YellowStone Cedes to snowmobilers

We gave these people the South and now they want Yellowstone too. Yellowstone National Park recently caved into pressure to allow 540 snowmobiles per day to enter the park this winter. According to Mike Synder of the park service this decision is fully supported by science and is the right choice for the park; well that is the biggest load of bs I've heard today! This guy must work for Bush. The whole reason we have national parks and wilderness areas is for conservation reasons; to preserve the natural beauty of America. Not to disturb the wildlife and pollute the hell out of the place! Economic reasons should not get in the way of the original reasons for the creation of these treasured areas.

A new kind of election

So around 4 this morning my cat woke me up and I couldn't fall back asleep. During my futile attempts to return to the land of Nod a great idea drifted into my head. Or at least I think its a good idea, I still haven't completely thought it out yet so bear with me.

So one of the big problems that we have with government right now is the politicians; I won't go into the all specifics of what is wrong with politicans, but many of them are unqualified for the job. With all the controversey surrounding elections and canidates how do we decide who is the best person for the position? Canidates bash each other and the media picks each person apart over the smallest detail. Politicans will say anything to get elected and will generally not hesitate to change their mind once they are elected. How do we stop this? How can we make sure that they person we vote for is the right person?
Well the answer that popped into my head in the wee hours of the morning was a test. Thats right one of the requirements for running for a elected position would be for each canidate to take a test. Everyone running for election, whether it be for the local mayor or the President would take a test that would give us a clearer image of what they are really capable of. The test would not be asking what the capital of Rhode Island is, but more focus on questions of morality, ethics, leadership, economics, finance, international relations, problem solving, the ability to reason, etc. The test would not necessarily be a conventional test on paper, but possibly a collection of events. Emphasis on essay and teamworking exercises. The test it self would help determine if the person has integrity, honesty, strong leadership qualities and knowledge of the world, current events and all the other qualities that are desired in a good leader. Too make people happy each person could take the test twice, because some people need a safety net. After the test the results would be posted for voters to see. Their score on the test would not effect if they would get elected or not, for instance if Hillary scored a 58 and Obama got a 85 they both could still run for office. The test would just giv the people a clearer understanding of what their canidates are really all about.

Any way it came to me this morning and it sounds like a good idea right now, though not a fully developed one. Let me know what you think.

Do as I say, not as I lobby

(this is a picture of all the electric vehicles GM crushed to cover up their electric car)

I read this article this morning in the Wall Street Journal online. It talks about how auto-makers are touting the fact that they are starting to make more fuel efficient cars & trucks and how hydrogen is "just around the corner" (just like it has been for the last 10 years). You know you have seen the ads. Everyone these days wants to sound like they are green and trying to help the environment. The auto-makers would like us to believe they are committed to this, but in truth they are fighting tooth and nail for the exact opposite.

As noted in the Wall Street Journal website, "They're definitely saying one thing to Congress and one thing to consumers," says Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency, an environmental group lobbying for tougher fuel-efficiency rules. Just last week, an alliance of environmental groups took on Toyota Motor Corp., which often is praised for its gas-electric hybrid technology, in a full-page ad in USA Today for opposing the mileage proposal.

The thing that really gets me upset is that Auto-Companies go around claiming that "it is too strict" and "it would be too hard to make our cars this fuel efficient". Yet almost 100 years ago there were far more electric vehicles on the road than there were gas powered cars. In 1990, GM created a totally electric car called the EV-1 that had ZERO emissions. Yes, ZERO emissions cars are in fact easy for the auto-companies to make. If you haven't already seen it, visit the website and rent the documentary that details the exact timeline and culprits of how this happened. You will be surprised who really is to blame.

We as consumers are really the people to blame though. It is us that really have the power to change this paradigm by demanding that governments enforce stronger restrictions on fuel emissions and perhaps even switch to 100% electric engines by a certain date in the future. Say 2050 or something like that...

What do you think? Do you think that a company like GM with annual PROFITS of over 2 billion dollars is really in such a bad position? Do they really lack the intelligence to switch to an electric car economy?

Connection between the runner's high and reefer?

I saw this article the other day on the Trail Runner's Blog, a blog by ultra-trail runner Scott Dunlap. Apparently their is a connection between the euphoric feeling that people get while exercising and the effect of tertahyrdocannibol, the active ingredient in marijuana. Any way here is the article.

Understanding the Runner's High
I’m a big fan of the runner’s high. For me, the euphoric feeling is unmistakable (and usually around mile 8), which is why I’ve always been confused by coaches and medical experts saying that the “runner’s high doesn’t exist”. If that’s true, then why are we all as giddy as school girls after our weekly long run? Is it really all in your head, or is there a chemical interaction that can explain it? I did some research on the subject just to make sure I wasn’t crazy and was surprised to find some recent studies that may have found the chemical link.What Is The Experience of The Runner’s High?For those of you unfamiliar with the runner’s high, I would encourage you to seek it out as part of your training. It’s a mental state of relaxation partnered with a mild pain cessation that occurs after 60-90 minutes of steady exercise. I find it truly euphoric, setting me in a state of eternal optimism that can last hours after a run. It’s not exactly a “drunk” effect, although it does make it a bit more difficult to remember to eat/drink/take the next turn (remember – always carry a map!). I would equate it to two Red Bulls and vodka, three ibuprofen, plus a $50 winning Lotto ticket in your pocket. ;oP Definitely not to be confused with bonking (when your glycogen has been depleted due to not keeping up your calorie intake), which is more like a half bottle of Jack Daniels when you have the flu, complete with blacking out to the mantra of “oh God, please kill me now”. I didn’t experience the runner’s high until about 5-6 long runs (unlike bonking, which I hit on day two), so give it some time.The first time you experience the runner’s high, it can be a bit alarming. At first it feels like that mild head rush I associate with going anaerobic, but instead of fading, it builds over the next 5-10 minutes. I feared this "build" the first couple of times, wondering if I my water intake, electrolytes, or calories were out of balance. After realizing it consistently faded away, I convinced myself it was just a “wall” you had to push through when you depleted your initial glycogen levels, since 1200 calories occured in about 90 minutes for me, and I thought that was an average glycogen level for somebody my age.I noticed that when I hit this state, my tempo runs became very even, even though I was spending more time looking around than looking at my watch. Everything had a natural rhythm to it - my footsteps, the sound of the wind running past my ears...even the trees and hills around me seemed to flow together. It was a wonderful meditative state. Before I knew it, I was longing to run 8-10 miles every day to “break on through to the other side” to find that familiar state. Hello, addiction!Science Casts It’s Vote – It’s Like Smoking Pot!For the majority of the last two decades, scientists have struggled with defining the chemical reaction associated with the runner’s high. It was largely believed that the sensation was caused by endorphins, natural opiates in the body that are produced after trauma such as running for long periods of time. Just one problem – endorphins are too large to pass through the blood-brain barrier, making it impossible for this chemical reaction to be the sole cause. But in early 2004, Dr. Daniele Piomelli (UC Irvine) and Dr. Arne Deitrich (University of Beirut and Georgia Institute of Technology, also a marathoner) found another possibility – anandamide, a natural chemical that stimulates the brain in the same way marijuana does.[warning – I am no PhD, so what follows is my dumbed-down version of a ton of great research done by real docs; it probably doesn't help that I've already gone on my long run this morning]Anandamide (conveniently named after the Sanskrit word for “bliss”) is a neurotransmitter produced in our brain that activates the CB(1) receptor, the same chemical receptor that is triggered by tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana. Oddly enough, it was the study of the effects of marijuana that led to the discovery of the CB(1) receptor (thank you, stoners!). But one part was confusing - the body doesn’t create receptors that don’t have natural internal triggers (and marijuana being an external trigger), so there had to be a natural internal trigger somewhere. Thus the search began for the natural chemical that stimulated CB(1), which in turn led to the discovery on anandamide in 1992.Piomelli and Deitrich, looking for the runner’s high connection, performed a study in early 2004 with two dozen college students who ran or bicycled for 40 minutes at 76 percent of their max heart rate, and then had blood samples drawn immediately after exercising. The results showed that both the runners and bicyclists had 80% more anandamide in their blood after exercising, with the greatest increase among the runners. They also reported physical feelings similar to marijuana use, such as relaxation, regulated mood, and increased appetite. Here’s the biggest kicker - tempo running produced the most anandamide of all exercise! Although more studying is required to really nail this down, it is clearly a big breakthrough on understanding the runner’s high.On a side note, it also turns out that chocolate has small amounts of anandamide in it (Dr. Emmanuelle di Tomaso, 1996) as well as the ability to increase serotonin levels, both of which help regulate mood (ie, make you feel good). So, run every day and eat lots of chocolate to feel good? Me like!Side Effects of Anandamide Use?There is some supposition about whether the harmful side effects of THC (short term memory loss, low sperm count, reduced learning capabilities in youth, etc.) are also present in the natural stimulation of CB(1) from anandamide. There hasn’t been a lot of research in this area, so it’s hard to conclude anything definite. Most suggest that the heavy side effects of THC come from the fact that it is an “external agent”, causing the body to overcompensate, and that anandamide (as an internal agent) is more self-regulated. One example that is often cited is when marijuana users get a case of the “stupids” the day after smoking, whereas runners do not - with marijuana, the brain "overcompensates" to rebalance the body, and you have a different chemical effect. Running, you don't.It's worth a bit more elaboration on the "overcompensation" effect, because it has a lot to do with why you feel "high" in the first place. The CB(1) receptor can trigger how your short-term memory works, and adjust it as needed. When the CB(1) receptor is triggered, the brain uses less “memory cache” - meaning you process feedback in little chunks and quickly move onto the next. This is a similar effect to what happens when your body goes into "fight or flight" mode - it adapts to get more data from its surroundings. This is why everything seems so new and exciting when you are “high” with marijuana. The “stupids” that marijuana users feel the next day is the body overcompensating and creating a memory cache large enough to have you staring into space for minutes at a time. The ability to trigger this memory is also one of the reasons both anandamide and THC are being investigated for use in treating Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.ConclusionSo it looks like we’re not all crazy, and there is a scientific rationale for the runner’s high. Well, a theory anyway. It doesn't say much about that spiritual connection I feel when running through the forest (or a good piece of chocolate for that matter). But it might help explain why I REALLY feel great about 80-90 minutes into my run, and why I want to do it every day.So go run. Eat more cholocate. And the next time you think about dissing that group of stoners smoking out in the park, remember that you have more in common with them than you think. ;o)Isn’t research fun

Now you understand why I like to run so much?!

All About Idaho Films & Film Festivals!

This month must be the beginning of a good movie season or something because my inbox has been full of stuff about independent movies, film festivals and the like. Just here in Idaho we have some cool stuff going on this month.

Check out the Boise 3rd annual Backcountry Film Festival this Friday, November 16th at 6:30 pm (show starts at 7pm) ath The Egyptian Theatre. You can check out their website for more info on the films being shown. Tickets are $10 at the Egyptian, the Boise Co-op or online at www.winterwildlands .org - Thanks for the info on that one Ben.

If the adrenaline isn't your thing, check out Sun Valley's annual Environmental Film Festival being held in Ketchum on Friday, November 9 at 7 p.m. at the NexStage Theater. Tickets are $15/person or $25/family. Call 726-4333 for more details or check out the article from SunValleyOnline here.

For something a little LESS Idaho (but many parts are about Idaho), check out the offer my friends from 10mph.com are making right now. To help promote their already successful documentary, they are offering the movie for... Well, for.... For anything you want! 10 Dimes, 100 Dimes, or 1000 Dimes. You choose! These guys are really inspiring to me. They decided to ditch their jobs in corporate America and follow their dreams of being independent movie producers. They are so happy they made the choice that they made this handy "Do it yourself guide to making a movie". Watch out Idaho. Now that The Law and I have this guide there just may be a sweet IdahoRocks Documentary in the works..... We'll keep you posted.

Here is a trailer to the 10mph Film.

Marijuana/Hemp Initiatives Pass in Hailey

There are some great things going on in Sun Valley this month. As some of you may already know, the citizens of Hailey just took a bold step in reversing archaic Marijuana & Hemp laws in this country. The citizens voted yes on 3 out of 4 Marijuana/Hemp initiatives on the ballot yesterday. I’ve listed the results below as reported by SunValleyOnline.com so you can see exactly what they voted for and what they didn’t. I think this is an excellent first step and it would only happen in this valley since we literally are an island of Liberal Thinkers among a lake/sea of conservatives here in Idaho.

The debate on whether to legalize Hemp and/or Marijuana is kind of a tricky one with many different facets to the debate. I for one would love to see all of it legalized. However, even more important than legalizing the plant to smoke would be legalizing hemp for industrial purposes. Hemp has so many great benefits for industries such as Bio-Fuels and Healthcare. Hemp has many nutritional benefits that aren't found in many other plants.

So, read the results and then post a comment on the site. What do you think? Should Hemp and/or Marijuana be legalized? Why? Why not?

Here are the results:

Hailey marijuana initiative:
Yes – 573
No - 674
(Should marijuana be legalized, taxed, and regulated like alcohol and tobacco in the City of Hailey?)

Hailey medical marijuana initiative:
Yes – 687
No - 581
(Should doctors be allowed to prescribe medical marijuana to sick and dying patients without fear of arrest or prosecution?)

Hailey hemp initiative:
Yes – 683
No - 565
(Should the City of Hailey support the use and cultivation of industrial hemp by farmers?)

Hailey priority initiative:
Yes – 637
No - 601
(Should use of marijuana by adults in the privacy of their homes be the lowest law enforcement priority of the Hailey Police?)

What an Amazing Day!

Wow! I had a great first day experience at the hospital. Everyone there was so nice and helpful. The surgeon was explaining thing as she was doing them and ways I could be more helpful when the surgeon gets into a difficult area. The surgeon's assistant was very helpful too telling me what they were going to do next and what instruments and suture I would need. My preceptor was a very nice Lady that helped me along but let me do everything that I was able to handle. We did a breast reduction so that is a fairly uncomplicated procedure and a great one to learn on. It was however a long surgery. I went along for the whole thing except about 30-45 mins of it that my preceptor and I went to lunch. I was very nervous at first but after things got on the way I started to calm down and able to see when the surgeon needed something and started to get the hang of the whole procedure. I believe that I did pretty well for my first day. No sterile fields were broken and no one yelled at me. I will however pay attention to lids that have staples on them and check them before I throw them away because there might be a needle in the lid too. All in all it was a great day and I cant wait until next week to do it all over again.

No more Google Groups

Hey Everyone, this is the last post you will receive being a member of the Idaho-Rocks@googlegroups.com email group. If you have signed up to receive the updates via email through our blog, or through and RSS reader don't fear! You will still receive your updates. If you have not done this, this is the last post you will ever read from IDRocks.com. So, if you haven't done it already, make sure to sign up online at: http://www.idrocks.com . Otherwise thanks for reading and maybe we will run in to you down the line!

- The IDRocks Staff

PS - I've noticed that a few of you have signed up to receive email updates but have NOT confirmed your subscription. Once you enter your email in to the subscription box you should have received an email asking you to CONFIRM your subscription. Some of you haven't taken that final step (I'm talking to you Adryan, Kathy, & Steve).

The Science behind Climate Change

Their is such a huge debate out there wheither climate change is real or if it is blown out of proportion. Unfortunately politics, like it always dos has gotten involved into a matter that could mean our lives. The media, both conservative and liberal have not helped matters too much either; this is usually because most reporters are just as confused as the rest of us on the real issues. The science surrounding climate change is quite confusing and that is where many people get lost. Their are many self-proclaimed experts out there who pertain to be knowledgeable about something, but they really are not. I am far from being an expert on this topic myself and do not wish to sound like one, but I feel it necessary to get the word out. www.realclimate.org is a website moderated and produced by real respected accreditated climate scientists, not a couple bloggers who have a vauge conception of what is going on. There is lots of great information on there and you can even pose questions on a open forum and a expert in that field will answer your question. If you ask a glacial question a glacialogist will answer it, vulcanology question a vulcanologist will get to it and so on in that manner. I encourage you to go take a look for yourself, especially if you think this whole climate change deal is a bunch of codswallop.

Its finally here!

Tomorrow is the day of days. The day I have been working so hard for the last 3+ months to get to it. I go to the hospital to actually work. I will get to put all skills I have learned and practiced over and over again to work. I get to see just how many of the instruments I have really memorized. I am so excited and nervous that I don't think I will sleep well tonight. Man the butterflies are going like crazy. So send positive thoughts my way tomorrow and wish me luck. I will let you all know how it went tomorrow night.

Leon's Fat Ass Recover from the Holidays 50K

So some of you may have noticed the blurb on the side of the blog right------------> there. I haven't talked about it yet, mostly because well, I just haven't. Lets just say I've been too busy running. Any way I am running an ultra-marathon called Leon's Fat Ass Recover from the Holidays 50K; for those of you not versed in the metric system 50*.6=30. So 30 miles, farther than I have ever ran before by 4 miles. I ran the full 26.2 mile Haesawong City Marathon a couple years ago and that was pretty nutzoid then, so I'm sure this will be even crazier. Especially since this will be on trails, in February, with lots of snow. It is not so much a race as a gathering of runners without any official finishing times, entry fees, aid stations or wimps. Their are many similar Fat Ass Recover from the Holidays races throughout the nation and it is kind of a post holiday tradition. The race is going to be on Feburary 19th and it starts on Rocky Canyon road and then traverses throughout the Boise Foothills a bit before ending back up at the start. You can check up on my training progress on the right hand side of the blog, as I try to update it with my daily mileage and other little tidbits of how the running is going. Idealy I need to be sustainably running around 20km(13 miles), which means I need to be able to run 20 kilometers everyday with out killing myself and doing a 40km or so run once a week. It does not mean running in organic cotton shorts. Any way check back often to see how I am progressing and get updates on the race. I am told you can even subscribe and get the updates mailed to you.

Dreaming of skiing

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am definately jonesing to go make some turns up in the mountains. Hopefully this year has better conditions than last year, because here in Idaho the skiing conditions where far from optimal. My feeling is that it will be better this year, but not the huge amount of snow from two years ago. Any way until then here is some good ski porn to tide you over.

Positive Press - Could Raspberries help cure Cancer?

So instead of taking the approach of being a "negative Nelly" and just complaining, I thought I would take a different approach. I recently found this article that points to some very convincing evidence that a Berry Gel solution can help cure Oral Cancer. Based on the article on Newstarget.com, "20 patients with pre-cancerous lesions were asked to apply a solution containing freeze-dried raspberries suspended in KY jelly to their lesions four times daily for six weeks. At the end of the trial, a number of patients were found to have reversed their condition, while more than half had made significant improvements." - Did you hear that? Raspberries could cure certain types of cancer? Let's hope that this research is continued. As per my last article on Cancer, it would be doubtful that the FDA and Pharmaceutical companies would promote this since you cannot actually patent Raspberries and therefore can't make a large profit like you can with Pharmaceuticals...

Here is an article that also leads to evidence that Blueberries can slash Colon Cancer Rates by 57%.

Summitpost.org and Mbpost.org

For those of you out there interested in climbing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and really any outdoor sport www.summitpost.org and www.mbpost.org offer untold amounts of info on your favorite activities. Summitpost is mostly for climbing with some resources for hiking and mbpost is for mountain biking. I have used SummitPost quite a few times and have found it to be a wonderful source of information. Mbpost is a branch off of SP and it is pretty new, so it doesn't have a lot of trails and areas yet; but the best thing about both sites is the content is completely user generated and free to join. With stuff like this who needs a guide book, some of the pages even tell you the best place to get a beer after your climb or ride!