Tag Archives: college

Watch Conan O’Brien deliver Dartmouth’s commencement address

Yesterday morning late night talk show host Conan O’Brien delivered the main address at Dartmouth College’s 2011 commencement exercises. The 25 minute speech is chock full of jokes, but it’s the latter half that really hits home for the students. Conan’s transition from NBC to cable TV proved to be an enlightening experience for the comedian, and so he was able to share valuable advice with the graduating class. A couple choice quotes:

“It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention.”

“Whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity and with clarity comes conviction and true originality.”

Watch it in full above.

Researchers develop substance that keeps you mildly drunk (plus an antidote to instantly make you sober)

Imagine a world in which you can drink as much alcohol as you like without getting out-of-control drunk and without worrying about feeling hungover the next morning.  A new synthetic alcohol is being developed by a research team at Imperial College London, led by Professor David Nutt.  The alcohol, which is being developed from chemicals found in Valium, serves the same function as today’s alcohol (induces relaxation, well-being, etc.) except that it has NO affect on other parts of the brain, thus eliminating potentially dangerous side effects such as mood swings and addiction.  In addition, the researchers claim that a simple antidote can quickly flush out your system, removing the possibility of feeling hungover.

You can drink as much alcohol as you want.  You reach a pleasant state of drunkenness.  You can drink as much as you want and you will never leave this state.  Now it’s time to drive home; pop a pill and you’re sober as a bird.  Sounds great, right?  According to the researchers, since the substance is tasteless and colorless, it can replace the alcohol content in beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks without issue.  So why isn’t this in place right now?  Unfortunately Professor Nutt has been unsuccessful in finding a test country to market his discovery and he does not have the financial backing to move forward in the process.  Also, since the liquor industry has shown little interest in change, this all places the substance on death watch.  What a damn shame.

[Via Gizmodo; Telegraph]