This is the Dr. Selby regular shaving cream (rather than the 3x, which is more like a soap), and though it produced a fine lather, it does not, I fear, hold a candle to the Speick I used yesterday. This Emilion brush, which I got on Todd O’s recommendation, does indeed have curious properties. It’s a hooked badger: the tips have slight hooks that engage as it dries, so it looks porcupinish, though it is easily brushed smooth (which I do automatically, so I’ve yet to get a photo of it—I’ll try again). But when the brush is wet, after rinsing, and your run your fingers over it, the hooks (I assume) produce a peculiar and not unpleasant “grabby” sensation, like a kind of tacky glue that leaves no residue. And it does a fine job of creating and applying lather, with the tips feeling quite soft.

Greg of iKon saw my blog post recently where I displayed the collection of iKon razors I’ve purchased over the years, and he kindly sent me, gratis, a bamboo handle (shown above) to complete the collection (for now). A very nic gesture, and I do like the feel of the handle.

Three smooth passes with a Swedish Gillette blade, and then a little squirt of Alt-Innsbruck. I just recently used Primalan aftershave balm, and I was struck by the close resemblance beeween the two. I don’t recognize anything in the Alt-Innsbruck that corresponds to the almond oil in Primalan, but they did seem a lot alike, and both seem to separate on standing—so shake well before squirting out a tiny dab to massage into your face post-shave.

All in all, a fine shave.

Eye gets better day by day, though last night I did experience some pain, and at 2:00 a.m., The Wife drove me to the ER for an IV, which helped immediately. I then slept soundly the rest of the night and today I have only a certain flow of tears with which to contend. I’m mending, and within a week should be doing quie well indeed. My advice remains: don’t jerk your head around while getting eye surgery. (Live and learn.)

Of course, millions upon millions of small blogs don’t really move much—this blog is reasonably successful for a private blog, I would say, but gets only 2000 hits/day.

BUT: it’s very easy to pass along links that catch one’s eye, and as these take fire, things can spread quickly. The blog has had more than 3,800,000 views over its life, and the biggest day (when it was linked from high-traffic sites) it got 11,718 views. So there’s always the possibility that some post may explode, and this possibility is quite unsettling to those who once were firmly in control of what as communicated to the public.

Here’s an intriguing example, reported in The Scientist by Hannah Waters:

In the latest instance of the scientific process taking place over the internet, an anonymous internet-user has made a YouTube video exhibiting more than 60 purportedly manipulated images from 24 papers, complete with background music.

The whistleblower, who told ScienceInsider that he works in the life sciences and goes by the handle “Juuichi Jigen,” has created websites documenting misconduct by half a dozen Japanese researchers. And his efforts have paid off before. One University of Tokyo scientist called out by Jigen was found guilty of plagiarism and resigned from his post in 2010; another had several papers retracted.

The latest case focuses on work led by molecular endocrinologist Shigeaki Kato from the University of Tokyo. In the video, the images are presented as a series of slides, with arrows pointing out the altered sections. Jigen has contacted the university, and a spokesperson told ScienceInsider that “the university is conducting preliminary investigations,” including looking into two papers that the group retracted last summer.

Jigen has posted more details at his website dedicated to the potential case of research misconduct.

Sen. Susan Collins, the top Republican on the homeland security committee, plans to introduce a bill in the coming days that would require a new health study of the X-ray body scanners used to screen airline passengers nationwide.

The Transportation Security Administration began using the machines for routine screening in 2009 and sped up deployment after the so-called underwear bomber tried to blow up a plane on Christmas Day of that year.

But the X-ray scanners have caused concerns because they emit low levels of ionizing radiation, a form of energy that has been shown to damage DNA and mutate genes, potentially leading to cancer. ProPublica and PBS NewsHour reported in November that the TSA had glossed over cancer concerns. Studies suggested that six or 100 airline passengers each year could develop cancer from the machines.

Shortly after our report, the European Union separately announced that it would prohibit X-ray body scanners at its airports for the time being “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.”

The new bill drafted by Collins would require the TSA to choose an independent laboratory to measure the radiation emitted by a scanner currently in use at an airport checkpoint. The peer-reviewed study, to be submitted to Congress, would also evaluate the safety mechanisms on the machine and determine whether there are any biological signs of cellular damage caused by the scans.

In addition, the bill would require the TSA to place prominent signs at the start of checkpoint lines informing travelers that they can request a physical pat-down instead of going through the scanner. Right now, the TSA has signs in front of the machines noting that passengers can opt out. But the signs mostly highlight the images created rather than possible health risks.

The bill is the latest volley in a back-and-forth between Collins and the TSA. At a hearing in November, TSA administrator John Pistole agreed to a request from Sen. Collins to conduct a new independent health study.

But a week later at another hearing, Pistole backed off the commitment citing a yet-to-be-released report on the machines by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.

“I have urged TSA to move toward only radiation-free screening technology,” Collins said in a statement to ProPublica. “In the meantime, an independent study is needed to protect the public and to determine what technology is worthy of taxpayer dollars.” .  . .

Continue reading. The boldface part clearly shows that John Pistole is simply not to be trusted: he lies, and once starting down the path of prevarication, who knows at what point he will stop? Right now, I think he should be relieved of his duties forthwith.

He said that he did get everything cleaned up, and the lens is in, and all the cataract was removed. So mostly it’s a matter of allowing time for things to heal. I got an additional med (Diox capsules, a sulfa drug) to reduce pressure (now around 20) and this morning also got a fourth eyedrop to use threice daily. Bt he thinks it will heal relatively quickly and thngs will get better, but (he said) I might have to wear glasses. Big deal. I’ve worn them since second grade, so no worries, mate.

I got another eyedrop to take—four different kinds, two of them twice daily, two thrice daily.

Time will tell.

UPDATE: Still sleeping a lot, but on awaking from nap I can see my feet rather well with my left eye. “Clearly” is a stretch, but I certainly can see them, what they’re wearing, their position, etc. (I mention my feet in particular because as I sit in my recliner, they are more or less directly in front of me.) I think the Diox and additional eyedrop are immediately helping.

I am now optimistic.

Absolutely terrific shave today, for all that it was one-eyed. Speick shaving cream turns out not only to have a great sort of spruce-forest fragrance, it softens the beard wonderfully. Definitely worth a try for shaving-cream fans. Morris & Forndran—this is the Medium size from Vintage Blades LLC—is a very nice brush indeed, and three passes of the iKon OSS with a brand-new Gillette 7 O’Clock SharpEdge balde—well, 2.97 passes: I started with the Shark Chrome that was in there, but immediately realized that replacement was desirable—gave me a wonderfully smooth, easy shave with a fine, smooth finish. At one time the 7 O’Clock SharpEdge was too sharp for my skill, but now it’s definitely a favorite blade and this morning’s shave shows its value.

A good splash of Speick, then off to a blood draw for some tests. Morning weight: 168.5. We’re getting down around high-school levels here. (Yesterday I just didn’t feel like eating, but made up for when we went out for breakfast this morning.)

I see the doctor tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. for brief check up, but now I can make out my computer screen with the left eye and see the blue bar and that there is text. So this is big improvement from morning, when all I could do was recognize light and dark. So I’m postponing Googling for eye-patches. (Anyone else old enough to remember the The Man in the Hathaway Shirt ads with the debonair guy wearing a black eye patch—right eye in his case as I recall…   yes, right eye.

I’ve spent most of the day sleeping and hope to do the same tonight. Things last time righted themselves fairly quickly, so I’m hoping to see much progress by end of week.

Do your “avoid cataract” exercises religiously. Whatever they are.

On a side note: Weber Razors is now completely out of stock, apparently due in part to my Sharpologist article.   I received an email—apparently he had seen the article—and he said that the initial production run had been small, to test the market, and now they’ve re-ordered and should have the razors back in stock in a couple of weeks.

May be light blogging tomorrow—depends on the eye. Glad the first operation was easy so that I sailed into this pretty care-free. Had this one bee first, I’d have been beside myself before the second—and this one, of course, is now over. All’s well if it ends well.

Shaving note: I forgot to set alarm (we had to leave for surgery center at 6:10 a.m. this morning) and The Wife called to let me know she was about to pick me up—and I was totally, soundly asleep: shower, shave (two passes only, I’ll admit), dressed and ready to go in 9 minutes. No nicks. Horsehair brush, Slant Bar, Martin de Candre soap, Primalan aftersnave.

Note this James Fallows post:

Often I forget to mention items appearing on Patrick Smith’s Ask the Pilot site, probably because I’ve assumed that people interested in airlines, airplanes, airports, and aviation security will already have seen them.

Here’s an exception I want to highlight (and thanks to reader SG). That is because it clarifies something that is well known to people who have spent time outside America but that often goes unnoticed or undiscussed inside our country. I’ll let Smith lay it out:

With scattered exceptions, U.S. airports don’t have a whole lot going for them. Putting aside aesthetics, cleanliness and a lack of public transport options, another thing that doesn’t help, and which you don’t hear about much, is that American airports simply do not recognize the “in transit” concept. All  passengers arriving from overseas, even if they’re merely transiting to a third country, are forced to clear customs and immigration, recheck their luggage, pass through TSA screening, etc. It’s an enormous hassle that you don’t find in most places overseas. Compare it to Singapore, Dubai, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and so on, where transit passengers walk from one gate to the next with a minimum of fuss. [JF note: The exception in my experience is Frankfurt, where connections are often a hassle.]

Here’s how this hurts us: Flying from Australia to Europe, for instance, a traveler has the option of flying westbound, via Asia (namely Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong) or the Middle East (Dubai, Qatar), or eastbound via the U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles or San Francisco).Even though the distance and flying times are about the same, almost everybody will opt for the westbound option. [ie, avoiding America.] The airports are spotless and packed with amenities, while the connection is painless and efficient.

Change planes at LAX or SFO, on the other hand, and you’d have to stand in at least three different lines, be photographed and fingerprinted, collect and recheck your bags, endure the TSA rigmarole, and so on, just to change planes. Few passengers will choose this option, and I suspect it costs our airlines many millions annually in lost revenue. Indeed, this is part of what has made carriers like Emirates, Singapore Airlines and others so successful.

This might seem a small thing — hey, so what if these foreign jet-setters endure some hassle? — but I think it is emblematic of some cumulatively larger issues. Americans are habituated to griping about our airports and airlines, but I sense that people haven’t internalized how comparatively backward and unpleasant this part of our “modern” infrastructure has become. Along with our freeways, bridges, subways, buses, and other transport-related aspects of our built environment. To put it another way: we love to bitch about American “decline” but are usually thinking in metaphorical terms, or about whatever political trend we deplore. The truth is, when you go to other countries you see that many of them seem more modern and efficient than America does. In a very tangible sense America looks old and “declined.”

I think there is a similar failure of imagination about how . . .

Continue reading.

Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich will serve no time for his guilty plea in the killing of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in 2005, a military judge said Tuesday.

UPDATE: And here’s the full story today. At this point, I can’t figure out what an American would have to do to be accused of a war crime. Everything goes, so far as I can tell.

From the LA Times story yesterday:

Among the dead in Haditha were seven children, including a toddler, three women and a 76-year-old man in a wheelchair. Some of the victims, a prosecutor said, were essentially executed, their wounds caused by gunshots so close that they left powder burns on the bodies.

One Marine, who was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony, told of how he had urinated on a dead civilian’s head.

The case and its aftermath have also impeded U.S. efforts in the Middle East.

I would imagine it has. People over there probably don’t view the US in a good light, but in a very negative way. We did, of course, invade Iraq without any real provocation—the reasons given were lies and were known at the time to be lies, and the NY Times was cheering the war on—indeed, threatening to fire reporters who filed stories questioning the run-up to the war and the (faked) evidence to support our war of aggression—and it was a war of aggression. And then US troops murder civilians with no punishment at all—and of course the Blackwell massacre of civilians. The US has become an ugly aggressor abroad. And those who commit the atrocities get off scot-free. As do our torturers and murderers.

We’ve seen nations act this way before. In the past, we fought them.

Meanwhile we continue to imprison indefinitely suspects at Guantánamo, along with some we know are innocent of any wrongdoing, but keeping them imprisoned is fairly easy, so what the hell, eh?

The geometric visuals and vivid imaginings experienced by those tripping on mushrooms are not, as scientists had suspected, the result of increased brain activity, according to a report out today (23 January) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Instead, under the influence of psilocybin—the psychedelic component of magic mushrooms—brain activity and connectivity decrease. The reduced connectivity might be what frees people’s minds from normal constraints, the researchers propose.

“It was often thought to be the case that these classic hallucinogens must increase brain function—you know, they expand awareness, expand consciousness—but in fact what we see is decreased activity,” said Roland Griffiths of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, who was not involved in the study.

“I have to say this was totally unexpected,” said David Nutt of Imperial College London, who led the study.  But, he added, “when you get exactly the opposite result to what you predict, you know it is right, because there is no bias.”

Although humans have used magic mushrooms for centuries if not millennia, very little is known about how they work. Soon after psychedelics gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and 60s, “the drugs were criminalized and the research into their beneficial uses was suppressed,” explained Rick Doblin of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which partly funded the study.

Because of psilocybin’s illegality, organizing and performing the new study was a regulatory ordeal, said Nutt. “You have to go through lots of hoops and get special licenses. You’ve got to have special cupboards and fridges to hold it… it’s a real rigmarole.”

There was also the ethical concern that . . .

Continue reading.

Eddy of Australia send me a bit of Art of Shaving Sandalwood shaving cream, which I used this morning with the Rooney Emilion Victorian. An okay lather but, to be honest, disappointing. I am not impressed with AoS products, mainly due to their performance. (The price, though, is impressive, in a sense.) I do get much better lather from other shaving creams.

With the Eclipse Red Ring, three very smooth passes. A splash of Blue Floïd, and I’m ready to get ready. I did the two eye drops this morning, and my bathroom mirror again bears the little dry-erase matrix for marking the doses. Post surgery, three different eye drops daily, two of them thrice daily, one once: marking the doses is essential or I get totally confused because, with luck, there’s nothing to distinguish one dose from another. (Without luck, it’s easier: “I know I took the drops this morning because I accidentally knocked over the razor rack in the process…” sort of thing: uneventful in this arena is good but not memorable.)

My bro-in-law called and we talked about The Garner Files, which he’s also read. I had not realized what a violent person Garner was. Not particularly seeking fights, but perfectly willing to throw a punch and indeed the first punch. He also received some serious punches in return. I have lived my entire adult life without striking another adult. Somehow, I think that’s normal, but then I never played contact sports, so perhaps in different circles physical violence of one adult toward another is more common.

In Garner’s case it seems to stem in part from his temper, and that doubtless has its roots in the terrible physical abuse he suffered from his step-mother, who seems to have been crazy. (His brother was the victim of sexual abuse from her as well when he was still in grade school.) Early traumatic experiences of that sort definitely shape a personality, and on the whole, Garner seems to have done well with what life offered. Interesting book, particularly if you like movies. And, speaking of physical abuse, reading the book drained all desire to have been a movie action star. One detail: they all traded info on knee replacement surgery and the quality of various artificial knees. Go players don’t have those conversations, I find.

Not much blogging: surgery soon.

If you met Hanne Blank and her partner on the street, you might have a lot of trouble classifying them. While Blank looks like a feminine woman, her partner is extremely androgynous, with little to no facial hair and a fine smooth complexion. Hanne’s partner is neither fully male, nor fully female; he was born with an unconventional set of chromosomes, XXY, that provide him with both male genitalia and feminine characteristics. As a result, Blank’s partner has been mistaken for a gay woman, a straight man, a transman — and their relationship has been classified as gay, straight and everything in between.

Blank mentions her personal story at the beginning of her provocative new history of heterosexuality, “Straight,” as a way of illustrating just how artificial our notions of “straightness” really are. In her book, Blank, a writer and historian who has written extensively about sexuality and culture, looks at the ways in which social trends and the rise of psychiatry conspired to create this new category in the late 19th and early 20th century. Along the way, she examines the changing definition of marriage, which evolved from a businesslike agreement into a romantic union centered around love, and how social Darwinist ideas shaped the divisions between gay and straight. With her eye-opening book, Blank tactfully deconstructs a facet of modern sexuality that most of us take for granted.

Salon spoke to Blank over the phone about the origins of heterosexuality, the evolution of marriage and why the rise of the “bromance” is a very good thing.

Men and woman have been having sex for as long as there have been humans. So how can we talk about there being a “history” of heterosexuality? . . .

Continue reading.

tommij points out this:

You know you’re getting rather deep into shaving when you start enjoying shaving comedy.

The US has come a long way indeed.

Here’s the story. Not clear if time served will count toward sentence fulfillment—i.e., whether he will be released in a significantly shorter time. But in any event 24 civilians are dead and he will be out before the end of April.

In other news the US continues to imprison indefinitely men who are merely suspects, subjecting them on occasion to torture and even murdering some. No punishment for those at all.

Scientists have long known that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but researchers out of China may have figured out why.

Researchers Ling Zheng, of Wuhan University, and Kun Huang, of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, have found that compounds in coffee inhibit hIAPP (human islet amyloid polypeptide), a substance linked to diabetes. Their study appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Prior global epidemiological studies have shown that those who drink four or more cups of coffee a day have a 50 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent type of diabetes accounting for 95 percent of all cases. Every additional cup reduces the risk by an additional 7 percent.

Scientists looking for ways to prevent diabetes have been investigating ways to block hIAPP, which is present in high levels in the pancreases of those with the disease. Zheng and Huang decided to study whether coffee was doing that.

They analyzed the effects of the major active compounds in coffee, including caffeic acid and caffeine, on hIAPP, and found it inhibited hIAPP significantly. “These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on type 2 diabetes may be partly due to the ability of major coffee components to inhibit the toxic aggression of hIAPP,” the authors concluded.

“A beneficial effect may thus be expected in regular coffee drinkers,” they said.