Idaho Spuds

etcetera: Which Day Has Better Sales: Black Friday or After Christmas?

2011-11-19T06:02:00.001-05:00

So which day has better sales: Black Friday or the day after Christmas? Here is a comparison using Fry's Electronics ad scans for the two sales events from 2010; the ad scans are from Fry's Black Friday. There wasn't a lot of overlap in the items in the ads, but the simple conclusion, at least just from looking at these ads, is that Black Friday has the better prices.

Item	Black Friday	After Christmas
LG 20" LCD Monitor	$89.99	$129.99
Lenovo Computer	$299.98*	$279
Blue Ray Boxsets	$19.99	$24.99
"Major Brand" 32" Plasma HDTV	$197	$299
Samsung Washer and Dryer Pair	$579.98	$949.99
Sony W370 Digital Camera	$129	$149
JVC Everio 16GB Camcorder	$199	$199

* Computer bundled with a Viewsonic monitor

Fry's Electronics 2010 After Christmas Sale Ad Scan
Fry's Electronics 2010 Black Friday Ad Scan

scitech: Run Tiddlywiki on Android Using Firefox

2011-03-29T22:44:00.000-04:00

Firefox for Android is capable of saving Tiddlywiki files stored locally on an Android phone. To access the wiki just point to the wiki file on the phone in the address bar. For instance, if the Tiddlywiki file is called wiki.html and stored on your SD card, the URL would be "file:///mnt/sdcard/wiki.html" without the quotes.

scitech: Scientific Bonus Points for Database Contributions

2010-02-28T05:28:00.000-05:00

Measuring scientific productivity is a concern at many different levels especially in terms for promotions and the competition brought on by limited funding sources. The area of life sciences is no exception to this; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) saw a flat budget between 2003-08. And even though the NIH will enjoy a temporary budget increase thanks to the Recovery Act and with President Barack Obama's 2011 budget request, there are no guarantees for what the future holds.

The most common method for assessing the performance of researchers is by looking at a researcher's publication record and the journal impact factor of those the publications. A more recent development in quantifying research output is the h-index by Jorge Hirsch in 2005 that looks at scientific output also as a measure of publication citations. Bornmann and Daniel outline the methodology of the h-index and various concerns about using the metric in their 2008 publication. For those curious about their own h-index value, here is an h-index calculator built using Google Scholar. But what else do researchers do that could be seen as "scientific output" and how could these activities be measured? As a computational biologist, I have a specific interest in online databases, which often serve as the main sources of data for projects in my field, and ways that researchers could be encouraged to contribute to them.

Jesse Schell, a Carnegie Mellon professor who teaches Game Design, recently gave a presentation at the Design Innovate Communicate Entertain (DICE) 2010 summit where he speaks about recent successes in game design in which games break into reality, drawing on ones' real social networks or achievement metrics that transcend individual games. Towards the end of the presentation, he imagines a world where one day we might earn bonus points simply by brushing our teeth or high-fiving friends. The video clip below shows the relevant segment and the full video can be found at G4TV.

So what about the life sciences? Where are the scientific bonus points? One idea proposed by Martijn Van Iersel, a developer for Pathvisio and WikiPathways, as a Google Summer of Code project is the development of a Scientific Karma website. The proposal calls for some standardized and automated way for contributions to various online communities to be scored. The website would display a list of wikis and communities that researchers have contributed to and a contributor's score for that site. Active contribution to online databases is important as it enhances all of our understandings and access to larger datasets helps research projects draw better conclusions about increasingly complex biological systems.

Bornmann, L., & Daniel, H. (2008). The state of h index research. Is the h index the ideal way to measure research performance? EMBO reports, 10 (1), 2-6 DOI: 10.1038/embor.2008.233

scitech: Google and Microsoft Sued by Mini Music Label

2009-12-11T23:31:00.000-05:00

Blue Destiny Records has sued both Google and Microsoft for allegedly "facilitating and enabling" distribution of copyrighted songs, illegally. The suit alleges that RapidShare runs "a distribution center for unlawful copies of copyrighted works." RapidShare is helped by Google and Microsoft, which benefit from the ad relationships, according to the suit. Blue Destiny has attempted to links to pages with RapidShare links to their music via DMCA takedown notices, and Google has, apparently, not complied, while Microsoft's Bing site has removed the links. RapidShare for its part is based outside of the US and does not accept DMCA notices.

scitech: Lawsuit Filed Over Patenting Cancer Genes

2009-05-13T04:38:00.000-04:00

When Genae Girard attempted to get a second opinion about her risk for ovarian cancer she found out that Myriad Genetics had patented two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 associated with cancer and there was no other tests. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the patent and Girard is joined by several others in the lawsuit: four other cancer patients, by professional organizations of pathologists with more than 100,000 members and by several individual pathologists and genetic researchers. Similar to the AACS encryption key controversy, Myriad Genetics has patented a specific piece of knowledge which is otherwise readily available, here is the DNA sequence for BRCA1. As Jan A. Nowak, president of the Association for Molecular Pathology, says in article "You can’t patent my DNA, any more than you can patent my right arm, or patent my blood." The US National Institutes of Health reported that some 20 percent of the genome, amounting to thousands of genes, has been included in patents claims. For those of you keeping track, there are only about 25,000 genes in the human genome.

etcetera: Funny Google Street View Images

2009-03-29T12:07:00.005-04:00

A collection of the funny Google Street View images taken from a variety of websites, a majority from Gizmodo

Rift in the space-time continuum with battling pre-medieval warriors in Pittsburgh.

Two-story giant

A second giant sighting

Dude carrying rifle

Drunk passed out on lawn

Drunken vomiting

Google Street View greeted by a marching band.

High school students in Japan

People running over a flooded bridge

Shirtless skater

Playing cops and robbers or a daylight robbery.

Thong showing on Google Street View

Six-wheeled Volvo

A desperate house seller

Dog taking a crap

Falling off a bike captured on Google Street View

Potential ET sighting

Breaking in captured

Headless pedestrian

Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Crazy eyes

Half-faced pedestrian

The Void

Girl flashing Google Street View

One car accident

Plastic bag conquers Street View

Where's Waldo?
Man or woman peeing in the street in Madrid, Spain

Two guys peeing together in the middle of a highway

Floating Victorian torso

Google Street View runs over deer
Not so funny, yet interesting, house on fire

scitech: Marine One Blueprints Found on P2P

2009-03-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

A P2P monitoring company Tiversa found "a file containing entire blueprints and avionics package for Marine One, which is the president's helicopter," on a P2P network. The original computer was traced back to a defense contractor in Bethesda, MD. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, an adviser to Tiversa, said, "We found where this information came from. We know exactly what computer it came from. I'm sure that person is embarrassed and may even lose their job, but we know where it came from and we know where it went."

scitech: Google Scholar to CiteULike

2009-02-22T22:13:00.000-05:00

A Greasemonkey script that places a CiteULike link next to article links in Google Scholar; the following sites are supported, currently. You may have to look at "All X versions" to see the CiteULike link. For life sciences, the keyword "ncbi" or "pubmed" should make the right versions appear.

"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/", // Entrez PubMed   
"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/", // PubMed   
"http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/", // PubMed Central

"http://highwire.stanford.edu/", // HighWire
"http://scitation.aip.org/",  // AIP Scitation
"http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/",  // CiteSeer
"http://arxiv.org/",   // arXiv.org e-Print archive
"http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/", // OCLC WorldCat
"http://www.ingentaconnect.com/", // IngentaConnect

"http://www.agu.org/",   // American Geophysical Union
"http://ams.allenpress.com/",  // American Meteorological Society
"http://www.anthrosource.net/",  // Anthrosource
"http://portal.acm.org/",  // Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) portal
"http://www.usenix.org/",  // Usenix
"http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/",  // BMJ
"http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/",  // IEEE Xplore
"http://journals.iop.org/",  // IoP Electronic Journals
"http://www.ams.org/mathscinet", // MathSciNet
"http://www.nature.com/",  // Nature
"http://www.plosbiology.org/",  // PLoS Biology
"http://www.sciencemag.org/",  // Science


"http://www.kluweronline.com/",         // now SpringerLink
"http://links.jstor.org/",  // JSTOR

"http://www.springerlink.com/",  // SpringerLink
"http://www.metapress.com/",  // MetaPress
"http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/", // Wiley InterScience
"http://www.sciencedirect.com/"  // ScienceDirect

wikipedia: Aurelia Browder

2008-11-06T17:25:00.001-05:00

Aurelia Shines Browder Coleman (January 29, 1919-February 4, 1971) was an African American civil rights activist. In April 1955, months before the historic arrest of Rosa Parks, she was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white rider. She was the lead plaintiff in the Browder v. Gayle action lawsuit. The case eventually made its way to the United States Supreme Court, which found that bus segregation was unconstitutional.

At the time of the lawsuit, she was a housewife, but Browder had several careers throughout her life including that of a nurse mid-wife, seamstress, and business woman. She was an educated woman who earned a bachelor's degree in science with honors from Alabama State University.

Browder was affiliated with several of the civil rights groups of the era, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Montgomery Improvement Association, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

scitech: Playstation Cell Processor Used For Plane Safety

2008-07-27T08:38:00.001-04:00

David Bader from Georgia Tech's College of Computing is researching uses for the Playstation 3 Cell chip for monitoring vibrations of plane components during flight that can act as a early warning detection system. The school has announced seven pilot projects through its Sony-Toshiba-IBM (STI) Center of Competence in areas such as seismic monitoring, electronic financial services, secure communications and biology research.

scitech:The Design and Characterization of Two Proteins with 88% Sequence Identity But Different Structure

2008-05-15T22:22:00.010-04:00

Biological structure and function of proteins are linked to sequence, but to what degree do minute changes in sequence affect structure? In 1994, Trevor Creamer and George Rose proposed the Paracelsus challenge, which sought to change the conformation of a protein while retaining at least 50% of its sequence. Three years later, Dalal et al. transformed the beta-1 domain of the streptococcal protein G from mainly beta-sheets into 4 alpha-helices while retaining 50% of the original sequence beating the Paracelsus challenge [1]. More recently, Alexander et al. from the University of Maryland looked at the behavior of two streptococcal protein G domains and iteratively transformed them to have 88% similarity in their sequences (different in only 7 amino acids) with very different folds and function [2].

The protein studied was a cell wall protein from the Streptococcus bacteria called protein G. The protein is composed of two separate domains: the first domain (GA) has the ability to bind to human serum albumin (HSA) found in blood and the second one (GB) can bind to a region of IgG, a human antibody also found in blood. The two domains have different folds 3-alpha and alpha/beta folds, respectively. Each of the domains have positive free energies (delta G) indicating that the folded states are more stable. These two domains (GA and GB) originated as PSD1 and GB1, each containing 56 amino acids. In the GA domain, only 47 of the amino acids were structured; the other 9 were disordered.

In the image below, amino acids shown in blue are identities and those shown in red are nonidentities. Spheres indicate mutations introduced in each design cycle.

Altering GA within the structured 47 amino acids can change the equilibrium of states from the GA 3-alpha fold to the alpha/beta fold of the GB domain. The goal of the project was to investigate the number of amino acids that could be changed in each protein while retaining biological function.

The first step was to introduce both the IgG and the HSA-binding epitopes (the parts of a molecule that antibodies bind to) to both proteins. The HSA binding site in GA is composed of 7 amino acids, while the IgG binding site is composed of 4 amino acids in the central helix, one amino acid in the beta-3 strand and the main chain contacts. The latent IgG binding site was introduced to GA through 3 mutations, while the HSA binding site was introduced into GB with 5 mutations; the mutants were denoted as GA30 and GB30, respectively, as denoting their 30% similarity.

Several methods were used to characterize the proteins. The secondary structures of both proteins were determined using circular dichroism (CD), a form of spectroscopy looking at differential absorption of polarized light [3]. Other methods used included: thermal denaturation to determine conformational stability, gel filtration to ensure monomeric behavior, and affinity chromatography to determine binding affinities to IgG and HSA. The addition of the latent binding sites did not produce any significant alterations in the thermodynamics of the unfolding reaction for each protein. The GB30 protein was less stable than the original, with a delta-G 3 kcal/mol lower. There was no variation in the heat capacity of the protein, which is correlated to the solvent-exposed area, meaning the hydrophobic cores of the proteins were not disturbed. Affinity chromatography showed that both GA30 and GB30 bound to IgG and HSA in a similar fashion to GA and GB.

Next, changes were made in the remaining 39 non-identity residues using random mutagenesis and phage display. One method for performing random mutagenesis is to introduce Mn2+ or Mg2+ into the system, which causes mutagenic conditions resulting in random errors during DNA replication [4]. Phage display relies on the bacteriophages that encode proteins displayed on the surface of the phage, which can be used to select for functionality. These proteins then can be selected for using immobilized antigens; the DNA encoding the protein will be located within the phage [5]. Mutations to the remaining 39 residues were categorized into one of three categories: (i) mutations tolerated independent of mutations to other residues, (ii) additional mutations that must be made to tolerate a mutation, and (iii) mutations found to be rare.

Mutations were made to 19 residues in GA30 and 8 residues in GB30 bringing the pair to 77% similarity. These new proteins showed a decrease in stability, a decrease in the free energy of unfolding, but both retained a delta-G greater than 4 kcal/mol at 25 degrees C. The proteins did not show a decrease in binding affinity and both remained monomeric.

The image below shows the stability curves for GA and GB.

The proteins were brought to 88% similarity by changing two sites in GA77 and four sites in GB77. GA88 and GB88 are the result of 49 residues being the same: nine residues initially the same, 16 mutations in GA, 17 mutations in GB, and the addition of seven residues to GA. The CD spectrum remained close to that of the original proteins. The stability of both proteins further decreased to 4 kcal/mol for GA88 and 2 kcal/mol for GA88 at 25 degrees C. Both GA88 and GB88 retained their binding specificity to HSA and IgG, respectively, but GA88 had a lower binding affinity than GA77. Both proteins remained monomeric at this level of similarity.

Mutation of the seven unique residues can shift the fold type of the proteins from either 99.9% 3-alpha fold to the 97% alpha/beta fold. This study has implications for researchers working on computational protein folding prediction because proteins may be able to exist in one of many stable folded states as a result of mutations. Secondly, this study showed that few mutations can alter the function of a protein given the inclusion of latent binding epitopes, which may not affect the function of the native state.

References

[1] Davidson AR. A folding space odyssey. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Feb 26;105(8):2759-60. Epub 2008 Feb 19.
[2] Alexander PA, He Y, Chen Y, Orban J, Bryan PN. The design and characterization of two proteins with 88% sequence identity but different structure and function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007 Jul 17 104(29):11963-8
[3] "Circular dichroism." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Mar 2008, 19:51 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 16 Mar 2008 .
[4] Pritchard L, et al. A general model of error-prone PCR. J Theor Biol. 2005 Jun 21;234(4):497-509.
[5] Sidhu SS, Koide S. Phage display for engineering and analyzing protein interaction interfaces. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2007 Aug;17(4):481-7. Epub 2007 Sep 17.

Alexander, P.A., He, Y., Chen, Y., Orban, J., Bryan, P.N. (2007). The design and characterization of two proteins with 88% sequence identity but different structure and function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(29), 11963-11968. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0700922104

scitech: Copy Number Variations in Human Disease

2008-05-02T13:15:00.001-04:00

In 2006, Redon et al. examined the 270 individuals from HapMap to study the importance of copy number variations (CNV) to genetic diseases and to provide a resource for other researchers. The term CNV refers to differences in genomic DNA with varying numbers of gene copies. It was found that these copy number variations covered 12% of the human genome. About 15% of the genes found in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) morbid map (285 out of 1,961) were found to overlap with CNV regions adding to the potential relevance of CNV to human disease [Redon R 2006].

Several groups have turned their focus to understanding the role of amplifications or deletions, which characterize CNVs, in diseases such as mental disease and cancer. Over 50 regions were found to be associated possessing either unique amplifications or deletions in a cohort of 60 cancer patients [Lucito et al 2007]. The choice by Redon et al. to use the same samples that make up the HapMap dataset was to ease the integration of analysis comparison of CNV and SNP information that makes up the HapMap data.Correlation between CNV associations have been compared to known associations determined from SNP data. Sutrala et al. looked at 15 major candidate genes for schizophrenia including dysbindin (DTNBP1), neuregulin (NRG1), RGS4 and DISC1 and found no copy number variations at these loci. This is consistent with previous studies in the area, suggesting that the two types of variations act independently. This observation is further corroborated by a model of complex traits that showed that CNVs were able to account for 18% of gene expression variation, while SNPs could account for only 84% of the variation [Stranger 2007]. This study by Stranger et al. showed that the phenotypic variations explained by both types of structural variations were largely mutually exclusive in the HapMap samples of lymphoblastoid cell lines.

This new understanding about the potential importance of CNVs brings with it new challenges for the analysts due to the lack of genotyped CNV data and a lack of methods for analyzing CNV data at the genome-wide scale. Stranger et al., McCarroll, and Altshuler point to the fact that the low resolution of CNV data and potential issues with measurement precision could lead to analysis inaccuracies. In 2007, a paper by McCarroll and Altshuler stated that out of the 1,500 CNVs that have been identified researchers have only genotyped 70 at a quality necessary to carry out linkage disequilibrium studies. A recent paper by Ionita-Laza et al. presents a new method for family-based association tests (FBATs) that circumvents the need for genotypes and relies on intensity values. Family-based association tests are a key method used by geneticists in determining the association of genetic markers and disease because many of the issues with the selection of controls can be avoided by using data made up of family members. Ionita-Laza et al. extended the FBAT statistic in such a way that the average intensity within a family corresponds to Mendelian transmissions. Using their method, Ionita-Laza et al. were able to determine potential associations between the SNP rs2240832 on chromosome 7 in a known CNV region and asthma in a sample of 400 parent/child trios [Ionita-Laza 2008].

Another problem exists with the use of CNV data as a result of the procedure for collecting CNV data using array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH). The method looks at the relative hybridization intensities of labeled probes of test and reference genomic DNA to determine raw intensity values [Pinkel and Albertson 2005]. Conrad et al. show that the frequency of CNV deletions increases as the the size of the deletions became smaller. This presents a problem with the current use of array CGH methods because of the low resolutions afforded by the method is approximately 5–10 Mb [Conrad 2007].

The direction of research seems directed toward the integration CNVs and SNPs for the purposes of understanding the role of variation in human disease. But fundamental issues of data resolution and quality must be answered before this type of integration can take place. This is a part of the much larger problem of classifying and integrating information of sequence and structure variation in genomes. These variations include SNPs and CNVs discussed here, but also inversions, translocations, and deletions of varying scales which, currently, must be identified using different methods. Lee et al points out that the small number of findings linking CNVs to phenotypic differences has a negative effect on the expanded use of higher-resolution array CGH for clinical purposes, which in turn, affects the accumulation of CNV data that may prove useful.

[1] Redon R, et al. Global variation in copy number in the human genome. Nature 2006 Nov 23 444(7118):444-54.
[2] Lucito R, et al. Copy-number variants in patients with a strong family history of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Biol Ther. 2007 Oct;6(10):1592-9. Epub 2007 Jul 12.
[3] Sutrala SR, et al. Gene copy number variation in schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2007 Dec 28 [Epub ahead of print].
[4] Stranger BE, et al. Relative impact of nucleotide and copy number variation on gene expression phenotypes. Science. 2007 Feb 9;315(5813):848-53.
[5] McCarroll SA, Altshuler DM. Copy-number variation and association studies of human disease. Nat Genet. 2007 Jul;39(7 Suppl):S37-42.
[6] Ionita-Laza I. et al. On the analysis of copy-number variations in genome-wide association studies: a translation of the family-based association test. Genet Epidemiol. 2008 Apr;32(3):273-84.
[7] Pinkel D, Albertson DG. Comparative genomic hybridization. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2005;6:331-54.
[8] Scherer SW. et al. Challenges and standards in integrating surveys of structural variation. Nat Genet. 2007 Jul;39(7 Suppl):S7-15.
[9] Conrad, D.F. et al. A high-resolution survey of deletion polymorphism in the human genome. Nat Genet. 2006 Jan;38(1):75-81. Epub 2005 Dec 4.
[10] Lee C, et al. Copy number variations and clinical cytogenetic diagnosis of constitutional disorders. Nat Genet. 2007 Jul;39(7 Suppl):S48-54.

Redon, R., Ishikawa, S., Fitch, K.R., Feuk, L., Perry, G.H., Andrews, T.D., Fiegler, H., Shapero, M.H., Carson, A.R., Chen, W., Cho, E.K., Dallaire, S., Freeman, J.L., GonzÃ¡lez, J.R., GratacÃ²s, M., Huang, J., Kalaitzopoulos, D., Komura, D., MacDonald, J.R., Marshall, C.R., Mei, R., Montgomery, L., Nishimura, K., Okamura, K., Shen, F., Somerville, M.J., Tchinda, J., Valsesia, A., Woodwark, C., Yang, F., Zhang, J., Zerjal, T., Zhang, J., Armengol, L., Conrad, D.F., Estivill, X., Tyler-Smith, C., Carter, N.P., Aburatani, H., Lee, C., Jones, K.W., Scherer, S.W., Hurles, M.E. (2006). Global variation in copy number in the human genome. Nature, 444(7118), 444-454. DOI: 10.1038/nature05329

software: "Youtube swf args not found" Error

2008-02-23T16:55:00.005-05:00

Fix the error using the new version of the Skunkworks FlashVideoBundle, which includes a FLV plugin for TCPMP player. The new version fixes the "Youtube swf args not found" error when viewing YouTube on smartphones and can be downloaded from Smartphone Experts. Registration is required.

scitech: Calculation of Drag Force on a Wintry Boston Day

2008-02-11T21:59:00.001-05:00

Presented here is a calculation of drag force caused by the wind on a cold and windy Boston day. The equations were taken from the Wikipedia page on drag coefficient, which has further explanations of each term. Pressure and wind velocity information was taken from Weather.com

Drag Force: Dry Air Density: Ideal Gas Law Constant for Dry Air: Wind Velocity: Drag Coefficient of an Upright Person: C_d=1.3
Frontal Area of a Person: A=0.75 m²
Air Pressure: P=101,500 Pa
Temperature: T=276.15 K

The force (F_d) comes out to about 76 N or the weight of a cat on top of you while lying down.

boston: Boston Colleges - Jan. 3-Jan. 9

2008-02-09T21:35:00.000-05:00

Harvard

Diamond by Matthew Di Pasquale may soon become Harvard's second sex magazine. Di Pasquale plans to join H Bomb in showcasing nude photographs of Harvard co-eds.

Tufts

Auntuan Johnson, a Tufts student, allegedly assaulted a Pat's Towing employee for attempting to put a boot on his car. Johnson is accused of arguing with the employee and pushing him over. And then throwing the boot into the street, getting into his car, and trying to run the employee over. Afterwards, he tried to disguise his vehicle by removing a Texas Longhorn's sticker and changing his plates.

Wellesley

Anna Tang has requested that her probation requirements be changed so that she can attend church and use the gym in her apartment building. Anna Tang would like to attend a Natick church from 11AM-1PM on Saturdays, while being escorted by her father. Assistant District Attorney Suzanne Kontz has agreed does not see an issue with Tang using her gym, and Tang can attend church once her probation officer confirms church information.

art: HGNC Haiku Generator

2008-02-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

Cutting edge biological science is a field populated with jargon indecipherable to the lay person that requires the near artistic hands of a biologist to paint the image of life. Comparably, Japanese poems known as haikus have for centuries been used to paint scenes of nature.

HGNC Haiku randomly generates haikus using abbreviations of the 24,000+ known human genes from the Human Genome Organization. The abbreviations were compared against a dictionary leaving a list of those closely matching words in English. Then the number of syllables was estimated for each abbreviation. The Perl scripts used are hosted on Sourceforge.net

The generated haiku presented below, entitled Diablo and the Lamb, illustrates the necessity for imagination and knowledge to connect ideas into a cohesive story in any facet of life.

scitech: Prevent Windows Disk Cleanup From Compressing Old Files

2008-02-03T16:28:00.000-05:00

This registry hack prevents Windows Disk Cleanup Wizard from calculating the amount of space saved from compressing files on the drive. To open the registry editor, hit Windows Key and the R key at the same time. In the dialog that comes up, type in regedit and click OK.

Navigate to this registry entry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress Old Files

Double-click the (Default) key and remove the value data, click OK and close the registry editor. The value of the entry just deleted is {B50F5260-0C21-11D2-AB56-00A0C9082678} should there ever be a need to reinstate the file compression.

boston: Boston Colleges - Jan. 27-Feb. 2

2008-02-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

Boston College

Boston College may be hosting Will Ferrell's Funny or Die Comedy Tour on Feb. 13, 2008, but this may jeopardize the school's spring concert.

Boston University

Boston University has a new master logo along with usage manual after one and a half years of "study, discussion, and hard work" by Toth Brand Imaging. The old and new logos are shown below, the old one is on the left. The major difference is the removal of the center line.

A casting call for Ashecliffe, Martin Scorsese's new WWII film, was hosted by Boston University. More than 2,500 actors stood in line in their attempt to be extras in the film, which will cast 700 extras.

Sean Taylor began a Facebook group for Boston University's first ever Undie Run, so far 1,052 students have joined the group. The mile run is planned for May before finals start. So far BU administration have not given the event their blessing.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and actor Kal Penn from the movie "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" visited Boston University to promote Barack Obama in next Tuesday's primary election.

The opening of the Boston University Biosafety Level-4 lab will be delayed due to an ongoing environmental review that is not expected to be completed until after April 2009.

Harvard

The city of Boston has approved Harvard's $1 billion science complex in Allston, which is slated to open in 2012. After citizens complained about the $21 million benefits project for the area, Harvard increased the package to $23.9 million. Changes include a partnership fund which will give out $500,000 for neighborhood programs, expanding an assesment survey to include transportation, public health, and housing needs of the community.

MIT

Star Simpson who was arrested for wearing a shirt with circuit board and wiring attached to it, has asked East Boston District Court Judge Paul Mahoney to dismiss the case on grounds of the First Amendment right of freedom of speech. The judge will issue a ruling on March 21.

UMass-Lowell

Rachel Carnes suffered head trauma when she was hit by a pickup truck while waiting on a bench in front of Cumnock Hall at UMass-Lowell.

Other

Boston colleges are warning students of stiff consequences should celebrations get too rowdy after the Super Bowl. Suffolk University, UMass-Dartmouth, and Wentworth Institute of Technology have gone as far as to threaten explusion. Boston University police warned students of increased surveillence around the Kenmore Square area which will be blocked off.

boston: Boston Colleges - Jan. 20-Jan. 26

2008-02-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

Boston University

Daniel Glaser and Aaron Goodliss were able to enter Claflin Hall at Boston University at 4 AM after convincing two female students to sign them in. The men then allegedly assualted two female students after entering an unlocked room. Glaser was charged with indecent assault and battery, breaking and entering, and burglary. Goodliss was charged with breaking and entering, and possession of marijuana. The students who allowed the attackers access to building will face "judicial actions."

MIT

One of the 19 MIT students sued by the RIAA on January 10 will not settle out of court. All previous MIT students sued by the RIAA have settled out of court. The student is quoted as saying that he is "the victim of a fishing expedition by the RIAA," and is "disappointed that MIT isn't going to step up."

scitech: Trends in Drug Discovery and Drug Targets

2008-01-30T04:55:00.000-05:00

Currently, many of approved drugs have been developed without knowing much about the molecular mechanism by which they work. In this article, Yildirim et al. were interested in (1) understanding the roles of drug targets in the context of a cellular network, (2) determining if there have been any trends in drug discovery, and (3) determining the relationships between drug targets and the products of genes related to various diseases.

Yildirim et. al analyzed over 4,200 drug entries in the DrugBank database as a network between drugs and their targets. DrugBank contains detailed drug data such as chemical composition and prescribed uses, as well as information about the protein targets of the drug (i.e. sequence, structure and pathway). DrugBank has two major sets of drug entries: the first category is US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, which accounts for approximately 1,200 drugs, and a second set composed of more than 3,000 "experimental" drugs under investigation. Out of the set of FDA-approved medications there are nearly 400 distinct human proteins being targeted. The inclusion of experimental drugs increased the number of drug targets to about 1,000.

Yildirim et al. created a bipartite graph made up of two distinct sets of nodes: drugs and the protein drug targets (shown below). In this type of network graph, drugs can have connections to drug targets, but never to another drug. Out of the 890 FDA-approved drugs, 788 were found to share a drug target with another drug. There analysis showed that several drugs had over 10 target proteins including propiomazine (Largon), promazine (Sparine), olanzapine (Zyprexa, Zydis), and ziprasidone (Geodon); all of these drugs are prescribed as anti-psychotics. The most-targeted proteins included the histamine receptor H1 (HRH1) and the muscarinic 1 cholinergic receptor (CHRM1) with about 50 drugs targeting each protein. Two networks were then created from the bipartite graph: a drug network with drugs sharing common targets being connected and a target-protein (TP) network was created that includes only drug targets and connections are drawn between two proteins, if a drug targets both. In the TP network, it was shown that 305 out of the 394 drug targets shared a connection.The giant component, the largest connected part of the network, for the drug network was 476 and 122 for the TP network, both smaller than would be expected using randomly generated networks with the same number of nodes and edges. This leads to the conclusion that highly connected nodes in the drug and TP networks are connected to other similarly connected nodes. By looking at the anti-psychotics with many target proteins listed above, we see this trend in that they all share a common function.

From the experimental drug set, an additional 617 protein targets were identified from the approximately 800 experimental drugs with known targets. The giant component was determined to be 596 for the network of proteins targeted with the inclusion of experimental drugs. This is larger than would be expected for random networks, which was calculated as 551 (+/- 10). This differs from the result of using only the targets of FDA-approved drug targets, leading to the conclusion that experimental drug targets are more diversified than currently approved FDA-medications indicating a trend towards polypharmacology (drugs with multiple targets). A large segment, 62%, of FDA-approved drugs target proteins on cell membranes. This contrasts with many experimental drugs attempting to derive a treatment by targeting cellular components inside the cell; only about 40% of experimental drugs target membrane proteins. But looking at the drugs approved from 1996 to 2006, 69% of them target membrane proteins showing that while drug-discovery research is expanding targets, it has not been overly fruitful.

For the next part of their analysis, Yildirim et al. attempted to determine the essentiality of targets by identifying target proteins in a protein-protein interaction (PPI) map. They found that 262 targets were present and on average drug targets had more connections than other proteins in the network. Essential proteins are stated as proteins whose orthologous encoding genes in mice were necessary to produce a viable mice in gene knockout experiments; the quantitative measure is the number of connections of the essential predicted proteins. Using data from Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) Morbid Map, which contains disorder to disease gene associations, a human disease-gene (HDG) network was produced drawing connections between two genes which share a common disease. Only 166 out of 1,777 disease-related genes encode for drug targets; 43% are associated with multiple diseases. Including the target proteins of the experimental drugs, the percentage associated with multiple diseases dropped to 26%, which shows a trend to towards targeting disease genes more specifically.

The authors suggest that most drugs are palliative in nature (relieve symptoms, but do not address the specific genetic cause) due to the distance between the disease-gene and target proteins closely matching the distances for randomized pairings of drug target and disease-gene pairings (shown below). Since 1996, the fraction of disease-gene and drug-target with shorter distances has increased (also shown below). Diseases having drugs that are more directly targeted included cancer, endocrine, psychiatric, and respiratory disease classes. Developmental, muscular, and ophthalmologic diseases had longer distances from target protein. For medications treating advanced cases of cancer, the path from drug target to disease-gene is longer indicating that the drugs are more palliative. One thing lacking from this paper information of the efficacy of the drugs. Overington et al. stated in 2006 that the number of targeted genes would increase to over 600 genes, if you assume that drugs would have some effect on proteins showing 50% identity similarity. Another measure of efficacy that could have been used is binding-affinities to give strengths to the protein-protein interactions. Another interesting piece of information that Yildirim et al. do not highlight is the categories of target proteins. In the same 2006 perspectives paper by Overington et al., drug targets are classified by gene family and they show that over 50% of drugs fell into one of four categories: class I G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), nuclear receptors, ligand-gated ion channels, and voltage-gated ion channels.

Yildirim, M.A., Goh, K., Cusick, M.E., Barabasi, A., Vidal, M. (2007). Drug-target network. Nature Biotechnology, 25(10), 1119-1126. DOI: 10.1038/nbt1338

Overington, J.P, et al. How many drug targets are there? Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, Vol. 5, No. 12., pp. 993-996.

boston: Boston Colleges - Jan. 13-Jan. 19

2008-01-23T22:04:00.001-05:00

MIT

$20,000 worth of Steelcase chairs were stolen from the Student Center at MIT; each of the 46 stolen chairs was valued at $437.25. There were six serious incidents of theft in the building during the fall.

Other

The RIAA announced the 12th round of lawsuits against college students who allegedly shared files illegally. Schools in the Boston-area with affected students include MIT (19 students) and Mount Holyoke College (15 students).

boston: Boston Colleges - Jan. 6-Jan. 12

2008-01-12T18:11:00.000-05:00

Brandeis

The Mandel Foundation donated $22.5 million dollars to Brandeis University for an interdisciplinary humanities center for the fields of literature, language, and philosophy. The donated money will go to the creation of new interdisciplinary classes and research internships for undergraduates and aid the organization of conferences and events.

Northeastern University

The Neighborhood Access Group (NAG) cited NU for not making its sidewalks and crosswalks accessible to people in wheelchairs during the recent snowstorms in Boston. NU failed to clear the sidewalks at its Hemenway Street properties; city inspectors issued $150 per-ticket fines.

Boston University

A small fire started in a waste cart on the fifth floor of Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, probably the result of a cigarette according to the fire department. The laboratory will eventually host research into deadly diseases such as ebola, plague, and anthrax. The damage was estimated at $5,000.

Harvard

Theodore Pak is under investigation in connection for the production of fake state driver's licenses and Harvard IDs. Some of the Harvard IDs had the ability to access Crimson Cash accounts.

Graduate student Samuel Moulton and Professor Stephen M. Kosslyn published research in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience showing that participants in the study reacted indentically to extrasensory perception (ESP) and non-ESP stimuli. Three forms of ESP were tested: telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition. In the instance of telepathic stimuli pictures were presented to a person close to the subject in a seperate location while the subject's brain activity was measured via fMRI.

MIT

Anna Tang was released from jail and placed under house arrest for the alleged stabbing of Wolfe Styke her ex-boyfriend. She was released after posting a $10,000 bail and will be forced to wear a GPS bracelet.

Suffolk University

Suffolk University opened a new dormitory on West Street in the Downtown Crossing area to house 274 undergraduates, a coffee shop, and restaurant.

Other

Several eminent scientists and professors from the Boston call for a Presidential science debate as part of Science Debate 2008. The debate will look into the candidates views on environment, health and medicine, and science and technology policy. The signers of the petition from Boston University, Harvard, and MIT include Eric Chivian, Sheldon Glashow, Dudley Herschbach, Wolfgang Ketterle, Richard Schrock, Frank Wilczek, Robert Griffin, Eric Lander, David Ozonoff, and Steven Pinker.

politics: Mary Ann Segal M.D.: Democrat for President '08

2008-01-08T18:48:00.000-05:00

Mary Ann Segal MD is a Democratic candidate for President. In support of minor candidates, which add to the political discourse, here are scanned copies of a press release on her views.

software: PocketNester Plus 0.9 Settings for the Motorola Q

2008-01-08T00:37:00.000-05:00

PocketNester is an NES emulator for the Windows smartphones that can be downloaded from
Modaco. The following are settings for the Motorola Q smartphone.

Under "Options", the proper setting for "Display" is "Landscape Left".

In "Controllers", select right for Up. If done properly there will be a 0x27 displayed next to the word Up. The other keys are shown below:

Up (0x27) -> Right
Down (0x25) -> Left
Left (0x26) -> Up
Right (0x28) -> Down

scitech: The Genomics Revolution and the State of Personalized Medicine

2007-12-27T19:56:00.000-05:00

The seeds of the Human Genome Project (HGP) were laid during the 1984 Alta Summit in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Scientists gathered as part of a meeting sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the International Commission for Protection Against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens. They came with the specific question: "Could new methods permit direct detection of mutations, and more specifically could any increase in the mutation rate among survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings be detected (in them or in their children)?" [1] Seventeen years after that summit the first publications on the preliminary analyses on the working drafts human genome were published by Nature and Science journals in February 2001 by two competing groups: the International Human Genome Mapping Consortium and the Celera Genomics Sequencing Team. [2-3] The same issue of Nature featured a perspective on the potential importance to medicine of the 1.4 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) mapped in the genome [4]. One pragmatic approach in interpreting the success of the HGP is in determining its current impact on medicine.

Overall, the project took 13 years to complete in 2003; whereby basic science has benefited from the HGP [5]. Research in surrounding fields has progressed at an incredible rate creating a veritable alphabet soup of -omics-related projects: peptidomics, proteomics, genomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, metallomics, glycomics, interactomics, spliceomics, and ORFeomics. Researchers who worked on the original effort to sequence the genome turned their efforts to sequencing the genome of one individual since the HGP dealt with a conglomeration of DNA from several individuals. Personalized genomes are able to provide more relevant information about specific conditions in individuals. J. Craig Venter was the first individual for which a diploid genome sequence was characterized in September 2007 [6]. In the publication on Venter's genome, a table is provided containing many markers for common diseases and traits showing the potential for self-examination possible from knowing our genetic sequence. For instance, the list revealed that Venter is more likely to have wet earwax due to the sequence of his ABCC11 gene [6]. It also reveals that Venter is at a higher risk of Alzhimer's disease; information, which may be relevant to health-practitioners diagnosing aliments.

Unfortunately, much of the genomics revolution in science has side-stepped health-practitioners in part due to cost. Venter's genome cost about $70 million to sequence [7]. His genome was followed shortly thereafter by the genome of James Watson employing the sequencing technology of 454 Life Sciences which cost less than $1 million dollars [8]. Estimated costs for a sequencing an individual's genome is approximately $100,000 using the most current technology [7]. The X-Prize Foundation has set up an a genomics X-Prize worth $10 million for the first team able to sequence the genomes of 100 individuals in 10 days; any technologies borne from this accomplishment would almost certainly drive costs down further [8].

There is tension between those geneticists that feel that publicity gained from the sequencing of the genomes of the wealthy and celebrities will garner more attention and support from the public and those who feel that it a misuse of genomics. A news article in the May 2007 issue of Nature shows this unease; Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), was quoted as saying that sequencing of scientists with "strong financial positions ... [is] contrary to what the genome project aimed to achieve." The NHGRI plans to sequence 100 individual genomes in the next several years and wants to maximize the information obtained from these individuals. Ideas for candidates include those individuals with rare genetic disorders and individuals who have already been studied as part of the International HapMap Project, which published its analyses in the October 2007 [8-9].

Genomics in clinical settings is not routinely utilized, but it is an area that deserves increasing focus at medical schools and continuing education programs. Essential knowledge for current health-practitioners includes understanding available genetic tests for common diseases in pre-symptomatic patients and their uses in diagnoses of symptomatic patients. Our current understanding of the interactions between environmental and genetic factors and the small role that any individual genetic marker may make to complex human diseases undercuts the possibilities for determining more from genetic tests [10]. In a survey study conducted by Finn et al. of US and Canadian psychiatrists, it was shown that fewer than 25% of those surveyed felt prepared or competent to discuss information from genetic analyses with patients and their families [11]. Furthermore, the attitudes of many health-practitioners can be summarized as the HGP as being interesting and potentially useful one day, but having no dramatic effects on health-care in the near future, which has left many wondering "What will genetics and genomics do for me now, and how will they improve patient outcomes?" [12]. Guttenmacher proposes several recommendations to bridge the gap between the basic sciences and medical training, including increased focus on the relationship between common diseases (as opposed to rare Mendelian diseases) and genetics so that health-practitioners begin to think about the genetic factors contributing to the expression of diseases in patients [12].

Science tends to work in leaps and bounds, and while the cost has been prohibitive up to this point, two companies have recently announced new genotyping services for about $1,000. On November 17, 2007, the New York Times contained an article about two new companies; deCODE Genetics, an Icelandic company, will offer to genotype 1 million SNPs from cheek scrapings for $985, and a Google-financed company, 23andMe, will soon announce a similar service that will test 650,000 SNPs [13]. But given the caution with which trained genetic counselors approach genomic information one wonders the use of this data to the average person and the misinformation that might arise from misreading.

[1] Robert Cook-Deegan. The Alta Summit, December 1984. Genomics 5. 661-663 (1989)
[2] The International Human Genome Mapping Consortium. A physical map of the human genome. Nature 409, 934-941 (2001).
[3] The Celera Genomics Sequencing Team. The sequence of the human genome. Science. 291(5507):1304-51. (2001).
[4] Chakravarti, A. Single nucleotide polymorphisms: . . .to a future of genetic medicine. Nature. 409(6822):822-3 (2001).
[5] Francis S. Collins, Michael Morgan, Aristides Patrinos. The Human Genome Project: Lessons from Large-Scale Biology. Science. 300(5617):286-90 (2003).
[6] Levy, S. et al. The Diploid Genome Sequence of an Individual Human. PLoS Biol. 5(10):e254 (2007).
[7] May, M. Venter Sequenced. Nature. Vol 25 10. 1071 (2007).
[8] Check, E. Celebrity genomes alarm researchers. Nature 447, 358-359 (2007).
[9] The International SNP Map Working Group. A map of human genome sequence variation containing 1.42 million single nucleotide polymorphisms. Nature. 409(6822):928-33 (2001).
[10] McGuire. A.L. Medicine. The Future of Personal Genomics. Science. 317(5845):1687 (2007).
[11] Finn, C. T. et al. Psychiatric genetics: a survey of psychiatrists’ knowledge, attitudes, opinions, and practice patterns. J. Clin. Psychiatry 66, 821–830 (2005).
[12] Guttmacher AE, Porteous ME, McInerney JD. Educating health-care professionals about genetics and genomics. Nat Rev Genet. 8(2):151-7 (2007).
[13] Wade, N. Experts Advise a Grain of Salt With Mail-Order Genomes, at $1,000 a Pop. New York Times. 17 Nov. 2007. Accessed: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/us/17genome.html

boston: Boston Colleges - Dec. 9-Dec. 15

2007-12-16T01:51:00.000-05:00

Boston University

Journalism professor Chris Daly caused a stir by criticizing a front page story in the Washington Post by Perry Bacon Jr that drew on false rumors that Barack Obama is a Muslim as the worst piece of political journalism in 2007.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that Boston University must complete another environmental review of its controversial new research laboratory. The ruling jeopardizes the school's ability to the centerpiece Biosafety Level-4 laboratory that would house Ebola, plague, and anthrax. The court said that the original approval "lacked a rational basis because the evaluation of the 'worst case' scenario was significantly incomplete".

Cambridge College

Mahesh Sharma paid for his nephew's tuition using college funds. He is also accused of appointing a vice president to the college who has a contract with the school worth $170,000.

Harvard

Allston residents are demanding more community benefits from Harvard before it begins construction of its billion dollar, 350-acre Allston campus part of a new science complex that will house a stem cell institute among other buildings as part of a 50-year plan. The school has already promised "physical improvements of the neighborhood, free math and science tutoring, and conduct a survey to guide its future educational offerings for Allston residents". Harvard president, Drew Faust, will also be involved in more consultations with faculty and community members after concerns that the new campus will dilute the quality of academic life in Cambridge.

Tufts

Tufts hosted its annual Naked Quad Run last Monday; students ran from West Hall then around the Residential Quad. A video of the event was posted on YouTube. Many of the students sported props including "sported flags from their home countries, weird hats, large hoops, body paint, drums and even a giant condom".

UMass-Boston

UMass-Boston will begin adding three new academic buildings, two dormitories and an above-ground parking garage over the next decade in a plan to spend $750 million to give the school a more traditional feel.

boston: Boston Colleges - Dec. 2-Dec. 8

2007-12-09T10:48:00.000-05:00

Boston University

Brian McGuirk, Bryan Ewing, Dan McGoff and Brandon Yip were suspended from the BU men's hockey team for violating the team's rules, but no comment was made about the nature of the suspensions.

Boston College

Boston College announced a 10-year $1.6 billion expanison. The expansion will include adding 100 new faculty members, building four new academic buildings, a recreation complex, more than 600 new beds of undergraduate students, a fine arts district, and new athletic fields, facilities, and more than a dozen new centers and institutes. Among these new institutes and centers is the Institute for Liberal Arts, an Institute on Aging in the 21st Century, and a Center for Catholic Education. Additionally, a new School of Theology and Ministry will bring the Weston Jesuit School of Theology to the school's Boston campus.

Harvard

Thirteen alums from the Class of 1967 wrote an open letter to President Drew Faust accusing Harvard students of "widespread apathy and political indifference" and chides the students on the "apparently docile political behavior of the undergraduate student body". No comment has been made about the letter by Faust.

"The Great Debaters", a new movie starring Denzel Washington will debut at Carpenter Center at Harvard. The event will be co-sponsored by the school's black student groups including the Association of Black Harvard Women, the Black Men’s Forum, and the Black Students Association.

MIT

Amy Finkelstein was the lone female at MIT to be granted tenure this year in the economics department. In the previous, ten years the number of junior women faculty granted tenure has ranged from zero to eight per year, while the range for men is 10 to 24 per year. Both MIT President Susan Hockfield and Barbara Liskov have promised to investigate the issue surrounding the disparity. MIT has had previous issues in dealing with issues dealing with tenure. Almost a year ago, James Sherley, a African-American biomedical engineering professor (1 of only 23) at MIT was denied tenure and conducted a hunger strike.

scitech: List of Facebook Beacon Partners

2007-12-03T10:33:00.000-05:00

This is a partial list of the participating websites that have formed partnerships with Facebook Beacon. The list was obtained from Facebooking101.com An article by Juan Carlos Perez at PC World indicates that participating websites may be sending data about users to Facebook even they are logged out and have declined to broadcast their activities to Facebook friends. MoveOn.org has begun a petition stating that Facebook must respect user's online privacy and information should only be used with explicit permission. Additionally, Freakin Beacon, a Firefox extension, has been created which will display a blue icon in the status bar whenever a user visits a Beacon site.

AllPosters.com
Blockbuster
Bluefly.com
Busted Tees
CBS Interactive (CBSSports.com & Dotspotter)
Citysearch
CollegeHumor
eBay
echomusic
ExpoTV
Fandango
Gamefly
Hotwire
iWon
Joost
Kiva
Kongregate
LiveJournal
Live Nation
Mercantila
National Basketball Association
NYTimes.com
Overstock.com
Pronto.com
(RED)
Redlight
SeamlessWeb
Sony Online Entertainment LLC
Sony Pictures
STA Travel
The Knot
TripAdvisor
Travelocity
Travel Ticker
TypePad
viagogo
Vox
Yelp
WeddingChannel.com
Zappos.com

boston: Boston Colleges - Nov. 25-Dec. 1

2007-12-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

Harvard

The H Bomb has come back to Harvard. The group that produces the campus sex magazine has regained its recognition as an official student group. The new issue will print 10,000 copies by February 14; its first issue after two years. The magazine is known for including nude photographs of undergraduates.

John Edwards was found dead on the fourth floor Harvard Medical School's New Research Building in Longwood. A "jar of possibly toxic chemicals was found near the body" and his head was wrapped in a plastic bag. Edwards was a sophomore at Harvard and a graduate from Wellesley High School who was doing research on stem cells at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and also a guitar player.

Boston University

Last August, The National Institutes of Health did a safety review of a proposed Boston University's building which will house a Biosafety Level 4 facility allowing to work with deadly diseases such as Ebola, plague, and Marburg virus. The review found that the facility posed no danger to the South End neighborhood around the BU Medical Campus. On Friday, an independent review by the National Research Council found that the review was "not sound and credible" and that it did not emphasize the consequences in the event that the diseases escape the facility. The facility on Albany Street is 70% complete after nearly four years of construction on the $200 million project. In 2006, a Suffolk superior court judge ordered the school to conduct further safety reviews. The spokeswoman for the BU Medical Campus say that the construction of the lab will go on and that concerns by the NRC mean "that another report is necessary". BU released the following two-sentence statement

We recognize that the National Research Council report states a number of concerns regarding the NIH methodology and analysis and are confident that the NIH will address those issues in its final report. The South End site is as safe as or safer than alternative locations.

Northeastern

An 18-year old student Northeastern was found laying on the tracks of the Northeastern T station apparently intoxicated; his t-shirt was pulled over his head and he had vomited on himself. When police officers attempted to move him he flailed his legs and spat at them.

boston: Boston Colleges - Nov. 18-24

2007-11-25T14:09:00.000-05:00

Art Institute

Shawn Dow, a photography major at the Art Institute fell off a four-story building's roof during a party in Allston. Earlier in that night, three uninvited men had shown up; one of them starting an argument with a party goer that led to a brawl in the stairwell involving about 20 males. Police say that Dow was not involved, but friends and classmates that attended the party say that Dow was bleeding and unconscious due to fighting in the brawl. Dorthy Gleen, Dow's mother also disputes the claims saying "I don't see how he could just fall off the roof."

Boston University

Professors Lawrence DeLamarter and Dave Schaefer allowed students to drink chocolate malt beer during an Advertising Copy and Design class; one said that tablespoon-sized portions were passed around. The class had been assigned a project to promote a fake beer to Boston-area college students. Interim dean Tobe Berkovitz is investigating the matter and has not decided on a course of action. Drinking alcholic beverages in public places is prohibited by BU.

boston: Boston Colleges - Nov. 11-17

2007-11-18T10:33:00.002-05:00

Boston University

Property managers in Brookline want to insert fines into leases of students that "keep a disorderly house or have noise complaints." The property managers would be taking matters into their own hands after Brookline Police Department announced that they would be cutting back late-night patrols.

Harvard

Lindsey E. Scherf, a Harvard cross country and track star, was suspended from track and field competition worldwide by the United States Anti-Doping Administration (USADA); she will be ineligible to compete until Sept. 21, 2008. Schref was suspended for refusing to take a drug test after placing second in the Gold Coast Marathon in Brisbane, Australia. Scherf's reason for refusing was due to her uncertainty about "the requirement for a therapeutic use exemption in order to use her asthma medication."

Tufts

Jodie Neally, the former director of student activities, was fired due to allegations of embezzling $300,000 from accounts under her control at Tufts. Neally has admitted some responsibility for the misappropriations.

UMass

Dr. Peter Rice was charged for soliciting sex from an undercover Worcester police officer for $40. Rice is a physician at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and claims that he was "gathering information" for research on gonorrhea when arrested.

wikipedia: DNA polymerase I (addition)

2007-11-17T04:46:00.000-05:00

Cairns' lab assistant Paula De Lucia created thousands of cell free extracts from E.coli colonies and assayed them for DNA-polymerase activity. The 3,478th clone contained the polA mutant, which was named so by Cairns to credit "Paula" [De Lucia].

boston: Boston Colleges - Nov 4-10

2007-11-11T11:53:00.000-05:00

MIT

Wolfe Styke, the stabbing victim from MIT and ex-boyfriend of Anna Tang was released from a Boston hospital after being treated for stab wounds one of which was in his back. Anna Tang has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Northeastern

Chuck Turner, a city councilor who represents the district in which Northeastern is located, has harsh words to describe the growth of Northeastern.

Northeastern is a predator. There's a history of Northeastern disrespecting the neighborhoods around it, and its abuse of the community has become more flagrant in past years. It is a typical example of an institution that has a lot of lip service, but focuses on what it's doing and what it wants regardless of the community ... How does [Northeastern] explain taking housing from mothers and children?

The councilor is was a former employee and professor at Northeastern who is known for being an advocate of workers' rights, low-income families, prisoners, women and people of color.

Harvard

The Undergraduate Council at Harvard will continue to the end of the semester though the money cannot be used to reimburse the alcohol purchases. Next semester the council will have to reevaluate the system. The finance committee will meet to discuss appropriate reimbursements the system can cover.

etcetera: Jokela High School YouTube Video Alternate Host

2007-11-07T18:32:00.000-05:00

Pekka-Eric Auvinen killed eight people at Jokela High School in Finland; the first such school shooting in the country. Hours prior to the rampage the gunman posted a video to YouTube under the account name: Sturmgeist89. The video was taken down, but the video and other material related to the gunman have been backed up. The gunman's video can be found at the following here. The background music in the video is the song Stray Bullet by KMFDM (Kein Mehrheit Fur Die Mitleid), which includes the phrase "I'm illegitimate son of God." in the lyrics. Above are two screen shots from the 1:17 minute video; additional screenshots from other video can be found here.

boston: Boston Colleges - October 28-November 3

2007-11-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

Boston University

A Boston University student passed out in the back seat of a cab. When the driver tried to wake him up, the student kicked the driver in the face and then punched him in the face. The student from Allston was arrested for assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and possession of marijuana.

Brookline police will do longer do extra late-night patrols, which seemed to be targeting Boston University students.

A student was robbed by a hooded man with a knife at 2AM on Gardner St. The victim handed him $20 and then ran away. The robber shouted "You didn't have to give me your money, but thanks!"

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Dylan Baker publicly apologized for being arrested during the Red Sox World Series victory. He was charged for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest for "violently flailing his arms" when the police tried to arrest him.

Wellesley College

Prosecutors revealed that Anna Tang, the Wellesley student accused of stabbing her ex-boyfriend at MIT, had ordered a crossbow a week before the stabbing, but it didn't arrive on time.

Hillary Clinton presented a speech at her alma mater last Thursday.

boston: Boston Colleges - October 21-27

2007-10-28T18:55:00.000-04:00

Boston University

Police responding to a loud party found a severely intoxicated 19-year-old female, Boston University student lying in her own vomit. The host and DJ were arrested for being uncooperative, running a disorderly house and providing alcohol to a minor.

Yeon Lee, a Boston University student was struck by a BU police cruiser possibly while making an illegal turn in front of Marsh Chapel. The school's newspaper The Daily Press has been denied access to the incident report by the BUPD.

MIT

An employee at MIT working at the nuclear reactor facility was exposed to 80% of the radiation dose that a radiation worker can be exposed yearly.

Bunker Hill Community College

Cedirick Steele, a liberal-arts major, was shot seven times in the face, neck, and torso. Prosecutors believe that Steele was picked at random because the assailants "retribution" for a prior beef with Highland Street youth.

Havard

The initial report of scabies at the Pennypacker dorm may have been incorrect, according to an e-mail sent from University Health Services (UHS) doctors.

Wellesley

Wellesley College student, Anna Tang, was arrested for entering her ex-boyfriend's dorm room at MIT and stabbing him repeatedly while he slept. Tang was found later with her coat covered in blood with a black "buck" knife in her backpack.

Other

Seven students who were rowdy during the Red Sox ALCS victory were punished by having to write "a five-page essay detailing what they have each learned from the experience of getting arrested and that they provide the court with written verification that their parents are aware that they have been arrested and charged in connection with this incident", by Roxbury District Court Judge Edward Redd.

scitech: Using Gmail IMAP with Windows Mobile

2007-10-23T23:12:00.000-04:00

Gmail recently introduced IMAP for Gmail on select accounts.Windows Mobile phones can be configured to take advantage of the new IMAP feature using the following instructions.

Open the Messaging application
Choose any of the accounts currently listed
Click "Menu" then "Options"
Select "New Account"
On the "E-mail Setup" screen, fill out your name and your email address, then uncheck "Attempt ..." and click next.
Enter your username and password; leave "Domain" blank, and click "Next".

For "Server type" and "Account name", enter IMAP4, then click "Next"
For "Incoming server", enter: imap.gmail.com
Check "Require SSL connection"
For "Outgoing server", enter: smtp.gmail.com
Check "Outgoing server requires authentication"
Click "Next"
Choose the number of previous days and amount of message to download, then click "Next".

Choose how often Gmail will be checked, then click "Next".

Setup in finished, click "Finish" to start downloading your Gmail messages.

boston: Boston Colleges - Oct 14-20

2007-10-21T00:46:00.000-04:00

Boston College

Students were reminded not to burn down there dorms. During Fire Safety week BC has fire related events including a room inspection challenge, mock room burn, and "fireperson olympics". A new event this year is the fire extinguisher challenge; a relay race to demonstrate how to use a fire extinguisher.

MIT

A smoldering mattress was found on the roof deck of the Kappa Sigma house.

Boston University

A 20 year-old BU student sexually abused a 13-year old girl he met on Facebook. Bogush was charged with second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a minor, both misdemeanors.

BU announced that it will invest $1.8 billion to fulfill a strategic plan over the next 10 years to improve the campus’s academic and residential facilities, and recruiting an additional 150 new faculty.

Harvard

Residents of the Pennypacker Hall dormitory received "medicated cream and instructions on the eradication of the skin-borne (read: sex-related) infections." after an outbreak of scabies, "a parasitic disease involving skin-burrowing mites usually confined to livestock, 19-C covered wagons, and Oregon Trail."

MBTA police will start conducting random bag searches at the Harvard Square T station. Individuals will be selected by using a "random mathematical permutation".

Northeastern

A female student leaving a party near Fenway was thrown down the stairs after telling a group of seven other girls to stop shouting anti-Yankee slogans.

Tufts

Tufts will beginning promoting a program next month in which the university will pay off loan debt if a student takes a job a public school teacher or social worker, or work for any nonprofit. Undergraduate students at Tufts leave with an average of $14,400 of debt.

Other

Fifteen percent of freshman enrolled in America's top schools are white teens that don't meet the minimum standards for the schools they attend. The schools don't want to anger alumni, donors, faculty members, administrators, and politicians. The end result is that the wealthiest fourth of society is 25 times more likely to get into selective schools than the bottom fourth.

boston: Boston Colleges - October 7-13

2007-10-12T19:22:00.000-04:00

Boston University

Police were called to investigate someone running around naked on BU campus at 2:30 AM on Oct. 5th at the corner of Charlesgate Road and Ipswich Street.

Brookline police have arrested 23 individuals since Sept. 1 most of which have been BU students. The police department claims that students have been offensive than in previous years, and has made arrests on charges of disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and public intoxication.

Bentley

Eighteen year-old Erin Ortiz died of bacterial meningitis on Monday, Oct. 8 after feeling ill on Saturday. Thirty people were placed on antibiotics as a precaution.

Harvard

The Harvard Hooligan responds to the Harvard Interim Dean's declaration not to fund party grants. And the Harvard Undergraduate Council allocated $2,000 to hire legal counsel.

boston: Boston Colleges - October 1-6

2007-10-06T22:36:00.000-04:00

Harvard

The National Board of Medical Examiners appeals the appeal allowing Sophie Currier extra time on the medical exam, so she can pump breast milk.

The college ends the Party Grant Program that paid students holding events $1750 per week. Interim Dean of the College David Pilbeam wrote in a letter to the Undergraduate Council (UC) that the UC "has not assumed responsibility...for verifying that underage students will not be reimbursed for purchasing alcohol," and "it is quite apparent that the UC Party Grant program, in practice, has funded parties where the focus is on drinking."

MIT

Chancellor Philip Clay sends a warning to students that pranks will not be tolerated, which break the law or put someone in danger.

Boston University

A woman was raped in a bathroom in Warren Towers on the Boston University campus Sunday morning.

Boston College

A lab at Boston College explodes sending a graduate student to the hospital. Higgins Hall was evacuated for fear of a chemical leak.

Tufts

Tufts fraternity ATO has gone overboard according to Alderman Bruce Desmond. The fraternity has been drinking on fire escapes, urinating in public, and vomiting on people's doorsteps. The cost for dealing with rowdy students to law enforcement is $45K+ per year.

wikipedia: Boston University men's ice hockey (Addition)

2007-09-17T20:02:00.000-04:00

Until 1983, BU played in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Cornell

The rivalry between Boston University and Cornell dates to 1925 when Boston University beat Cornell 7-2. Between the years 1967 and 1977, both Boston University and Cornell won the ECAC crown five times in the ECAC Hockey League.

National Championships

BU won the national championships in 1971, 1972, 1978, and 1995.

wikipedia: Hankel Singular Values

2007-07-30T22:49:00.000-04:00

Hankel singular values provide a measure of energy for a state in a system. It is the basis for balanced model reduction in which high energy states are retained, while low energy states are discarded. The reduced model then retains the important features of the original model.

Hankel singular values are calculated as the square roots, {}, of the eigenvalues, {}, for the product of the controllability gramian, and observability gramian.

wikipedia: Moiety Conservation

2007-07-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

Moiety conservation is the conservation of a subgroup in a chemical species, which is cyclically transferred from one molecule to another.

Example

ADP is a subgroup that remains unchanged when it is phosphorylated to create ATP and then unphosphorylated back to ADP.

wikipedia: Middle Georgia College (Addition)

2007-05-27T00:10:00.000-04:00

Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States.

In 1997, Middle Georgia College began the Georgia Academy of Mathematics Engineering and Science (GAMES), a joint enrollment program that allows students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an Associate's degree.

etcetera; Restrict the Use of Your Facebook Information

2007-05-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

To restrict use of your information, do the following:

Click "Privacy" on top right.
Under the "Facebook Platform" section click "Edit Settings".
Scroll down to the bottom and UNCHECK ALL of the items under Facebook Platform, don't worry this wont affect your friends from seeing any of this.

Taken from Smart Mobs

scitech: GMail Server Error - Temporary Error (502)

2007-04-28T21:29:00.000-04:00

While attempting delete 120,000+ emails (730+ MB) from a GMail account I received the following error:

We’re sorry, but your Gmail account is currently experiencing errors. You won’t be able to log in while these errors last, but don’t worry, your account data and messages are safe. Our engineers are working to resolve this issue.

Please try logging in to your account again in a few minutes.

gadget: Star Trek Voice Operated Dimmer

2007-02-19T23:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing sets the mood like a Star Trek voice operated dimmer featuring Majel Roddenberry, the voice of the computer in the Star Trek series.

For only $39.95, you get the latest in sophisticated neural network technology to achieve the highest level of speech recognition possible. This gadget will make you feel as if you were on the bridge of the Enterprise, and it doubles as a night light.

etcetera: Fortune Teller Predictions for the Year of the Pig

2007-02-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

Today is the start of the Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year) with this being the Year of the Pig according to Chinese Zodiac.

Fortune tellers are giving their rather bleak predictions about the new year with expectations of epidemics, disasters, and violence.

Hong Kong feng shui master Raymond Lo expects 2007 to be a troubled year because Pig years are dominated by conflicting elements: fire and water.

Fire sitting on water is a symbol of conflict and skirmish. We'll also see more fire disasters and bombings.

The Russian AK-47 rifle, a weapon of choice among insurgents, was invented during a pig year, therefore we will see more gun battles, murder with guns and bombing attacks in 2007. Lillian Too, a Malaysian feng shui master expects the possibility of epidemics especially the bird flu. Peter So, a Chinese fortune teller, stated

Because of the water element in the Year of the Pig, the economy will continue to grow, which also paves the way for another round of interest rate hikes

Alion Yeo, a Hong Kong soothsayer, predicts changes in North Korean leadership around May, and John Lok, a Singaporean fortune teller, expects a bad situation in Iraq and that President Bush will have a bad year.

etcetera: Tenure the Hard Way: Hunger Strike (Update 2)

2007-02-16T21:35:00.000-05:00

At noon today, James Sherley, the African-American biomedical engineering professor who had begun a hunger strike to protest being denied tenure at MIT ended his strike. MIT and James Sherley issued the following statements:

MIT Statement

MIT deeply regrets that Professor Sherley's experiences at the Institute have resulted in his fast to express his concerns about racism. MIT bears responsibility for ensuring an environment in which all members of our diverse community feel welcome and respected. Professor Sherley's protest has focused attention on the effects that race may play in the hiring, advancement and experience of under-represented minority faculty, and on ensuring that our grievance processes are comprehensive, fair and timely. MIT is fully committed to addressing these issues and will continue to work toward resolution of our differences with Professor Sherley.

James Sherley Statement

Dear colleagues:

As MIT observes its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration today, I want to thank my supporters and other sympathizers of my hunger strike outside of the offices of the President and Provost. I am ending this part of my struggle. Starting today, I will in fact break my fast, in celebration of the attention that has been brought to bear on issues of equity, diversity, and justice at MIT and in higher education. Carefully modified from the original, my demands are still on the table. I urge the administration to act in good faith, to openly acknowledge and respond to the lines of communication and negotiation that have been in place for two weeks and to find its way to meet these demands.

Sincerely yours,

James L. Sherley

wikipedia: Robert Adler

2007-02-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

Robert Adler (1913-2007) was born in Vienna, Austria. He earned a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Vienna in 1937. After emigrating to the United States, he began working in the Zenith Electronics in the research division in 1941. In his lifetime, Alder was granted 180 patents for electronic devices. During World War II, Alder worked on high-frequency oscillators and electromechanical filters in aircraft radios. Alder is known for his work in surface acoustic wave technology used in color televisions and touch screens.

The invention Alder is best known for is the wireless remote control for televisions. While not the first remote control, Alder's remote control used sound to communicate with a television set instead of using light. It used aluminum rods struck by buttons on the device to produce high-frequency tones that would be interpreted to control functions by the television set. In the 1960s, Alder modified the remote control to use ultrasonic signals.

By 1963, Alder risen to through the positions of Vice, President, and Director of Research at Zenith. He remained a technical advisor to Zenith until 1997. In 1980, Alder was awarded the IEEE's Edison Medal. In 1997, Adler and Eugene Polley were awarded an Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. His most last patent application was filed February 1, 2007 for work on touch screen technology.

software: Record TVU Player Output Using VLC As ASF

2007-02-15T03:12:00.000-05:00

TVU Player is a free P2PTV program that allows users to watch TV channels on their computers. It is possible to record the video using VideoLAN Client (or VLC) as an ASF file.

While TVU Player is running and streaming video, open VLC and go to File -> Open Network Stream. At the open dialog, select HTTP/HTTPS/FTP/MMS and enter 127.0.0.1:8901 in the URL. Click the Stream/Save checkbox, and click Settings next to it.

On the Stream Output dialog, click File in the Outputs section. In Filename, choose a location and file name for the output. In the Encapsulation Method section, choose ASF. Click OK on the two open dialogs of VLC, and the current TVU Player stream will start recording.

politics: Troop Faux Pas

2007-02-14T00:15:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, Barack Obama apologized for using the word "wasted" to refer to the lives of soldiers in a speech in Ames, Iowa.

"We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should never been waged, and on which we have now spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."

This faux pas is struck a similar cord as John Kerry's poor joke last November at Pasadena City College in which he said,

"You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

This statement was unfounded according to a report by the Heritage Foundation, which shows that 98% of military enlistees have a high school diploma compared to 75% of the general population.

In both cases, the remarks have drawn quick criticism and quick apologies. The elephant in the room that no one is willing to talk about is the $466 billion US military budget that dwarfs all others in existence and any move that might be seen as not supporting the troops.

In the Senate, the debate over a non-binding resolution to increase troops in Iraq was stopped by a Republican filibuster last week. This week Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives face a similar challenge with their version of an Iraq resolution, and it will require wrangling moderate newcomers who are wary of casting any vote that might be seen as cutting off funding for the troops. All the while as Congress argues over non-binding resolutions, the White House as stated that there is enough money in the budget for President Bush to commit troops in Iraq with Congress possessing no viable way of stopping him.

programming: Eclipse EPIC Plugin Syntax Error-Parsing Bug

2007-02-13T00:04:00.000-05:00

EPIC is a Perl IDE plugin for the Eclipse platform. It has an unresolved bug where Perl files saved with a syntax error cannot be opened again and Eclipse will produce the following ambiguous error when opened:

Unable to create this part due to an internal error.
Reason for the failure: Argument not valid

For instance, the following code would cause an error due to a missing curly brace and a syntax error with the regular expression:

} elsif($test =~ /)
#Statement
}

If the code is too complex to edit readily using the Open With -> Text Editor option, then copying the code to a new Perl document will highlight the syntax error normally.

scitech: Older Americans and Complementary/Alternative Medicine

2007-02-12T02:19:00.000-05:00

Individuals aged 50 and older tend to have a higher rate of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, but tend not to discuss CAM use with their physicians. NCCAM conducted a phone survey of 1,559 people aged 50 and older showed that 30% did not discuss CAM use because they did not they should. Women more than men tended to discuss CAM use, and individuals making $75,000 or more were 6% more likely to talk to their physicians about CAM use than people with lower incomes.

There is the risk of drug interactions with some herbal remedies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a Public Health Advisory citing a paper in the (Journal of the American Medical Association) showing drug interactions between indinavir, a protease inhibitor used to treat HIV infections and St. John's wort. St. John's wort is often recommended in treating depression and anxiety.

politics: Politically Incorrect Party Goes Awry with Blackface and Ku Klux Klan Costumes

2007-02-12T00:32:00.000-05:00

Some students at Macalester College in St. Paul Minnesota threw a "politically incorrect" party, which has prompted an investigation due to one student being dressed as a Ku Klux Klan member and another wearing blackface with a noose around his neck. The party was supposed to be a satiric comment on "things that would be considered taboo in most situations."

This follows a string of incidents involving racially insensitive behavior at colleges. Students at Trinity College and Whitman College have also had parties where people have shown up in blackface. The Sigma Chi fraternity of John Hopkins was suspended after a "Halloween in the Hood" party displayed fake skeletons hanging from nooses, which also prompted President William Brody to introduce a new policy prohibiting "rude, disrespectful behavior".

At Texas A&M, a group of three students made a racist video in which a student in blackface is disciplined by a white student then mock whipped and sexually assualted. In an apology, one student said that the motivation behind the video was "intended to be a satirical spoof, much in the light of a Dave Chappelle or an SNL skit, and was an exercise in our home movie making skills."

etcetera: Who You Gonna Call, Rabbi Yehuda Gordon

2007-02-11T23:22:00.000-05:00

Orthodox Jewish ritual law requires a husband to give a woman a bill of divorce known in Hebrew as a a "Get" to be considered single. Maliciously a husband can refuse to sign the bill leaving their wives "agunah" or literally a "chained" wife.

Rabbi Yehuda Gordon and his team to track down "fugitive" husbands and persuade them to sign the Get. If the husband is in Israel, the Rabbinical Court can freeze assests or revoke driver's licenses or passports.

scitech: Piracy Built This Country

2007-02-06T02:27:00.000-05:00

In a celebration opening a new Microsoft global technical center in Bucharest, Romania, President Traian Basescu said in a speech with the software giant's chairman, Bill Gates, present:

Piracy helped the young generation discover computers. It set off the development of the IT industry in Romania. It helped Romanians improve their creative capacity in the IT industry, which has become famous around the world ... Ten years ago, it was an investment in Romania's friendship with Microsoft and with Bill Gates.

About 70% of software in Romania is pirated and salesmen still sell pirated CDs and DVDs of software at office buildings. Some argue that this behavior in nations with low incomes actually has benefits for large vendors because there are no sales losses if the people would not have been able to purchase the software, there is pressure for individuals to "go legit" when entering the workforce, and the vendor gains increased mindshare.

etcetera: Tenure the Hard Way: Hunger Strike (Update)

2007-02-06T00:20:00.000-05:00

True to his word, James Sherley, a African-American biomedical engineering professor begun a hunger strike today to protest being denied tenure at MIT. Twenty faculty from the department signed a statement stating that race did not play a part in the decision. Sherley will protest outside the office of the president and provost for three hours each morning. Out of 740 tenured professors, 27 or about 4 percent are ethnic minorities. MIT stated that Sherley's case has been reviewed three separate times.

politics: Clarifying the Sixth Commandment: "Thou Shall Not Kill"

2007-02-04T04:28:00.000-05:00

The theory of a Just War is the underpinning set of criteria which aids to determine if going to war is morally permissible, and specifies the circumstances in which the sixth commandment, "Thou Shall Not Kill", can be ignored. In 1993, the US Catholic Conference stated "Force may be used only to correct a grave, public evil, i.e., aggression or massive violation of the basic human rights of whole populations"

Below is a excerpt from an article in The Onion in which God holds a press conference to help clarify the sixth commandment, the "Don't Kill" rule. The complete article can be found here.

NEW YORK - Responding to recent events on Earth, God, the omniscient creator-deity worshipped by billions of followers of various faiths for more than 6,000 years, angrily clarified His longtime stance against humans killing each other Monday.

...

"I don't care how holy somebody claims to be," God said. "If a person tells you it's My will that they kill someone, they're wrong. Got it? I don't care what religion you are, or who you think your enemy is, here it is one more time: No killing, in My name or anyone else's, ever again."

...

"I tried to put it in the simplest possible terms for you people, so you'd get it straight, because I thought it was pretty important," said God, called Yahweh and Allah respectively in the Judaic and Muslim traditions. "I guess I figured I'd left no real room for confusion after putting it in a four-word sentence with one-syllable words, on the tablets I gave to Moses. How much more clear can I get?"

wikipedia: Jus Post Bellum

2007-02-04T03:55:00.000-05:00

Jus post bellum (Latin for "Justice after War"; see also Just War Theory) deals with the termination phase of war. The idea was written about by Brian Orend to reflect the need for rules to end wars completely and fairly.

Purpose

Provide assurances to combatants about the terms necessary to end a conflict
Provide terms for the end of war; once the rights of a political community have been vindicated, further continuation of war becomes an act of aggression
Provide guidelines for the construction of peace treaties
Prevent continuous fighting throughout peace negotiations by belligerents to gain more favorable terms.
Prevent draconian and vengeful peace terms; the rights a just state fights for in a war provide the constraints on what can be demanded from the defeated belligerent

Just Settlement of a Just War

The following is a list of items that would be permissible for a just settlement for a just war:

Unjust gains from aggression must be eliminated
Punishment against the aggressor in two forms:
- Compensation to the victim for losses incurred
- War crime trials for the aggressor
Security for the victim against future attack in the form of demilitarization or political rehabilitation
Terms for settlement should be measured and reasonable ruling out unconditional surrenders
Terms for settlement should be made public
Leaders, soldiers, and civilians must be distinguished
- Leaders must the aggressor must face fair and public war crime trials, if necessary
- Soldiers from all sides of the conflict must be held accountable for war crimes
- Civilians must be reasonably immune from punitive measures ruling out sweeping socioeconomic sanctions

External Links

Justice after War by Brian Orend in the Ethics & International Affairs Journal, Volume 16.1 (Spring 2002)

software: Mouse Problems in Excel

2007-02-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when opening a workbook in Excel and clicking on a cell will cause mouse to act as if you were holding the button down, and you cannot click back off of it. The only way to get out Excel is to close Excel is by killing the process in the Task Manager. The problem is due to mouse drivers; the mouse drivers need to be updated and/or re-installed. If the drivers provided by the mouse manufacturer fail then the generic mouse drivers provided with Windows need to be installed.

politics: The Relationship Between Gas Prices and Tortillas

2007-02-01T04:22:00.000-05:00

What happens when Americans want cheaper gas? Poor Mexicans starve. The price of tortillas has risen to 45 cents per pound in some areas of Mexico where the minimum wage is still less than US$5 dollars a day. A bushel (56 pounds) of corn has risen on the Chicago Board of Trade by over US$2 dollars since the end of 2005 to US$4 dollars; the US supplies about a quarter of Mexico's corn imports. This has been caused by the surge of interest in ethanol as an alternative fuel.

On Wednesday, tens of thousands of workers and farmers filled the central square of Mexico City to protest the spiraling food prices. Mexico's President Felipe Calderon announced a pact to freeze prices on January 18th, but the pact was with less than 10% of tortilla producers in the country. Left-wing parties joined the protesters and handed out ears of corn, which in itself has ramifications for the US as many Latin America countries have moved towards Leftists governments; the most recent of which was Ecuador with the inauguration of Rafael Correa on January 15th as Ecuador's President. For the left-wing parties, the issue of tortillas has become a new rallying point. Many of the Mexican protesters blame the government, one protester said "We’re here because the government always takes advantage of the poor. First it was tortillas, but we’re not stupid; if tortillas go up, everything else does too."

scitech: The Man of the Hour: Mr. Flower Power, the King of Flowers, Carl Linnaeus

2007-01-28T01:12:00.000-05:00

This Saturday marks the beginning of the Linnaeus 2007 celebration in Sweden for Carolus Linnaeus aka Carl Linneus aka Carl von Linne who was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who gave the world the gift of taxonomy or the method for classifying and naming organisms. This year's celebration focuses on Linnaeus method for classifying tulip bulbs.

Linnaeus was the originator of the binomial nomenclature system, without him there would be no Homo sapiens. His original system had three kingdoms divided into Classes, further divided into Orders, then divided into Genera, then divided into Species.

Linnaeus's work had a profound influence on scientists such as Charles Darwin and the area of research known as comparative biology. Comparative biology is instrumental in our understanding of living organisms. The predictive techniques of biologists become increasingly powerful as more information is utilized comparing across many related organisms. This in turn adds to researchers' abilities to identify novel drug targets and annotate genomes.

etcetera: There's An Elephant in the Way

2007-01-28T00:09:00.001-05:00

If only homework problems worked this way:

A 3 kg object is released on a frictionless ramp and stopped by an elephant.
Who needs the pythagorean theorem? Find x. Here it is.

Trying to use force will only work, if your teacher is willing to negotiate with terrorists for bonus points and an innocent stickman might get hurt in the process.
When all else fails always choose the answer to life, the universe, and everything: 42.

wikipedia: Ellinais (Addition)

2007-01-21T23:24:00.001-05:00

Ellinais was founded in 2006 and has 34 official members, mainly academics, lawyers and other professionals. The group has received state recognition of the ancient Greek religion. It is demanding that its offices be registered as places of worship, which could allow the group to perform weddings and other rites. The group believes in world peace, ecological awareness, and the right to education. The group has three high priests, one of which is Kostas Stathopoulos.

etcetera: The Comeback God, Zeus

2007-01-21T23:14:00.000-05:00

About 20 modern pagans from the group Ellinais celebrated Zeus at the 1,800 year-old Temple of Olympian Zeus in Greece. The group ignored a ban by the Culture Ministry, but were not stopped. One of the 3 high priests, Kostas Stathopoulos, said the event was a celebration of the nuptials of Zeus and Hera and that the group's message is about "world peace and an ecological way of life in which everyone has the right to education."

politics: National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2007

2007-01-21T22:52:00.000-05:00

President Bush declared Sunday, January 21, 2007 National Sanctity of Human Life Day as a day to recognize America's commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being. The President's proclamation focused on protecting unborn children, but makes no mention of the abuses of Abu Gharib,
the state of emergency that victims of Katrina and Rita continue to face (400,000 continue to live in temporary housing),

a war on terrorism that continues to escalate with the US attacks on Somalia (US ground troops have been seen in the country),

or the US near-muted response towards violence in Darfur (Sudan breaks the cease-fire brokered by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson).

software: Windows Mobile Smartphone Sound Settings

2007-01-20T13:00:00.000-05:00

Many settings on a smartphone can be changed from the registry. PHM has a free registry editor for the smartphone. The settings are often easier to understand in hexadecimal format where number values go from 0-9 and then A-F. The PHM registry editor allows you to see numbers as either binary, hexadecimal or decimal. Decimal values can be converted using the Windows calculator in scientific mode. Entering a number in the calculator then clicking the radio button labeled "Hex" will convert the value.

Changes to the registry will go into effect after restarting the phone.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\SoundCategories - Various phone sounds including the ring, alarm and system volume. These also found in the Settings. The values go from 0-9. Setting HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\SoundCategories\InCall\InitVol to zero disables the sound when initiating a call.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Volume\Volume - Controls the earpiece volume. Its values go from 0-4293967295, in hexadecimal the upper limit is an 8 integer value: FFFFFFFF.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Phone\Vol - Controls volume during a call. Its values go from 0-65535, in hexadecimal the upper limit is an 4 integer value: FFFF.

The following two entries are for HTC phones:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\Startup\WAV - Name of the file to play at startup.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\Shutdown\WAV - Name of the file to play at shutdown.

wikipedia: A Battle of Wits: Average World IQ

2007-01-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

Above are two images taken from Wikipedia showing average IQ around the world. The first (and original image) was put on Wikipedia in June 2006; the second image is from today, and it has been flipping back and forth several times. The IQ of Americans, New Zealanders, and the French has dropped about 30, 30, and 40 points, respectively, and the IQ of Australians has risen by 40 points.

filmtv: Deathnote & the Ethics of Fansubbing

2007-01-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

Viz Media licensed the Death Not in the USA on Thursday this week. Therefore, Live Evil, a principal group fansubbing the series dropped the series and disabled distributing the series via Bittorrent. This follows the self-imposed rules of not selling or renting fansubs and ceasing to distribute animes once licensed, in part due to fear of being sued by American companies who license the series. The self-imposed rules are of course still in violation of the WTO TRIPS agreement. So what happens to a popular series such as Death Note? First, you get the bad news, then the mischief makers, and on the third day, a fansub ready for distribution. Unfortunately for L, justice never stood a chance.

software: Increase Font Size of GMail Midlet for Smartphones

2007-01-14T12:06:00.000-05:00

By default, the font size of the Java GMail midlet may appear to small to read comfortably on a smartphone. The font size can be increased by starting the midlet then going to Menus > Go to > Settings. There you need to uncheck the third box "Use small fonts"; you will need to restart the GMail application to view the larger fonts.

politics: Freshman Congressman to Rove: "I Kicked Your Ass"

2007-01-11T23:40:00.000-05:00

Freshman Representative Steve Kagen told reporters he trapped Karl Rove in a bathroom and said "You’re in the White House and think you’re safe, huh? You recognize me? My name’s Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass". Kagen was in a bitter campaign with brutal attack ads and visits from Cheney and Rove.

art: Sweet Jebus! Simpsonzu & Super Happy Fun Futurama Show

2007-01-11T23:34:00.000-05:00

The characters of the Simpsons and Futurama as anime characters by Space Coyote on DeviantART.

Long story short: Bongo Comics, Matt Groening's comic book company, is hiring me to do the pencils for a short manga-style Simpsons comic. Also, I've been contacted by 20th Century Fox. They want me to do work for them somehow. I might get a design job for the upcoming new Futurama series!

art: Blue Cascade

2007-01-08T14:36:00.000-05:00

Blue Cascade (1280x1024): A subcellular microcosm using basic elements to highlight the simplicity and richness of Nature with various elements to represent DNA replication, bacterial cells, enzyme complexes and signaling pathways.

etcetera: PWNED! Banished Words for 2007

2007-01-01T03:03:00.000-05:00

Awesome words for 2006 that have been pwned for 2007. If you need a second opinion, ask your doctor if chipotle-flavored truthiness is right for you or if you should just classify these words as gone missing in search of something now playing in theaters staring undocumented aliens committing armed robberies of iAnythings gone bad while boasting that they're pregnant and eating healthy. Of course you already know the ending; they'll end up at Gitmo chatting about Bragelina and TomKat.

art: Donna Ricci: Photoshopped

2006-12-28T23:42:00.000-05:00

Above are photoshopped images of Donna Ricci, a gothic model, as widescreen 1280x800 wallpapers. The original images are from her modeling management company, Wicked Talent, website. Her claim to fame is being the model for the the character of Death in the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. A claim that has been disputed on Fetish Gossip and the Goth Bible.

etcetera: Tenure the Hard Way: Hunger Strike

2006-12-28T15:10:00.000-05:00

James L. Sherley, a biomedical engineering professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology will start a hunger strike on February 5th unless he is granted tenure. Sherley stated:

I will either see the provost resign and my hard-earned tenure granted at MIT, or I will die defiantly right outside his office.

Sherley, an adult stem cell researcher and winner of the $2.5 million dollar Pioneer Award, believes he is a victim of racial discrimination. MIT provost, L. Rafael Reif has say there would not be any further consideration and Sherley would have to leave next year.

wikipedia: Common disease-common variant

2006-12-17T00:54:00.000-05:00

The common disease-common variant (often abbreviated CD-CV) hypothesis predicts common disease causing alleles will be found in all populations. Variations in the human genome in the form of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are common in independent populations. Common variations are concentrated in coding and regulatory sequences in genes. Evolutionary neutral diseases, complex polygenic diseases, are caused by these variations. Each variation in a complex disease will have a small effect on the disease phenotype resulting in additive or multiplicative effect of many susceptibility alleles. The hypothesis has held true in the case of putative causal variants in the apolipoprotein E, APOE ε4, associated with Alzheimer's disease. IL23R has been found to be associated with Crohn's disease; the at-risk allele of has a frequency 93% in the general population.

etcetera: Americans by the Numbers

2006-12-16T22:17:00.000-05:00

Based on the 2007 Statistical Abstract of the US

Americans

Are the fattest people on the planet.
Drunk 23 gallons of water per person in 2004; 10 times as much as in 1980. They now drink more water than beer.
Consumed 2 times as much high fructose syrup than in 1980.
Spent 8.5 hours per day watching television, using computers, listening to radio, going to movies, or reading. They spend 64 days watching television, 41 days listening to the radio, and a week on the Internet.
Are taller. Only 10% of people in their 20s are shorter than 5-foot-6.
Are injured by by bicycles more than any other consumer product; beds come in second.
Are splitting up at the rate of 3.7 divorces per 1,000 people. People in Nevada divorce at a rate of 6.4 divorces per 1,000 people. The number of both marriages and divorces has been declining except in Conneticut.
Produce more solid waste: 4.4 pounds per day up 0.7 pounds since 1980.
Tend to pay off their credit cards: 56% "almost always" paying off the balance, while 24% "hardly ever" paid off their balance.

American

Men had 6% same-sex sexual contacts while women had 11.2%
Men earned 42,000 professional degrees and 41,000 women earned professional degrees compared to 2,000 in 1970.
Men have 5.4 sexual partners and women 3.3 partners by the age of 44.
Newborns have increased life expectancy by 2 months.
Wiccans have skyrocketed in numbers up to 350,000 from being unregistered in 1990.
Had an median household income of $65,000, and 75% of college freshman said their primary objective was to be financially very well off. Nearly half of freshman had earned an average grade of A in high school.

politics: One Man's Opinion

2006-12-16T21:03:00.000-05:00

Former House Speaker and Representative from Georgia's 6th district, Newt Gingrich, made the following remark during a keynote speech at the Manchester Republican City Committee Christmas dinner concerning the removal of six Muslim imams from a US Airways flight after a passenger raised concerns about the imams evening prayers:

Those six people should have been arrested and prosecuted for pretending to be terrorists. And the crew of the U.S. airplane should have been invited to the White House and congratulated for being correct in the protection of citizens.

As of late, Gingrich hasn't been known for defending First Admendment rights. Speaking at the annual Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment award dinner celebrating individuals who stand up for freedom of speech, Gingrich stated that the US may require a "different set of rules" to prevent terrorists from using free speech to recruit and get their message out using the Internet.

In a "Special Comment" retort, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann compared Gingrich's ideas to to Nazism.

politics:The Names of Deceased Iraqi Civilians

2006-12-03T01:52:00.000-05:00

On December 12, 2005, President Bush put the number of deaths of Iraqi civilians at 30,000. Later, an estimate by the Hassan Salem of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) put the figure at 150,000, while a study in the British medical journal The Lancet published in October puts the figure at 655,000. In all these estimates, the lives of these Iraqis have been turned into mere figures stripped of the hopes, ambitions, and the contributions these individuals might have made to a future Iraq. The image above presents the names of about 400 individuals gathered from a list created by Iraqi Body Count, which contains approximately 3,700 names. Individuals under 18 are highlighted in red, and the larger a name appears the younger the victim was.

software: I Think I'm Learning Japanese

2006-12-03T01:09:00.000-05:00

Learning Japanese is a challege for many people due to the number of characters involved. There are about 80 characters for each set of hiragana and katakana. And in all there about 50,000 Japanese kanji about 2,000 of which are needed for general use. Knuckles in China Land and Slime Forest are two RPG games that can help you memorize characters and learn vocabulary.

Knuckles in China Land - The game features Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. This game tests you by using characters that sound similar ka, ke, ko, etc. It includes about 6000 kanji with 1000 of them ordered from "more common" to "less common".
Slime Forest - This game throws characters at you based on similar looking characters like hiragana's sa and chi. It only lets you die 3 times every 8 hours, so you don't over do your practice. You can download additional still in development games to practice vocabulary and verb tenses.

filmtv: I Heart Kazakhstan

2006-11-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

And apparently so do most people according to the 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has made $67.8 million in 10 days and only cost $17 million to create.

But the movie has already sparked one lawsuit by two of the drunken frat boys who make racist and sexist comments in the movie; from personal experience that was the only part of the movie that the audience seemed muted. The lawsuit states that they were tricked and quote:

... engaged in behavior that they otherwise would not have engaged in.

The villagers of Glod ("Mud"), in south-east Romania, are equally displeased by the movie and accuse Sacha Baron Cohen of exploiting them. The villagers believed that Cohen was making a documentary about their hardships rather than being portrayed as rapists, abortionists, and prostitutes. Nicolae Staicu, a local councilor, says he was never told what the movie was about and that the film crew never obtained an appropriate permit. The local vice-mayor, Petre Buzea, stated that

"They got paid so I am sure they are happy. These gipsies will even kill their own father for money,"

in response to whether the villagers were offended by Cohen's film.

In London, Turkish Internet celebrity, Mahir Cagri, who gained through his I Kiss You!!!!! website is considering legal action because he worries people will mistake him for Borat.

"If you (see) this, what you think about me? Mahir is a very bad comedian, Mahir is a homosexual, Mahir may be say the bad things about Jewish people? This is very bad."

Mahir set up his website in the late 1990s to make new friends by offering

Who is want to come TURKEY I can invitate ... She can stay my home.

And in Kazakhstan, "Borat" will not be shown even though it is not officially banned, while in Russia, a government agency believes the film will offend certain groups, and Russian distributors will not be releasing the movie.

etcetera: Grow Cube RPG Ver0.1f

2006-11-11T21:58:00.002-05:00

In Grow Cube RPG, you, the hero, must vanquish the deadly monster by choosing the correct order of the items. This is another in the series of games by Eyemaze called Grow. If you really enjoy Grow, you can make donations to the creator.

The solution

House
Tree
Castle
Water
Tower
Rock
Chest
Stairs

politics: Electronic Voting and Hacking Democracy

2006-11-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

Election day is almost here, and as of this morning more that 191,000 absentee ballots have been requested by Maryland residents. The governor of the state called for the state to scrap its $106 million electronic voting apparatus and to use paper ballots; a plan that was rejected. The machines were manufactured by Diebold, a company who has come under attack for the integrity of its voting machines in an HBO documentary Hacking Democracy; Diebold unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the documentary from airing. The documentary is by the founder of Black Box Voting, Bev Harris, who has been questioning voting irregularities since the 2000 election in Florida when Al Gore received negative votes. Diebold has been known for its secretive nature refusing to release the computer source code installed in its machines. In Florida, a DUI charge was dismissed because a manufacturer refused to reveal more technical details about its breathalyzers. And late last month a former Democratic Maryland legislator Cheryl C. Kagan received three disks containing the Diebold source code, which were apparently stolen and the FBI is currently investigating.

music: Pandora Stumped

2006-10-20T14:05:00.000-04:00

It has only ever happened once, but even Pandora, the automated music recommendation and Internet radio service, can get stumped.

"It's taking longer than expected to figure out the perfect song to play next. The music should be playing soon, but if you get tired of waiting, try switching to one of your other stations."

etcetera: Grow Cube Ver.0.1k

2006-09-10T00:27:00.000-04:00

The aim of the Grow Cube is to turn a brown cube into an more interesting thing. A very weird, very frustrating, and very addictive game. This is part of series of games by Eyemaze called Grow where items added to the game world interact in various depending on the order they are added.

The solution:

Guy
Water
Seeds
Pot
Tube
Fire
Bowl
Bone
Ball
Spring

etcetera: Japanese IQ Test

2006-08-29T20:38:00.000-04:00

Apparently this is an IQ test given to job applicants in Japan.

"Everybody has to cross the river"

The solution:

Cop/Thief go, Cop comes back
Cop/Son go, Cop/Thief come back
Father/Son go, Father comes back
Mother/Father go, Mother comes back
Cop/Thief go, Father comes back
Mother/Father go, Mother comes back
Mother/Daughter go, Cop/Thief come back
Cop/Daughter go, Cop comes back
Cop/Thief go

scitech: Stop Firefox's Warning: Unresponsive Script Popup

2006-08-27T13:00:00.000-04:00

The script timeout in Firefox can be increased to avoid the "Warning: Unresponsive script" popups.

In the URL bar, put about:config. Then, look for dom.max_script_run_time under "Preference Name". Right-click the name and click Modify. Set the value to something higher than 5, such as 30, then click OK.

wikipedia: UA Whitaker

2006-08-24T17:59:00.000-04:00

Uncas A. Whitaker (1900-1975) was born in Kansas and raised in Missouri. He was a mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, lawyer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. At the age of 41, he founded Aircraft-Marine Products, AMP Inc., in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania which produced electrical connectors removing the need for soldering.

When Whitaker died in 1975, he left part of his fortune for a foundation to improve people's lives, The Whitaker Foundation. Money provided by him and his wife, Helen Whitaker, totaled $120 million. In 1994, the foundation was the was the sixty-first largest foundation in the United States with assests of $340 million and annual expenditures of $26 million.

wikipedia: Erica Cerra

2006-08-22T23:35:00.000-04:00

Erica Cerra (born on October 21, 1979 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian actor of Italian decent.

Erica was captivated by acting from the age of 8 and appeared in numerous commercials as a child. For a time, she took a break from acting and returned at the age of 22. She was name one of Vancover's five hottest up and comming actresses by Vancouver Lifestyles Magazine in 2005. She currently stars Jo Lupo in Eureka, a Sci-Fi network series that began broadcasting in 2006.

Selected filmography

Eureka - Deputy Deputy Jo Lupo (2006) (TV)
Battlestar Galactica - Maya (2006) (TV)
The L Word - Uta Refson (2006) (TV)
Man About Town - Sela
Smallville - Courtney
The 4400 - Molly Caldicott
Blade: Trinity - Goth Vixen Wannabe (2004) (Movie)
Huff - Beautiful Waitress
Dead Like Me - M.J. Bowers' Sister

External links

Erica Cerra at the Internet Movie Database

filmtv: Helluva TV Engineer

2006-08-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

There are few programs on television today that inspire the minds of young people in science and engineering like the late Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek as documented in the the Discovery Channel's How William Shatner Changed the World. Shows such as Star Trek influenced a generation of scientists, but US science is on the decline with the share of scientific papers by Americans dropping seven percent between 1988 and 2001, and nearly two-thirds of of doctoral degrees in engineering going to foreign born students. Where are the engineering role models on television today?

Characters such as MacGyver and Montgomery Scott aka Scotty have been the quintessential role models for future engineers. Who can forget Scotty yelling over the Enterprise's intercom "I can't change the laws of physics! I've got to have thirty minutes," as he tried to hold her together or MacGyver destroyinng lasers with binoculars and cigarettes or building a rocket-propelled flare out of bamboo, fertilizer, matches, a strip of cloth, a small tin can, a thin metal rod, a funnel, and a wooden spoon?

Last year, Fox debuted Prison Break in which Michael Scofield, a civil engineer, creates an elaborate plan to break his brother out of jail after being sentenced to death for murder the Vice President's brother. Scofield uses detailed tattoos on his upper body containing blueprints and various other pieces of information in his escape. Another show that has recently premiered is Eureka on the Sci Fi channel. The premise of the show is that after World War II, then-President Harry Truman created a top-secret town in the Pacific Northwest where the country's greatest minds could work on scientific advancements without worries or distractions. The first episode introduces the audience to the character Henry Deacon, a jack-of-all-trades NASA engineer, masquerading as the local mechanic.

Some argue that shows such as CSI give unrealistic expectations about its field in science. But that hasn't deterred the increase in the number of students going into forensics-based based majors. West Virginia University has seen the number of students in forensics majors increase from three graduating in 2001 to 400 enrolled in 2004.

scitech: Linking Multiple Routers HOWTO

2006-08-12T21:18:00.000-04:00

Multiple routers can be linked together in a few easy steps, which can be useful if you are trying to connect wireless routers to existing routers. The instructions of this HOWTO should not interfere with the existing settings on the router currently connected to your internet line.

Step 1: Gathering Necessary Information

First, you should download the manuals for all the routers you are about to link together. The manuals will include instructions on logging into them and details about specific settings. If something goes wrong, you'll need instructions on how to reset the router and the default usernames and passwords for the router.

Step 2: Setting Up Secondary Router IP Address

Connect the secondary router to your computer and disconnect any other connections going into the router. If the router has all its default settings then you probably will login to it at http://192.168.0.1/, the manual should provide further instructions and account information. The first setting to change is the IP address at which the router respond. Most routers assume they will be the first address on the network http://192.168.0.1/. This causes a conflict when multiple routers try to take this address. The image shows a typical router setup webpage with the address for the router changed to 192.168.0.254. The settings for each router will be different. On this router the IP address setting was located under LAN IP Setup under the Advanced options. When you hit Apply, the router should reset. Log back into the router at the new IP address to make sure it is still accessible.

Step 3: Turn Off DHCP Server on Secondary Router

If the router is still accessible, you will then need to turn off the DHCP server. DHCP server essentially had out unique IP addresses to all the computers on the network. The router connected to the internet line will act as the DHCP server and any computers connected to the primary or secondary routers will be on the same network. This option is also under LAN IP Setup in the image.
DO NOT do steps 2 and 3 at the same time. The reason you can connect the secondary router on address http://192.168.0.1/ is because the router is giving itself that address. Devices on networks tend to keep the addresses they had before so the secondary router will attempt to keep 192.168.0.1, which will conflict with the primary router, if not changed. Also, by specifying the address you will know where to look for it when you need to change its settings.

Step 4: Connect Secondary Router to the Primary Router

On the primary router the internet line should be connected to the WAN port. When you connect the primary router to the secondary router make sure NOT to pick the WAN/Uplink port on the secondary router. The ethernet cable to the secondary router is not directly connected to your internet line.
That should be it. One thing to check, if this doesn't work make sure that the IP address for your secondary routers is dynamically set since the primary router is the one handing out addresses for the network.

scitech: Open Unknown Files with Notepad in Windows XP

2006-08-06T17:22:00.000-04:00

It is possible to associate an application with files of an unknown type in Windows with the following instructions by configuring the registry:

Start the registry editor by clicking on the Start menu -> Run -> Type in regedit.exe -> Click OK
Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell
Right-click the folder and select New -> Key
Enter the name "openas" and press Enter (don't type the quotes)
Select the new "command" key, right-click it and select New -> Key (don't type the quotes)
Double-click the "Default" value
Change the name of the application, for example "NOTEPAD.EXE %1" for the notepad. "%1" is needed to pass the document name to the application.
Click OK

etcetera: The Zen of Bagels

2006-08-06T15:57:00.000-04:00

Taken from the rec.food.cooking newsgroup.

One thing for sure: bagels places have become as common as candy stores used to be (sadly said for both) and Gresham's Law has taken hold. Never again will the quality of bagels be something to be taken for granted.

What follows is the sort of thing that never would have been written when All Was Well With The World, when bagels were two for a nickel (rolls were three for the same price) and came in one flavor: plain. It's offered in the hope of rescuing and demystifying a once-simple pleasure. The title is totally phony and was designed to catch the eye. The real title is:

How To Eat A Bagel

General considerations

Despite the by now universal practice, a bagel should never be cut. (See below for limited exceptions.)
It should not be eaten as a holder for cream cheese, lox, etc.
A bagel should be eaten because it is a bagel.

Procedures

Approach the bagel with no show of awe or reverence. Very important. Reading a newspaper is helpful.
Grab bagel firmly with left hand.
With the right hand, tear off a two-inch segment.
Examine bagel:

Bagel and segment should both retain essentially the same shape as before. Slight flattening permissible but no more than that.
If bagel fails this test, discard and go to a different bakery.

If bagel passes first test, take a first bite.
Judge bagel.

Bagel should be very chewy and taste like the sun. (Hot and mostly hydrogen? --spaf)
If bagel fails this test, discard and go to a different bakery.

Playing through

Continue reading the paper. (Very important.)
If asked how you like the bagel, answer with an indifferent "all right" or "ekh, a bagel". Any show of ecstasy or bliss is bad form.

Ritual variances

Bagels may be sliced and eaten with other food only:

On Sunday at breakfast.

But not with grandchildren present.

When in company which might misunderstand the approved method for bad manners or mistake it for bagel-snobbery.

Advanced topics

Try bialys. They're still what they should be.

scitech: Mencoder 3-Pass Encoding Quick HOWTO

2006-06-04T09:05:00.000-04:00

Mencoder is available for both Linux and Windows and can be used to rip DVDs. The following is a very basic example, a series of examples and guides on encoding parameters can be found on encoding-tips, which were collected from mplayer-users. Each step presented below is a single command.

Step 1:

If frameno.avi exists, remove it.

rm frameno.avi

Step 2:

The first pass extracts the audio stream for the video.

mencoder dvd://1 -ovc frameno -o frameno.avi 
-oac mp3lame -lameopts vbr=3

Step 3:

The second pass is the first pass of video encoding

mencoder dvd://1 -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=mpeg4:vpass=1 -oac copy -o video.avi

Step 4:

The third pass is the second pass of video encoding and the audio from frameno.avi will be inserted.

mencoder dvd://1 -ovc lavc -lavcopts 
vcodec=mpeg4:vpass=2 -oac copy -o video.avi

scitech: Turn Off System Beeps in Windows XP

2006-05-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

System beeps can be disabled in Windows XP by going to the Control Panel -> System -> Hardware -> Device Manager. In the Device Manager, click the "Show hidden devices" option in the View menu. Go to the "Non-Plug and Play Drivers" section; right-click and disable the "Beep" device.

politics: A Browner America

2006-05-10T19:52:00.000-04:00

Between July 1, 2004 and July 1, 2005, the US population grew by 2.8 million nearly half were Hispanics. Hispanic women typically have 3 children in their lifetime compared to the 1.8 for non-Hispanic whites and there are 8.2 Hispanic births for every Hispanic death. Forty-five percent of children under the age of 5 are from a racial or ethnic minority. Hispanic are the largest minority group in the US with 42.7 million growing at a rate of 3.3 percent compared to African-Americans 39.7 million growing at 1.3 percent. The non-Hispanic white population is growing at a rate of 0.3 percent.

etcetera: Georgia Schools On My Mind

2006-05-10T19:21:00.000-04:00

With schools next to last in SAT scores and first in the nation in dropouts, Georgia schools don't need another blow to their reputation. But federal prosecutors presented evidence today to tie former state school superintendent, Linda Schrenko, and two co-defendants Stephen Botes and Peter Steyn of funneling $614,000 in federal education funds through a company called Computer Consulting Service Corporation run by Botes (President/CEO) and Steyn (COO). The evidence presented today is meant to show that Schrenko knew about the illegal contributions to her failed gubernatorial campaign in 2002.

Also, Georgia lawmakers have overwhelmingly authorized Bible classes in public school making it the first state in the nation to do so. At least Georgia students will be in good company with the rest of the nation where 53% of American adults believe God created humans in present form. Tim Callahan, the spokesman of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators says this just is another battle in the cultural wars. Georgia has been on the frontlines of the war since Cobb County schools proposed the requirement of a disclaimer in biology books in 2002 that read: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered." The evolution stickers was ruled unconstitutional in 2005 by a federal judge in Atlanta.

Sometimes its the little things that can do the most harm, such as a rendition of the "On Top of Ol' Smokey" which included lyrics about shooting a teacher in Suwanee, GA. Beth Ann Cox, a junior at Peachtree Ridge High School admitted to humming the song, but denied singing it loudly or directy the lyrics at her German teacher Phil Carroll. The lyrics included: "On top of Ol' Smokey, all covered with blood, I shot my poor teacher with a .44 slug." Carroll says she started singing the song out loud while they were discussing a grade on an assignment. Cox was suspended for five days.

etcetera: Top 5% of Public High Schools

2006-05-03T11:17:00.000-04:00

Even though numbers are not the end all of what makes a good school, the Washington Post has a list of the top 5% of public high schools based on the number of Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate tests taken by all students at a school in 2005 divided by the number of graduating seniors.

The majority of the top schools in Georgia are in the Atlanta area. A member of Jackson County's board of education recently initiated a motion to implement the International Baccalaureate tests at Jackson County Comprehensive High School; my former high school.

In related news, forty percent of Americans aged 18-24 cannot identify Iraq on an unlabeled map even though the US has been fighting a war in the country for the past 3 years. More than one-third failed to find the Louisana and Mississippi on maps even with the daily coverage in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.