More than a little boring...

This summer I have a research fellowship at MCW. For the most part it is interesting, and I am learning a lot.

Today, however, is starting off rather slowly. I am in the process of learning how to do western blotting for protein. This is a lot like cooking...you follow a recipe, and then let the stuff "cook". This involves a great deal of waiting, such as now.

After a while, you run out of things to look at online, and are forced to actually post to your blog.

I'm still working with rabbits, although that has slowed down a bit now in favor of the molecular work.

Medical Marijuana

Hmmm....

Not getting into a debate, but I just saw what I thought was a funy reason to claim medical marijuana use...

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder....

Yup, I'm sure marijuana will definetly mellow you out...

An interesting quote I came across today.

"Naturally, the common people don't wan't war, but they can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
Tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and endangering the country. It works the same in every country."

Herman Goering
Hitler's Reichsmarschall
At the Nuremburg Trials

I disagree

This story on Yahoo is about a criticism of the WHO for warning of the potential for a massive disease outbreak following the December Tsunami.

I think that had the WHO not issued such a warning that they then would have been completely negligent. After all, that is their job.

In this case, they called to attention the fact that the enormous destruction and loss of life had the potential for massive disease. Which of course it did.

This is just the sort of Monday morning quarterbacking that makes people afraid to make decisions.

Score

Rabbits: Zero

Me: Eight

More to come.

Amazing

Well, I finally finished the spring semester. Things turned really well, but I'm glad it's over. I needed the break.

I was recently asked to explaining Mayhew's physiology of pooping by some guys from the JFD. I truly believe that this particular phenomenon is beyond the scope of our most advanced scientific knowledge of pooping (defecation, to us science types). Perhaps some day we will have the technology to explain this mysterious force of nature, but as of yet I don't believe it can (or should) be attempted. Further, the risks to a researcher investigating this far outweigh the benefits of explaining the phenomenon. Imagine the consequences of encouraging him to poop, fart, and otherwise exercise his GI tract. Horrifying.

In other news, I've moved on to my summer research fellowship. I'm working in a lab investigating the effects of anesthetic preconditioning on cardioprotection. Basically, it turns out that volatile anesthetics have a protective effect on the heart during periods of ischemia. My boss is trying to figure out the mechanism.