Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Recovery in Progress...

Obama Stimulus Money to Study Monkey Cocaine Use

From Red State comes This [click to read] which must be prefaced with a hearty: "I am NOT making this up!" Researchers at Wake Forest University are mentioned in the report Summertime Blues [click to read] authored by Senators Tom Coburn and John McCain:

"28. Monkeys Get High for Science (Winston-Salem, NC) - $144,541 Researchers at Wake Forest University think that, in at least one case, it is good to monkey around with your stimulus dollars. The Department of Health and Human Services has sent $144,541 to the Winston-Salem college to see how monkeys react under the influence of cocaine. The project, titled “Effect of Cocaine Self-Administration on Metabotropic Glutamate Systems,” would have the monkeys self-administer the drugs while researchers monitor and study their glutamate levels. When asked how studying drug-crazed primates would improve the national economy, a Wake Forest University Medical School Spokesman said, “It’s actually the continuation of a job that might not still be there if it hadn’t been for the stimulus funding. And it’s a good job.” He added, “It’s also very worthwhile research.”

Chimpanzee
Primate house at the National Zoo.

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