Better late than never, I guess. We shot this video a few weeks ago at our local ScienceBlogs bash. We had martinis and hors d'oeuvres, played with balloons, and had some interesting conversations on science. Some of them were deep and insightful. None of those were filmed. We leave you with the rest:
Thanks to everyone who came, and to my husband Alan for his fascination with video editing.
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Alan is a funny moherfucker! Can Comrade PhysioProf borrow him for his next party?
As a ScienceBlogger and science blogger who still pays some property tax to the State of Colorado, let me register my crushing disappointment and intense envy at missing Karmen's Excellent Adventure. This is far and away the best footage of any 1M comment party of any around the world. Several observations and comments:
1. I could have held forth extensively on helium thanks to an inquiry from PharmKid who must definitely have a playdate with Roland on our next trip to the motherland.
2. DMT is the hallucinogenic serotonin analog, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, which like LSD is an agonist at 5-HT2A receptors. DMT is a natural product first isolated from the roots of a mimosa but now commonly isolated from Psychotria viridis. DMT isn't very active when taken orally as it is oxidized by rapidly by MAO-A. For this reason, the União do Vegetal of Brazil combine this Psychotria with an extract of a vine that contains the MAO inhibitor, harmine. This mixture is called hoasca or ayahuasca.
While DMT is a Schedule I drug in the US, a New Mexico branch of the União do Vegetal won a 2006 Supreme Court decision to use ayahuasca in its religious ceremonies under the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act. (You'd think that Sarah Palin could've used this as an example of a Supreme Court case to answer Katie Couric?).
Here's the direct link since more than two URLs will cause this to get lost in your comment spam:
http://scienceblogs.com/terrasig/2007/11/hoasca_dimethyltryptamine_dmt…
3. DMT is not to be confused with 5-hydroxy-DMT or bufotenine, the hallucinogen obtained by licking Cane toads. Karmen, I would've peed my pants if you pulled a big ol' toad out of the refrigerator.
4. Alan rocks. He may, in fact, be Comrade PhysioProf's longlost twin, despite the fact I saw no Jameson in any of the footage.
Great to see you guys on video - glad you had a great time.
Sure, though you really have to watch his helium intake.
Thanks You So Much.. Have Nice Days..