Who are real brains behind the research

When it comes to medical research, count me in. I want those brilliant minds to work overtime trying to find a cure for every ailment that inflicts mankind. I have long advocated that drug companies spend more on research and development and less on their executives' salaries.

But having said that, I found it fascinating that researchers have now been able to breed the world's first mentally ill mouse. Honest folks, I could not make this stuff up.

Here's the storyline. The British researchers hope to find the key to unlock the mystery of some mental illnesses by creating a mentally ill mouse. OK, I'm not at all sure how you determine if a mouse is mentally ill. I'll leave that up to the brilliant minds. But we all know some people who we are convinced are mentally ill and yet, lo and behold, we're told they're just eccentric or odd or Democrats.

Anyway, the researchers say that the mouse brain has similar features to the human brain when it comes to mental illness. Must be a whole lot of stress on a mouse if you think about it. Same applies to humans.

Of course, animal rights groups are condemning the practice. Even though the research holds promise to help mankind battle mental illness, the animal-

friendly crowd says it is "morally repugnant to create an animal doomed to mental suffering."

I however am always looking for that silver lining - that single thread of good that can come out of any experience. And I have found it.

We no longer have to worry about inventing a better mouse trap. It may seem cruel but if these mice are indeed mentally ill, the current mouse trap will probably do just fine.

See, there's always a positive if you look hard enough.