Sadie
Bluelight Crew
leave my "old" man alone. 

Louis Theroux - A Different Brain - new Theroux focussing on brain injury. Some very touching - sometimes downright heartrending - stories. One of the better Louis dox I've seen recently.
Horizon: E-cigs - Miracle or Menace? - perhaps unsurprisingly, neither. But some interesting tidbits that mostly suggest what one might expect: that e-cigs are almost certainly not harmless but are also far, far better than cigs. Also quite interesting that despite a month's worth of self-imposed vaped nicotine use, the lifelong non-smoker Doc Mosely never once gets to the point of craving nicotine. The tentative suggestion (not just from that one data point) is that e-cigs are not only less harmful but also less-addicting than cigarettes. Although apparently fairly shit to introduce to a non-smoker all the same.
I have seen many acquired brain injuries in the course of my work. Everything from falling over and knocking your head, assaults are a common cause, as are car accidents and various causes of hypoxia. The deficits range from mild ( forgetting things) to severe ie requiring full care. This can happen to anyone at anytime. The brain is a remarkable thing. It can grow new neurons and open new pathways (neuroplasticity) but unfortunately most acquired brain injuries are usually too severe to come back to normal. Its very sad to see. Especially in young people.I watched A Different Brain and saw a lot of similarities in my own mental state in the weeks and months after my own head injury, lowered inhibitions, bluntness, sudden changes in mood and a fierce desire to be independent despite not being capable. I feel very grateful that by and large I recovered though, makes me realise how things could have ended up much much worse for me!
I watched a rather interesting documentary on Porton Down the other day. I hadn't heard of it up until a few days ago but basically is where the MoD do research on chemical & biological weapons. It has featured more in the media in the past.
I thought it covered it all quite well. The history was fascinating as well as learning how it has changed roles as times & threats have changed. Of course they only allow them to film certain areas & won't even say what some of the buildings on the site are used for. Does make you wonder whether part of this is a PR exercise to allow less questions over more dubious stuff they obviously don't do.
Of course the highlight of the documentary is Michael Mosley being exposed to CS gas. He always seems willing to try anything. :D
It's still on the BBC iPlayer for another 27 days:
Inside Porton Down: Britain's Secret Weapons Research Facility
Yeh, Porton Down was the focus of many a protest movement in the 80's, along with Cruise missiles, nuclear power and Maggie Thatcher. I started watching that documentary, but fell asleep after the bit about mustard gas.
Ah you never made it to the part where they were distilling agent VX. Sounds like some nasty shit... 100x more potent than Sarin or something like that. 8(
Sounds like a less toxic version of FUBARS sweatI watched it last night....
Loved the bit where he's leaning on the cabinet where they're making the Sarin and the guy says don't get too close or lean you hands on the cabinet mate.....the fella nearly shits himself...
The bit with the VX is mental too.....he makes like about 50ml of it and casually says "yeah that would be enough to kill a few hundred thousand people.......
Fuck me......
I watched it last night....
Loved the bit where he's leaning on the cabinet where they're making the Sarin and the guy says don't get too close or lean you hands on the cabinet mate.....the fella nearly shits himself...
The bit with the VX is mental too.....he makes like about 50ml of it and casually says "yeah that would be enough to kill a few hundred thousand people.......
Fuck me......
FUBAR's sweatMeh, I've double dropped VX before
I did watch this the other night and found it fascinating. It does really make one wonder about the type of things being developed there that are still classified.