Yoda's `Milkshake' post reminded me of a rather hilarious video set to same tune..here `tis. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Pot Pourri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pot Pourri. Show all posts
Friday, July 20, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Eternal sunshine for a scarred mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my favorite movies- what a great story! The power to erase painful memories from one's mind. In many ways, our lives shape our characters, who we are today..then again there are things we would like to forget; some of us have things we can't bear to remember. Is the solution to erase these events from our mind?
Scientists are testing a new drug called Propranolol that may be able to help victims suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to make peace with their memories. Matt Bean of Men's Health writes:
"Extremely traumatic events can unleash a torrent of stress hormones, searing the memory into the brain. That's where propranolol enters the picture. It blunts the impact of stress hormones on the amygdala, the small, emotional control center in the middle of your brain. As a result, the brain is able to encode the traumatic memory as a factual event, a garden-variety horrible memory, rather than a world-changing, panic-inducing schism in consciousness. It's like removing the crescendo of violins from the climax of an action movie: You still know what's happening, but you're able to focus on just the facts."
The article quotes Dr. Roger Pitman, a co-researcher on the project:
"Nobody knows when they're going to be in a car accident, or be raped, or be kidnapped, so trying to give them a pill within 6 hours of the trauma is difficult," he says. "But we can control the memory now, bringing it back to the point of sensitivity no matter when it occurred. This could have implications for all kinds of problems: drug addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anything where you need to change the wiring in the brain."
My memories matter to me, as painful as they may be at times. But then again, we're talking about people who have lost a limb, been in life-threatening situations- along with the actual memory itself is the guilt, the self-recrimination, the loss of confidence, of hope...the endless, futile `if only.....'. No doubt there will be a fallout to this new drug, if and when its introduced. So the question is- is that something you would be willing to risk? If the stakes are high enough, or the memories bad enough, it may well be worth striving for a spotless mind. And a good night's sleep.
Scientists are testing a new drug called Propranolol that may be able to help victims suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to make peace with their memories. Matt Bean of Men's Health writes:
"Extremely traumatic events can unleash a torrent of stress hormones, searing the memory into the brain. That's where propranolol enters the picture. It blunts the impact of stress hormones on the amygdala, the small, emotional control center in the middle of your brain. As a result, the brain is able to encode the traumatic memory as a factual event, a garden-variety horrible memory, rather than a world-changing, panic-inducing schism in consciousness. It's like removing the crescendo of violins from the climax of an action movie: You still know what's happening, but you're able to focus on just the facts."
The article quotes Dr. Roger Pitman, a co-researcher on the project:
"Nobody knows when they're going to be in a car accident, or be raped, or be kidnapped, so trying to give them a pill within 6 hours of the trauma is difficult," he says. "But we can control the memory now, bringing it back to the point of sensitivity no matter when it occurred. This could have implications for all kinds of problems: drug addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anything where you need to change the wiring in the brain."
My memories matter to me, as painful as they may be at times. But then again, we're talking about people who have lost a limb, been in life-threatening situations- along with the actual memory itself is the guilt, the self-recrimination, the loss of confidence, of hope...the endless, futile `if only.....'. No doubt there will be a fallout to this new drug, if and when its introduced. So the question is- is that something you would be willing to risk? If the stakes are high enough, or the memories bad enough, it may well be worth striving for a spotless mind. And a good night's sleep.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Fair & Lovely
A few years ago I watched a tamashawalli get ready for a performance, and was fascinated to see that she used Fair & Lovely as her base. The link between beauty and fair skin is deep-rooted. The `brown bag' test was used by African-Americans to judge if a black person was light enough to join the elite black clubs/associations .i.e. they could not be darker than the brown paper lunch bag.
Here's a more recent twist to an old notion. After those aggravating commercials showing how successful women became after using their products, Fair & Lovely has turned its dark gaze on men with `Fair and Lovely Menz Active.' I wonder if the shallow beauty assessments are now extended to men too or if the metrosexual wave has emboldened Indian men to seek out a fairer face?
Click for the video.
Here's a more recent twist to an old notion. After those aggravating commercials showing how successful women became after using their products, Fair & Lovely has turned its dark gaze on men with `Fair and Lovely Menz Active.' I wonder if the shallow beauty assessments are now extended to men too or if the metrosexual wave has emboldened Indian men to seek out a fairer face?
Click for the video.
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