My sister sent this link to me the other day. He sure gets the lyrics right.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
A Song "Chinese Food On Christmas"
There was a time before I knew my handsome Scotsman and before I started to partake in the traditional Christmas feast every year. During that time, I didn't decorate or celebrate or eat roast turkey. My family had other traditions. You see, like the song says, life without Christmas isn't so bad as long as Chinese restaurants and movie theaters stay open on Christmas day.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Black Mambas and Spitting Cobras
It was in 1997 when my grandmother and I were traveling with a group on the Botswana/Zimbabwe border. This was before Mugabe entered the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, before he confiscated land from the whites, and before the country became of land of "political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse" according to the CIA World Factbook as well as most publications.
Despite the occasional highway check points with machine-gun wielding soldiers, I knew that Zimbabwe was one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I was sure that my adventurous grandma agreed. Then our guide started telling stories. Politics aside, he was beginning to convince us that Africa had to be the scariest places to live or travel, especially if you have a fear of snakes.
Of all the dangers, he focused on one in particular: the Black Mamba. It was the most dangerous snake in the region, he told us. It is the longest snake in Africa and can reach a length of 14 feet. The snake can lift one third of its body from the ground and blend in with surrounding tall grasses but once it gets a whiff of potential prey, it can move up to 20 mph toward it. It one of the fastest snakes in the world.
(Grabbed off of Wikipedia.)
Our guide described the time he was riding his horse on a blissful sunny day when suddenly, the infamous snake attacked. It stood up as tall as the animal's neck and injected its venom more than 50 times before it gave up and slithered away. The horse dropped to the ground and died within seconds. The guide watched us react with some amusement. Some of our fellow travelers refused to believe the story but most of us started to search near and far for any unusual movement. We were certain we were being watched by one of these reptilian beasts.
Although we were excited to be in the midst of real wilderness, both my grandmother and I were relieved to get back to the hotel.
News: Largest Spitting Cobra
Have you heard of the newly named species of cobra, the largest in the world? The naja ashei was once a member of the black-necked spitting cobra species but it was recently confirmed to be a wholly new species of cobra. It is native to Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia so one can suppose that some locals already knew about the creature before the scientists gave it a brand new name and place in the taxonomy.
However, scientists aren't exactly wasting time when they study and reclassify species. According to National Geographic News, this species actually delivers twice the venom than previously thought—enough for 20 people in one bite. This will affect the dosage of antivenin administered to bite victims.
Yes, snakes are scary but they are part of our natural ecosystem. Unlike some urban-dwelling insects, which I truly believe in destroying, I believe that the snake has an important place in
the world, as long as it isn't in anyone's back garden. If the snake stories are too much to bear, scroll down and look for the previous entry on the adorable kitten. Yes, put your mind at ease with thoughts of kittens...
For more information on the largest spitting cobra, visit:
Physorg.com
and
National Geographic News
Despite the occasional highway check points with machine-gun wielding soldiers, I knew that Zimbabwe was one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I was sure that my adventurous grandma agreed. Then our guide started telling stories. Politics aside, he was beginning to convince us that Africa had to be the scariest places to live or travel, especially if you have a fear of snakes.
Of all the dangers, he focused on one in particular: the Black Mamba. It was the most dangerous snake in the region, he told us. It is the longest snake in Africa and can reach a length of 14 feet. The snake can lift one third of its body from the ground and blend in with surrounding tall grasses but once it gets a whiff of potential prey, it can move up to 20 mph toward it. It one of the fastest snakes in the world.
(Grabbed off of Wikipedia.)Although we were excited to be in the midst of real wilderness, both my grandmother and I were relieved to get back to the hotel.
News: Largest Spitting Cobra
Have you heard of the newly named species of cobra, the largest in the world? The naja ashei was once a member of the black-necked spitting cobra species but it was recently confirmed to be a wholly new species of cobra. It is native to Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia so one can suppose that some locals already knew about the creature before the scientists gave it a brand new name and place in the taxonomy.
However, scientists aren't exactly wasting time when they study and reclassify species. According to National Geographic News, this species actually delivers twice the venom than previously thought—enough for 20 people in one bite. This will affect the dosage of antivenin administered to bite victims.
Yes, snakes are scary but they are part of our natural ecosystem. Unlike some urban-dwelling insects, which I truly believe in destroying, I believe that the snake has an important place in
the world, as long as it isn't in anyone's back garden. If the snake stories are too much to bear, scroll down and look for the previous entry on the adorable kitten. Yes, put your mind at ease with thoughts of kittens...
For more information on the largest spitting cobra, visit:
Physorg.com
and
National Geographic News
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
A Kitten from Far Far Away
Something about this kitten immediately reminded me of the lucky or beckoning cats that you see in Japanese restaurants. But he doesn't look very much like the Japanese bobtail, the breed on which it is based.
It is more likely to be a member of the Scottish Folds breed known for resembling owls or teddy bears. But then again, don't you think that there is something a little bit more Spanish about this animal?
"I too was concocting this very same plan, already our minds are becoming one!"
This kitten shares the same eyes and body type as Puss-in-Boots from the Shrek movies. Either way, this isn't your run of the mill average American cat so I thought I'd share.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Raiders of the Lost...with bunnies
We're still working on the screenplay and it must be going well this week since my wrists are starting to show signs of tendonitis or whatnot. Always a good sign. But even in the midst of creating new settings and adventures for our invented characters, we writers cannot ignore those films and books that still influence us today.
Of all filmmakers, I must admit that Steven Spielberg has influenced my movie saturated existence more than anyone. Well, he and Terry Gilliam. Some of my earlier posts reveal my feelings about the ocean, a beautiful and scary place. You see, I don't like to swim in the ocean because I must have viewed the movie "Jaws" at the age of three. The film "E.T." made me love aliens and fear anything covered in plastic, although I 'm pretty much over that by now.
Another important movie influenced my passion for archaeology. Of course I wanted to be a real life Indiana Jones and if not for the intense study of pottery that it required, archaeology might have been my chosen profession. I am sure that the professionals love to hear that lazy excuse. If not for the physics stuff, I might be a rocket scientist as well.
I've only seen Indiana Jones around one hundred times so, I recently decided to refresh my memory about that movie. However, I didn't have the time to view the entire movie this week. Luckily the wacky people at Angry Alien Productions recreated the film in 30 seconds. Although all of the actors are cartoon bunnies, they stay true to the story.
By the way, if you didn't already know this, the next Indiana Jones movie is coming out in May 2008.
Of all filmmakers, I must admit that Steven Spielberg has influenced my movie saturated existence more than anyone. Well, he and Terry Gilliam. Some of my earlier posts reveal my feelings about the ocean, a beautiful and scary place. You see, I don't like to swim in the ocean because I must have viewed the movie "Jaws" at the age of three. The film "E.T." made me love aliens and fear anything covered in plastic, although I 'm pretty much over that by now.
Another important movie influenced my passion for archaeology. Of course I wanted to be a real life Indiana Jones and if not for the intense study of pottery that it required, archaeology might have been my chosen profession. I am sure that the professionals love to hear that lazy excuse. If not for the physics stuff, I might be a rocket scientist as well.
I've only seen Indiana Jones around one hundred times so, I recently decided to refresh my memory about that movie. However, I didn't have the time to view the entire movie this week. Luckily the wacky people at Angry Alien Productions recreated the film in 30 seconds. Although all of the actors are cartoon bunnies, they stay true to the story.
By the way, if you didn't already know this, the next Indiana Jones movie is coming out in May 2008.
Monday, November 26, 2007
A Review of "Samedi the Deafness"
Last night I finished Samedi the Deafness, by Jesse Ball. It was not your average novel and I still feel odd. I like that. I don't always like your average literary novel about devastating relationships or the day someone learned a family secret. Those stories can be interesting but never so absorbing as good genre writing that requires an actual plot. But this isn't genre, nor is it your average literary novel. So what is it?
I'm not sure it is a novel at all. Maybe it was a series of prose poems that fit together to describe an overall theme of deceit. It is a story of deceit, of a man who is caught up in a conspiracy. The conspirators are exceptional liars, for their political cause and for their own amusement. Perhaps it is because they work in a special sanatorium specifically designed to cure chronic liars. But the main character, James Sim, is a mnemonist. This is a great made-up profession for someone who is caught in a conspiracy.
From the beginning to the end of this book, I kept wondering if each short passage or story would later be revealed to be a lie or illusion. You have to love that. The book is a fiction, after all and as readers, we are used to believing every word of the writer. We are used to true works of fiction rather than fiction that contains multiple lies. That is, unless we are reading mystery or spy novels. In those the deceit is expected.
In other reviews, the book is called Kafkaesque, a bit like David Lynch, or like a tale told by Lewis Carroll. I agree with this last description the most. This is partially due to the seemingly unconnected encounters that our hero experiences throughout the story. It is also due to the introduction of childhood memories in a series of dreamlike flashbacks. True episodes from his past are mixed with memories of his playtime. When I think about it, my own memories of childhood are just as confused. Just like his imaginary owl, my childhood recurring dreams or even the imagined settings that my friends and I invented at recess are just as real as my first day of school.
Does this review offer any insight into the book? I hope it does. Then again, it might make no sense at all because I haven't really finished. The words and images are still falling into place in my mind. You see, a good book stays with you even after the last page is read and it makes you feel slightly odd, which I like.
This book was recommended to me and I recommend it too.
I'm not sure it is a novel at all. Maybe it was a series of prose poems that fit together to describe an overall theme of deceit. It is a story of deceit, of a man who is caught up in a conspiracy. The conspirators are exceptional liars, for their political cause and for their own amusement. Perhaps it is because they work in a special sanatorium specifically designed to cure chronic liars. But the main character, James Sim, is a mnemonist. This is a great made-up profession for someone who is caught in a conspiracy.
From the beginning to the end of this book, I kept wondering if each short passage or story would later be revealed to be a lie or illusion. You have to love that. The book is a fiction, after all and as readers, we are used to believing every word of the writer. We are used to true works of fiction rather than fiction that contains multiple lies. That is, unless we are reading mystery or spy novels. In those the deceit is expected.
In other reviews, the book is called Kafkaesque, a bit like David Lynch, or like a tale told by Lewis Carroll. I agree with this last description the most. This is partially due to the seemingly unconnected encounters that our hero experiences throughout the story. It is also due to the introduction of childhood memories in a series of dreamlike flashbacks. True episodes from his past are mixed with memories of his playtime. When I think about it, my own memories of childhood are just as confused. Just like his imaginary owl, my childhood recurring dreams or even the imagined settings that my friends and I invented at recess are just as real as my first day of school.
Does this review offer any insight into the book? I hope it does. Then again, it might make no sense at all because I haven't really finished. The words and images are still falling into place in my mind. You see, a good book stays with you even after the last page is read and it makes you feel slightly odd, which I like.
This book was recommended to me and I recommend it too.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Ancient Zombies in Egypt
Hierakonpolis or Nekhan is a famous Egyptian site for archaeologists. The "City of the Hawk" and the remains of the largest Predynastic (4000-3100 B.C.E.) settlement of Egypt. It is home of the tombs belonging to Horemkhawef, a Chief Priest who lived during the Second Intermediate Period (1750-1550 B.C.E.). Another famous tomb belongs to a Prince, Ny-ankh-Pepy, who was actually the second person laid to rest at that site in 1980 B.C.E. Yes, that is all well and good and scholarly but did you know that this is also the site of some major zombie activity in or around five thousand years ago?
According to an article that appeared online at Archeology Magazine's website, zombies were un-alive and un-well in ancient Egypt. The author goes on to explain that author Max Brooks' "The Zombie Survival Guide" brought some startling yet very old news to the archaeology community when he recounts an 1892 dig at Hierakonpolis. During that fateful expedition, archaeologists discovered a partially decomposed body with a brain possibly infected by the Solanum virus. The tomb is also covered in scratch marks, typical defensive behavior for an entombed zombie.
The Urban Dictionary defines Solanum as this:
SOLANUM: THE VIRUS
Solanum works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By stopping the heart, the infected subject is rendered "dead." The brain, however, remains alive but dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this all-important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is in no way dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.
The article reveals other zombie evidence: bodies with decapitated heads. In addition, the marks left on the cervical vertebrae "...indicate an effort far greater than that needed simply to cause the death of a normal (uninfected) person. The standard position also indicates these are not injuries sustained during normal warfare."
For once, I am relieved to see that aliens had no part in the mysterious findings at these ancient tombs. However, I am hoping that they will get back on track with investigating Mummy curses. I am still working out the evidence, and looking for my own funding regarding one Mummy in particular may have brought down the entire Roman Empire...
To read more about how archaeologists plan to fight a potential zombies attack at the dig site, check out the article "Zombie Attack at Hierakonpolis." An interview with Mr. Brooks (Mel Brook's son), is available online here. I do love archaeology humor.
According to an article that appeared online at Archeology Magazine's website, zombies were un-alive and un-well in ancient Egypt. The author goes on to explain that author Max Brooks' "The Zombie Survival Guide" brought some startling yet very old news to the archaeology community when he recounts an 1892 dig at Hierakonpolis. During that fateful expedition, archaeologists discovered a partially decomposed body with a brain possibly infected by the Solanum virus. The tomb is also covered in scratch marks, typical defensive behavior for an entombed zombie.
The Urban Dictionary defines Solanum as this:
SOLANUM: THE VIRUS
Solanum works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By stopping the heart, the infected subject is rendered "dead." The brain, however, remains alive but dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this all-important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is in no way dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.
The article reveals other zombie evidence: bodies with decapitated heads. In addition, the marks left on the cervical vertebrae "...indicate an effort far greater than that needed simply to cause the death of a normal (uninfected) person. The standard position also indicates these are not injuries sustained during normal warfare."
For once, I am relieved to see that aliens had no part in the mysterious findings at these ancient tombs. However, I am hoping that they will get back on track with investigating Mummy curses. I am still working out the evidence, and looking for my own funding regarding one Mummy in particular may have brought down the entire Roman Empire...
To read more about how archaeologists plan to fight a potential zombies attack at the dig site, check out the article "Zombie Attack at Hierakonpolis." An interview with Mr. Brooks (Mel Brook's son), is available online here. I do love archaeology humor.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Dance Typewriter
I haven't written many blog entries because my sister-in-law visited a few weeks ago. We had a good time doing the usual New York City visit. We even drove up to the Hudson River Valley region for a few days to visit Benmarl, the oldest winery in the U.S., according to the company. We shopped, ate, and drank way too much. She is Scottish, as is my husband, so it took some time for my liver to recover.
Then, I had the fabulous excuse of actually working hard on some literary projects, finishing a short story, and then getting back to the script.
But, you are not forgotten. Nor have I forgotten that reading blogs is a major time-waster. So, to extend that experience, I give you the "Dance Writer." I found this linked to one of my favorites sites, apartmenttherapy.com.
Type in your message and see the mime at work. Is it funny or sad to watch a man do this for a living? Well, he probable doesn't make a living at this. Maybe he acts out numbers on other websites.
Have a good weekend!
Then, I had the fabulous excuse of actually working hard on some literary projects, finishing a short story, and then getting back to the script.
But, you are not forgotten. Nor have I forgotten that reading blogs is a major time-waster. So, to extend that experience, I give you the "Dance Writer." I found this linked to one of my favorites sites, apartmenttherapy.com.
Type in your message and see the mime at work. Is it funny or sad to watch a man do this for a living? Well, he probable doesn't make a living at this. Maybe he acts out numbers on other websites.
Have a good weekend!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Bionic Woman Makes Me Cringe
I've been meaning to write my own review of the latest re-imagined 1970s series, but I didn't have the heart to do it until now. "Bionic Woman" was going to be fantastic with better effects, a more sophisticated story, and feature Katee Sackhoff as the villain. It still doesn't work for me.
After a near-fatal car accident, Jaime Summers lost an eye, ear, some limbs, and her entire brain as far as I could tell. In her rebirth as the bionic woman, we see that the doctors injected "anthrocytes" or "bionics" into her body. They somehow provide actual structure for her bones, muscles, nerves, etc. and they also relay information from a microprocessor somewhere in her brain so that is she part robot too! I realize that I should be patient with the writers because half of the fun of these transformations occur when the character tests his or her limits. Unfortunately nanotech like this can end up being another type of magic. We are to suspend our disbelief as members of a science fiction audience. But isn't the writing supposed to help us along? I am not convinced that the writers even know what these machines can or cannot do and because it is integral to the story, they better figure it out or start ignoring the machinery so that we can too.
Lack of sophistication is often a problem with television. Producers like to appeal broadly, meaning to the least intelligent person they can imagine. Or their ten year old child. Since this isn't a children's show, I expected a bit more. For instance, when Jaime Summers is initiated into the top secret company as their muscle, a psychologist/field agent describes Jaime as a genius yet she appears to be a slow wit at the best of times. In one episode, genius Jaime receives a phonecall from her boss during lunch with her teenage sister. The call is about a top secret assignment, of course. For no reason whatsoever, she repeats everything he says: "You know where I am?... You have a tracker on me?... He's a bad man?" This piques the curiosity of her sister and introduces a farcical double conversation that falls very flat on laughs.
Jaime Summers can be slow but the show should have been quick. Constantly running around doesn't make up for the predictable plot.
Katee Sackhoff is great as Starbuck in "Battlestar Galactica." Her association with a truly great T.V. show was the only reason that I watched "Bionic Woman" in the first place. She looks fantastic in her evil persona and in her few moments of acting catharsis, she proves that there could be something to the show, if only it could figure out the point. She could carry the entire show if most of the characters are killed off and they start anew.
You can read another review on the Bionic Woman here.
After a near-fatal car accident, Jaime Summers lost an eye, ear, some limbs, and her entire brain as far as I could tell. In her rebirth as the bionic woman, we see that the doctors injected "anthrocytes" or "bionics" into her body. They somehow provide actual structure for her bones, muscles, nerves, etc. and they also relay information from a microprocessor somewhere in her brain so that is she part robot too! I realize that I should be patient with the writers because half of the fun of these transformations occur when the character tests his or her limits. Unfortunately nanotech like this can end up being another type of magic. We are to suspend our disbelief as members of a science fiction audience. But isn't the writing supposed to help us along? I am not convinced that the writers even know what these machines can or cannot do and because it is integral to the story, they better figure it out or start ignoring the machinery so that we can too.
Lack of sophistication is often a problem with television. Producers like to appeal broadly, meaning to the least intelligent person they can imagine. Or their ten year old child. Since this isn't a children's show, I expected a bit more. For instance, when Jaime Summers is initiated into the top secret company as their muscle, a psychologist/field agent describes Jaime as a genius yet she appears to be a slow wit at the best of times. In one episode, genius Jaime receives a phonecall from her boss during lunch with her teenage sister. The call is about a top secret assignment, of course. For no reason whatsoever, she repeats everything he says: "You know where I am?... You have a tracker on me?... He's a bad man?" This piques the curiosity of her sister and introduces a farcical double conversation that falls very flat on laughs.
Jaime Summers can be slow but the show should have been quick. Constantly running around doesn't make up for the predictable plot.
Katee Sackhoff is great as Starbuck in "Battlestar Galactica." Her association with a truly great T.V. show was the only reason that I watched "Bionic Woman" in the first place. She looks fantastic in her evil persona and in her few moments of acting catharsis, she proves that there could be something to the show, if only it could figure out the point. She could carry the entire show if most of the characters are killed off and they start anew.
You can read another review on the Bionic Woman here.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Fires in San Diego
It was a bit late yesterday when I read the news about raging wildfires in southern California. A friend of mine, who I will call S.K., lives in San Diego. I immediately got in touch to get her status. We weren't at the frantic level, just serious concern.
She was alright for the time being but planned on keeping an eye on her parent's house, as they were out of town. S.K. informed me that it was very windy and smelled like campfire everywhere. Campfire seems like such a nonthreatening word. I suppose that the good news was that she wasn't smelling a bunch of burning chemicals. She described the sky as bright orange, but you can probably see that on the television reports. This particular CNN report was sponsored by Residence Inn. In the commercial, some actor throws off his jacket and began juggling a lit torches. He was actually playing with fire. Is that appropriate or just in bad taste?
This morning she got the evacuation notice. I can't imagine what it must be like to grab only the essentials and flee but it is something that everyone should consider, given all of the natural disasters over the past few years.
S.K., wherever you are right now, take care.
She was alright for the time being but planned on keeping an eye on her parent's house, as they were out of town. S.K. informed me that it was very windy and smelled like campfire everywhere. Campfire seems like such a nonthreatening word. I suppose that the good news was that she wasn't smelling a bunch of burning chemicals. She described the sky as bright orange, but you can probably see that on the television reports. This particular CNN report was sponsored by Residence Inn. In the commercial, some actor throws off his jacket and began juggling a lit torches. He was actually playing with fire. Is that appropriate or just in bad taste?
This morning she got the evacuation notice. I can't imagine what it must be like to grab only the essentials and flee but it is something that everyone should consider, given all of the natural disasters over the past few years.
S.K., wherever you are right now, take care.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Overheard in Brooklyn
So the nasty cloudy morning turned into a sunny gorgeous afternoon and I had to go for a walk. On my way back, I overheard the local crossing guard tell a couple of law-abiding pedestrians that they just missed someone famous: Mr. George Clooney. "He looked sharp in that suit!" she exclaimed.
It was plain to to see that something was afoot. I should have checked my local Brooklyn Heights blog for the details after noticing a glut of vans and trucks with that telltale movie cut board painted on the side. Now that we had our first out-of-town star sighting (because we have a few locals as well) I could no longer ignore the clues. So, I googled for an answer. George Clooney and b.f.f. Brad Pitt are filming Burn After Reading, a Coen Brothers movie. With those guys, we should be in for something stylish, funny, and political. We'll have to wait and see.
This recent neighborhood excitement really doesn't take me any closer to the fame and fortune that I seek. Does success through osmosis ever work? But anything that adds a little more flavor to Brooklyn is fine by me.
It was plain to to see that something was afoot. I should have checked my local Brooklyn Heights blog for the details after noticing a glut of vans and trucks with that telltale movie cut board painted on the side. Now that we had our first out-of-town star sighting (because we have a few locals as well) I could no longer ignore the clues. So, I googled for an answer. George Clooney and b.f.f. Brad Pitt are filming Burn After Reading, a Coen Brothers movie. With those guys, we should be in for something stylish, funny, and political. We'll have to wait and see.
This recent neighborhood excitement really doesn't take me any closer to the fame and fortune that I seek. Does success through osmosis ever work? But anything that adds a little more flavor to Brooklyn is fine by me.
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
Credit and copyright Terje O. NordvikWhat a nasty cloudy day. Or what a "k-nasty" day, as a friend of mine used to say when things were truly unpleasant. Today's Brooklyn weather report tells me that these clouds will linger all day. It might even rain. So, I thought that I might share a beautiful photograph, courtesy of Terje Nordvik in Norway who captured not one but six rainbow images. I hope you enjoy it.
This was an astronomy picture of the day on the NASA website: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html. They explain just how this odd image occurred in the first place.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Meteorite Update
Check out the recent article from Space.com 'Meteorite' Crash Breeds Mass Hysteria. It looks like I might have a future in professional psychological speculation. (You can read my original post "Meteorite Sickens Peruvian Villagers" here.)
Then again, what if that is what they want us to think? I mean, I haven't actually been down to the crash site. And where are all of the sick villagers now? Is this a cover up for a global conspiracy about alien viruses, and if not, a highly advanced weapon that is not supposed to exist? This could be a case for Scully and Mulder. Or not.
Would anyone else like to throw in a conspiracy theory or two? This is one of my favorite ways to waste time at work.
Then again, what if that is what they want us to think? I mean, I haven't actually been down to the crash site. And where are all of the sick villagers now? Is this a cover up for a global conspiracy about alien viruses, and if not, a highly advanced weapon that is not supposed to exist? This could be a case for Scully and Mulder. Or not.
Would anyone else like to throw in a conspiracy theory or two? This is one of my favorite ways to waste time at work.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Magna Carta for Sale
I thought it was a pretty cool story on nytimes.com. Check it out here.
For those of you who can't quite match the name to any of your otherwise infinite knowledge of history, the Magna Carta was created by King John in 1215. It was written to appease the barons of England and bound the king as well as his subjects to the rule of law. It is the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
For those of you who can't quite match the name to any of your otherwise infinite knowledge of history, the Magna Carta was created by King John in 1215. It was written to appease the barons of England and bound the king as well as his subjects to the rule of law. It is the basis for the U.S. Bill of Rights.
Monday, September 24, 2007
More construction
I thought it was an earthquake at first. But anyone living over a construction site would identify the tremors as just another nuisance that comes with the territory. Are they installing a ceiling? Are they actually drilling down into the ground? Perhaps an untapped source of oil is sitting just underneath the location of that future clothing store. I can just imagine oil gushing up through my sink and the the bath drain. Maybe I could get all of the other renters to pitch in and collect all of the oil that they can in buckets and used soda bottles. We'd sell it to local gas stations and make a few bucks.
When the tremors started, I just grabbed onto the shelves to steady them. But after around three minutes, it was clear that everything would come down in one way or another. So the apartment is laid out with dishes and cups and glasses. These things may still knock over so I wait and see. But for how long? Only until the motion sickness gets to an unbearable level. I feel like Sylvester the Cat after his head was bashed with over-sized cymbals. You know how he would vibrate and bounce out of a room, onto the window ledge, and then fall to the street? Tweety was a clever bird.
This could be a good thing. A test of the body and spirit. Maybe astronauts have to sit on a shaking platform for five hours in order to stimulate liftoff. Yep, this could work in my favor. Future astronaut. That could be the most important job of my life; the career change that all of the palm-readers were too frightened to tell me.
Is this text a bit wobbly or is it just me?
When the tremors started, I just grabbed onto the shelves to steady them. But after around three minutes, it was clear that everything would come down in one way or another. So the apartment is laid out with dishes and cups and glasses. These things may still knock over so I wait and see. But for how long? Only until the motion sickness gets to an unbearable level. I feel like Sylvester the Cat after his head was bashed with over-sized cymbals. You know how he would vibrate and bounce out of a room, onto the window ledge, and then fall to the street? Tweety was a clever bird.
This could be a good thing. A test of the body and spirit. Maybe astronauts have to sit on a shaking platform for five hours in order to stimulate liftoff. Yep, this could work in my favor. Future astronaut. That could be the most important job of my life; the career change that all of the palm-readers were too frightened to tell me.
Is this text a bit wobbly or is it just me?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
A Woman President?
I have no cable and this is a tragedy only because I am don't have the opportunity to watch the always hilarious and provoking Daily Show. However, the lovely people at Comedy Central seem to be offering up some of their best clips from recent shows. Any fans of Sex and the City (another cable television gem) will crack up at Sam Bee's report on whether America is ready for a female president. It also made me crave a Cosmo...
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Meteorite Sickens Peruvian Villagers
The AFP reported that the meteor crash occurred over the weekend in Peru. Observers initially believed that they were witnessing a plane crash. After the impact, as strange odor apparently caused a rash of health complaints among the residents living near to a crash site. Read the full story here.
Could it be a result of the shock of such an extraordinary event that caused the villagers some sort of mass hysteria? Or perhaps, the meteor kicked up some toxic material that previously sat dormant in the ground. However, if you think about it, cosmic dust is known for its interesting effects on humans. Well, if you ever watched the t.v. show Smallville, you would agree.
Speaking of strange symptoms. I finally worked out why my head is so stuffy and throat so store. No, it's not a meteorite that hit my neighborhood. It's a construction crew that's landed right beneath my feet. Our apartment is full of dust- I can't see it but I can smell something new in the air- and it is irritating my throat and eyes. And the noise! Their voices are a little to clear for my liking and each time they hammer or move a piece of wood, my apartment experiences a little earthquake. It's headache inducing as well. I can only hope that they are installing a whole lot of sound proofing because this could easily turn into a nightmare apartment once the new commercial tenants move in down there.
Could it be a result of the shock of such an extraordinary event that caused the villagers some sort of mass hysteria? Or perhaps, the meteor kicked up some toxic material that previously sat dormant in the ground. However, if you think about it, cosmic dust is known for its interesting effects on humans. Well, if you ever watched the t.v. show Smallville, you would agree.
Speaking of strange symptoms. I finally worked out why my head is so stuffy and throat so store. No, it's not a meteorite that hit my neighborhood. It's a construction crew that's landed right beneath my feet. Our apartment is full of dust- I can't see it but I can smell something new in the air- and it is irritating my throat and eyes. And the noise! Their voices are a little to clear for my liking and each time they hammer or move a piece of wood, my apartment experiences a little earthquake. It's headache inducing as well. I can only hope that they are installing a whole lot of sound proofing because this could easily turn into a nightmare apartment once the new commercial tenants move in down there.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Boob Science
I was wasting some time yesterday morning and found a few crazy stories in the world of science and nature. One story in particular caught my eye: "Bouncing Breasts Bring on Science Challenge." Okay, there is something inherently funny about this title. Why is that? Because men have been joking about breasts since they were first weaned and women have tried their best to join along? That is one theory but I don't want to go into it. Let's just think of it this way, by relegating the fact of bouncing boobs to silly twitters and bad jokes, we may have overlooked a real problem for women.
According to this report, University of Portsmouth scientist, Dr. Joanna Scurr, discovered that when a woman is jogging or basically moving, they bounce much more than earlier estimates and "50 percent of women experience pain when exercising, regardless of breast size."
So, something most of us realized long ago-that sports bras just don't work well enough- is being supported by scientific measurement (is there a pun in there?). Another case where pain has no place in sports.
Dr. Scurr would like to help one particular group of women who are often overlooked; military women. Portsmouth's online paper The News reported Dr. Scurr's intention to work with the military on this vital piece of equipment. She said, "We would like to establish military-issued bras that would be task-specific because walking and running creates different breast movement to jumping or horse riding. It's something we've brought to the attention of the military but we haven't started the project yet."
According to this report, University of Portsmouth scientist, Dr. Joanna Scurr, discovered that when a woman is jogging or basically moving, they bounce much more than earlier estimates and "50 percent of women experience pain when exercising, regardless of breast size."
So, something most of us realized long ago-that sports bras just don't work well enough- is being supported by scientific measurement (is there a pun in there?). Another case where pain has no place in sports.
Dr. Scurr would like to help one particular group of women who are often overlooked; military women. Portsmouth's online paper The News reported Dr. Scurr's intention to work with the military on this vital piece of equipment. She said, "We would like to establish military-issued bras that would be task-specific because walking and running creates different breast movement to jumping or horse riding. It's something we've brought to the attention of the military but we haven't started the project yet."
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Vivid Dreams
So last night's dream was a weird one. Very Philip K. Dick, as my husband would say. Everything started normal- that is to say normal in a hallucinogenic dreamlike normal way. I was a slightly younger version of me, off on a crazy adventure with a bespeckled chubby 14-year-old boy. We started at a modeling casting call in New Jersey. This was probably a memory retrieved from early childhood. My mother believed that she could actually get me to do something productive and lucrative with my weekends.
Anyway, we started off as friends when we walked through the door but it quickly became apparent that I was not always quite myself. We switched bodies several times or maybe he disappeared and I turned into him several times because this was still my story and it was more natural to be in the body of a female. I had to face the next stage of the nightmare all on my own. I was auditioning for "America's Next Top Model." Can you hear the scary music?
I am not exactly supermodel material, and in the dream I couldn't understand who put me up to such public humiliation. I was getting into a terrible state. Tyra Banks would surely criticize the way I walked, my messy hair, and my entire external being. I was lined up next to younger, skinnier, and eager women. They at least had a shot at modeling fame. I didn't feel inadequate as a person, just inadequate as a walking clothes rack with a blank face. Sorry, I mean I felt inadequate as a model. I searched the room for that friend of mine and when he was lost for good, I chose to seek out the next best thing: an exit.
Just as I was about to leave the torture chamber of embarrassment, Tyra Banks said, "And you too will have the chance to be America's Next Top Model. Yes you, the Jewish girl." If I had a full bladder, I would have emptied it right there. Thank goodness for bladder control.
As Ms. Banks stared me down, my story as an awkward girl stopped and the boy's story began. I somehow teleported into him, outside of the casting call and onto a happy suburban street. We or rather I was skipping along enjoying the sunny day. I tossed an old baseball into the air and caught it with ease. I thought, "Okay, so I'm a boy. But this isn't so bad. La dee la."
But things soon took a sour turn when we—or I—found myself with his fictional father, a overbearing and cruel police sergeant who came straight out of a 1950s B movie. We—or rather I—was sent to his office at the retro police station. He was very angry and sat me down in a short wooden chair as he came up with a punishment for my crime. I'm not sure what I did but it was bad enough to warrant writing my apology 100 times on his scratchy chalkboard while he angrily watched me with folded arms. Other odd punishments continued until he did his worst; he threw out the boy's only pair of shoes. Our pair of shoes. Do I have a problem with authority or what?
As I walked home, depressed and shoe-less, I slowly reverted back into a female. I was me, the younger dream—me who couldn't understand how she got involved reality television. I opened a letter in front of my parents and explained to them that I made it to stage two of "America's Next Top Model." For some reason, they found that a short Jewish girl would add some diversity to the program and they sent me a plane ticket for their first location shoot in Ethiopia. I prayed that they would drop me in the next act but since Ethiopia is supposed to be beautiful, I was a little excited nevertheless. Just as we got off the plane my alarm went off and I was released from nightmare.
Vivid dreams are part of my life. Some are actually worth telling and I'm not sure that this one qualified. I've been a 19th century Chinese peasant woman, a Western missionary in feudal Japan, and a secret agent on the run. This one was just odd. A bit too multiple personality for me. But why do I dream like this when so many people can't remember a single dream? Perhaps I'll never know the answer. But I could spend a few hours wasting my time on that question. Hmm. Something to do tomorrow.
Anyway, we started off as friends when we walked through the door but it quickly became apparent that I was not always quite myself. We switched bodies several times or maybe he disappeared and I turned into him several times because this was still my story and it was more natural to be in the body of a female. I had to face the next stage of the nightmare all on my own. I was auditioning for "America's Next Top Model." Can you hear the scary music?
I am not exactly supermodel material, and in the dream I couldn't understand who put me up to such public humiliation. I was getting into a terrible state. Tyra Banks would surely criticize the way I walked, my messy hair, and my entire external being. I was lined up next to younger, skinnier, and eager women. They at least had a shot at modeling fame. I didn't feel inadequate as a person, just inadequate as a walking clothes rack with a blank face. Sorry, I mean I felt inadequate as a model. I searched the room for that friend of mine and when he was lost for good, I chose to seek out the next best thing: an exit.
Just as I was about to leave the torture chamber of embarrassment, Tyra Banks said, "And you too will have the chance to be America's Next Top Model. Yes you, the Jewish girl." If I had a full bladder, I would have emptied it right there. Thank goodness for bladder control.
As Ms. Banks stared me down, my story as an awkward girl stopped and the boy's story began. I somehow teleported into him, outside of the casting call and onto a happy suburban street. We or rather I was skipping along enjoying the sunny day. I tossed an old baseball into the air and caught it with ease. I thought, "Okay, so I'm a boy. But this isn't so bad. La dee la."
But things soon took a sour turn when we—or I—found myself with his fictional father, a overbearing and cruel police sergeant who came straight out of a 1950s B movie. We—or rather I—was sent to his office at the retro police station. He was very angry and sat me down in a short wooden chair as he came up with a punishment for my crime. I'm not sure what I did but it was bad enough to warrant writing my apology 100 times on his scratchy chalkboard while he angrily watched me with folded arms. Other odd punishments continued until he did his worst; he threw out the boy's only pair of shoes. Our pair of shoes. Do I have a problem with authority or what?
As I walked home, depressed and shoe-less, I slowly reverted back into a female. I was me, the younger dream—me who couldn't understand how she got involved reality television. I opened a letter in front of my parents and explained to them that I made it to stage two of "America's Next Top Model." For some reason, they found that a short Jewish girl would add some diversity to the program and they sent me a plane ticket for their first location shoot in Ethiopia. I prayed that they would drop me in the next act but since Ethiopia is supposed to be beautiful, I was a little excited nevertheless. Just as we got off the plane my alarm went off and I was released from nightmare.
Vivid dreams are part of my life. Some are actually worth telling and I'm not sure that this one qualified. I've been a 19th century Chinese peasant woman, a Western missionary in feudal Japan, and a secret agent on the run. This one was just odd. A bit too multiple personality for me. But why do I dream like this when so many people can't remember a single dream? Perhaps I'll never know the answer. But I could spend a few hours wasting my time on that question. Hmm. Something to do tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Women Cabbies
On a recent hot Sunday morning, my husband and I hopped in the nearest cab so that we could make it to brunch on time. We noticed something different, something not the same about our taxi; our driver was a woman. In fact, she was a lovely south Asian, middle-aged, lady from London. This was big news.
Can I tell you just how rare this ride was for me? In ten years of city living, I have never been fortunate enough to ride in a woman's cab. When I asked around, my friends could count similar occasions on one hand. In 24 years, one gal recalled two lady cabbies in all. Just two. Another friend of mine remembers a cab driver that fit the same description as mine. Perhaps it was the same one?
It must get a bit annoying to hear so many passengers exclaim, "You're my first female driver!" According to Reuters, females make up 1% of the city's drivers so when you see one, it is like finding a silver dollar in your piggy bank; you know they exist but you didn't think they were in regular circulation.
We chatted the entire twenty-minute ride up to Greenwich Village, discussing local politics, housing, tourists, and of course, the weather. She stayed off the phone and followed the rules of the road; every moment was civil and safe- also rare for NYC cab rides. She acted like somebody's mother, the kind who insists that she drive you home, just to be sure that you are delivered safe and sound. I wouldn't guess that every female cab driver acts the same. One could only hope that they somehow conform to this particular woman's style.
Lady, if you read this- keep up the good work and don't let the man get you down!
Can I tell you just how rare this ride was for me? In ten years of city living, I have never been fortunate enough to ride in a woman's cab. When I asked around, my friends could count similar occasions on one hand. In 24 years, one gal recalled two lady cabbies in all. Just two. Another friend of mine remembers a cab driver that fit the same description as mine. Perhaps it was the same one?
It must get a bit annoying to hear so many passengers exclaim, "You're my first female driver!" According to Reuters, females make up 1% of the city's drivers so when you see one, it is like finding a silver dollar in your piggy bank; you know they exist but you didn't think they were in regular circulation.
We chatted the entire twenty-minute ride up to Greenwich Village, discussing local politics, housing, tourists, and of course, the weather. She stayed off the phone and followed the rules of the road; every moment was civil and safe- also rare for NYC cab rides. She acted like somebody's mother, the kind who insists that she drive you home, just to be sure that you are delivered safe and sound. I wouldn't guess that every female cab driver acts the same. One could only hope that they somehow conform to this particular woman's style.
Lady, if you read this- keep up the good work and don't let the man get you down!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Cold August in NY
According to the weather channel, our normally hot August got a dose of autumn yesterday when the temperatures fell to 55°F . That explains my odd urge to pile on the clothing and don a wool hat. Today is a bit better but still a bit too drafty for me at 65°F. This is reminiscent of my years spent in London. Now where did I store all of our tea and cookies?
Monday, August 20, 2007
Auntie Jessie back from Georgia
Sorry about being MIA for so long. My sister had baby number 2 recently and I was fulfilling my auntie duties down in good 'ole ATL. What are the duties of an auntie, you ask? Well, there are many things that an aunt can do, even when the rest of the family is there to help.
For child number 1, it consisted of doing whatever my sister or brother-in-law asked of me (within reason). As a non-driver, that meant that I couldn't pop out to the store from her suburban home. However, we filled the hours with playtime, walks, feeding, reading, and my first attempts at changing diapers. Needless to say, the diaper part was not my favorite. Kids just don't stay still. Now changing her stuffed rabbit, hop-hop, that was a breeze.
As for the newborn child number 2, lot of it went like this "hold him, give him back, hold him, give him back" or "get me that pillow/bottle/bra/water/meds/blanket." At least I had a little breast-feeding advise to dispense from my countless hours of Internet perusing and message-board eavesdropping on helpful mothers. I hope that I remember the same advice if my time ever comes. Eek! My time?
This was the first time I saw my sister so soon after giving birth and boy did she impress me. Uncomfortable and in some pain, she still had a smile on her face and a lot of patience for the new arrival. He had some scary moments adjusting to life outside of the womb, like when he turned blue because his little heart needed a few more hours in order to close up a hole. Even my sister had to readjust to such a dependent and vulnerable child once again. At least, that was what she told me. Does everyone marvel at the size of tiny newborn? Even my undersized hands were able to safely hold him. I suppose some mothers would be happier if they came out even smaller but biology has its reasons...
For child number 1, it consisted of doing whatever my sister or brother-in-law asked of me (within reason). As a non-driver, that meant that I couldn't pop out to the store from her suburban home. However, we filled the hours with playtime, walks, feeding, reading, and my first attempts at changing diapers. Needless to say, the diaper part was not my favorite. Kids just don't stay still. Now changing her stuffed rabbit, hop-hop, that was a breeze.
As for the newborn child number 2, lot of it went like this "hold him, give him back, hold him, give him back" or "get me that pillow/bottle/bra/water/meds/blanket." At least I had a little breast-feeding advise to dispense from my countless hours of Internet perusing and message-board eavesdropping on helpful mothers. I hope that I remember the same advice if my time ever comes. Eek! My time?
This was the first time I saw my sister so soon after giving birth and boy did she impress me. Uncomfortable and in some pain, she still had a smile on her face and a lot of patience for the new arrival. He had some scary moments adjusting to life outside of the womb, like when he turned blue because his little heart needed a few more hours in order to close up a hole. Even my sister had to readjust to such a dependent and vulnerable child once again. At least, that was what she told me. Does everyone marvel at the size of tiny newborn? Even my undersized hands were able to safely hold him. I suppose some mothers would be happier if they came out even smaller but biology has its reasons...
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
A Typical Conversation with My Mom
This is an incredibly funny video from the series "Tales Of Mere Existence" copyright by Lev Yilmaz. Check out his website for more wry animated humor. http://www.ingredientx.com/
We didn't move here for the weather
We had some interesting weather this morning. I woke up to the sound of crashing thunder and thought "Aaah. The sounds of summer." This isn't very unusual. In fact, thunderstorms are to be expected during the height of summer. More unusual for our part of the world were the tornadoes that touched down in Long Island and Brooklyn according to some eye witnesses. USA Today wrote about the tornado in Islip Terrace, Long Island in the article "Tornado, storm slam New York."
It also paralyzed the Metropolitan Transit Authority, but what else is new? Still, it is shocking that the storms and subsequent floods put sixteen subway lines out of service. The only contingency plan offered by the MTA? They advised people to stay home. Truly, very helpful.
Read the NY1 News report here.
Not everyone outside of a major metropolitan city will understand my horror at this complete failure of infrastructure. Maybe you are more used to the pain of driving for an hour in horrible traffic, with the glare of the sun, and hot coffee spilling onto your seat. But imagine this other type of hell: rushing to the subway in the clammy heat of summer, you glance at your watch and feel reassured by the extra 30 minutes you gave yourself to get to work. But at the mouth of the subway station, at the top of the stairs, a line is already forming. You look to the street and taxis are few and far between. But that doesn't matter since you don't have enough cash to get to work because you are on a budget. The crowd of commuters is hot so you open a few buttons on your shirt. Sweat is dripping everywhere. Other people's sweat wipes onto your back, your purse, your cheek (that is the worst). The crowd moves but only enough so that you walk down one step for every two minutes you stand there. Do you give up or stick to plan A? You already wasted precious minutes. Eventually, people begin to move again and you are so excited that you don't notice a large puddle until your right foot crashes directly into it. The crowd stops again and you are trapped, standing in brown water which is slowly seeping through your sensible rain shoes. You gain inches as your nice work trousers sop up the stagnant water. Drops of condensation fall onto your head and into your eye from the ceiling. Finally you see that the crowd is only moving so that they can use the exit on the other side of the station. They are leaving the station because the subway isn't running anyway. You might wonder why you even got out of bed that morning because it would just be one of those days.
I grabbed this off of the MTA.info site:
It also paralyzed the Metropolitan Transit Authority, but what else is new? Still, it is shocking that the storms and subsequent floods put sixteen subway lines out of service. The only contingency plan offered by the MTA? They advised people to stay home. Truly, very helpful.
Read the NY1 News report here.
Not everyone outside of a major metropolitan city will understand my horror at this complete failure of infrastructure. Maybe you are more used to the pain of driving for an hour in horrible traffic, with the glare of the sun, and hot coffee spilling onto your seat. But imagine this other type of hell: rushing to the subway in the clammy heat of summer, you glance at your watch and feel reassured by the extra 30 minutes you gave yourself to get to work. But at the mouth of the subway station, at the top of the stairs, a line is already forming. You look to the street and taxis are few and far between. But that doesn't matter since you don't have enough cash to get to work because you are on a budget. The crowd of commuters is hot so you open a few buttons on your shirt. Sweat is dripping everywhere. Other people's sweat wipes onto your back, your purse, your cheek (that is the worst). The crowd moves but only enough so that you walk down one step for every two minutes you stand there. Do you give up or stick to plan A? You already wasted precious minutes. Eventually, people begin to move again and you are so excited that you don't notice a large puddle until your right foot crashes directly into it. The crowd stops again and you are trapped, standing in brown water which is slowly seeping through your sensible rain shoes. You gain inches as your nice work trousers sop up the stagnant water. Drops of condensation fall onto your head and into your eye from the ceiling. Finally you see that the crowd is only moving so that they can use the exit on the other side of the station. They are leaving the station because the subway isn't running anyway. You might wonder why you even got out of bed that morning because it would just be one of those days.
I grabbed this off of the MTA.info site:
Posted on:8/8/2007 9:39:36 AM
Due to severe flooding throughout the subway system, there are extensive delays on all subway lines. Customers are advised when at all possible to use bus service. The detours are as follows:
There is no 
train service in both directions between the 2nd Avenue Station and the Forest Hills-71st Avenue Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard Station and Whitehall Street Station.
There is no Franklin Avenue Shuttle 
train service in both directions between the Prospect Park Station and the Franklin Avenue Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Long Island City-Court Square Station and the Smith-9th Street Station.
The 
train is running on the 
line in both directions between the Canal Street Station and the DeKalb Avenue Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the 14th Street Station and the South Ferry Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Penn Station-34th Street Station and the Brooklyn College-Flatbush Avenue Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Harlem-148th Street Station and the New Lots Avenue Station.
The 
and 
trains are running local in both directions between the Hoyt-Schermerhorn Station and the Broadway Junction Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the 23rd Street-Ely Avenue Station and the Jamaica Center-Parsons-Archer Station.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Jamaica-179th Street Station and the Forest Hills-71st Avenue Station.
There is no train service in both directions between the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station and the Jay Street-Boro Hall Station.
There is no 
, 
or 
train service in both directions between the 125th Street Station and the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
There is no 
train service in both directions between the Canarsie-Rockaway Parkway Station and the 8th Avenue Station.
There is no 42nd Street Shuttle train service in both directions between the Times Square-42nd Street Station and the Grand Central-42nd Street Station.
Astoria-bound trains are running on the 
or 
lines from the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station to the 36th Street Station.
trains are running with residual delays.
In addition, due to debris on the track at the Church Avenue Station, the 
and 
trains are running on the or line in both directions between the DeKalb Avenue Station and the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station.
Please expect delays in service system wide at this time.
Due to street closures in Mid-town Manhattan, the following diversions will be used until further notice:
Staten Island-bound X2 and X5
From 57th Street, south on Lexington Avenue to 42nd Street, west on 42nd Street to 5th Avenue, south on 5th Avenue to 34th Street, east on 34th Street to Lexington Avenue and regular route.
Buses should pick up at X1 bus stops on 5th Avenue, there is no stop at 41st Street and Lexington Avenue.
M98, M101, M102 and M103 South-bound
Regular route to East 42nd Street, east on 42nd Street to 2nd Avenue, south on 2nd Avenue to 34th Street, west on 34th Street to Lexington Avenue, south on Lexington Avenue and regular route.
While the frozen zone is in effect, please expect delays in service on the X2, X5, M98, M101, M102 and M103.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Another Dr. Who Departure
David Tennant is leaving the series? Say it isn't so! Just when you get used to a new Dr. Who, they go and mess with our emotions by killing off the doctor, or rather, he regenerates so they can replace the actor and go on with the show.
A lot of us were very disappointed by the loss of the intense and mysterious Dr. #9 played by Christopher Eccleston. It was a very dramatic season finale in 2005 when Rose nearly sacrifices her life for his and he, in turn, died for her. But minutes later, thanks to regeneration, the doctor is well again, albeit with a new face and body. I stomped around for a while, unable to watch this new actor take over. How could he ever compare?
Eventually I came to appreciate David Tennant's new doc. His stylish slim suits paired with Converse sneakers and disheveled hair defined him as a hipper version of the character. He wasn't as tough as Eccleston but he still had the energy level to pull off the iconic doctor.
I'm not sure that we are about to lose Dr. #10 but knowing this series, I wouldn't be surprised. I caught this new of the latest doctor departure at syfyportal.com . You can read more about the rumors here. Yes, I am such a nerd for rumor-mongering about science fiction shows.
A lot of us were very disappointed by the loss of the intense and mysterious Dr. #9 played by Christopher Eccleston. It was a very dramatic season finale in 2005 when Rose nearly sacrifices her life for his and he, in turn, died for her. But minutes later, thanks to regeneration, the doctor is well again, albeit with a new face and body. I stomped around for a while, unable to watch this new actor take over. How could he ever compare?
Eventually I came to appreciate David Tennant's new doc. His stylish slim suits paired with Converse sneakers and disheveled hair defined him as a hipper version of the character. He wasn't as tough as Eccleston but he still had the energy level to pull off the iconic doctor.
I'm not sure that we are about to lose Dr. #10 but knowing this series, I wouldn't be surprised. I caught this new of the latest doctor departure at syfyportal.com . You can read more about the rumors here. Yes, I am such a nerd for rumor-mongering about science fiction shows.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Climate Change Brought in for Questioning
Suspect #1, a.k.a. Global Warming, a.k.a. Climate Change, was brought in for questioning regarding its role in our increasingly scary hurricane seasons.
Researchers Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology analyzed a century of storm data to uncover whether the increasing storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic—observed by scientist and layman alike—are a result of natural cycles or human induced climate change. The authors of the study concluded that the frequency of tropical storms are increasing with the rising rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs). In turn, the cause of the warming SSTs looks like human produced greenhouse gases. So it isn't looking too good for C.C. (climate change) who is already up for charges for melting ice in the Arctic, and consequently adding to the mortality of polar bears in the region as well as economic instability for the local humans.
Image courtesy Steve Deyo, ©UCAR
Holland and Webster gathered storm and temperature statistics for the North Atlantic from 1900 to 2005 and found that they had increased in two sharp step functions (around 1930 and since 1995) separated by periods of relative stable activity. (Shown in graphic). They measured an increase in ocean temperature by approximately 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit before each period of increased storm activity. This last period has not yet ended so we could be looking at a few more interesting storm seasons up ahead.
This isn't the first report to link higher hurricane activity with sea-surface temperatures. Now, I haven't checked into every paper published on the subject, by I found at least one other report in Science online here. The paper by Holland and Webster contains a comprehensive list.
This information will no doubt make most of us wonder about Hurricane Katrina and just where we can lay the blame for that one. So far, no one has proven Climate Change to be solely responsible for the storm, as intense storms occur during every natural cycle and the ratio of major hurricanes to tropical storms still sits at around 55%. However, the frequency of these major hurricanes have increased with the increase in overall cyclones. A major hurricane is categorized as having over 110 mph 177 (km/h) winds. Katrina's winds reached up to 170 mph 274 (km/h) and its landfall speeds reached 125 mph (201 km/h).
The full report by Holland and Webster is published online in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London on July 30th. A detailed press release from the Georgia Institute of Technology is available here. Tell me if I missed anything.
If you want to learn more about climate change in general, the New Scientist has an interesting roundup of the 26 most common myths about climate change. Check it out.
Researchers Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Peter Webster of Georgia Institute of Technology analyzed a century of storm data to uncover whether the increasing storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic—observed by scientist and layman alike—are a result of natural cycles or human induced climate change. The authors of the study concluded that the frequency of tropical storms are increasing with the rising rising sea surface temperatures (SSTs). In turn, the cause of the warming SSTs looks like human produced greenhouse gases. So it isn't looking too good for C.C. (climate change) who is already up for charges for melting ice in the Arctic, and consequently adding to the mortality of polar bears in the region as well as economic instability for the local humans.
Image courtesy Steve Deyo, ©UCARThis isn't the first report to link higher hurricane activity with sea-surface temperatures. Now, I haven't checked into every paper published on the subject, by I found at least one other report in Science online here. The paper by Holland and Webster contains a comprehensive list.
This information will no doubt make most of us wonder about Hurricane Katrina and just where we can lay the blame for that one. So far, no one has proven Climate Change to be solely responsible for the storm, as intense storms occur during every natural cycle and the ratio of major hurricanes to tropical storms still sits at around 55%. However, the frequency of these major hurricanes have increased with the increase in overall cyclones. A major hurricane is categorized as having over 110 mph 177 (km/h) winds. Katrina's winds reached up to 170 mph 274 (km/h) and its landfall speeds reached 125 mph (201 km/h).
The full report by Holland and Webster is published online in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London on July 30th. A detailed press release from the Georgia Institute of Technology is available here. Tell me if I missed anything.
If you want to learn more about climate change in general, the New Scientist has an interesting roundup of the 26 most common myths about climate change. Check it out.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Operation Banner Ends
From the BBC: The British army's operation in Northern Ireland will come to an end at midnight on Tuesday after 38 years. They are reducing their presence from N.I. from 27,000 soldiers to 5,000.
From the International Herald Tribune: The British Army, for 38 years a prominent symbol of the sectarian antagonisms of Northern Ireland, closed down its operations there Tuesday.
Just in case you missed it! I've been relying on too many American news sources and almost missed it too.
From the International Herald Tribune: The British Army, for 38 years a prominent symbol of the sectarian antagonisms of Northern Ireland, closed down its operations there Tuesday.
Just in case you missed it! I've been relying on too many American news sources and almost missed it too.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Brunch and Celebs on Sunday
Elijah Wood looks like a normal kinda guy. We saw him leaving a local diner in Brooklyn with a few other youngish folks. Of course I wondered, is that Elijah Wood, my favorite hobbit or does that man look too much like him to be true? Once he lit his cigarette and flashed those baby blues, I knew for certain that it was Elijah. It was mid-afternoon on Sunday, rather late for second breakfast, so he was probably finishing up his brunch.
Is it just me, or do all of the normal celebrities stick to NYC while all of the basket cases tend to make their homes in LA? I've been celebrity spotting for ten years and have yet to be flashed, screamed at, or insulted by any of these people. Although, you could you count the time a large body guard belonging to P. Diddy (or whatever he is called) tried to intimidate a friend and me so that we kept the appropriate distance from his table at Joe's Pub.
My man and I were on our way to our own brunch-scapade with 14 friends of friends. It was our second time at Patois but I will return again soon. Lovely food. And the fritatta with artichokes, potatoes, and tomatoes simply hit the spot. My IMDB research informed me that artichokes are a favorite of Elijah's as well, so I would recommend he try it too. The only complaint from our group- the egg dish (hollandaise?) with smoked salmon was a bit too light on the salmon. The Paupered Chef went so far as to call it the best brunch in Brooklyn.
Is it just me, or do all of the normal celebrities stick to NYC while all of the basket cases tend to make their homes in LA? I've been celebrity spotting for ten years and have yet to be flashed, screamed at, or insulted by any of these people. Although, you could you count the time a large body guard belonging to P. Diddy (or whatever he is called) tried to intimidate a friend and me so that we kept the appropriate distance from his table at Joe's Pub.
My man and I were on our way to our own brunch-scapade with 14 friends of friends. It was our second time at Patois but I will return again soon. Lovely food. And the fritatta with artichokes, potatoes, and tomatoes simply hit the spot. My IMDB research informed me that artichokes are a favorite of Elijah's as well, so I would recommend he try it too. The only complaint from our group- the egg dish (hollandaise?) with smoked salmon was a bit too light on the salmon. The Paupered Chef went so far as to call it the best brunch in Brooklyn.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Marlena Shaw at the Jazz Standard
We just got back from an excellent show at the Jazz Standard, this moody venue just beneath the rib joint Blue Smoke. Want to know who we saw? My title should give that away. Marlena Shaw was excellent. She has a voice that could knock down a house and a sense of humor that had us laughing like we knew her.
You don't know Marlena Shaw? Well, she produced disco, R&B, and jazz hits in her she got her start in the 1960s and recorded on Chess Records sub-label, Cadet Records. Among her hit songs are "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" "Woman of the Ghetto," "Go Away, Little Boy" and "Feel Like Makin' Love." You can read a bit more about her at her agency's website here.
You don't know Marlena Shaw? Well, she produced disco, R&B, and jazz hits in her she got her start in the 1960s and recorded on Chess Records sub-label, Cadet Records. Among her hit songs are "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" "Woman of the Ghetto," "Go Away, Little Boy" and "Feel Like Makin' Love." You can read a bit more about her at her agency's website here.
Oregano fighting flesh-eating bacteria and other cupboard cures
A science editor friend of mine, who you shall know as "sciwrytress," took a fancy to the earlier flesh-eating bacteria story. After a little digging around on the topic, she found a few instances of natural antibiotics found in most of our cupboards. Oregano oil, chili peppers, turmeric are among the bacteria and/or parasite fighters.
Sciwrytress adds, "I think it works because plants use these kinds of chemicals to protect themselves from bacteria, etc. and hit upon something hard to evolve resistance against. There were other studies around the time of this last one showing that the herbs and spices most frequently used by people in a given region of the world (curry in the Indian peninsula, cilantro and chilies in Mexico,parsley and onions in parts of Europe, etc.) happened to be the ones most effective against local bacteria and parasites. People are pretty smart, huh?..."
Here is a quick survey of just some of the research using spices:
Oregano:
In 2001, Science Daily published a report from the Georgetown University Medical Center on their research with oregano oil and carvacrol, a chemical component of oregano which has also been show to kill off E. Coli. Georgetown University researchers combined oregano oil with staphylococcus bacteria in a test tube and observed that even low doses stopped the bacteria from growing, and in fact, stood up to the staph as well as traditional antibiotics. You can read the full story here. Just so we're all on the same page, staph infections are not "staff" infections and hence they are not necessarily something that you get from the staff at a hospital. Although it can happen.
Chilies, or capsaicin:
In 2001, the New Scientist reported a study at Virginia Tech University where scientists fed chickens with the capsaicin, the chemical that provides the hotness in chili peppers. The birds were then infected with Salmonella enteritidis. The chickens didn't have a spicier flavor but they had a significantly lower number of germs in their organs compared to those birds who weren't fedcapsaicin. For more information, check out the full story from the New Scientist " Chilli-eating chickens repel bacteria."
Turmeric, specifically the yellow bit curcumin:
In 2005, the New Scientist reported research on curcumin from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The scientists tested the effects of curcumin on mice and found that five daily doses of the spice reduced the number of plasmodium berghei parasites in the bloodstream. You can read the rest in article "Spice takes sting out of malaria." An even more interesting follow up to this research is available on SciDevNet " "Turmeric can combat malaria, cancer virus and HIV."
____________________________________________
We have every reason to worry about the overuse of antibiotics and the emergence of super bugs, but this research should give us some hope. We may discover that some of those old folk remedies, which were so easily dismissed by the medical establishment, could be just what the doctor ordered.
For more on the medicinal properties of chilies, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, saffron, garlic and onions can be found on the website for the Royal Society of Chemistry http://www.rsc.org/Education/EiC/issues/2006May/SpicingupChemistry.asp
Sciwrytress adds, "I think it works because plants use these kinds of chemicals to protect themselves from bacteria, etc. and hit upon something hard to evolve resistance against. There were other studies around the time of this last one showing that the herbs and spices most frequently used by people in a given region of the world (curry in the Indian peninsula, cilantro and chilies in Mexico,parsley and onions in parts of Europe, etc.) happened to be the ones most effective against local bacteria and parasites. People are pretty smart, huh?..."
Here is a quick survey of just some of the research using spices:
Oregano:
In 2001, Science Daily published a report from the Georgetown University Medical Center on their research with oregano oil and carvacrol, a chemical component of oregano which has also been show to kill off E. Coli. Georgetown University researchers combined oregano oil with staphylococcus bacteria in a test tube and observed that even low doses stopped the bacteria from growing, and in fact, stood up to the staph as well as traditional antibiotics. You can read the full story here. Just so we're all on the same page, staph infections are not "staff" infections and hence they are not necessarily something that you get from the staff at a hospital. Although it can happen.
Chilies, or capsaicin:
In 2001, the New Scientist reported a study at Virginia Tech University where scientists fed chickens with the capsaicin, the chemical that provides the hotness in chili peppers. The birds were then infected with Salmonella enteritidis. The chickens didn't have a spicier flavor but they had a significantly lower number of germs in their organs compared to those birds who weren't fedcapsaicin. For more information, check out the full story from the New Scientist " Chilli-eating chickens repel bacteria."
Turmeric, specifically the yellow bit curcumin:
In 2005, the New Scientist reported research on curcumin from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The scientists tested the effects of curcumin on mice and found that five daily doses of the spice reduced the number of plasmodium berghei parasites in the bloodstream. You can read the rest in article "Spice takes sting out of malaria." An even more interesting follow up to this research is available on SciDevNet " "Turmeric can combat malaria, cancer virus and HIV."
____________________________________________
We have every reason to worry about the overuse of antibiotics and the emergence of super bugs, but this research should give us some hope. We may discover that some of those old folk remedies, which were so easily dismissed by the medical establishment, could be just what the doctor ordered.
For more on the medicinal properties of chilies, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, saffron, garlic and onions can be found on the website for the Royal Society of Chemistry http://www.rsc.org/Education/EiC/issues/2006May/SpicingupChemistry.asp
Friday, July 27, 2007
On a plane, pilot outranks sheikh
Okay, I was procrastinating and reading random tidbits of news when I ran across this one Sheikh delays plane over seating. I wondered if he just was stuck in economy and wanted a better seat. I mean, if I were called Sheikh I might make all kinds of requests "I am a sheikh, I demand access to the first class bathroom." Or "You call this a chicken cutlet? I demand a decent steak even at 30, 000 feet!" That is one cool title.
But alas, the story is weirder than that. Reuters reported that the problem occurred on a British Airways flight from Milan to London. The sheik and his entourage of over seven people (including a servant) were seated together in business class when suddenly they realized that the women in the group were not sitting next to men that they knew. Eek! Strangers! On a plane? That is just crazy talk, I mean, I just bring my 200 best friends with me on all of my travels so this never happens to moi.
No one else agreed to swap seats and I imagine that they too had their reasons. So the sheik complained to the pilot and before long, he and his group got the boot. Meanwhile many the rest of the passengers, including those silly peons in economy (my neck of the woods) were delayed by three hours. At least we know who won that battle of wills! Or do we?
But alas, the story is weirder than that. Reuters reported that the problem occurred on a British Airways flight from Milan to London. The sheik and his entourage of over seven people (including a servant) were seated together in business class when suddenly they realized that the women in the group were not sitting next to men that they knew. Eek! Strangers! On a plane? That is just crazy talk, I mean, I just bring my 200 best friends with me on all of my travels so this never happens to moi.
No one else agreed to swap seats and I imagine that they too had their reasons. So the sheik complained to the pilot and before long, he and his group got the boot. Meanwhile many the rest of the passengers, including those silly peons in economy (my neck of the woods) were delayed by three hours. At least we know who won that battle of wills! Or do we?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Ahh, the garden
Trumpet vines frame the entrance to the garden from the house.
These might be Hydrangeas
The Red Lily
Hydrangeas on the footpath
This fish/snail/frog pond gets its share of visitors. Can you see the rabbit?
A very large beaver visited over the weekend too.
Hydrangea
Last but not least, the very proud sunflower hedge, planted just a few months ago.
I may be dressed as my version of a gardener but I hardly have a green thumb. My two parents, along with my nature-loving grandmother cultivate nature wherever they go, from Washington State to New Jersey, England to Romania. Just thought I'd share a bit of it with you.
Images (Copyright© A. Hornick)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Takes a Bite
More ocean scares from Galveston, Texas: www.click2houston.com.
After thirty minutes of fishing in the warm waters of Texas, bacteria found a chance to enter his blood stream through a cut in his leg. Within days, he developed a sever infection and may lose the entire leg.
If you have an open wound and insist on entering warm ocean waters, be aware of the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. If you do have a cut of any sort, wash your wound with rubbing alcohol as soon as you leave the water. This bacteria can also spread to humans through contaminated seafood (mostly shellfish) but most of us know about the dangers of bad shellfish.
Flesh-eating bacteria in the ocean? That's a new one for me and it's going on my list. With all of its dangers, why are we so drawn to the clear blue ocean waters?
After thirty minutes of fishing in the warm waters of Texas, bacteria found a chance to enter his blood stream through a cut in his leg. Within days, he developed a sever infection and may lose the entire leg.
If you have an open wound and insist on entering warm ocean waters, be aware of the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus. If you do have a cut of any sort, wash your wound with rubbing alcohol as soon as you leave the water. This bacteria can also spread to humans through contaminated seafood (mostly shellfish) but most of us know about the dangers of bad shellfish.
Flesh-eating bacteria in the ocean? That's a new one for me and it's going on my list. With all of its dangers, why are we so drawn to the clear blue ocean waters?
Friday, July 13, 2007
Abandoned Gold Mine to be Underground Lab
Ever since I saw Lex Luther's sprawling hideout under Metropolis, I've always wanted my own underground "evil lair." Even some of the comic book good guys are allowed secret hideouts with fantastic techno-gadgets. Apparently scientists are also looking for the same type of real estate for their laboratories.
According to nature.com, the National Science Foundation has recently chosen an abandoned gold mine in South Dakota for an underground laboratory. They can conduct amazing experiments like mixing bat and dog genes together to make bat dogs. But I highly doubt that has made it into the agenda just yet. The current plan is to experiment on neutrons to create neutrinoless double-beta decay, a baffling title for a giant physics experiment that needs to be hidden 2,250 meters below the surface of the Earth. Very spooky.
Ever wonder if our physicists could accidentally create a black hole or recreate the Big Bang if they aren't careful? Well, don't let that keep you up at night. That is my job.
According to nature.com, the National Science Foundation has recently chosen an abandoned gold mine in South Dakota for an underground laboratory. They can conduct amazing experiments like mixing bat and dog genes together to make bat dogs. But I highly doubt that has made it into the agenda just yet. The current plan is to experiment on neutrons to create neutrinoless double-beta decay, a baffling title for a giant physics experiment that needs to be hidden 2,250 meters below the surface of the Earth. Very spooky.
Ever wonder if our physicists could accidentally create a black hole or recreate the Big Bang if they aren't careful? Well, don't let that keep you up at night. That is my job.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The weather is breaking my brain
It's been too hot. You would think that writing a blog entry requires very little brainpower. That is wrong, my friend! We haven't even suffered any temperatures above 98 degrees but just you try sitting in a little windowless room in a New York heatwave and try to write. So once I peel off that sopping wet thinking cap, I'll get back to it. Promise.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Stars in Cafes
In response to a comment about the Dancing Ladies entry- yes that was Emily Mortimer at my local cafe! I checked around a bit and read that she did indeed move to my part of Brooklyn in 2006.
She looks so much like herself on screen that I kept second-guessing my keen sense of celebrity identification. That reminds me of a similar situation with Henry Fonda's character in the movie "Lady Eve." When Eve, a con artist that he met on a cruise liner, showed up at his house, he didn't believe it was her because she looked exactly the same:
If she came here with her hair dyed yellow and eyebrows different or something...But she didn't dye her hair and she didn't pretend she'd never seen me before which is the first thing that anybody'd do. She says I look familiar...If she didn't look so exactly like the other girl, I might be suspicious, but you don't understand psychology. If you wanted to pretend you were somebody else, you'd glue a muff on your chin and the dog wouldn't even bark at ya.
(I grabbed this quote from http://www.filmsite.org.)
If this teaches me anything, it is to trust my celebrity spotting instincts. Although I would much prefer some kind of useful instinct, like somehow knowing how to unlock a safe, deliver a baby, revive a cardiac patient, disarm an armed attacker, hear sharks from 3 miles away, smell E-Coli in picnic baskets, etc.
She looks so much like herself on screen that I kept second-guessing my keen sense of celebrity identification. That reminds me of a similar situation with Henry Fonda's character in the movie "Lady Eve." When Eve, a con artist that he met on a cruise liner, showed up at his house, he didn't believe it was her because she looked exactly the same:
If she came here with her hair dyed yellow and eyebrows different or something...But she didn't dye her hair and she didn't pretend she'd never seen me before which is the first thing that anybody'd do. She says I look familiar...If she didn't look so exactly like the other girl, I might be suspicious, but you don't understand psychology. If you wanted to pretend you were somebody else, you'd glue a muff on your chin and the dog wouldn't even bark at ya.
(I grabbed this quote from http://www.filmsite.org.)
If this teaches me anything, it is to trust my celebrity spotting instincts. Although I would much prefer some kind of useful instinct, like somehow knowing how to unlock a safe, deliver a baby, revive a cardiac patient, disarm an armed attacker, hear sharks from 3 miles away, smell E-Coli in picnic baskets, etc.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
No Fake Smiles from Brown
My husband and I were away last weekend, aiming at a relaxing break to forget our worries when his home country hit the news. Apparently a sleeper cell decided to appoint themselves the Gordon Brown Welcome Wagon. This group of bungling terrorists decided to mark the beginning of his term with failed car bombs in London and a quick crash into the Glasgow Airport. After the authorities issued a few reports assuring us that their plans turned into a failure, we found the energy for some explicative-filled tirades against the would-be killers before calming down for some quiet reflection.
As I slowly sunburned in very odd places—like the middle of my forehead and my right big toe, I wondered if we were living in a Luis Bunuel film. Will this be known as the era that we filled our days with meaningless escapades and preoccupations so as to avoid the thought of random death? Good lord! Is this why I keep seeing idiot starlets on real news channels—because none of us can stand to hear the painful truth?
P.M. Brown seemed to deal with the situation quite well and you can see his response in this video on nytimes.com. He was everything you would expect in a British politician. He was quick to get to the point, left off the fake smiles, and didn't include meaningless touchy-feeling-happy-clappy phrases to make the public feel better. I already like him more than Tony Blair.
As I slowly sunburned in very odd places—like the middle of my forehead and my right big toe, I wondered if we were living in a Luis Bunuel film. Will this be known as the era that we filled our days with meaningless escapades and preoccupations so as to avoid the thought of random death? Good lord! Is this why I keep seeing idiot starlets on real news channels—because none of us can stand to hear the painful truth?
P.M. Brown seemed to deal with the situation quite well and you can see his response in this video on nytimes.com. He was everything you would expect in a British politician. He was quick to get to the point, left off the fake smiles, and didn't include meaningless touchy-feeling-happy-clappy phrases to make the public feel better. I already like him more than Tony Blair.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Goodbye Tony, Hello Gordon
The decade of Tony Blair is over and another Scot is now taking the role of Prime Minister of the U.K. Gordon Brown was Chancellor of the Exchequer (finance minister) from 1997-2007 and an MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath since 2005. But Gordon Brown's career in politics and civil service stretches far back to the early days in Edinburgh University. There is a quick bio available on BBC News here. He is often criticized for a lack of charisma but he must have had some magnetism for the "Brown Sugars" who accompanied Brown on photo opportunities during his campaign for university Rector, according to the report. I still need to see some evidence of these girls in miniskirts.
Monday, June 25, 2007
A Good Joke
(Courtesy of Nick Fox-Gieg http://www.fox-gieg.com)
It's been a while since I've heard a good joke. How about you? When you start a joke with this line, "One gray rainy day, the Pope wakes up in a bad mood," it could go either way. But I actually laughed out loud at this one.Living on location
It is a rare moment when you can refuse a business opportunity, when the money just isn't worth it even if it seems to land on your doorstep. This happened to me just last week.
I was at my computer wearing only the grungiest of clothes when someone buzzed my apartment from the street. I was slightly unkempt since I was working from my home office and hadn't any social engagements planned that day. So I tried to ignore the call just in case I would have to show my face and very frizzy hair to a stranger. But after few minutes, every single apartment in the building was buzzing because of this individual who just wouldn't quit. I had to give in, and being one of the three or so people working from home, it was probably my turn to let the UPS/Meter reader/lost soul into the building.
Once I got to the video monitor, I saw that it was a slightly frazzled looking woman standing at the door outside. Another neighbor who forgot her keys? Not this time. She was a scouting agent looking to film a commercial in one of our apartments. They were offering a fee for the use of our rental and promised only one or two days of inconvenience. Would I be interested? Now, someone might find this to be an exciting opportunity, a chance to get into the world of television, and basically, money for nothing.
But I didn't bite. Much like the time that I ducked from my windows when the cult of Korean yoga instructors called me (long story), my first instinct was to run away. My anxiety levels shot up as I imagined a crew of burly television people invading my space while several diva-ish actors stomp all over the place or make unreasonable demands on my bathroom. While I am locked out of my own apartment, I would drink a gallon of water to compensate for my nervous sweating from worry over property damage, the rearrangement of my furniture, or a horrible accident with one of our favorite plants. I declined as politely as possible and turned off the intercom before she had a chance to sell me this opportunity.
New York is constantly renting itself out to film crews. Just a month ago the streets of Cobble Hill were full of huge trucks and equipment for the film "Baby Mama." When I lived on the campus at New York University, my roommates and I often had problems navigating the streets and sidewalks on our way to class. One early morning I just couldn't take it anymore. They had closed off every known route to my first class of the day. So, I cursed about the whole situation and blamed Hugh Grant in particular for filming "Mickey Blue Eyes" in my extended personal space. Hugh Grant happened to hear me and affected the "Please don't blame me, I don't even want to be here" look--which was a bit endearing.
After a while the sight of a film crew just loses its glamor and becomes just another group of people making a living in the city. So I would prefer to let them get on with their work somewhere else.
I was at my computer wearing only the grungiest of clothes when someone buzzed my apartment from the street. I was slightly unkempt since I was working from my home office and hadn't any social engagements planned that day. So I tried to ignore the call just in case I would have to show my face and very frizzy hair to a stranger. But after few minutes, every single apartment in the building was buzzing because of this individual who just wouldn't quit. I had to give in, and being one of the three or so people working from home, it was probably my turn to let the UPS/Meter reader/lost soul into the building.
Once I got to the video monitor, I saw that it was a slightly frazzled looking woman standing at the door outside. Another neighbor who forgot her keys? Not this time. She was a scouting agent looking to film a commercial in one of our apartments. They were offering a fee for the use of our rental and promised only one or two days of inconvenience. Would I be interested? Now, someone might find this to be an exciting opportunity, a chance to get into the world of television, and basically, money for nothing.
But I didn't bite. Much like the time that I ducked from my windows when the cult of Korean yoga instructors called me (long story), my first instinct was to run away. My anxiety levels shot up as I imagined a crew of burly television people invading my space while several diva-ish actors stomp all over the place or make unreasonable demands on my bathroom. While I am locked out of my own apartment, I would drink a gallon of water to compensate for my nervous sweating from worry over property damage, the rearrangement of my furniture, or a horrible accident with one of our favorite plants. I declined as politely as possible and turned off the intercom before she had a chance to sell me this opportunity.
New York is constantly renting itself out to film crews. Just a month ago the streets of Cobble Hill were full of huge trucks and equipment for the film "Baby Mama." When I lived on the campus at New York University, my roommates and I often had problems navigating the streets and sidewalks on our way to class. One early morning I just couldn't take it anymore. They had closed off every known route to my first class of the day. So, I cursed about the whole situation and blamed Hugh Grant in particular for filming "Mickey Blue Eyes" in my extended personal space. Hugh Grant happened to hear me and affected the "Please don't blame me, I don't even want to be here" look--which was a bit endearing.
After a while the sight of a film crew just loses its glamor and becomes just another group of people making a living in the city. So I would prefer to let them get on with their work somewhere else.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Spike Joining the Dr. Who Universe
Spike (James Marsters) was a very special peroxide player in the Buffy universe. He probably had the most interesting character arc as well. He began as an evil vampire mastermind, then after a failed attempt to kill Angel and take over, he was confined to a wheelchair during a long recovery, and finally he joined forces with Buffy to kill the evil Angelis. That was just in season 2. By the end of the series, Spike is one of the good guys, a true champion, often shirtless, and very funny. He popped over for the end of the Angel series and gave the star of the show (David Boreanaz) just the kick in the pants he needed.
If anyone else wanted to know what happened to this favorite from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, check out this article on SyFy Portal "James Marsters Makes Way To 'Torchwood'"
If anyone else wanted to know what happened to this favorite from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, check out this article on SyFy Portal "James Marsters Makes Way To 'Torchwood'"
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Dancing Ladies
After a lovely cafe lunch, just tables from a chatty Emily Mortimer (or her doppelganger) and friend, I decided to grab a few of life's essentials at our local grocery store.
There was something extremely depressing about the fluorescent lights and piped music. Every one of my fellow shoppers looked like slight variations on a type—each in their late 60s to 70s with the same gray-white hair, cut to the same bob, hovering around the frozen dinners and comparing garbage bags. Altogether, it was a creepy scene.
I had to find some peanut butter and my favorite instant breakfast drink before losing my will to live. But then something happened before my eyes. These dreary ladies transformed from shuffling shoppers into dancing boppers. Where was my camera?! Up and down every aisle, they were singing and dancing like nothing I'd ever seen. Not that they turned into the caste of Chicago but they were each performing in their own way, some quietly singing along and others shaking it in the aisles. The song? Oh the title of that song will always be a mystery, but I believe it was a major hit in 1960.
There was something extremely depressing about the fluorescent lights and piped music. Every one of my fellow shoppers looked like slight variations on a type—each in their late 60s to 70s with the same gray-white hair, cut to the same bob, hovering around the frozen dinners and comparing garbage bags. Altogether, it was a creepy scene.
I had to find some peanut butter and my favorite instant breakfast drink before losing my will to live. But then something happened before my eyes. These dreary ladies transformed from shuffling shoppers into dancing boppers. Where was my camera?! Up and down every aisle, they were singing and dancing like nothing I'd ever seen. Not that they turned into the caste of Chicago but they were each performing in their own way, some quietly singing along and others shaking it in the aisles. The song? Oh the title of that song will always be a mystery, but I believe it was a major hit in 1960.
Feeling Everyone's Pain and Pleasure
Did you know that some people may have an unstoppable physical reaction to seeing violence or touch of any kind? In a new study at the University College London, a group of individuals exhibited the rare ability to feel the physical sensations of another person- you touch his arm, she feels the sensation in the same part of her arm too. The condition is called mirror-touch synesthesia.
Synesthesia occurs when a person experiences an unusual combination of senses at the same time. The particular sensations are different in each case. Someone might experience a mixture of taste and shape *That steak was very prickly!* or sight and sound. Numbers, letters, or notes correspond to colors like this: 5, 8, 10, a, b. Unlike reported LSD experiences, the phenomenon isn't temporary and the synesthete is born with this genetic condition.
What makes this particular form of synesthesia even more interesting is the combination of empathy and touch. Our mirror neurons are thought to be active in humans and other animals when we experience empathy, this explains "mirror-touch synesthesia."
This Science Now article, "My Brain Feels Your Brain" summarizes the study in which several people had mirror-touch synesthesia.
"They had the individuals and members of a control group report where they felt a touch on their bodies while observing another person being touched. During the task, an actual touch was applied to their bodies as well--either at the same location as the person being observed or at a different location. The researchers found that mirror-touch synesthetes were quicker at detecting actual touch when it was applied to the same location as that of the person they were watching. They were also more likely than control subjects to report a synesthetic touch as a real touch."
Even I thought it was painful to watch the foot breaking scene in "Misery" but could you imagine what it might be like for some of these people? Do they lose their heads every time a Stephen King character slashes a throat? The subjects weren't given a special horror/gore movie test as far as I know. On the bright side, what if they feel the effects of a massage just by watching?
Synesthesia occurs when a person experiences an unusual combination of senses at the same time. The particular sensations are different in each case. Someone might experience a mixture of taste and shape *That steak was very prickly!* or sight and sound. Numbers, letters, or notes correspond to colors like this: 5, 8, 10, a, b. Unlike reported LSD experiences, the phenomenon isn't temporary and the synesthete is born with this genetic condition.
What makes this particular form of synesthesia even more interesting is the combination of empathy and touch. Our mirror neurons are thought to be active in humans and other animals when we experience empathy, this explains "mirror-touch synesthesia."
This Science Now article, "My Brain Feels Your Brain" summarizes the study in which several people had mirror-touch synesthesia.
"They had the individuals and members of a control group report where they felt a touch on their bodies while observing another person being touched. During the task, an actual touch was applied to their bodies as well--either at the same location as the person being observed or at a different location. The researchers found that mirror-touch synesthetes were quicker at detecting actual touch when it was applied to the same location as that of the person they were watching. They were also more likely than control subjects to report a synesthetic touch as a real touch."
Even I thought it was painful to watch the foot breaking scene in "Misery" but could you imagine what it might be like for some of these people? Do they lose their heads every time a Stephen King character slashes a throat? The subjects weren't given a special horror/gore movie test as far as I know. On the bright side, what if they feel the effects of a massage just by watching?
Monday, June 18, 2007
Xanadu on Broadway
A place. Where nobody dares to go. The love that we came to know. They called it Xanadu.... A million lights are dancing and there you are, a shooting star...Now we are here in Xanadu.
Have my campy dreams come true? I am crying animated tears of joy. Check out the website featuring Olivia Newton-John's title song.
Have my campy dreams come true? I am crying animated tears of joy. Check out the website featuring Olivia Newton-John's title song.
Insomnia
It finally happened. The big bad sleep disorder or syndrome or whatever called insomnia. I probably had a mild case. After all of these years of bad boyfriends, worries over grades, encounters with terrorists, and a sincere belief in ghosts did it finally happen to me?
At first I didn't believe that I was the type. There used to be a time when I looked forward to those few minutes before falling asleep when I could imagine any world or any situation to please myself. There was a few recurring fantasies about having superpowers and saving orphanages full of children. Sometimes I fulfilled my dress-up fantasies and imagined the 18th century court at Versailles. Then there were the typical pirates on the high seas scenarios where I convince the captain of the ship to let me take charge of the whole operation.
Then there are the dreams. I love to dream. I can remember some of my favorites up to 15 years ago. There is that one fascinating nightmare that I had as a four year old that I still can't shake where I was walking in a beautiful ballroom of some fancy hotel when WHAM! and explosion destroys the world around me, leaving shards of glass and twisted metal all around me. But even then, after waking from this horrifying apocalypse, I was never kept awake for too long. More sleep awaited me. A better dream. You can live out an entire alternate life within the nightly sleep cycle. I've been different races. In a few I lived as the other sex— and sometimes both at once. That was a very odd dream indeed.
For five days last week the sweetness of a full night's sleep eluded me. Each night it would start with a loud bang around 3.30-4.00 a.m. On night #1 I decided to scare myself with an overactive imagination. I scanned the room for the noise source. Looking at our closet I saw an impossibly large man standing in the dark. An intruder! He was going to kill me in my sleep but obviously froze up when I heard his clumsy entrance. But after a few moments and a bit more focus, I realized that it was just a mess of clothes dangling off hangers and onto the floor. I was safe, for the time being.
Then it happened again, each night for five nights last week and the bang and wallop of the crashing sounds outside also gave me a little clue. Oh yes, it was coming from my busy Brooklyn street. No real surprise there, I suppose. You can bet it is one of those garbage trucks. That, or a cement mixer. Oh why can't they work normal hours?
You may be thinking, "That is not insomnia, you foolish woman." But let me finish. Within moments I forget about the outside world and realize that I am not only awake but wide awake. This is an important distinction because when you are overtired, some kind of kick occurs inside of the brain and before you know it all of the worries of the day come flooding into the mind: must get renters' insurance; need to learn to drive like every other American; or why is it so hard to figure out the paperwork for my tiny retirement account? Those are only the first three upsetting thoughts among the dozen or so that can drive a person mad at 3.30 in the morning when nothing is to be done.
There will always be something to keep a person awake all night. Health fears, love fears, and general confusion about how to navigate our lives. THE MAN has made it very difficult indeed. But I now know the answer to insomnia of this sort.
My insomnia cure
Do not drink coffee after your supper. Make sure you finish that glass of wine at least 1.5 hours before bed. Turn on a fan or air conditioner to block out the noise and keep an extra pillow nearby in order to attach them to either side of your head if necessary. Most importantly, be sure to knock at least one item from your list of things-to-do during the day. (We finally got that insurance we needed. ) If all else fails, try to answer the following questions:
1. What are the three basic rock types?
2. What did you eat for lunch three days ago?
3. What is the difference between the summer solstice and spring equinox?
4. What is the birth order of your 3 best friends?
5. Which fantasy vacation do you find most appealing?
I guarantee that you will fall asleep within 20 minutes.
At first I didn't believe that I was the type. There used to be a time when I looked forward to those few minutes before falling asleep when I could imagine any world or any situation to please myself. There was a few recurring fantasies about having superpowers and saving orphanages full of children. Sometimes I fulfilled my dress-up fantasies and imagined the 18th century court at Versailles. Then there were the typical pirates on the high seas scenarios where I convince the captain of the ship to let me take charge of the whole operation.
Then there are the dreams. I love to dream. I can remember some of my favorites up to 15 years ago. There is that one fascinating nightmare that I had as a four year old that I still can't shake where I was walking in a beautiful ballroom of some fancy hotel when WHAM! and explosion destroys the world around me, leaving shards of glass and twisted metal all around me. But even then, after waking from this horrifying apocalypse, I was never kept awake for too long. More sleep awaited me. A better dream. You can live out an entire alternate life within the nightly sleep cycle. I've been different races. In a few I lived as the other sex— and sometimes both at once. That was a very odd dream indeed.
For five days last week the sweetness of a full night's sleep eluded me. Each night it would start with a loud bang around 3.30-4.00 a.m. On night #1 I decided to scare myself with an overactive imagination. I scanned the room for the noise source. Looking at our closet I saw an impossibly large man standing in the dark. An intruder! He was going to kill me in my sleep but obviously froze up when I heard his clumsy entrance. But after a few moments and a bit more focus, I realized that it was just a mess of clothes dangling off hangers and onto the floor. I was safe, for the time being.
Then it happened again, each night for five nights last week and the bang and wallop of the crashing sounds outside also gave me a little clue. Oh yes, it was coming from my busy Brooklyn street. No real surprise there, I suppose. You can bet it is one of those garbage trucks. That, or a cement mixer. Oh why can't they work normal hours?
You may be thinking, "That is not insomnia, you foolish woman." But let me finish. Within moments I forget about the outside world and realize that I am not only awake but wide awake. This is an important distinction because when you are overtired, some kind of kick occurs inside of the brain and before you know it all of the worries of the day come flooding into the mind: must get renters' insurance; need to learn to drive like every other American; or why is it so hard to figure out the paperwork for my tiny retirement account? Those are only the first three upsetting thoughts among the dozen or so that can drive a person mad at 3.30 in the morning when nothing is to be done.
There will always be something to keep a person awake all night. Health fears, love fears, and general confusion about how to navigate our lives. THE MAN has made it very difficult indeed. But I now know the answer to insomnia of this sort.
My insomnia cure
Do not drink coffee after your supper. Make sure you finish that glass of wine at least 1.5 hours before bed. Turn on a fan or air conditioner to block out the noise and keep an extra pillow nearby in order to attach them to either side of your head if necessary. Most importantly, be sure to knock at least one item from your list of things-to-do during the day. (We finally got that insurance we needed. ) If all else fails, try to answer the following questions:
1. What are the three basic rock types?
2. What did you eat for lunch three days ago?
3. What is the difference between the summer solstice and spring equinox?
4. What is the birth order of your 3 best friends?
5. Which fantasy vacation do you find most appealing?
I guarantee that you will fall asleep within 20 minutes.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Fido- A Heartfelt Undead Movie
At the end of "Shaun of the Dead," all of the zombies were tamed, rounded up, and put to work in low wage jobs. The new movie "Fido" addresses the social impact of such a strange world. This horror-comedy starring Carrie-Anne Moss of "The Matrix" fame and Billy Connolly in his first silent role. Here is a plot summary from IMBD:
Timmy Robinson's best friend in the whole wide world is a six-foot tall rotting zombie named Fido. But when FIDO eats the next-door neighbor, Mom and Dad hit the roof, and Timmy has to go to the ends of the earth to keep Fido a part of the family. A boy-and-his-dog movie for grown ups, "FIDO" will rip your heart out.
I haven't seen it yet so I can't write a review at the moment. However, the trailer did make me laugh, in a creeped out kinda way. I plan to see it once it comes to my local theater. The release date in the U.S. is June 15.
Timmy Robinson's best friend in the whole wide world is a six-foot tall rotting zombie named Fido. But when FIDO eats the next-door neighbor, Mom and Dad hit the roof, and Timmy has to go to the ends of the earth to keep Fido a part of the family. A boy-and-his-dog movie for grown ups, "FIDO" will rip your heart out.
I haven't seen it yet so I can't write a review at the moment. However, the trailer did make me laugh, in a creeped out kinda way. I plan to see it once it comes to my local theater. The release date in the U.S. is June 15.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Osaka Scientists Invent Robot Child
Scientists at Osaka University created this humanoid, a super-sized toddler, so that they can study its development, teach it to walk and even talk. This is a bit creepy to me, but that might be because I just watched a Dr. Who episode involving Cybermen. You can read all about it and see the Japanese news reports on the website "Pink Tentacle."
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Wooden Towels and Natural Pools
Yes, I realize that their is real news out there. Turkish troops are chasing Kurds into Iraq. Some 6,000 people are protesting the latest G8 summit in Germany. Thousands are fleeing a cyclone in the Persian Gulf. The popemobile was attacked by a lone loony. But you should be on top of that stuff already. I'm this is exactly why it is my job to bring you news of towels and pools.
So first, towels made from wood! How crazy is that? The towels are made of something called beechwood microfiber and the company claims that the towels feel as soft as cashmere. You can buy them online at where the site also explains:
"These towels are a great alternative to those made of conventionally grown cotton, a crop whose production takes an enormous toll on the air, water, and soil, not to mention the health of people living and working in cotton country. (For example, nearly 2/3 of all pesticides used worldwide are applied to cotton crops.)"
I cannot keep up with green/sustainable/environmentally friendly/eco-safe products. Is cotton really that bad or is this just a great new marketing strategy and useful way to sell more beech wood?
Our towel discussion naturally leads me to another related topic of summer—pools! You know how the Germans are leading the world in green living? That might not be true, who knows? But, a German company called Held Teichsysteme has developed a more natural way to enjoy pool life. They design natural pools and swimming ponds that use micro-organisms and living plant roots to filter the crystal clear water. Check it out at http://www.teichmeister.de A highly reliable engineer is investigating just how eco-friendly these pools can be so expect some more news on this soon.
So first, towels made from wood! How crazy is that? The towels are made of something called beechwood microfiber and the company claims that the towels feel as soft as cashmere. You can buy them online at where the site also explains:
"These towels are a great alternative to those made of conventionally grown cotton, a crop whose production takes an enormous toll on the air, water, and soil, not to mention the health of people living and working in cotton country. (For example, nearly 2/3 of all pesticides used worldwide are applied to cotton crops.)"
I cannot keep up with green/sustainable/environmentally friendly/eco-safe products. Is cotton really that bad or is this just a great new marketing strategy and useful way to sell more beech wood?
Our towel discussion naturally leads me to another related topic of summer—pools! You know how the Germans are leading the world in green living? That might not be true, who knows? But, a German company called Held Teichsysteme has developed a more natural way to enjoy pool life. They design natural pools and swimming ponds that use micro-organisms and living plant roots to filter the crystal clear water. Check it out at http://www.teichmeister.de A highly reliable engineer is investigating just how eco-friendly these pools can be so expect some more news on this soon.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Snake Explodes after Swallowing Alligator
This reminds me of those conversations I used to have with my roommates back in college. We would pick out two unlikely animals and guess who would win in a fight. In this case, the python and alligator were equally matched. You can read about it here.
Who would win in a fight?
Cougar vs. jaguar
Octopus vs. wolf
Orangutan vs. gorilla
Shark vs. lion
Moose vs. hyena
Alpaca vs. sheep
Astronaut vs. caveman (got that one from an Angel episode)
Who would win in a fight?
Cougar vs. jaguar
Octopus vs. wolf
Orangutan vs. gorilla
Shark vs. lion
Moose vs. hyena
Alpaca vs. sheep
Astronaut vs. caveman (got that one from an Angel episode)
If they could grow organs, would you accept one?
A Dutch television show highlighted the shortage of donor organs in the Netherlands when three patients in need of kidneys participated in a blind-date type of contest to win an organ. It turned out to be a hoax and by the time the truth was revealed at the very end of the program, it already upset a number of viewers. I still haven't seen it but I can imagine having a horrified expression on my face and the need to call up everyone I know to complain about the low we've hit with reality t.v. But the show was meant to highlight that plight of these patients and their urgent need for organs. This International Herald Tribune article provides some interesting commentary.
I agree that it is awful that people are ever in this position, begging for help. Organ donation is a huge deal and I would like to think that I would donate a kidney if a loved one was in need of it. But you can already tell by that statement that I am not exactly excited to jump into surgery for anyone unless the situation is dire.
Surgery itself is extremely dangerous and not everyone is keen to donate their body parts in life or death. In some cases int he U.S. humans aren't completely dead when their organs are harvested for donation. So apart from forcing the entire population to spill their guts whether they want to or not, why not grow the organs? If they could produce a sheep chimera with a few extra human organs, would you accept one if your life depended on it?
We've already modified plant and animal species over the last 10,000 or so years, including dogs and sheep to silkworms and bees. Corn's ancestor, teosinte, used to look more like a grass until farmers began selective breeding for larger ears with softer kernels. None of these farmers realized that they were selectively breeding for certain genes. Genetic modification, therefore, is as old as civilization itself.
Is there a huge difference between eating something that has been modified by the hands of humans and replacing body parts with human designed organs? We are already looking for a way to prolong human life beyond its natural expiration date (and isn't that the goal of medicine?) so why not apply the latest techniques to an old tradition and embrace the gifts of science?
Interesting links:
"Putting DNA to Work"- National Academy of Sciences
Check out Lee Silver's page. He has a lot to say about biotechnology
I agree that it is awful that people are ever in this position, begging for help. Organ donation is a huge deal and I would like to think that I would donate a kidney if a loved one was in need of it. But you can already tell by that statement that I am not exactly excited to jump into surgery for anyone unless the situation is dire.
Surgery itself is extremely dangerous and not everyone is keen to donate their body parts in life or death. In some cases int he U.S. humans aren't completely dead when their organs are harvested for donation. So apart from forcing the entire population to spill their guts whether they want to or not, why not grow the organs? If they could produce a sheep chimera with a few extra human organs, would you accept one if your life depended on it?
We've already modified plant and animal species over the last 10,000 or so years, including dogs and sheep to silkworms and bees. Corn's ancestor, teosinte, used to look more like a grass until farmers began selective breeding for larger ears with softer kernels. None of these farmers realized that they were selectively breeding for certain genes. Genetic modification, therefore, is as old as civilization itself.
Is there a huge difference between eating something that has been modified by the hands of humans and replacing body parts with human designed organs? We are already looking for a way to prolong human life beyond its natural expiration date (and isn't that the goal of medicine?) so why not apply the latest techniques to an old tradition and embrace the gifts of science?
Interesting links:
"Putting DNA to Work"- National Academy of Sciences
Check out Lee Silver's page. He has a lot to say about biotechnology
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