Decembering Indiana

Stop one on our Christmas Tour of Indiana was my folks house, where we celebrated my birthday and Jolene's first Christmas. You can see what her favorite gifts were. We had some wonderful ham-loaf for early Christmas dinner, I had never tasted it before but it was beautiful. Add to that buttered carrots, a baked potato, jellied cranberry and rolls, plus my birthday cake(s). Yes thats right, I had a total of three when it was all said and done; Meg's delicious mint chocolate cake, a chocolate cookie dough ice cream cake with Hersey's chocolate shell and a birthday strawberry ruhbarb pie. Very nice.

In other news... today I had to take a CR/CN to the CRB SMT per the CL so that I could get approval from the QES, PLM and CE. After approval I'll get a CN number from the CIL, give the CR/CN with a CA number to the CADS who will implement the CR/CN and imform the ARA and the CIL at the CIB.

Full face transplant

I'm sure many of you have heard about the women in France who underwent a partial face transplant. Her original face was severely disfigured when she was attacked by a dog. Now the same doctor and scientists who helped her are trying to get permission from ethics councils and the like to begin a full face transplant.

This is an interesting procedure. A face from a donor (obviously no longer living) will be removed and then transplanted unto the recipient. The recipient will have to take immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of their life so that the new face is not rejected by their body.

Think about the implications here....

this person will have a new face. They will not look like they did before. Their new face will resemble the donors but will be stretched over their bone structure resulting in a morphed look.
The doctors are having to do extensive psychological research on their patients before they chose the first one. Would you be able to handle waking up in the morning and when looking in the mirror seeing "someone" else?

What really is in a face? SO many emotions are expressed just through facial features. Those close to this patient would have to get used to looking at "someone" different.

You could also extrapolate this to an even scarier possibility. When someone who is considered really good looking dies. Their face could be sold to someone who wants to look better. Now, we are not even close to being in this kind of situation right now, but who knows what could happen in a decade?

Just something to think about.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1668775,00.html

Meg

My "first daughter", a farewell message

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Well,
we have bedded down the mustang for the winter in Brandon's parents garage. I didn't feel very sad last winter when we did this because I knew when the snow and salt went away we could roll out the lovely piece of metal again. This year however, is very different. It might be 2 years before I get to grip that wooden steering wheel or feel the power behind the accelerator. "sigh" I get sad just thinking about it.

Do not fear my car, I shall not forget you or replace you with a yute. Nothing over there compares. Till' we meet again have a good sleep and be kind to Jacob, he will take care of you.

Meg

negative photography

Negatives of some digital pictures I took. Sometimes you can see new things....







These are the before images.....







later,
Meg

Too much of a good thing?

Apple seems to be getting into some trouble lately with the iPod/iTunes

1. iPod user sues Apple - "The crux of his case is based on the allegation that Apple's method of preventing iTunes music tracks being used on other players is anti-competitive and breaks antitrust laws."
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2126457/iPod-user-sues-apple?vnu_lt=vnu_art_related_articles

This reminds me of some trouble Microsoft had. People complained that they had a monopoly on the technology. See the problem with the above is that a true monopoly can only be created by the govt. Apple can do what it wants with their technology. If they don't want their music format to play on other players then that is up to them. If you don't like it use something else. Apple is not forcing you to use their stuff, it just happens to be the most popular. In due time other companies will come out with their own version of iTunes and then Apple will have competition that might make them change their format. Speaking of competition see news flash #3 below. Looks like Microsoft is not being held back by the monopoly.





2. Doctors warn of 'iPod finger' - The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has warned that a form of repetitive strain injury could be hitting UK users of Apple's iPod and other similar media playe 5AF rs.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2147254/docs-warn-ipod-finger

3. Microsoft/MTV Urge users to ditch iTunes - Microsoft and MTV today unveiled plans to jointly develop a digital music service for users of the next-generation Windows Media Player.
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2147558/microsoft-mtv-urge-users-ditch

4. HP cancels iPod deal - "We have decided that selling the iPod does not fit within our current digital entertainment strategy,"
http://www.vnunet.com/vnune


Later,
Meg

music and books

Our newest CD's

Two Siberians - Out of Nowhere

Gorillaz - Demon Days

Air - Walkie Talkie

Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl

Enya - Amarantine

Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas Vol 1-3

Radiohead - all the B sides we could find: -)


Books we are reading or have just finished

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

Washington: The Indispensable Man by James Thomas Flexner

A biography on John Paul Jones, I forget what it is called and don't want to get up to see

Some book from the library about HTML

Baby Einstein: Window of Colors

Goodnight Moon

Five Little Ladybugs

Biology news for today, living photographs

Everyday I have a list of sites that I try to read to stay up with science, the world, people, etc. Today I was reading a blog having to do with the latest bioinfo. Here is what excited me today....

A group of students at the University of Texas at Austin have created living photographs made of bacteria.

This is so cool.

With the help of their advisors they transferred a light sensor protein from blue-green algae to a mutant strain of E. coli. E. coli don't usually sense light because they live in our guts, and we don't have any light in our guts....as far as we know. Anyway, this new strain of E. coli can now sense light and therefore can either be dark or light (dark = you have pigment....light=you don't have pigment) depending on what type of environment it was grown in. A physics undergrad built a light projector for this project that would then expose the growing colonies to a specific light pattern ( a pattern that resembles a photo of something). After growing for 12-15 hours ( "film" exposure time) you take away the light projector and viola! You have a pic made out of E. coli!!! Biology is so cool.

I just gave you the low down on the project you can read the full article at http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-11/uota-ssc112105.php

Enjoy!
Meg

Pics for the below post

Oh, and I realize that it is NOT Charley Brown but Charlie Brown.

Christmas tree, Neighbors, and NANSR

It is that time of year where we put up a Christmas tree. Brandon and I don't own a fake tree and don't really feel like spending money on a real tree, so we got creative. See pic. I now know that the Larson's ( for those of you who don't know we are living in their house until we leave for Australia) own a fake tree and we might put that up tomorrow. I am actually getting kind of attached to the little tree. It reminds me of the Charley Brown Christmas tree. I would say that our tree ( actually it is Anna's) is a little more green than Charley Brown's, but whose comparing? Now if you want to see a true creative tree go to Ben and Anna's blog.

Wooo ha! We got dumped on last night! See pics. I think we got about 5-6 inches! I really, really, really want to go snowboarding! I didn't get to go last year because a certain little girl was still inside of me. For some reason the doctor didn't think it would be a good idea. I can't imagine why : -)

I feel as though I must comment on our temporary nextdoor neighbors. First, they are college guys and second, I don't think they are used to dealing with snow. Yesterday the snow started falling around 2pm and was supposed to go strong into the night. Well, our neighbor decided that he should shovel his driveway at 3pm. I wanted to go out there and suggest that to save time perhaps he should wait until ALL the snow had fallen before he place his wits against the mighty snow storm.

Later that night, Brandon and I were snug in our beds, when we awoke to a sound out by our heads. What could cause such a melodious tune? I pulled back the curtain and looked out to see, our neighbor again at war with a white sea.

It is soooooooo nice to be woken up by the sound of metal against concrete. I wonder if the thought ever crossed his mind that he lives in a neighborhood and that some people actually try to go to sleep around 10:30pm. We just turned on our fan and drowned out the hideous sound. But what of those that did not own such a device? What about those poor souls who could not drown out the sound? Perhaps I should start a non-profit organization. I shall call it NANSR " Neighbors Against Nocturnal Snow Removal" and my goal will be to place fans in ever bedroom in West Lafayette. This will prevent any loss of sleep that might have been caused by shoveling of snow late at night. Talk about spending money to round-aboutly fix a problem. Sometimes I "think" this is how our govt. works. Of course something like this would be some senator's pet project that would be dogeared in the latest Farm bill along with a million other pet projects that are a waste of our time and money.

Sorry about the rant : -)

Poor little squirt

I had to take Jolene to the doctor today for a weight check. The doctor is concerned because she was in the 50th percentile and has dropped to the 10th. Today she only tipped the scales at 13 lbs. and 11oz. Apparently she has dropped below the 10th percentile now.

It is annoying that they look at how your baby is doing according to a graph. These charts cannot take into consideration genetic factors at all. Your child is just a point on a graph, that is all.

The nurse told me after the doctor left not to worry. She said it is silly how they don't take into account the genetics of your baby. You would think in the age that we live in genetics would be discussed a little more in the doctors visit. But alas, it is not and because of that I have to go visit another doctor just to get a "second opinion".

Brandon and I are not giants....I don't expect to have a giant for a child.

Pictures as requested

I've put some picture links up on our website just for Eleni. They are on the "Pictures" page. Let me know if they work OK. You should be able to browse through 2 albums under Jolene's name and 14 under the "us" link.

regards,

b

Broadband

I' m sitting here waiting for McAfee to take care of whatever is infesting my Mother's computer, so I thought I'd jot something down.

I'm becoming an expert at buying broadband for others. I helped my in-laws purchase DSL this weekend and I helped my parents buy cable today. Having the folks wired will help with communication in Oz via webcam.

I'll try to add a photo album link per Eleni's request.

later,

b

Thanksgiving Day thoughts by a Founding Father

Having a master degree in History, this is what my dad read to us at our family Thanksgiving meal.


Thanksgiving Proclamation 1795

President George Washington

"It is in an especial manner our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude to

acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm

the blessings we experienced...I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to

all...Persons whosoever within the United States, to set apart and observe (Thanksgiving Day) as a day of

public thanksgiving and prayer, and on that day to meet together and render sincere and hearty thanks to the

great Ruler of nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation...And at the

same time humbly and fervently beseech the kind Author of these blessings graciously to prolong them to us;

to imprint on our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations to Him for them; to teach us rightly to

estimate their immense value; to preserve us from the arrogance of prosperity...To dispose us to merit the

continuance of His favors by not abusing them, by our gratitude for them, and by a corresponding conduct as

citizens and as men to render this country more and more a safe....Asylum for the unfortunate of other

countries; to extend among us true and useful knowledge; to diffuse and establish habits of sobriety, order,

and morality and piety, and finally in impart all the blessings we possess or ask for ourselves to the whole

family of mankind.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed to these presents,

and signed the same with my hand, George Washington.

cold crystals

Today is deemed special.

Why?

Today is the first snow of the year. By snow, I mean enough to actually stick and cover something.
The windshield of my car is covered, so I think that is enough.

Check out this website....http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/ it is all about snow.
There are some beautiful crystals displaying three-fold symmetry, as well as some unusual ones displaying two-fold symmetry and no symmetry at all.
This website also serves as a guide to the various forms. Have you seen a sectored plate or stellar dendrite lately?
God's creation certainly is beautiful!

Meg

Fahrenheit 451

So, we have been cleaning out all of the stuff we have collected over the past several years. We can only take 8 suitcases to Oz. This means most of our things have to be stored, sold, or thrown away. Of course there is always the forth option...burn them! That is exactly what we did with all of our old textbooks, notes, and exams. I did save a book on viruses and another on bacteria. Brandon saved two engineering books. Other than that it all went up in flames. It is kind of sad burning objects that once cost several hundreds of dollars. Of course they are now 2-4 years old and completly worthless. BTW, books don't burn very well. The edges of the pages burn but then the middles are untouched. So you actually have to work to get the suckers to completly turn to ash. Next up, the burning of all of our clothes except what we can fit into half the suitcases.....haha just kidding: -)

The Beginning

We did it. As much as we resisted joining the ranks of the bloggers, it was all in vain. For now we have created our own weblog, pretending that the rest of the World Wide Waste-of-time cares for our thoughts. So we'll see how it goes and whether this is a useful tool for connecting with friends and relatives.

ta ta for now

b