Daylin Leach

Montgomery County state Sen. Daylin Leach.

(Daylin Leach for Congress Facebook page)

Good Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

We've always liked to think of state

Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery

, as a kind of legislative Sisyphus.

Well, a shorter, balder, not quite as buff Sisyphus. But a Sisyphus nonetheless.

Since his arrival in the Capitol nigh on a decade ago, the suburban Philly lawmaker with a knack for insult comedy has been unafraid to take on both the tough votes -- and the potentially suicidal ones (

See, Pay Raise, 2005, Big Book of Dumb Ideas, annotated, with a forward by John Perzel).

But

Leach

has also fought the good fight on marriage equality, human trafficking and medical marijuana legalization. So when he

, it raised the eyebrows of the guys in white coats whose job it is to think serious thoughts about this kind of stuff.

"Chocolate isn't an addictive drug,"

Stuart Gitlow

, the president of the

American Society of Addiction Medicine

," tells

The Philadelphia Inquirer

.

"It isn't addictive at all. There are no significant risks of chocolate intoxication, nor are there direct effects or long-term risks of chocolate use, nor do people demonstrate a gradually increasing amount of chocolate intake in order to overcome tolerance," he said, clearly ignoring the scores of women who have sent their significant others out in the dead of night in search of the very addictive substance. "Nor is there any significant withdrawal when chocolate is unavailable. Marijuana is very addictive. Chocolate is not."

Even the pro-pot

Marijuana Policy Project was unable to do Leach a solid on his claim, the newspaper reported.

"As far as the claim about chocolate, I can't find research showing its relative addiction quotient, but there is evidence ...showing that marijuana is less addictive than caffeine," Morgan Fox, the group's spokesperson, said.

On the other hand, the group did back Leach up on his assertion that booze is more addictive than pot.

Alcohol is

"more toxic, more addictive, more harmful to the body, more likely to result in injuries, and more likely to lead to interpersonal violence than marijuana." The group also noted that there are "hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths occur in the United States each year."

But pot probably also gave the world "Trout Mask Replica," by Captain Beefheart, so there is some further explanation required.

The rest of the day's news starts now.

Suddenly remembering they have an Ethics Committee, state House leaders have offered resources to conduct an internal probe of lawmakers accused of corruption, our Capitol colleague Jan Murphy reports.

Tech companies brought $338 million in venture capital funding -- but not a Super Bowl title -- into the Pittsburgh region last year, The Post-Gazette reports.

While Pa. waits for its Medicaid waiver, here's a look at stuff other states are doing from WITF-FM.

Democratic Guv candidate Rob McCord has released his natural gas plan -- stop snickering, we can hear you -- PoliticsPA reports.

A change in state law may result in more charges being filed in cases of fatal overdoses, The Tribune-Review reports.

More Penn State officials knew about Jerry Sandusky's abuse for years, a state prosecutor has said.

Keystone Politics has still more about the petition fight between ex-Rep. Babette Josephs and current Rep. Brian Sims in Philly's 182nd District.

What Goes On.

The House Consumer Affairs Committee holds a 9:15 a.m. public hearing on consumers who have been hit by variable rate increases in their electric bills. You'll find them in Room 140 of the Main Capitol.

What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition)

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11th, holds a 6 p.m. reception at the The 825 Private Event Room in scenic Scranton. Admission is $50 or $250.

State Rep. Steve Barrar, R-Chester, holds a 6:30 p.m. reception at The Inn Keeper's Kitchen in West Chester. Admission runs a flat $125 a head.

You Say It's Your Birthday Dept.

Best wishes go out to former PennLive Deputy Opinion Editor Heather E. Long, who's now with CNN; longtime Friend O'the Blog and all-around classy lady Ann Beth Knaus and Philly Democratic consultant Dan Fee. Congrats all around.

Heavy Rotation.

Here's a little dance music to get your Thursday morning going. It's "What Love is Made Of," by Brit chanteuse Katy B. Chair-dancing is strongly encouraged.

Thursday's Gratuitous Hockey Link.

Sentimental favorites, the Winnipeg Jets, slipped past the Colorado Avalanche with an OT goal cementing a 5-4 victory.

And now you're up to date. See you all back here later today.