Most Distant Object Ever Observed: A quasar 26 billion light years away, with a red shift so great its light is out of the visible spectrum, is the most distant object ever observed. It is estimated that the universe was less than a billion years old when it began sending out the light we view now.

Japan at Center of Debate on Endangered Species

“Japan is again at war with conservationists

over proposals to resume trading in whales, elephant ivory and marine turtles.”

”X-Files” creator nears feature directing deal: Chris Carter to direct film version of The World of Ted Serios, based on 1960s true story of a psychiatrist who studied a Chicago bellhop with the ability to project his thoughts onto unexposed photographic film.

Witness Rights Alert, “a collection of streamed video clips that document human

rights abuses around the world. The biweekly alert is produced and hosted by Oddcast.com, an interactive entertainment site,

on behalf of the human rights organization Witness.”

The furor over Gnutella.

Ouch: University Sues Over Drug Patent. The University of Rochester, claiming it has a patent on the mechanism of action of the new cox-2 inhibitor class of arthritis drugs, sues to prevent Pharmacia from continuing to market Celebrex, the blockbuster drug in that category which has been a miracle for many arthritis sufferers and is the fastest-selling drug in the U.S. at present.

Eli Lilly wasn’t about to lose out on this one: Federal Trade Commission OKs licensing agreement on new

Prozac. “The Federal Trade

Commission has approved Eli Lilly and Co.’s deal to license a new and improved version of the

popular antidepressant Prozac, the company said Thursday.” Lilly’s main patent on Prozac expires in 2003, and it has been hellbent on finding a way to fend off the appeal of cheaper generic versions that may then start to erode its market share drastically.

ANDREW DOBSON and RENEE KURIYAN: U.S. must help save

elephants “With little notice, the

international ivory trade has quietly reopened, reawakening a threat to the world’s remaining

elephant populations.” [Christian Science Monitor opinion]

The Infamous Eagles Joke: I’m ashamed to say I have returned to this “intelligence test” at intervals since it was first emailed to me several weeks ago, and I still haven’t a clue. If you get the joke, please let me know, thanks!

I’m hoping this is disturbing to you consumers of healthcare, as it is to me as a physician. Kaiser Drug Policy Prompts State Inquiry “Kaiser Permanente, (California)’s biggest health maintenance organization,

routinely requires its psychiatrists to prescribe psychiatric drugs to some mental

health patients whom they have not personally examined, a practice that leading

experts say endangers patients and violates professional codes of ethics.” [LA Times]

I grew up with WBAI in New York. Until recently, I’d’ve said I’d give my eyeteeth for a Pacifica station in Boston. What’s Going On at Pacifica?

“Sorting out who is right and who is wrong in this story is a near-impossible task given the management blunders and

heavy-handedness on the one side, and the insults, harassment and threats on the other side. Both sides could claim the

pursuit of high-minded goals: Pacifica management sought to strengthen lines of authority in the name of increased audience

and political effectiveness; KPFA and its defenders presented a resounding case that “free-speech radio”–Pacifica’s traditional

no-holds-barred programming–was threatened by a sanitized, NPR-style takeover by establishment liberals.” [The Nation]