I read this on Lily's blog:
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
-Dr. Seuss (of Green Eggs and Ham fame)
November 30, 2004
November 29, 2004
November 28, 2004
Hoarfrost and a Cold...
Today was the first frost of the year, and it looked really cool. There was a huge spider's web between the trees that was covered with dew. It almost looked like there was a light dusting of snow.
And I'm getting sick, which sucks. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat, and my nose was dripping all day. I popped as many pills as I could (multi-vitamin, vitamin B, E, zinc, etc.), and I ate a bunch of oranges. Not to mention that I've tried to get a lot of sleep. I was barely awake for 12 hours yesterday, and slept almost the whole night through.
I have to try to stay awake to study for a biochemistry test I've got tomorrow. Some classes are finished (last lecture last Tuesday), and some will go until next Monday. Then the exams start, and I start to panic as I realise I know nothing about plants, biochemical pathways, or molecular interactions between expressed genes relating to ageing, memory, and the senses.
Today was the first frost of the year, and it looked really cool. There was a huge spider's web between the trees that was covered with dew. It almost looked like there was a light dusting of snow.
And I'm getting sick, which sucks. I woke up yesterday with a sore throat, and my nose was dripping all day. I popped as many pills as I could (multi-vitamin, vitamin B, E, zinc, etc.), and I ate a bunch of oranges. Not to mention that I've tried to get a lot of sleep. I was barely awake for 12 hours yesterday, and slept almost the whole night through.
I have to try to stay awake to study for a biochemistry test I've got tomorrow. Some classes are finished (last lecture last Tuesday), and some will go until next Monday. Then the exams start, and I start to panic as I realise I know nothing about plants, biochemical pathways, or molecular interactions between expressed genes relating to ageing, memory, and the senses.
November 26, 2004
The Apprentice...
My other favourite TV show is The Apprentice, with Donald Trump (you know, that really rich American guy). The show is basically a filmed, several week job interview. The winner of the show will get to run one of Donald Trump's companies. Each week, the remaining contestants have to do a challenge, in two teams, and the loosing team has to go to the boardroom where one (or two) of them are fired.
Last night's episode had a major cat fight in the boardroom, with the guy ending up getting fired.
My other favourite TV show is The Apprentice, with Donald Trump (you know, that really rich American guy). The show is basically a filmed, several week job interview. The winner of the show will get to run one of Donald Trump's companies. Each week, the remaining contestants have to do a challenge, in two teams, and the loosing team has to go to the boardroom where one (or two) of them are fired.
Last night's episode had a major cat fight in the boardroom, with the guy ending up getting fired.
November 25, 2004
Dentist Visit...
I had my first visit to the dentist in about 14 months. I didn't go in France, and I couldn't go when I first came back because I wasn't covered by my dad's extended health plan until I was back in school. I'm happy to say I have no cavities (never had one either!), and that my gums are not too badly inflamed, which would be expected after 14 months of no dental care.
What was cool though was that the hygenist is a franco-ontarienne (from a French-speaking part of Ontario). So we spoke in French the whole time, until the dentist came in. I have to admit that it was nice to speak in French again, and know that I haven't forgotten too much. It was kind of cool to hear the Québec accent again.
However, because my gums on the bottom are very thin (I had a gum graft way back when, but they're still thin), the dentist said that I should think about getting one of those sonic toothbrushes. I can't wait until Santa gets me a toothbrush!!
I had my first visit to the dentist in about 14 months. I didn't go in France, and I couldn't go when I first came back because I wasn't covered by my dad's extended health plan until I was back in school. I'm happy to say I have no cavities (never had one either!), and that my gums are not too badly inflamed, which would be expected after 14 months of no dental care.
What was cool though was that the hygenist is a franco-ontarienne (from a French-speaking part of Ontario). So we spoke in French the whole time, until the dentist came in. I have to admit that it was nice to speak in French again, and know that I haven't forgotten too much. It was kind of cool to hear the Québec accent again.
However, because my gums on the bottom are very thin (I had a gum graft way back when, but they're still thin), the dentist said that I should think about getting one of those sonic toothbrushes. I can't wait until Santa gets me a toothbrush!!
November 24, 2004
That crazy country...
I think you know what one I'm talking about (the US).
Canadian lumber companies have paid over $3 billion US ($4.5 billion Canadian) in tarifs, despite the so-called North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to the States. Among other things, these tarifs put hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people in my province out of work.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) sided with Canada in that it was unfair, and said that the Canadian companies should get back most of their money. However, the US doesn't want to give the money back. So now Canada is thinking about starting a trade war with the States. I'm all for getting the money back, but is starting a trade war with America the best thing to do???
I think you know what one I'm talking about (the US).
Canadian lumber companies have paid over $3 billion US ($4.5 billion Canadian) in tarifs, despite the so-called North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to the States. Among other things, these tarifs put hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people in my province out of work.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) sided with Canada in that it was unfair, and said that the Canadian companies should get back most of their money. However, the US doesn't want to give the money back. So now Canada is thinking about starting a trade war with the States. I'm all for getting the money back, but is starting a trade war with America the best thing to do???
November 23, 2004
Hydroponics, Part II...
If you remember way back when, I had started a hydroponics experiment for my Plant Physiology and Anatomy course. I grew a bean plant in a hydroponic environment with all the nutrients except nitrogen, to see how that would affect the plant and its growth.
Today was the last day of the experiment, and I'm happy to report that my plant looks pathetic. I'm happy, because that's what's supposed to happen, as nitrogen is essential for plant growth (it's in DNA, protein, lipids, etc.).
The best part though was that the lab was supposed to be a formal write up (i.e. lots of researching through journals to find an obscure piece of data), but instead the prof decided to give us a 2% bonus quiz testing on our ability to tell one type of deficiency from another (nitrogen, sulphur, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, calcium). Then we talked about the plants. No formal write up!!
If you remember way back when, I had started a hydroponics experiment for my Plant Physiology and Anatomy course. I grew a bean plant in a hydroponic environment with all the nutrients except nitrogen, to see how that would affect the plant and its growth.
Today was the last day of the experiment, and I'm happy to report that my plant looks pathetic. I'm happy, because that's what's supposed to happen, as nitrogen is essential for plant growth (it's in DNA, protein, lipids, etc.).
The best part though was that the lab was supposed to be a formal write up (i.e. lots of researching through journals to find an obscure piece of data), but instead the prof decided to give us a 2% bonus quiz testing on our ability to tell one type of deficiency from another (nitrogen, sulphur, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, calcium). Then we talked about the plants. No formal write up!!
November 22, 2004
Course Selection...
I registered for next semester's courses last week, and I'm taking (drumroll please...):
Evolution - a fourth year biology course about, what else, evolution.
Developmental - a third year biology course about biological development, from egg to old age.
French Composition - a second year French composition course. Not too exciting, just a lot of writing.
French Conversation - third year French conversation course. A lot of talking and presentations I think. We might have to learn the international phonetic alphabet as well.
French and Québécois Cinema - a third year course, about French cinema. I think it'll be the most interesting course, but that depends on the type of movies we watch.
I registered for next semester's courses last week, and I'm taking (drumroll please...):
Evolution - a fourth year biology course about, what else, evolution.
Developmental - a third year biology course about biological development, from egg to old age.
French Composition - a second year French composition course. Not too exciting, just a lot of writing.
French Conversation - third year French conversation course. A lot of talking and presentations I think. We might have to learn the international phonetic alphabet as well.
French and Québécois Cinema - a third year course, about French cinema. I think it'll be the most interesting course, but that depends on the type of movies we watch.
November 21, 2004
Bowling for Columbine...
After being asked many times in France if I had seen "Bowling for Columbine" and if it was true that all Canadians don't lock their doors, I finally watched the movie by Michael Moore (after working on my term paper most of the day). It's the movie that Moore did before Fahrenheit 9/11 (which I also saw, and thought was good too).
It was mainly about gun violence in America, and the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School in Colorado. There wasn't really anything new in the movie that I haven't heard or seen before, but it was interesting to see it all put together. The higher gun violence rate in the US, the lack of medicare, the NRA (National Riffle Association), and the massacre at Columbine.
When the documentary got to the part about the shootings at Columbine, I remembered a film that I watched in France called "Elephant". It's a film that is based on the shootings, yet follows both the killers, and some of the students in the school that get killed. It's not a happy movie, but it's very moving.
After being asked many times in France if I had seen "Bowling for Columbine" and if it was true that all Canadians don't lock their doors, I finally watched the movie by Michael Moore (after working on my term paper most of the day). It's the movie that Moore did before Fahrenheit 9/11 (which I also saw, and thought was good too).
It was mainly about gun violence in America, and the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School in Colorado. There wasn't really anything new in the movie that I haven't heard or seen before, but it was interesting to see it all put together. The higher gun violence rate in the US, the lack of medicare, the NRA (National Riffle Association), and the massacre at Columbine.
When the documentary got to the part about the shootings at Columbine, I remembered a film that I watched in France called "Elephant". It's a film that is based on the shootings, yet follows both the killers, and some of the students in the school that get killed. It's not a happy movie, but it's very moving.
November 20, 2004
GFP...
It's that time of year, when you've got tonnes of stuff to do. Midterms (had my last one yesterday), essays, and finals coming up too soon.
My weekend excitement consists of writing an 8-10 page research essay about the 3D structure of GFP (green fluorescent protein).
This is a 3D view of the protein in a dimer form, showing the atoms, and their temperature (blue means they move very little, and red means they can move a lot).
It's actually a cool (yah, I'm a nerd) protein that takes blue and UV light, and converts it into a fluorescing green colour (the jellyfish in the photo are docotored on computer, they only emit a faint glow in vivo.)
They can attach the protein to other proteins or molecules in the cell, and find out where in the organism that protein is expressed, how it moves, at what concentrations it's expressed etc. Because it's pH sensitive, they can also use it to roughly measure the pH of certain solutions, or cellular environments.
It's that time of year, when you've got tonnes of stuff to do. Midterms (had my last one yesterday), essays, and finals coming up too soon.
My weekend excitement consists of writing an 8-10 page research essay about the 3D structure of GFP (green fluorescent protein).
This is a 3D view of the protein in a dimer form, showing the atoms, and their temperature (blue means they move very little, and red means they can move a lot).
It's actually a cool (yah, I'm a nerd) protein that takes blue and UV light, and converts it into a fluorescing green colour (the jellyfish in the photo are docotored on computer, they only emit a faint glow in vivo.)
They can attach the protein to other proteins or molecules in the cell, and find out where in the organism that protein is expressed, how it moves, at what concentrations it's expressed etc. Because it's pH sensitive, they can also use it to roughly measure the pH of certain solutions, or cellular environments.
November 18, 2004
Grilled Cheese...
I don't mind grilled cheese, but would I ever pay a couple of thousand dollars for one? NO, even if it has the image of the Virgin Mary in it, and is ten years old. Believe it or not, but someone has put half a grilled cheese that supposedly has the image of the Virgin Mary on it, and is ten years old, on EBay. The thing is selling for at least $18,750 US. Some people are just crazy insane. If you're interested, you can bid until November 22, 2004 at 17:22:07 PST.
As a joke, many people have put replicas, t-shirts, and all sorts of other things bearing the image of the "Virgin Mary grilled cheese" on EBay.
I don't mind grilled cheese, but would I ever pay a couple of thousand dollars for one? NO, even if it has the image of the Virgin Mary in it, and is ten years old. Believe it or not, but someone has put half a grilled cheese that supposedly has the image of the Virgin Mary on it, and is ten years old, on EBay. The thing is selling for at least $18,750 US. Some people are just crazy insane. If you're interested, you can bid until November 22, 2004 at 17:22:07 PST.
As a joke, many people have put replicas, t-shirts, and all sorts of other things bearing the image of the "Virgin Mary grilled cheese" on EBay.
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