Stupid pet tricks

Got damn revenuers. I tell you, at this rate, I will never run out of stuff to say about our government. I just found out that my tax dollars have gone to file an indictment against the all time home run leader Barry Bonds. A federal grand filed this for perjury and the obstruction of justice lying.

Of all folks, the Federal government have some nerve to call anybody a liar or to accuse anybody of obstructing justice. Last I heard, the filibuster was still used in the hallowed halls of congress. And why, for steriods? From what I have read, this is the result of a four year investigation. Four years – they don’t even take four years to investigate each other (senators and congress persons), or to investigate the fowl-up of FEMA with regards to Katrina, or why the mortgage lending industry has lead to an increase in foreclosures across the country, or why it take 93 cents to make one Canadian dollar, or why the Veternans Hospitals of American can’t provide health care to men and women who serve our country.

Streriods are a marvel of science. The are used every day. In medicine alone, they are prescribed daily to people who do not play sports to assist them with recovering after surgery. Steriods are also extremely useful ( both male and female sex steroids) in mediating or protecting against cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension in some individuals. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are even used for alcoholic liver disease. Why can’t sports figures use them but regular folk like you and me can?

And why Barry Bonds, they didn’t indict Rush Limbaugh for his drug addict behavior of abusing Oxycontin. Shit, I bet half the folks in the legslative, executive and judicial branches of government are taking some prescription medication that is a steriod by the definitions of organic chemisty that learned back at Morehouse. Organic chemistry is the study of the properties of carbon-based compounds that are organic.

Just tell me, who are the members of this Grand Jury and why not make them take drug trest to discern if they using steriods. Why aren’t their names made public? We know that our current President is a recovering achololic and cocaine addict but they don’t indict him, and he running the country, spending more money than we have and sending men and women to die daily in a war over an emotion.

I tell you, is it just me, or is their no pragmatism in government anymore? Im a libertarian, but I feel that George Orwell when he penned 1984 and Aldous Huxley when he wrote Brave New World may have been right. You think Ray Bradbery will be next, I man wil they start burning books like they did in Fahrenhiet 451? Or is this a replication of an old David Letterman skit called “Stupid Pet Tricks?” If so can we put folks like this to sleep? Just a question.

Forgotten Genius

In this time and age where it is difficult to find something to look at on television worthwhile, I was granted a blessing this past week. Outside of ESPN, CSPAN and the occasional show on HGTV, it is not easy to find material that makes one want to sit down and view it in its completeness with their family. This past week, the Public Broadcasting Service series NOVA aired the life story of one of the most remarkable scientist of the 20th century, Percy Julian.

As a child, I grew up idolizing Dr. Julian because I was always interested in chemical and chemistry and blowing up stuff, but never knew of any other chemist other than him growing up in Memphis. Born the grandson of slaves in Alabama, he attended DePauw University in Indiana. Just to pay for his education he worked as a waiter and even a ditch digger. He received his A.B. in 1920, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was the valedictorian of his class. It was his goal to become only the second African American with a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the time. However, even with good grades, no school would offer him entry in such a program. Even the people who wrote letters of recommendation for him explaining his brilliance asked the universities of his selection to discourage him from getting a Ph.D.

Eventually, he went to Fisk University as an instructor in chemistry and eventually to Harvard as an Austin fellow. He received his Masters at Harvard, but was unable to seek his Ph.D. Julian had to travel to Europe where he finally received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Vienna in 1931.

Although he loved academic science, it was difficult, because of minor scandals and racism, for Dr. Julian to work in Academia. However, he was able to secure a job with the Glidden Company as the Director of Research and Development – this was some decade before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball. Julian’s accomplishments are many folds: he synthesized a soy sterol to manufacture male and female hormones, progesterone and testosterone. Julian also synthesized the medicines physostigmine for glaucoma and cortisone for rheumatoid arthritis. He held more than 100 patents.

The show was aptly called "Forgotten Genius”. I was just happy to be able to see such greatness, such stamina and such perseverance at a time when children are up and feeling blessed that I was able to share this moment with my son and daughter. Good Look Nova that was the bomb show.