Pseudo-randomness

A little election-eve reading...

2005-11-08T06:29:18Z

...

A history of the Iraq war, told entirely in lies

Mushroom clouds indeed.

Membership

2005-09-23T06:35:47Z

I am now a member of UAW local 4121.
That is all.

First Lab Rotation

2005-09-19T21:01:57Z

So, I'll be doing my first rotation with Josh Akey. He is into population genetics, evolution, functional genomics, and gene expression type things. I'm not sure what my project(s) will be yet, but there are some ideas that might work out involving trans regulators, multivariate metabolic pathway aggregate gene expression numbers, GPAI and compensatory evolution, yeast hybrid sterility and non-random segreation patterns, or yeast whole-genome multifactor linkage bootstrap analysis.

After reading a couple papers, I'll pick a project or two to work on for the next ten weeks, to see if I like that lab and what not. THe kind of thinks Akey is into are really cool, and I could see myself joining that lab. However, several other students are interested and he will only be taking on 1 new student this year. That is the point of rotations, however, to see how things match up and if you like the environment. Actually accomplishing anything is a secondary goal :)

Daily Show and Evolution

2005-09-08T08:54:12Z

Got a heads up from The Panda's Thumb that the Daily Show is going to invesitage the evolution/creationism/ID/IPU/pasta saga.

Sadly, I'll miss a couple nights of it, but should be able to catch up on reruns some time. Be sure to let me know how it is!

UW Student Union is HUGE

2005-09-06T23:44:24Z

So, I finally got around to doing some of the basic oreintation stuff. Since I had to deal with a ton of different people in different departments in different biuldings to get all the paper work, ID cards, keys, forms, registration, insurance etc it was typically frustrating. But, the cool thing is I had lunch in the UW undergrad student union building. It was pretty cool... A ton of seating, TV rooms, a food court that has more variety than a mall or typical airport, a basement with that has a bowling alley, pingpong, pool, darts, an arcade with a DDR machine... plus a ton of other stuff and office space for all the student groups (including the anime society--they have an office where they keep manga/dubs for their library, they also have a tv and vcr there so people can come watch anime during the day when one of the officers is around...).

Even though i will almost never go there again, it seemed pretty cool. Definitly put Thwing to shame, but there are a few more students here than at CWRU. The weather was great as well, sunny, blue sky, around 75.

Ohio! O-how I miss you (not).

2005-09-01T08:45:34Z

It is funny, in the past week or so we've met several people from Ohio. I've been posting some science-related short blurbs over on my other blog. I've also been reading the Panda's Thumb blog off and on while I've been bored. I ran across a very interesting post, that if true, may call into question the respect, validity, and integrating of The Ohio State University..

I think I might know someone interested in getting an advanced degree from the fine instituion....

Here is a quote from the article:

So what we have is a graduate student, by all reports an earnest young man, who has been led down the garden path, seemingly guided by a couple of tenured ID Creationist faculty members whose anti-evolution agenda apparently overrode any commitment to the integrity of the academic process, the value of graduate education and research, or the well-being of the student. The phrase “cynical manipulation” comes to mind. Regardless of whether Leonard was a willing participant in the exercise, the tenured faculty members involved have a direct responsibility — to education, to science, to their colleagues and university, and to Leonard himself — to ensure that the integrity of the degree-granting process at the Ohio State University is maintained.

Check out the rest of the post, and indeed the whole page, for some more info.

And, yes, I know where the Discovery Institute is headquarted at. What can I say? Nowhere is perfect.

At least this was brought to the attention of people at OSU, and indeed to the rest of the world. I really shouldn't pay so much attention to this stuff, as it's going to take me a month to get through all the cool stuff in this week's issue of Nature, and potentially the rest of my career to understand it all.

Threats to your religion....

2005-08-09T00:03:26Z

I've always been partial to the Invisible Pink Unicorn but recently the Flying Spaghetti Monster has gotten a lot of attention. Flying Spaghetti Monsterism reminds me of Scientology and I think this Bobby Henderson guy is just out to make a cheap buck. The IPU is still the way to go I think.

Although, I must admit that the Noodly Appendage is a seductive explanation for unexplainable events. And, I have heard rumors of some good benefits for conversion. Really, though I just feel threatened, but I'll keep an open mind when it comes to this Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Old web-pages

2005-07-30T10:30:04Z

I was thinking about online personas and what not, as well as old websights and stumbled on this.

Go here:
http://www.everything-violin.com/15/human-rights-violations-in-thailand.html

and do a find for "aloofcat."

Yes, for some reason everything-violin.com (whatever that is) has a link/snippet to an essay I wrote about traffic cameras on an old geocities page.

Looking back, I'm a bit embarrased of it, but isn't everyone a little embarrased by their old geocities pages? At least I never had music playing when you loaded it.

Anyway, I just thought that was cool that the page was still there and that someone referenced it.

Reminds me that I should do something with jeffreykidd.com, but I don't know what. Other than the photo gallery I have a clandering software set up. Any ideas of things I could add, since I'm a bit bored and feel like doing some web stuff?

PS: Someone pointed out to me that my geocities page could have been a very early "blog" if I would have kept up with the updates and political essays. Who knows, by now I could have been an "established blogger" and have those women on CNN's blog report read me on the air. I'd be cool then.

Pictures

2005-06-14T04:41:55Z

My wife and I posted some pictures of our wedding and stuff online at
http://www.jeffreykidd.com

We are leaving for Seattle Tuesday, so we may be out of internet contact for a while. Take care peoples.

A little presidential dissonance

2005-05-26T17:55:23Z

Described on slate:
http://slate.com/id/2119512/

Not to suprising to find contradiction in the Presidents words on stem cells and the death penalty. Afterall, he is not a a curious man, and he governs from the gut. Different people probably wrote those statements for him as well. But, the contradiction is just startling.

You can see this dissonance in many in regards to death penalty and other issues. There are other arguments that can be made in support or opposition that don't have such a contradiction. But, POTUS's reliance on the "don't take life to save life" argument seems to be in clear conflict.

What, politicians being two faced? I'm shocked.

Boardman Discovery

2005-05-26T01:45:07Z

Just found out that there is a Cold Stone Icecream place in Boardman.

I'd still reccomend Handel's. But Cold Stone is kind of nifty if you like that sort of thing.

New Yorker Review

2005-05-25T22:22:46Z

Two out of two people asked think the New Yorker's review of Star Wars III was funny.

http://www.newyorker.com/critics/cinema/articles/050523crci_cinema

Apartment questions

2005-05-17T16:36:04Z

So, hopefully we are getting close to commiting to an apartment. Since we will have to commit to it without seeing the place, what are some good questions to ask?

So far, concerns are parking, laundry, location. Also need to ask about type of heat, electricity age, grounded (3 prong), noise of area. I need to check out the details of the parking a little more about this place. I got an email that said it was availabol first come first serverd (lake a queue).

The building we are looking at, which is in a good loctaion for us has 2 places availabol:

First Floor: ~780 sq ft.: $735/month
#201 ~750 sq ft.: $775/month

both are 2 bed/1 bath. #201 has a view of water. I have pictures that I'll try and post later if anyone is interested.

So please, comments and advice?

White House Press Briefing

2005-05-13T02:44:54Z

The transcript is kind of funny.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000920092

Durring the Cessna incident the other day, the President was bikig. Better than being read to by a group of children I guess.....

It is odd that a team that is so image conscience and savvy lets things like this happen.

Body Worlds

2005-05-12T05:31:14Z

So, Jami, Keith, Sara and I went to the Body Worlds II exhibit. We spent about 2 hours there. I thought it was really interesting. I reccomend it.

Mmm....

2005-05-12T04:29:25Z

I am planning on eating pancakes Thursday evening. Probably at IHOP, but alternatives may be considered.

I heard that some others may have a similar desire. All are welcome.

Just thought I'd share.

I RTFA and you should too

2005-05-06T02:16:12Z

This was on slashdot. It's pretty interesting, you should read it.
http://www.fortune.com/fortune/technology/articles/0,15114,1050065-1,00.html

Google vs Microsoft?

Maybe?

I definitly see the advantage of thin-clients and keeping everything somewhere, like google. That is how i am moving, so that i can access email, calendar, contacts etc from any computer anywhere with a connection.

Not just condoms any more...

2005-05-04T16:16:42Z

HPV vaccine encourages immoral behavior?
This is first I've heard of this particular stance. We'll see if anything comes of it....

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/sex/mg18624954.500

In the US, for instance, religious groups are gearing up to oppose vaccination, despite a survey showing 80 per cent of parents favour vaccinating their daughters. "Abstinence is the best way to prevent HPV," says Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group that has made much of the fact that, because it can spread by skin contact, condoms are not as effective against HPV as they are against other viruses such as HIV.

"Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex," Maher claims, though it is arguable how many young women have even heard of the virus.

More from the blame America first LMSM establishment....

2005-05-02T06:15:12Z

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/opinion/02herbert.html?hp

Why do people at the NYT hate our freedom so much?

"Mr. Delgado confronted a sergeant who, he said, had fired on the detainees. "I asked him," said Mr. Delgado, "if he was proud that he had shot unarmed men behind barbed wire for throwing stones. He didn't get mad at all. He was, like, 'Well, I saw them bloody my buddy's nose, so I knelt down. I said a prayer. I stood up, and I shot them down.' "

25 cents

2005-04-29T14:25:28Z

So, after my micro final, I went to the book store to try and sell back 3 books (micro text, theater anthology, and small collection of greek plays).

That was mistake number one.

There is a new addition of the micro book, so they won't take it. They wouldn't take the theater text either (no reason given). I sold the other book for a quarter.

A quarter.

I'm not even surprised.

If anyone would want one of the others, let me know.

Ready for Nuclear Winter?

2005-04-15T05:10:23Z

It seems more and more that the Nuclear Option will be used. It is not clear what the fallout will be.

"As the liberal, anti-Christian dogma of the left has been repudiated in almost every recent election, the courts have become the last great bastion for liberalism," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and organizer of the telecast, wrote in a message on the group's Web site. "For years activist courts, aided by liberal interest groups like the A.C.L.U., have been quietly working under the veil of the judiciary, like thieves in the night, to rob us of our Christian heritage and our religious freedoms."
NYT article

Really, what else can be done to defeat the liberal activist judges that blame America first, hate Christians, support the terrorists, and want to make every marriage a gay one?

Oral Bacteria

2005-04-12T17:42:45Z

Those interested in being samples should come to alumni wed morning before 10-ish and before brushing their teeth (and before eating breakfast).

Alternativly, I could give you stuff and you could swab yourself and give it to me later, but it would work best if I could keep the samples together.

If you want, I can take a picture of anything that grows from your sample. I'm only looking for specific bacteria though--there are likely lots of things in your mouth that won't grow on my media.

Things I plan on doing in the coming weeks....

2005-04-12T01:59:03Z

And you could be invited too!

See and hear Sara sing on Wed
See Life of Galileo this weekend
See The Phillips Collection at CMA
See and hear CIP sing

Durring the interregnum between finals and commencment:

see the "plastic people" at the Great Lakes Science Center
go to wineries in the Geneva area and purchase ~2 cases of wine for wedding, and perhaps do some tasting
go to an Indians game ($6 bleacher seats with presentation of a Pepsi can)

You're Arrested!

2005-04-11T20:10:42Z

No big surprise, really...
http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/11/people.shelton.ap/index.html

I wonder if he is chewing again.

We don't need any guards

2005-03-30T05:12:38Z

Looks like Mahoning County will be letting prisoners out of the jail again because of lack of money/deputies.

http://www.vindy.com/basic/news/288551628534917.php

I remember last time this happened, right before a sales tax was to be voted on. The commisoners put out ads with actors in orange jump suits running out of jail and the tax passed. Later, it was learned that the county actually ran a surplus for that year (without the new tax). A bit later, several Youngstown area officals (commisoners, judges, sherrifs, county engineers, congressman, prosecutors) eneded up in jail, but for other reasons.

This time, I think they really don't have any money.

This is the kind of thing Cleveland has to look forward to in a few years I fear.....