|
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
----
|
July 05, 2003
The chronic causes schizophrenia?
"Science":
Regular cannabis users are at greater risk of developing mental illness later in life, according to research.
One study found that the risk was seven times higher for heavy users, said Professor Robin Murray of the Institute of Psychiatry in London.
Speaking at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' annual conference in Edinburgh, he said: "In the last 18 months a number of studies have confirmed that cannabis consumption acts to increase later risk of schizophrenia. This research must not be ignored."
For his study, Professor Murray reviewed research in Sweden, Holland and New Zealand.
A recent Dutch study of 4,000 people in the general population showed that those taking large amounts of cannabis were almost seven times more likely to have psychotic symptoms three years later.
Another study, in 1987, of 50,000 Swedish Army conscripts, found that those who admitted at age 18 to having taken cannabis on more than 50 occasions, were six times more likely to develop schizophrenia in the following 15 years.
Professor Murray said these findings had been largely ignored.
The faultiness of the analysis is extremely basic, something that almost everyone would get in the most basic science or psychology class. A co-relation does not mean causation. The classic example from my own high school classes was noting the co-relation between hair length and English scores on the SAT. Does growing your hair long increase your verbal testing scores? No, the results might be more likely to do with gender differences. Girls score a little higher than boys on that side. Girls tend to have longer hair.
In this study, the obvious conclusion would be to suspect that people who were predisposed toward mental problems are more likely to smoke dope than people with nice, calm balanced mental connections. I bet you'd find a similar connection between mental illness and all types of drug use. It would be probably a better inference that people who are prone to serious mental problems are much more likely than the population as a whole to seek out mood altering drugs.
A trained scientist using these surveys to reach the conclusion that "cannabis consumption acts to increase later risk of schizophrenia" indicates bad faith. I would think that even a journalist would pick up something so basic.
Now, it could be that smoking dope increases your vulnerability to mental illness. It could be that it has no causal connection at all. It could be that smoking the chronic acts as a kind of self-medication minimizing the effects of pre-existing conditions. You just can't really tell from these kinds of studies.
posted by Al at 7/05/2003 08:04:00 PM
Slow on the uptake
Lightning strikes a church:
A member of the First Baptist Church said a guest evangelist was preaching repentance and seeking a sign from God when lightning struck the steeple.
Cheney said the lightning traveled through the microphone, blew out the sound system and enveloped the preacher, who wasn't hurt.
Afterward, services resumed for about 20 minutes until the congregation realized the church was on fire. The building was evacuated.
Hmm. They went back to having services? I'd say they're a little slow on the uptake. If'n I was asking for a sign, and then got struck with lightning, I'd figure God was unhappy with me. I'd run away with my tail between my legs. Something. I just know I'd stop whatever it was I had thought I was doing. He or she would not have to absolutely burn the building down on top of me before I'd be cluing up.
This sounds a little like the scenario in "My God Don't Take No Crap."Labels: god, julie andrews
posted by Al at 7/05/2003 08:02:00 PM
July 04, 2003
Homos, Brian Flemming and Me
I've got this post up at Blogcritics, the point of which concerns intolerance by liberals for anyone who has any issues with homosexuals or homosexual lobbying groups. It is called "Homos, Brian Flemming and Me."
First off, the title denotes three separate things- not one with examples. Also, Brian Flemming is my favorite no-good commie liberal over in Blogcriticland, a beloved sparring partner- although I must say that he whines like a BITCH when I knock down his pathetic commie attempts at "logic."
I usually publish everything here that I do at Blogcritics, and a little more besides. However, in this case the comments section has turned out more interesting than my original post. Thanks for this go in significant part to the much maligned Mr. Flemming. Perhaps even more credit in this case should go to Ms Natalie Davis.
Drop on by and dig my thread. Leave a comment or two of your own- but play nice.
posted by Al at 7/04/2003 06:18:00 PM
Appreciating what we've got
I don't like the US government that much. I bitch about taxes and drug laws, cops and gun laws and, well, a lot of things. That's good. This constitutes participation in the democratic processes. It's how we work to nudge our society in the right direction.
The 4th of July, however, is a good time to lay off some of the complaining, and appreciate what we've got. We Americans are incredibly fortunate to live in the time and place we do. I'm all in favor of fireworks, and cookouts and general celebration. We've got a lot to celebrate.
However, I advocate a little quality time on the 4th of July for a more intellectual meditation. After the partying and fireworks are done, perhaps you might wish to spend a half hour or an hour actually reading one of our founding documents.
You can find the Declaration of Independence HERE.
You can find the US Constitution HERE.
10 Great Things About America
Happy 4th of July!!!
posted by Al at 7/04/2003 06:18:00 PM
Link Soup
morethings master
photo gallery index
MP3
new album
releases
lyrics
sammy davis
little richard photos
buddy holly pictures
fats domino images
chuck berry pictures 01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
01/02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12
01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/01/
02/
03/
04/
05/
06/
07/
08/
09/
10/
11/
12/08/
09/
10/
11/
12/
la
24
lucille ball images james
blunt photos
clint eastwood pictures lena
horne images team
america pictures
robert mitchum photos
bruce springsteen pictures
mariah carey pictures
ann coulter photos
george clooney images
loretta lynn pictures
beatles pictures
white stripes pictures
andy griffith pictures
kill bill pictures
beverly hillbillies pictures
robin williams
frank zappa pictures
jerry lee lewis pictures
richard pryor photos
june carter johnny cash pictures
vic mackey shield pictures u2 photos
four seasons images
james cagney images
elvis presley pictures
country music
blog
dolly parton pictures
olsen twins photos
tom petty photos
tori amos pictures
joaquin phoenix images David
Bowie photos
Quills movie images
reese witherspoon pictures rolling
stones photos
fiona apple images kim
novak images ray charles photos marx
brothers pictures
prince rogers nelson pictures blazing
saddles images
sinead o'connor images
eddie murphy photos aretha
franklin photos
south park pictures homer
simpson images
bob dylan pictures elizabeth
taylor photos madonna
images
saturday night live pictures willie
nelson images hee
haw pictures james
brown images pete
townshend photos
tina turner pictures
dixie chicks photos
margaret thatcher photos
guns
n roses pictures
paula abdul pictures
jodie foster photos
amy winehouse
eminem
frank sinatra photos
van
halen images
satan
blondie photos
joni
mitchell pictures
merle haggard
images
rocky horror pictures
monty
python
|
|
