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Bacteriophages ("phages" for short) were the only effective treatment against infectious diseases until antibiotics came along during WWII.

Phages are the most ubiquitous organism on Earth. They are naturally occurring viruses that infect bacteria and bacteria only. We live in a sea of phages. Our bodies are more phage than human. There approximately 10 to the 32 power of them around us. That's 10 with 32 zeros behind it.

Antibiotics cannot keep up with evolving infections, while phages naturally co-evolve with the bacteria.

Currently we are in a growing antibiotic crisis and phage therapy is getting a serious look again. Here's a fascinating discussion from National Public Radio.
posted by wsg at 10:42 PM PST - 37 comments

American Drug War - The Last White Hope (in case you missed it on Showtime) Includes footage of and interviews with gang members, narcs, prisoners (like Tommy Chong), and other folks on the front lines of the drug war including Freeway Ricky Ross (infamous for starting the crack epidemic) and DEA Agent Celerino Castillo who both wound up working for the CIA. [more inside]
posted by Smedleyman at 10:42 PM PST - 10 comments

"Some Florida teens believe drinking Mountain Dew or smoking marijuana will prevent pregnancy and that swallowing a capful of bleach will prevent HIV/AIDS."^* As a result, lawmakers are pushing "for an overhaul of sex education in the state. State lawmakers said the myths are spreading because of Florida's abstinence-only sex education"^* "On Tuesday, a bill that would 'require a more comprehensive approach' to sex education narrowly won approval from a state Senate committee."^*
posted by ericb at 9:34 PM PST - 62 comments

Hillary and Bill Clinton's tax returns 2000 - 2007
posted by blue_beetle at 8:53 PM PST - 163 comments

Kraftwerk have been around for nigh on forty years. They take a bit of getting used to if you are new to them, but the rewards are great. Even if you are a cynic. [more inside]
posted by Frasermoo at 8:28 PM PST - 31 comments

Rickroll everybody! Rickroll everything! rickroll.it!
posted by ardgedee at 7:59 PM PST - 29 comments

There seems to be a resurgence of interest in Charles Manson, the notorious lifelong convict who is currently serving a life sentence for masterminding the 1969 Tate/LaBianca murders, as of late. You may have heard about the search for bodies buried at the group's final hideout at Barker Ranch, Death Valley, using specially trained cadaver dogs. Besides that, Lindsey Lohan has signed on to star as Manson follower Nancy "Brenda" Pitman in a new film entitled Manson Girls. Also, documentary filmmaker Robert Hendrickson has finally given his classic 1973 film MANSON a proper DVD release, and has also released a new film entitled The Manson Gang, consisting of leftover original footage from his first film. There are even rumors that ol' Charlie might receive a new trial. So why all the sudden interest? [more inside]
posted by DecemberBoy at 7:25 PM PST - 52 comments

Three columns on technology and eduction by Robert Cringely: the clash between those who grew up with computers and those who didn't in War of the Worlds, Amish Paradise looks for learning models in unexpected places and Ozzy knows best talks about how important digital games, not video games, could be to education. [more inside]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:53 PM PST - 7 comments

There's been alot written about Battlestar Galactica. Here's your chance to catch up.
posted by bigmusic at 5:32 PM PST - 66 comments

Snoop Dogg performs "Sensual Seduction" (A.K.A. Sexual Eruption) on The View [more inside]
posted by [son] QUAALUDE at 5:30 PM PST - 25 comments

You Have To Burn The Rope (Flash)
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 4:40 PM PST - 38 comments

The Every Child Matters Education Fund, a non-profit organization that lobbies for better education and services for children, released a report (audio accompanies link text) this week that reveals that geography is as important as race and class in determining which children succeed, and which fail. The five highest ranking states, based on such factors as child poverty, infant mortality rates, juvenile incarceration rates and the like, were all in New England, with Vermont on top. The bottom five were all in the central South, with Louisiana coming in last... States with a high tax burden did a far better job of minimizing childhood poverty than low-taxing states. Via John Ibbitson in the Globe and Mail [more inside]
posted by KokuRyu at 3:18 PM PST - 26 comments

Fruit Mystery. It is a flash game. (via waxy)
posted by pantsrobot at 3:03 PM PST - 43 comments

Platform racing.
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:49 PM PST - 8 comments

"My name is Mike Wallace. The cigarette is Philip Morris." Before there was 60 Minutes, there was The Mike Wallace Interview. Thirty minutes with Steve Allen, Frank Lloyd Wright, Kirk Douglas, Pearl Buck, and Salvador Dali, to name just a few.
posted by steef at 1:27 PM PST - 16 comments

Taaz is a fun, easy-to-use website that gives women the opportunity to “try on” the hottest makeup and hairstyle looks from the convenience of their homes. From creating the perfect smoky eye to painting on a dramatic ruby-red lip for a night out on the town, taaz.com allows women to become their very own makeup artist and create the perfect look for any occasion. [more inside]
posted by Dave Faris at 1:20 PM PST - 22 comments

Attention drummers! Want to take all the attention away from the rest of the band... then just watch this masterclass. (SLYT)
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:38 PM PST - 37 comments

H.P. Papercraft (SLYT) "I knew putting internet in the basement was a bad idea!" [more inside]
posted by Del Far at 12:02 PM PST - 15 comments

'Is there any chance there would be some Brain Death left?' Brain Death was the creation of two homebrewers and certified beer judges, both brewers of whom are highly respected in their hobby. (For reasons that will become apparent, they wish to remain anonymous.) A potent barleywine (OG 1,100), Brain Death contained an extra ingredient that one of the euphemistically calls "special hops".
posted by mrblack at 11:57 AM PST - 30 comments

Warhol~v~ Calder~v~ Stella~v~ Lichtenstein~v~ Rauschenberg~v~ Hockney~v~ Art Car~v~
posted by vronsky at 11:57 AM PST - 15 comments

Fun Flash Friday: Throw Me - throw the little guy as far as you can. Avoid the thunderclouds. Use the wrecking balls and colored clouds for an extra boost. Simple as that.
posted by champthom at 11:13 AM PST - 20 comments

Washington's Other Monuments is a photoblog by photographer Lloyd Wolf chronicling "the many sad memorials erected by friends & family to honor murder and other violence victims in the Washington DC area. These spontaneous, homemade, heartfelt creations are found on streets throughout the region. They are often the only physical tribute to the many slaying victims." Washington Post article. [via Eddie Campbell]
posted by Kattullus at 10:39 AM PST - 18 comments

The problem with pennies.
posted by veedubya at 10:33 AM PST - 98 comments

Get Lost Friday Flash Fun in convenient Choose-Your-Own-Adventure format.
posted by boo_radley at 9:57 AM PST - 22 comments

Kathleen is the owner of neurodiversity.com, one of the most comprehensive resources online in the topic of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neurodiversity is just one person with a domain name and a computer, not a corporation, or a money-making enterprise, but apparently having good research skills and a willingness to share what you know is becoming legally problematic. Last week, Kathleen has received a subpoena commanding her to appear for deposition and document production in Rev. Lisa Sykes and Seth Sykes’ $20,000,000 personal injury lawsuit, Sykes v. Bayer. [more inside]
posted by kristin at 9:37 AM PST - 26 comments

303, 909, FX, MIXER = ACID VARSITY. In other words, two virtual 303s, a 909, effects and a mixer running for free right in your browser.
posted by 6am at 9:16 AM PST - 41 comments

Where has all the pubic hair gone? After sweating through the [eight-year-old girl's] eyebrow wax, Engle [...] was directed to give her pint-size client a … bikini wax. “But … there’s nothing there, right?” I ask Engle. “I mean, at eight? Am I forgetting something?” “Nope,” she says. “There’s not. Doesn’t matter. That’s when the mothers are starting them these days.”
posted by desjardins at 9:05 AM PST - 207 comments

Postcards from Yo Momma.
posted by chunking express at 8:03 AM PST - 37 comments

As the Supreme Court ponders the Second Amendment, The New England Journal of Medicine weighs in once, twice, three times.
posted by TedW at 7:51 AM PST - 147 comments

Remember Tang? The news from England is that the 2006 terrorists were going to use it to create an in-flight bomb. [more inside]
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 7:34 AM PST - 43 comments

How to Make Love to the Dough Instructional video on bread and love making. Portions NSFW.
posted by ghastlyfop at 7:06 AM PST - 19 comments

Interesting photos and film (mpg | avi) on a site that doesn't give context.
posted by dobbs at 6:33 AM PST - 12 comments

Who is this Ken Lee that you speak of? SLYT Bulgarian Idol.
posted by parmanparman at 5:10 AM PST - 26 comments

Beyond the Lanes is a website devoted to using old bowling balls for art. Paul Livert is an artist who likes to add metal to old bowling balls. Giant Rosaries made of bowling balls. Bowling balls can be used to demonstrate scientific principles, as in this huge Newton’s Cradle. Nowata, Oklahoma boasts a bowling ball fence. Bowling balls also make useful cannon balls, as well as durable dog toys. (YouTube)
posted by Tube at 12:37 AM PST - 14 comments