly infestation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has something to do with the fact that the White House is a central hub of bovine manure distribution?" --National Review editor Jonah Goldberg

This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/559874.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

I'm still employed but there's no telling for how much longer.  I'm a contractor who was originally hired for a six-month contract back in February.  As I noted recently, that contract ended up being altered somehow to 4.5 months and then it was extended for a month.  It is currently set to expire mid-July though it could be extended again as we'll be in the middle of a release cycle at that point.  But it could just as easily not.  The company may decide that they can get by without me, either with other members of the team taking on the QA role, or another tester in the company taking on my responsibilities.

In the past I've usually waited for the end and then set out on the job hunt.  I'm going to be a bit more proactive this time.  I'm not going to go full-bore like I would if I were laid off; it takes a considerable amount of time and I'm still working.  But I'm going to put the word out that I'm interested in other opportunities and I'm starting here.

I'm a software engineering professional who has spent most of my career doing software testing.  I've been in the QA field for almost 13 years.  Here's a partial rundown on the kinds of software I've tested:
( Read more... )

I've worked with a pretty wide variety of software.  I would say my greatest strength is the ability to pick up and understand new software and technologies quickly.  I also like to dig into it and understand it thoroughly instead of treating it all as just a black box.  I certainly don't know everything but I'm good at asking questions and figuring things out.

What I'm looking for is an opportunity to work on something new, with a group of folks who enjoy what they're doing, who are driven, but who understand that you have to have some fun once in a while, too.  Ideally I'd like a full-time position with benefits.  My resume is available on request.
This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/559782.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Why the Sex Positive Community Should Care About Gun Rights

Excerpt:


Via olegvolk

This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/559598.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Victor Davis Hanson writes:


He then proceeds, in his inimitable way, to distill the "logic" of Obamaworld down to a single page that nevertheless encapsulates most of what's wrong with the current regime.

This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/559189.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

These just came into my Inbox.

First up, from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

NEWS RELEASE

SEATTLE MAYOR WILL TAKE ANTI-GUN AGENDA TO WHITE HOUSE, SAYS CCRKBA

BELLEVUE, WA – Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, newly-elected president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, will be using his new position to push an anti-gun agenda at a White House meeting planned later this summer, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms warned today.

( Read more... )



Next up from the Second Amendment Foundation, which is closely affiliated with the CCRKBA (and even has the same office address).

NEWS RELEASE

SAF LAWSUIT FORCES CHANGE IN D.C. GUN REGULATIONS

BELLEVUE, WA – Firearms regulations in Washington, D.C. are being amended today by emergency order in response to a federal lawsuit filed by the Second Amendment Foundation that challenged the arbitrary nature of previous regulations enforced in the District of Columbia.

( Read more... ) This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/559003.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

In order to reduce redundancy, I'm still gradually removing folks from my LJ friends list that are also on my Dreamwidth read list.  So don't be surprised if you get notification that this has happened.

This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/558761.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Via the Patriot Post.

THE FOUNDATION

"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it." --Thomas Jefferson

THE DEMO-GOGUES

"These are not the droids you're looking for": "I do not want the government to run things. I've got enough to do." --President Barack Obama, who between running the banks and the automakers is finding time to talk about running health care
Getting it backwards: "If we do not fix our health care system, America may go the way of GM: paying more, getting less, and going broke." --Barack Obama, proposing to spend more to save more
The only thing to fear...: "[T]here are those who will try and scuttle this opportunity no matter what, who will use the same scare tactics and fear-mongering that's worked in the past, that will give warnings about socialized medicine and government takeovers, long lines and rationed care, decisions made by bureaucrats and not doctors. We have heard this all before. And because these fear tactics have worked, things have kept getting worse. ... Let me also say that -- let me also address an illegitimate concern that's being put forward by those who are claiming that a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system. I'll be honest; there are countries where a single-payer system works pretty well. But I believe ... that it's important for our reform efforts to build on our traditions here in the United States. So when you hear the naysayers claim that I'm trying to bring about government-run health care, know this: They're not telling the truth." --Barack Obama
Good 'ole Joe: "No one realized how bad the economy was. The projections, in fact, turned out to be worse. But we took the mainstream model as to what we thought -- and everyone else thought -- the unemployment rate would be. ... Everyone guessed wrong at the time the estimate was made about what the state of the economy was at the moment [the stimulus] was passed." --Vice President Joe Biden **Actually, Joe, there was plenty of opposition.
More mind tricks: "The exit strategy is that we, in fact -- these companies where the United States government, through the TARP funding, has got engaged in helping them stay alive is that they begin -- they are retooled, they are beginning to make money. We get the hell, the heck out as quickly as we can. As the president says, we don't want any part of running any of these companies." --Joe Biden
The BIG Lie: "I think the irony ... is that I actually would like to see a relatively light touch when it comes to the government." --Barack Obama
( Read more... )

SHORT CUTS

"Governments can't even count votes accurately -- or deliver the mail efficiently. Yet now, somehow, government will run auto companies and guarantee us health care better than private firms? And the public seems eager for that!" --"20/20" co-anchor John Stossel
"The first thing is not to call it socialized medicine. Reform is much easier on the ear. The second thing is to get it enacted fast. The third thing is to call opponents naysayers. The fourth thing (although not officially recommended) might be to regret the first three things. But then it will be too late." --columnist Jack Markowitz
"On a more serious front, I sincerely hope that when the president goes in for his annual check-up, the doctors at Bethesda will do a brain scan. Surely something must be terribly wrong with a man who seems to be far more concerned with a Jew building a house in Israel than with Muslims building a nuclear bomb in Iran." --columnist Burt Prelutsky
"One notes that, even in Somalia, which still has high childhood mortality, not to mention a state of permanent civil war, functioning government has entirely collapsed and yet life expectancy has increased from 49 to 55. Maybe if government were to collapse entirely in Washington, our life expectancy would show equally remarkable gains. Just thinking outside the box here." --columnist Mark Steyn This entry was originally posted at http://radarrider.dreamwidth.org/558358.html. Please comment there using OpenID.