Mitch Kapor: Virtual Worlds Are Like A Drug Experience -- InformationWeek

Mitch Kapor is the chairman of Linden Lab. He was quoted saying users of Second Life are bunch of crazy people. I think he is correct in his assessment. I am looking forward to become one of these crazy people.

Kapor, who is chairman of Linden Lab, which operates Second Life, said he realized the potential of Second Life at an in-world Suzanne Vega concert last year. Vega

"What's driving virtual worlds is a shared sense, by a few hundred thousand crazy people, that this is important, and they're going to drop everything and go after this," he said.

Mitch Kapor: Virtual Worlds Are Like A Drug Experience -- Virtual Worlds -- InformationWeek

FDA panel rejects Sanofi-Aventis' Acomplia drug - MarketWatch

Another potentially promising drug, rimonabant, bites the dust.

FDA panel rejects Sanofi-Aventis' Acomplia drug - MarketWatch

In a report prepared by the panel and published Wednesday, concerns were raised about the safety of Acomplia, particularly its effect on users' mental health. Sanofi-Aventis submitted data and analyses on Acomplia for the panel's review late last year.

"Adverse events" encountered during the testing of the drug included "depressive events, anxiety, psychomotor agitation, and sleep disorders," according to the panel's report.

The FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrine Products has received a number of "event" reports from Sanofi-Aventis related to Acomplia, the report said, including "4 reports of delusional symptoms, 6 reports of psychotic behavior (including a man who attempted to strangle his daughter), and 5 reports of aggression (including a man who beat his wife.)"

Rimonabant, the generic form of Acomplia, is approved in 37 countries and marketed in 18, according to Sanofi-Aventis.

Blog This for Firefox

Check out this add-on for Firefox and Microsoft Live Writer:

Windows Live Gallery

Description:

The Blog This for Firefox adds a button to Firefox which starts a new Windows Live Writer blog post prepopulated with content and title from the current web page. Blog the whole page, or just selected snippets. Interacts with other registered plugins to parse and structure web content where appropriate. Blog quickly when you find something of interest on the web.

I am trying to write this blog using some of the features of the add-on. Once the page is open, the Windows Live Gallery link was automatically added.

Instant Karma- June 12, 2007

I am just interested in one song...

Real Love

Oh but California

California I'm coming home
I'm going to see the folks I dig
I'll even kiss a Sunset pig
California I'm coming home.

Google Machine and Web 2.0

Lately I have been sucked up by the google machine. Ever since I got my gmail account I have been adding additional google services- blogger, google map, google reader, adSense, picasa, and a few google group subscriptions.

Yesterday, I even got enough courage together and downloaded Firefox. OK, it is not a google service but it goes along with my new trend in non-microsoft downloads.

My new Web 2.0 experiment is actually going pretty well. My desktop is filled with new icons that are changing my online experience.

Installation of Linux is probably going to be next for me or I may try to immerse my alter ego in second life. I am a little late to the party but the web is becoming interesting again for me.

Think Before You Post

Problem staying logged in on Blogspot

If you are having problem staying logged into Blogger under Windows XP and Internet Explorer and have to enter your email and password repeatedly, then go into Tools-> Internet Options-> Privacy-> Sites, and then add www.google.com to the managed websites list. It worked for me.

Stents- June 2007

There are two drug-eluting stents available in the U.S. at this time- Johnson & Johnson/Cordis CYPHER and the Boston Scientific TAXUS.

Medtronic ENDEAVOR stent is currently under review by the U.S. FDA and approval is anticipated in the second half of 2007.

Abbott XIENCE V stent application to the U.S. FDA was submitted June 1, 2007. Approval is expected in the first quarter of 2008.

The Medtronic ENDEAVOR stent is based on the cobalt alloy DRIVER stent. It has a Phosphorylcholine polymer licensed from Abbott Laboratories. The ENDEAVOR stent releases a drug called ABT-578, which is also licensed from Abbott Laboratories.

The Abbott XIENCE V stent is based on the Multi-Link Vision stent with Everolimus as the eluting drug. The XIENCE V stent will also be co-marketed by Boston Science as the PROMUS Everloimus Eluting stent. The Multi-Link Vision stent is the same stent developed and marketed by Guidant in the past. The "V" in XIENCE V probably is in reference to "Vision" and not "version 5" of the stent.

Prior to 2006, Abbott did not have a stent product. How Abbott purchased the XIENCE stent from Guidant is quite interesting. In January 2006, Boston Scientific was locked in a bidding war with Johnson & Johnson for Guidant. Boston Scientific really wanted to buy the rhythm management (pacemaker, ICD) division of Guidant. Abbott was able to purchase the vascular device (stent and balloon) division of Guidant from Boston Scientific as part of the deal. The deal between Abbott and Boston Scientific was a mixture of direct payment, stock sales, and low interest loan. Boston Scientific was finally able to purchase Guidant in 2006.