7.30.2007
there is food in the cafeteria freezer nightmare
i had a dream that the world was ending again last night. everyone was dying, there were fires in the hill, and the sky was perpetual twilight. i was with my family, mother, father, brothers, uncles, aunts, best friends and others. the dead were walking and we watched them high above in some tall building in the woods. below was an elementary school. there was a decision for mass suicide, and i cried as everyone decided it was the best choice, for we were soon to run out of food, and no one wanted to resort to killing each other for the sake of living another day. i watched as my family stood in a circle. the sky was sparkling with fire and it was blurry from tears. they died together but i couldn't go along with them. their bodies disappeared and i was all alone. i decided to climb down from the building and scavenge the school's cafeteria for supples and maybe a meal. below was hell. the dead people walked faster than i expected but they didn't bite or anything like in a movie. they wanted to hold me, grab me, not let me go. i ran, but there were so many in the school that i turned around. up the building i went back, hands grabbing for a living friend, one in need of friendship but a dead one. i found myself back on some high over looking porch, skeletons of my family lie in the circle, above vaporish spirits loitered, communicating with me, understand their fear, but not their actual message. that was the end of the world in the dream i had last night.
kyle burns: Laszlo Kovacs/Ingmar Bergman R.I.P
Laszlo Kovacs/Ingmar Bergman R.I.P
two amazing individuals who did wonders for film recently passed away. Laszlo who was the cinematographer for such films as Easy Rider, Paper Moon, Ghostbusters and Radio Flyer. Ingmar who is responsible for Wild Strawberries, one of my fave's, and The Seventh Seal among many others.
Last year at the Mendocino Film Festival i was fortunate enough to talk to Laszlo, and i asked him a couple questions about his fantastic work on Paper Moon which is shot in B&W, with tremendous deep focus cinematography. What a glorious Hungarian that man is.
I suggest watching a couple of each of their movies, it's the least you can do to appreciate the wonderful art they created.
no bueno
two amazing individuals who did wonders for film recently passed away. Laszlo who was the cinematographer for such films as Easy Rider, Paper Moon, Ghostbusters and Radio Flyer. Ingmar who is responsible for Wild Strawberries, one of my fave's, and The Seventh Seal among many others.
Last year at the Mendocino Film Festival i was fortunate enough to talk to Laszlo, and i asked him a couple questions about his fantastic work on Paper Moon which is shot in B&W, with tremendous deep focus cinematography. What a glorious Hungarian that man is.
I suggest watching a couple of each of their movies, it's the least you can do to appreciate the wonderful art they created.
no bueno
hungarian cinematographer laszlo kovacs has passed on to the next world
laszlo kovacs passed away over the weekend. i met laszlo at the mendocino film festival in the spring of 2006. he was a genuinely nice and extremely knowledgeable man. i feel honored to have had the opportunity to have spent a few minutes with him over the span of the weekend, especially at a festival where my own film was screening. laszlo is one of the golden god's of cinematography, and he will always be remembered for a life's beautiful work.
laszlo shot many great films including:
easy rider
ghostbusters
five easy pieces
paper moon
say anything
laszlo shot many great films including:
easy rider
ghostbusters
five easy pieces
paper moon
say anything
ingmar bergman has joined his muse: death
"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul."
legendary swedish director ingmar bergman has left the earth. to myself and many, one of the greatest filmakers of all time.
On Godard from imdb
"I've never gotten anything out of his movies. They have felt constructed, faux intellectual and completely dead. Cinematographically uninteresting and infinitely boring. Godard is a fucking bore. He's made his films for the critics. One of the movies, Masculin, féminin, was shot here in Sweden. It was mind-numbingly boring."
select films:
the seventh seal
wild strawberries
hour of the wolf
persona
legendary swedish director ingmar bergman has left the earth. to myself and many, one of the greatest filmakers of all time.
On Godard from imdb
"I've never gotten anything out of his movies. They have felt constructed, faux intellectual and completely dead. Cinematographically uninteresting and infinitely boring. Godard is a fucking bore. He's made his films for the critics. One of the movies, Masculin, féminin, was shot here in Sweden. It was mind-numbingly boring."
select films:
the seventh seal
wild strawberries
hour of the wolf
persona
7.28.2007
stoner rock is bueno for your dna, i guess....
cool documentary coming out based on stoner rockers. dead meadow, nebula, sunn, etc... i don't need to name them.
7.27.2007
dodgers pitching
if dodgers are smart, they will nab salomon torres and shawn chacon from the pirates.
7.25.2007
music videos in los angeles
anyone who has info on either of these town bands should contact me. very interested in directing videos for both.
1. the black pine
2. xu xu fang
hook me up please.
1. the black pine
2. xu xu fang
hook me up please.
7.24.2007
labwaste
coming soon.... subtitle, thavius beck and camerin kelly all meeting up for the grand parade soon.
7.20.2007
7.18.2007
reptilian after all
i guess dave imes was right. george w. is truly reptilian, and under downtown la survives a great race of reptile-men.
The R-complex is named for the most advanced part of the brain higher mammals share with reptiles. It is responsible for rage[1], xenophobia[1], basic survival fight-or-flight responses[1], territoriality[citation needed] and social hierarchy[citation needed], along with the desire to submit to stronger (Alpha Type) members of one's own species[citation needed]. Often, the R-Complex can override the more rational function of the brain and result in unpredictable, primitive behavior in even the most sentient of creatures, humans included. A well developed and healthy neo-cortex can monitor R-Complex activity in sentient beings. The Reptilian complex is the most ancient part of a very successful brain scheme, evolutionarily speaking.
The R-complex is named for the most advanced part of the brain higher mammals share with reptiles. It is responsible for rage[1], xenophobia[1], basic survival fight-or-flight responses[1], territoriality[citation needed] and social hierarchy[citation needed], along with the desire to submit to stronger (Alpha Type) members of one's own species[citation needed]. Often, the R-Complex can override the more rational function of the brain and result in unpredictable, primitive behavior in even the most sentient of creatures, humans included. A well developed and healthy neo-cortex can monitor R-Complex activity in sentient beings. The Reptilian complex is the most ancient part of a very successful brain scheme, evolutionarily speaking.
sidearm pitching
I just won a bet with Tom Mahoney for $100, that DENNIS ECKERSLEY of Oakland A's fame throws sidearm. Tom didn't believe me, and I said over margarita's at el compadre. Bet you $100. Here is proof.
Sidearm is a method of throwing an object in which the arm swings parallel to the ground and the palm of the hand points towards the target. In baseball, sidearm throws are common in the infield because it is easier to throw off balance or while turning, as opposed to overhand throws which require a back leg-to-front leg weight shift. Sidearm pitchers are fairly rare, but many have succeeded in the major leagues, including Randy Johnson, Pat Neshek, Scott Sauerbeck, Dennis Eckersley, Mark Eichhorn, Jake Peavy, and most notably Walter Johnson. Sidearm pitchers are widely popular in Japanese baseball, usually because of the varied release point of the baseball. Different release points often make it more difficult for the batter to get into a rhythm or predict the timing or type of a pitch.
Sidearm is a method of throwing an object in which the arm swings parallel to the ground and the palm of the hand points towards the target. In baseball, sidearm throws are common in the infield because it is easier to throw off balance or while turning, as opposed to overhand throws which require a back leg-to-front leg weight shift. Sidearm pitchers are fairly rare, but many have succeeded in the major leagues, including Randy Johnson, Pat Neshek, Scott Sauerbeck, Dennis Eckersley, Mark Eichhorn, Jake Peavy, and most notably Walter Johnson. Sidearm pitchers are widely popular in Japanese baseball, usually because of the varied release point of the baseball. Different release points often make it more difficult for the batter to get into a rhythm or predict the timing or type of a pitch.
7.17.2007
calm is finished
anyone want to buy it? anyone want to screen it? anyone want to see it? i'm tired oh so very tired.
7.15.2007
i guess i asked for this
it's the middle of summer. the house is empty. two fans are on high. i am sweating. been sweating for two days without a shower. no one to drink a margarita with in sight. no one to watch harry potter. this is a boring day.
7.11.2007
I guess the Bay doesn't like true All Stars. Blow!
From Dodgers.com:
SAN FRANCISCO -- They weren't terribly popular with Giants partisans in the AT&T Park crowd on a cold Tuesday night, but the Dodgers' three representatives didn't seem to mind.
What hurt more was finding themselves on the wrong side of another All-Star Game, the National League's late rally falling short in a 5-4 decision taken by the Americans, who kept their Midsummer Classic magic intact and once again earned home-field advantage for the World Series.
Russell Martin handled himself professionally behind the plate in his All-Star Game debut, while Brad Penny got the best of Vladimir Guerrero one year later and Takashi Saito pitched a perfect seventh inning, keeping the National League one run down.
"I definitely would have loved to get a hit," Martin said, having gone 0-for-3 while missing one big chance when he popped out in the sixth inning against the Tigers' Justin Verlander. "But I tried my best. When I do that and don't succeed, I can't get angry."
The at-bat against Verlander, the man with no-hit stuff, came with the potential tying run at second and two outs, the NL trailing by a run. Martin had lined out in his first at-bat against A's starter Dan Haren in the second, and struck out in the fourth against Boston's Josh Beckett.
"It's a little tougher [than a regular-season game] to have a plan up there, especially when you're facing guys you haven't faced before," Martin said. "You're trying to hit a fastball in the zone; you know guys are going to try to hump up. It's not the same adrenaline you normally have. It's a little different."
Martin, 24, showed his dexterity behind the plate in handling Ken Griffey Jr.'s throw from right field on a tough hop, turning and applying a tag on Alex Rodriguez to end the fourth inning. Ivan Rodriguez had singled to right with A-Rod on second.
"It did get on me quick," Martin said of Griffey's bullet. "But I still got it."
Martin handled the NL pitching staff capably, including one efficient inning by teammate Penny.
"I'm still kind of amped up right now, even though I got taken out," Martin said. "That was a good game, man. Bases loaded, two outs ... I've never seen a better All-Star Game."
Saito, who made his All-Star Game debut a perfect one at 37, sounded sure his catcher would be back many times.
"It's too bad he couldn't come through in that one situation, but he's obviously one of the biggest performers of the Los Angeles Dodgers," Saito said through a translator. "He's been a rock for us. I think he had a good time."
Saito certainly did, thoroughly enjoying dispatching the side in order in the seventh. He retired Brian Roberts, Jorge Posada and Torii Hunter in succession, nine of his 13 pitches in the strike zone.
All-Star Game Coverage
"Down by one run, I was able to go into the game with the same intensity [as a save situation]," Saito said. "With the game on the line, you see the competitive side of guys. To keep it a one-run game, I was pretty satisfied.
"My focus is on helping my team win now, but if I get elected to play in [another] All-Star Game, I would be honored."
Saito has made a remarkably quick rise to the highest level after arriving in the Dodgers' organization as one of the lesser known Japanese imports compared to the likes of All-Star Game MVP Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Penny was impressed the first time he saw Saito in the spring of 2006.
"He was throwing 92 to 95 [mph], and his slider was nasty," Penny said. "He didn't make the club out of Spring Training, but [manager] Grady Little said he'd be back. When he did return, he immediately took up that closer role and he's been perfect the whole time."
After striking out the side in a spectacular first inning in the 2006 All-Star Game, Penny yielded a memorable tomahawk homer in the second frame to Guerrero.
This time, it was Penny in control, putting the Angels slugger behind 0-2 with a pair of fastballs, then bringing another fastball in on the hands that became an out, third to first, with Vlad breaking his bat.
Penny dispatched Magglio Ordonez and Ivan Rodriguez, and the top of the second inning was over quickly on seven pitches, five of them strikes.
"I faced him a lot when he was in Montreal," Penny said of Guerrero. "I wanted to get ahead -- last year I didn't get a chance to. Once I got to 0-2, I wanted to run a fastball in, and that's what I did. He's a great hitter, a Hall of Fame player."
Penny was much more economical than in last year's start at Pittsburgh in making quick work of the AL's 5-6-7 hitters.
"That was great," he said. "That's how I wanted it to be. Last year I struck out the side [in the first], but was 3-2 on everybody. I wanted to throw fewer pitches."
Penny was booed "all the way through" during the parade taking the players to the ballpark from 11 a.m. to noon PT, and he was booed roundly along with Martin and Saito during the pregame introductions.
"They don't like the Dodgers -- and shouldn't," Penny said. "If the All-Star Game was in L.A., it'd be the same [with fans booing Giants players]. But it wasn't bad once I got on the mound. It's a great baseball city."
Martin knew it was still a Giants crowd, NL sentiment notwithstanding, on Monday.
"I took batting practice yesterday, and right away they started booing me," he said. "Fans here are going to boo the Dodgers. I don't take it personally."
He's fast for a catcher, but even Martin is a little amazed by how far he has traveled in such a short period of time.
"It's funny, only two years ago I was in the Futures Game," Martin said. "Now here I am, playing in the All-Star Game.
"I always put high standards for myself, try to push it to the limit. Individually, the ultimate goal is making the All-Star team."
Penny, who said he loves pitching to Martin, has felt right at home in Los Angeles, reaching his full potential as a back-to-back All-Star after helping pitch the Marlins to a 2003 World Series title.
"I like it in L.A. a lot better [than Florida]," Penny said. "The fans, it's more of a playoff atmosphere. It sells out all the time, and that makes it more fun, when the fans are into it. I'm fortunate to be where I'm at."
Even if it means being a villain every time he comes to San Francisco, even as an All-Star.
SAN FRANCISCO -- They weren't terribly popular with Giants partisans in the AT&T Park crowd on a cold Tuesday night, but the Dodgers' three representatives didn't seem to mind.
What hurt more was finding themselves on the wrong side of another All-Star Game, the National League's late rally falling short in a 5-4 decision taken by the Americans, who kept their Midsummer Classic magic intact and once again earned home-field advantage for the World Series.
Russell Martin handled himself professionally behind the plate in his All-Star Game debut, while Brad Penny got the best of Vladimir Guerrero one year later and Takashi Saito pitched a perfect seventh inning, keeping the National League one run down.
"I definitely would have loved to get a hit," Martin said, having gone 0-for-3 while missing one big chance when he popped out in the sixth inning against the Tigers' Justin Verlander. "But I tried my best. When I do that and don't succeed, I can't get angry."
The at-bat against Verlander, the man with no-hit stuff, came with the potential tying run at second and two outs, the NL trailing by a run. Martin had lined out in his first at-bat against A's starter Dan Haren in the second, and struck out in the fourth against Boston's Josh Beckett.
"It's a little tougher [than a regular-season game] to have a plan up there, especially when you're facing guys you haven't faced before," Martin said. "You're trying to hit a fastball in the zone; you know guys are going to try to hump up. It's not the same adrenaline you normally have. It's a little different."
Martin, 24, showed his dexterity behind the plate in handling Ken Griffey Jr.'s throw from right field on a tough hop, turning and applying a tag on Alex Rodriguez to end the fourth inning. Ivan Rodriguez had singled to right with A-Rod on second.
"It did get on me quick," Martin said of Griffey's bullet. "But I still got it."
Martin handled the NL pitching staff capably, including one efficient inning by teammate Penny.
"I'm still kind of amped up right now, even though I got taken out," Martin said. "That was a good game, man. Bases loaded, two outs ... I've never seen a better All-Star Game."
Saito, who made his All-Star Game debut a perfect one at 37, sounded sure his catcher would be back many times.
"It's too bad he couldn't come through in that one situation, but he's obviously one of the biggest performers of the Los Angeles Dodgers," Saito said through a translator. "He's been a rock for us. I think he had a good time."
Saito certainly did, thoroughly enjoying dispatching the side in order in the seventh. He retired Brian Roberts, Jorge Posada and Torii Hunter in succession, nine of his 13 pitches in the strike zone.
All-Star Game Coverage
"Down by one run, I was able to go into the game with the same intensity [as a save situation]," Saito said. "With the game on the line, you see the competitive side of guys. To keep it a one-run game, I was pretty satisfied.
"My focus is on helping my team win now, but if I get elected to play in [another] All-Star Game, I would be honored."
Saito has made a remarkably quick rise to the highest level after arriving in the Dodgers' organization as one of the lesser known Japanese imports compared to the likes of All-Star Game MVP Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Penny was impressed the first time he saw Saito in the spring of 2006.
"He was throwing 92 to 95 [mph], and his slider was nasty," Penny said. "He didn't make the club out of Spring Training, but [manager] Grady Little said he'd be back. When he did return, he immediately took up that closer role and he's been perfect the whole time."
After striking out the side in a spectacular first inning in the 2006 All-Star Game, Penny yielded a memorable tomahawk homer in the second frame to Guerrero.
This time, it was Penny in control, putting the Angels slugger behind 0-2 with a pair of fastballs, then bringing another fastball in on the hands that became an out, third to first, with Vlad breaking his bat.
Penny dispatched Magglio Ordonez and Ivan Rodriguez, and the top of the second inning was over quickly on seven pitches, five of them strikes.
"I faced him a lot when he was in Montreal," Penny said of Guerrero. "I wanted to get ahead -- last year I didn't get a chance to. Once I got to 0-2, I wanted to run a fastball in, and that's what I did. He's a great hitter, a Hall of Fame player."
Penny was much more economical than in last year's start at Pittsburgh in making quick work of the AL's 5-6-7 hitters.
"That was great," he said. "That's how I wanted it to be. Last year I struck out the side [in the first], but was 3-2 on everybody. I wanted to throw fewer pitches."
Penny was booed "all the way through" during the parade taking the players to the ballpark from 11 a.m. to noon PT, and he was booed roundly along with Martin and Saito during the pregame introductions.
"They don't like the Dodgers -- and shouldn't," Penny said. "If the All-Star Game was in L.A., it'd be the same [with fans booing Giants players]. But it wasn't bad once I got on the mound. It's a great baseball city."
Martin knew it was still a Giants crowd, NL sentiment notwithstanding, on Monday.
"I took batting practice yesterday, and right away they started booing me," he said. "Fans here are going to boo the Dodgers. I don't take it personally."
He's fast for a catcher, but even Martin is a little amazed by how far he has traveled in such a short period of time.
"It's funny, only two years ago I was in the Futures Game," Martin said. "Now here I am, playing in the All-Star Game.
"I always put high standards for myself, try to push it to the limit. Individually, the ultimate goal is making the All-Star team."
Penny, who said he loves pitching to Martin, has felt right at home in Los Angeles, reaching his full potential as a back-to-back All-Star after helping pitch the Marlins to a 2003 World Series title.
"I like it in L.A. a lot better [than Florida]," Penny said. "The fans, it's more of a playoff atmosphere. It sells out all the time, and that makes it more fun, when the fans are into it. I'm fortunate to be where I'm at."
Even if it means being a villain every time he comes to San Francisco, even as an All-Star.
7.10.2007
rescue dawn
Just finished werner herzog's latest film, RESCUE DAWN. This is first english speaking narrative feature, at least as far as I know, and it is also by far his best narrative since STROSZEK. Like I always say, I don't review films here, but just want to give some props to ol' Herzog. RESCUE fits wonderfully Werner's library of pain. Jungle, starvation, torture, prevalent as AGUIRRE or FITZCARRALDO, only this time instead of Kinski or Bruno S. we have Christian Bale. Bale is great as always, and this is i'm sure is his most powerful performance to date, but I have to say the Steve Zahn was equally impressive. I've only seen a couple movie's with Zahn, and they are usually stupid comedies as far as I can remember. He's shed his stoner shield and stepped up to the plate. Anyone who can equal Bale within a scene has got something going. As far as directing, it's Herzog as usual. Detached, almost unemotional, somehow bleak with green foliage. The only difference between this and his other films, is that the jungle doesn't win. RESCUE DAWN is based on the true story of DIETER DENGLER, whom Herzog made a documentary called LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY. I don't care if you see the film or not, but you're a dummy if you don't.
7.09.2007
long forgotten 4th
well what's new? on july 4th we all went to the standard and somehow i managed to crack my head open while playing in the pool, giving myself a concussion and bleeding down my face in front of hollywood's finest. risa took my home and i slept for 6 straight hours. 2PM - 7PM. Felt fine that night upon waking, but the next day I was dizzy and everyone said I should go to the hospital for I could be dying of internal bleeding in the brain. This just about gave me a pure aggressive panic attack, but I somehow held it of. Doctor said I'm probably fine, but they did a catscan of my cerebral area just to make sure. I'm cool. Nothing wrong up there. So now we can all laugh this off. Slept through the fireworks. Heard the echo park cholos partying hard though. Giovani aka Subtitle came over and we did some freestyling over brian zarin's beats. I not rapping of course, but singing soulful choruses. We might do an ep in the future. We'll see. Also went and saw Transformers earlier tonight in downtown la, to my delight the climax of the film takes place about 6 blocks from the theater I went to. That was thrilling, except for the fact that when I walked out I was disappointed to find downtown intact and DECEPTICON-LESS. Shia LaBeouf es no bueno.
Gotta see this week:
Rescue Dawn - Herzog's new film starring Christian Bale
Joshue - Looks interesting.
Gotta see this week:
Rescue Dawn - Herzog's new film starring Christian Bale
Joshue - Looks interesting.
7.06.2007
4th of july
i spent the 4th swimming at the standard, riddled with narcotics, with a concussion and gio aka subtitle. more soon
7.04.2007
7.02.2007
new drug deletes bad memories
i can't wait to get sweet memories implanted like trips to mars. in the meantime i'll erase every weekend for the past 3 years.
Do you have a really bad memory, or past heartache, that you would prefer to forget?
Researchers at Harvard and McGill University (in Montreal) are working on an amnesia drug that blocks or deletes bad memories. The technique seems to allow psychiatrists to disrupt the biochemical pathways that allow a memory to be recalled.
In a new study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the drug propranolol is used along with therapy to "dampen" memories of trauma victims. They treated 19 accident or rape victims for ten days, during which the patients were asked to describe their memories of the traumatic event that had happened 10 years earlier. Some patients were given the drug, which is also used to treat amnesia, while others were given a placebo.
A week later, they found that patients given the drug showed fewer signs of stress when recalling their trauma.
Similar research led by Professor Joseph LeDoux has been carried out at New York University on rats; scientists were able to remove a specific memory from the brains of rats while leaving the rest of the animals' memories intact. An amnesia drug called U0126 was administered.
The rats were trained to associate two musical tones with a mild electrical shock so that when they heard either of the tones they would brace themselves for a shock. The researchers then gave half the rats the drug when playing one of the musical tones.
After the treatment, the rats that had been given the drug no longer associated that particular tone with an imminent shock but still braced themselves upon hearing the second tone, demonstrating only one memory had been deleted.
Science fiction fans have a number of associations with the idea of banishing unwanted memories. In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey play lovers who have a falling out. Winslet's character goes to a company called Lacuna, Inc. to have her memories of the relationship removed; Carrey's character also has the procedure performed (see photo).
In the film, the process involves showing the person a memento of the relationship and then encouraging them to bring up specific memories while an electric shock is given. Not to give away the film, but this technique does not work as planned.
Here's a memory you might have repressed. In the classic Star Trek episode Requiem for Methuselah, Jim Kirk becomes enamored of Rayna, a beautiful woman who turns out to be an android created by a five thousand year old man who calls himself Flint, who was also Leonardo DaVinci and Shakespeare (among many others) during the course of his long life. Flint wants Rayna for himself, Kirk wants her, she loves them both, her circuits overload resulting in her death, and Kirk is devastated.
Finally, Spock saves the day by applying a little-known property of the Vulcan mind-meld, which is that he can make Kirk forget about his sorrows and return to duty (see touching photo).
In related stories, see how researchers have developed a technique that Detects False Memories; also, read about how you can Hack Your Own Reality - The Virtual Way to have better memories than the ones you actually have.
Do you have a really bad memory, or past heartache, that you would prefer to forget?
Researchers at Harvard and McGill University (in Montreal) are working on an amnesia drug that blocks or deletes bad memories. The technique seems to allow psychiatrists to disrupt the biochemical pathways that allow a memory to be recalled.
In a new study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, the drug propranolol is used along with therapy to "dampen" memories of trauma victims. They treated 19 accident or rape victims for ten days, during which the patients were asked to describe their memories of the traumatic event that had happened 10 years earlier. Some patients were given the drug, which is also used to treat amnesia, while others were given a placebo.
A week later, they found that patients given the drug showed fewer signs of stress when recalling their trauma.
Similar research led by Professor Joseph LeDoux has been carried out at New York University on rats; scientists were able to remove a specific memory from the brains of rats while leaving the rest of the animals' memories intact. An amnesia drug called U0126 was administered.
The rats were trained to associate two musical tones with a mild electrical shock so that when they heard either of the tones they would brace themselves for a shock. The researchers then gave half the rats the drug when playing one of the musical tones.
After the treatment, the rats that had been given the drug no longer associated that particular tone with an imminent shock but still braced themselves upon hearing the second tone, demonstrating only one memory had been deleted.
Science fiction fans have a number of associations with the idea of banishing unwanted memories. In the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey play lovers who have a falling out. Winslet's character goes to a company called Lacuna, Inc. to have her memories of the relationship removed; Carrey's character also has the procedure performed (see photo).
In the film, the process involves showing the person a memento of the relationship and then encouraging them to bring up specific memories while an electric shock is given. Not to give away the film, but this technique does not work as planned.
Here's a memory you might have repressed. In the classic Star Trek episode Requiem for Methuselah, Jim Kirk becomes enamored of Rayna, a beautiful woman who turns out to be an android created by a five thousand year old man who calls himself Flint, who was also Leonardo DaVinci and Shakespeare (among many others) during the course of his long life. Flint wants Rayna for himself, Kirk wants her, she loves them both, her circuits overload resulting in her death, and Kirk is devastated.
Finally, Spock saves the day by applying a little-known property of the Vulcan mind-meld, which is that he can make Kirk forget about his sorrows and return to duty (see touching photo).
In related stories, see how researchers have developed a technique that Detects False Memories; also, read about how you can Hack Your Own Reality - The Virtual Way to have better memories than the ones you actually have.
7.01.2007
mlb all stars - 2007
glad to have just read that our hometown dodgers own russell martin, brad penny, and takashi saito all made the national league all star team. the game will take place in san francisco this year. viva los dodgers.
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