Jefferson on Updating the Constitution

Every constitution, then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of nineteen years. If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force, and not of right. It may be said, that the succeeding generation exercising, in fact, the power of repeal, this leaves them as free as if the constitution or law had been expressly limited to nineteen years only. In the first place, this objection admits the right, in proposing an equivalent. But the power of repeal is not an equivalent. It might be, indeed, if every form of government were so perfectly contrived, that the will of the majority could always be obtained, fairly and without impediment. But this is true of no form. The people cannot assemble themselves; their representation is unequal and vicious. Various checks are opposed to every legislative proposition. Factions get possession of the public councils, bribery corrupts them, personal interests lead them astray from the general interests of their constituents; and other impediments arise, so as to prove to every practical man, that a law of limited duration is much more manageable than one which needs a repeal.

                               ~Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1789. ME 7:459, Papers 15:396

Larry David as Bernie Sanders

John Oliver - Televangelists

Guided Meditation

Kayaks block Shell Oil Rig in Seattle!

President Obama and Bill Nye Talk Science and Politics

Worn Wear - A Traveling Patagonia Repair Shop!

@Patagonia rep patching my jacket with tenacious tap for free @newBelgiumBrewing with the Holler Playing in the background!

A photo posted by Kristopher Hite PhD (@odinsravens) on Apr 23, 2015 at 3:30pm PDT

Dose of Nature CBD in Hempseed Oil - Product Review

About two weeks ago I received an e-mail from a representative of "Dose of Nature" a Utah-based company offering me a free sample of their product to try out and review on this blog. Though I was skeptical at first I thought "ah well just go for it and see what happens."


So what is this product, You may ask.  Well, it is hempseed oil infused with cannabidiol or CBD derived from the cannabis plant - aka Marijuana.

But what is CBD?  This is a compound found in cannabis not to be confused with the more famous and more psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. CBD  has created a buzz lately for its ability to treat some illnesses such seizures in children.  Unlike THC, CBD does not produce a "high" per se but seems to have the mellowing effect of consuming more traditional cannabis based products like smoking bud, or eating weed-infused edibles like chocolate brownies or bars or hard candies.

In this short video originally made for CNN by Dr. Sanjay Gupta the effects of CDB on the brain are explained concisely, despite the fancy graphics.




(I used this copy of the video from Vimeo instead of the original from CNN, linked above, because the CNN copy did not easily allow blog embedding)

Though there are a wide variety of CBD based products available from Dose of Nature they chose to send me the Redstrap CBD infused in hemp oil.

The recommended dose of 8 milligrams is housed in about 20 drops of the oil. The bottle (pictured above) arrived in a bubble-wrapped package in a small cardboard box. There are instructions on the bottle that say the product can be used directly or on food such as in salad dressing but should not be heated (probably as the complex CBD molecules might degrade upon heating). The oil has a distinct taste including a tang, grassy flavor. It immediately soothed my tongue, and after a few seconds I tasted more complexity, earthy notes with hints of hops (lupulin) and hay. The color of the oil looks like it was infused with fresh-cut grass.  After 20 minutes I started to feel calm and focused without any of the paranoia of other cannabis products that contain THC.  On the other hand I did not feel any of the euphoric
feelings associated with THC. There was no "high." As a healthy person with no major medical problems I could see using this product much like other herbal supplements or teas. If I were having trouble sleeping I would try this product to quiet my mind before sleep.

Overall, I had a positive experience with the Redstrap CBD in Hemp Oil with no apparent side effects. As a scientist I have to say I am a sample size of one and I can not parse out weather or not the effects I felt were due to the placebo effect or not.  However, If this product continues to be generated in accordance with all federal and state laws I see no reason not to allow its use everywhere especially if it can help people with neurological disorders especially childhood epilepsy.  I would like to thank Dose of Nature for finding me and sending me this sample in exchange for reviewing their product on my blog.

Calling in the Cows with Lorde's "Royals" T-Bone style!

Chromatophores on Display

This amazing footage of a caribbean octopus quickly changing its color to match its background was captured by Roger T. Hanlon of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Dr. Hanlon is a professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Brown Univeristy in Rhode Island.