Overturning the same-sex marriage ban is the civil rights movement of my generation. I’ve been following it since the original proposition.
Thing is, I’m straight. But having grown up in California, I have more than a couple friends who are not.
I feel bad every time I think this, but it feels like the Haiti earthquake is upstaging the fight for equality and non-discrimination. But even I know saving lives is more important.
Donate, please.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Contact Inhibition
Naked mole rats never get cancer.
Their contact inhibition mechanism is more sensitive, which means they stop dividing more quickly when they touch nearby cells.
But so many factors are involved in cancer development that I think the real difference is that they have two contact inhibition mechanisms. A backup ensures that losing a single gene isn’t enough to knock out the whole pathway and allow hyperplasia (overproliferation of cells, the first step towards cancer).
Their contact inhibition mechanism is more sensitive, which means they stop dividing more quickly when they touch nearby cells.
But so many factors are involved in cancer development that I think the real difference is that they have two contact inhibition mechanisms. A backup ensures that losing a single gene isn’t enough to knock out the whole pathway and allow hyperplasia (overproliferation of cells, the first step towards cancer).
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
50 Words on the Rocks: Short Stories to Sip On
The 50 Words Project inspired this blog format, and over at WEbook, its leaders have compiled the best submissions from the first 25 challenges.
Go on over and check it out.
There’s humor and horror, chills and thrills.
Some are simple jokes, stories that stand on their own.
Others could be the basis of an entire movie.
Plus, there’s 7-8 of my own stories hiding in the last several chapters if you care to search.
Go on over and check it out.
There’s humor and horror, chills and thrills.
Some are simple jokes, stories that stand on their own.
Others could be the basis of an entire movie.
Plus, there’s 7-8 of my own stories hiding in the last several chapters if you care to search.
3 Tickets for 3 Idiots, Please
Aamir Khan was definitely too old to be a college student.
That aside, 3 Idiots was a fun, feel-good movie.
It’s based on Five-Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, right? It was popular in India a couple summers ago, I think, since I borrowed it from my cousin.
According to another cousin (who goes to IIT), the book was pretty realistic. I’m just glad the message about there being education beyond rote learning is being spread.
That aside, 3 Idiots was a fun, feel-good movie.
It’s based on Five-Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, right? It was popular in India a couple summers ago, I think, since I borrowed it from my cousin.
According to another cousin (who goes to IIT), the book was pretty realistic. I’m just glad the message about there being education beyond rote learning is being spread.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Long Day...
I’m too tired to write anything meaningful today. Not sure I usually do anyway...
I’ve been up since 5:30, on my feet for most of the day, getting people registered for the symposium and making sure everything stayed organized.
I somehow became head volunteer. I guess because my dad and I arrived first? Or because I actually knew the situation with the name badges? Or because people want someone to tell them what to do?
I’ve been up since 5:30, on my feet for most of the day, getting people registered for the symposium and making sure everything stayed organized.
I somehow became head volunteer. I guess because my dad and I arrived first? Or because I actually knew the situation with the name badges? Or because people want someone to tell them what to do?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Some Words About Word
I just learned about Word’s “mail merge” feature today while helping my dad print name labels for 150+ attendees at tomorrow’s (can’t tell the name) symposium.
You write out the part of your label or letter or envelope that is identical for everyone, add some chevron-bordered fields for their names, addresses, etc., and Word fills it in for each person from a database/table.
I never needed to do this before, but now I know how!
You write out the part of your label or letter or envelope that is identical for everyone, add some chevron-bordered fields for their names, addresses, etc., and Word fills it in for each person from a database/table.
I never needed to do this before, but now I know how!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Monopoly
Today, for the first time, I almost won at Monopoly! Lost at the end, but put up a good fight.
I usually lose first. This time, however, I managed to get a monopoly on the red properties and later the railroads, which kept me alive.
I also landed almost exclusively on my own properties when I traveled. I once rolled three 10s in three turns, jumping from railroad to railroad and avoiding all hotels. Lucky!
I usually lose first. This time, however, I managed to get a monopoly on the red properties and later the railroads, which kept me alive.
Data taken from Truman Collins' ridiculously detailed work.
I also landed almost exclusively on my own properties when I traveled. I once rolled three 10s in three turns, jumping from railroad to railroad and avoiding all hotels. Lucky!
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