MALUNG TV NEWS

I was watching TV at a friends place last night. I was about to switch it off and switched it over totally by accident to see Rachel and Glen on Newsnight. Abu Izadeen was a favourite radical voice for them over a long time. The show was presented by my favourite brown eyed ex- BBC London presenter who is looking even more sexy as she gets older. She had a right go at Anjum Choudarry who got in his Blair Bush Corporation one liner and is the only one who mysteriously still manages to stay out of the nick somehow.

I'm not sure that I agree with the whole concept of "radicalization" how it is presented here. If the idea that we are totally right and they are totally wrong was true, that "they" have been "brainwashed" by an "evil ideology" we wouldn't be at risk. Continually. I am not sure how I can join in the debate really as it seems so obvious to me but when I tell anyone else they glaze over.

I don't think I met a single person in Finsbury park who appeared to be brainwashed in all the years I used to pop up there. I think the concept of "brainwashing" as it is presented is a serious red herring which will only lead to less understanding and more danger. I wish everyone would get over this whole brainwashing fantasy. No one is brainwashed. Except perhaps the guy at 4.00 they name "Osama" on Newsnight's Al Mujaharoun video he is brainwashed. People should stop with this "swinging pocket watches" fantasy. Now. People believe things. I think certain Koranic verses we all know by now have become alive to a worrying number of Muslims who are reacting to events in the world as they see them. Its not rocket science, I mean they are making the fucking videos. They are telling us really clearly.

Is that a controversial view? I don't know. I'm just selfish. I don't want to be bombed.

via Paula

Ketamine breakthrough in treating depression

the class C drug, which is abused for its hallucinogenic effects, is now being hailed by scientists as a breakthrough treatment for severe depressives.

New research has found that patients who have failed to respond to more conventional drugs can be cured of depression within as little as two hours with an injection of ketamine...

...Ketamine is one of several banned drugs that have been found to have therapeutic benefits. Ecstasy has proved effective for traumatised servicemen who have fought in Iraq, and trials are also taking place involving rape victims who are given the drug to help them to recount their ordeals without triggering anxiety. Scientists have used LSD to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety.

However, mental health charities have reacted with caution to the results of the ketamine trials. The charity Sane points out that many people with mental health problems already self-medicate using illegal drugs, and that not enough is known about their long-term side effects.

People self medicate? No shit. I'd say there was some truth in this. K took away my depression and transported me to a world of euphoria- for at least two hours..

Also LSD testing begins in Switzerland:

Dr. Gasser's study received final approval from the study's Ethics Committee (the Swiss IRB equivalent) on July 12, 2007. The protocol is for a preliminary 12 patient, double-blind design to gather basic information on safety and efficacy for this patient population and to develop a treatment approach. Though there has been substantial prior research with LSD in cancer patients that demonstrated safety and some degree of efficacy, that research was conducted over 35 years ago. For this study to follow modern drug development standards, we must start from scratch and build carefully.

Carefully does it.