After screening a large chemical library, researchers have come up with a drug that may be useful in treating infection by the SARS virus. They found that the drug Cinanserin could inhibit the SARS protease and thereby halt the SARS life cycle in much the same way as HIV protease inhibitors block HIV proliferation. If another outbreak were to start in China, or anywhere else, it's hoped that drugs like this, even if not 100% effective, would be able to stop the outbreak before it becomes epidemic. Curiously, and coincidentally, Cinanserin was first developed as a treatment for schizophrenia, based on its ability to block the neurotransmitter serotonin. In a simple sense it has the opposite effect of the "SSRI" anti-depressants like Prozac and Zoloft. Hopefully with the help of Cinanserin, the people of China will feel secure in being SARS-free.
Really fucking depressed, but SARS-free.

Batman began, came and went. And it totally rocked! Christian Bale was so impressive as Bruce wayne/Batman that its hard to fathom how Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney were ever picked to play the role. Clooney? What the hell were they smoking when they came up with that idea? Cillian ("28 Days Later") Murphy was superbly creepy as Scarecrow and Michael Caine defined the role of Arthur.
Talking of miscasting (the Clooney thing), on getting home, being too boring to go out on a Saturday night, and there being nothing else to watch, we started watching the movie "The Jackal". Now, in contrast to the inspired casting of the original "Day of the Jackal" which I've already referred to, this one featured Bruce ("Yippee-Kai-Yay, M*therf*cker!") Willis as the suave, low-profile, man-of-many-disguises, super-smart Jackal. But, even stranger, Richard Gere played the imprisoned IRA terrorist! Each time he came on screen I couldn't help smiling, then laughing ou loud when he started talking - didn't do much to suspend the tension ...... which was pretty much non-existent anyway.

The soundtrack to this morning's workout on the Precor. Not because you care, but because I can:

"Bela Lugosi's Dead" Bauhaus; "The virginal brides file past his tomb/Strewn with time's dead flowers/Bereft in deadly bloom"

"A New Morning, Changing Weather" The International Noise Conspiracy; "Hey independence, we're playing a little game"

"Gut Feeling" Devo; "I look for sniffy linings, but you're rotten to the core"

"Take It Off" The Donnas; "Stop staring at my D cup....Come on baby just give it up"

"Search and Destroy" Iggy and the Stooges; "Honey I'm the world's Forgotten Boy/The one who's searchin', searchin' to destroy"

"Regaining Unconsciousness" NOFX; "And you still believe this aristocracy gives a fuck about you/They put the mock in democracy and you swallowed every hook/The sad truth is you'd rather follow the school into the net/Cos swimming alone at sea is not the kind of freedom you actually want"

"Columbia" Oasis; "This is peculiar/We don't want to fool ya"

"Commando" The Ramones; "Second rule is be nice to Mommy"

"Alex Chilton" The Replacements; "If he was from Venus, would he meet us, on the moon/If he died in Memphis that'd be cool"

"On Top of your World" Sahara Hotnights; "Once and for all and forever to be"