Entry #203: Ah, we meet again

It may be a general principle that the transcriptional targets of a signaling pathway is repressed in the absence of its signal. I read that line in some chemistry book and tried to place it in a social context. My thesis is that estranging from people is an authentic example of a weakening social fabric which leads to an intense attraction with the self. Never mind the friends, school, work, domestic chores, and...

And in the absence of activity there is a revival of inner thought, self-observation, and self-analysis. This is not a good way of attaching oneself to another. In a sense, we consist of large movements of centrifugal like bodies who disperse existence beyond our limits.

So to sit and contemplate and reflect is personal and egotistical. His passions produce nothing and so they are futile imaginings. And what he states is love is not so. It's a meditation on his love (my brain is hurting).

Egotistical bastard that makes others worry and the mere push for change of some sort is swept aside as if though he is that one person who could reflect on his own consciousness. It is impossible to produce action in a purely undetermined state!

So lad, your own wretched misery has been antiqued and studied. And I am not to blame.

Entry #191: The Youth Vote

From Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

Entry #186: Obama resoles his shoes

Via Daily Kos

Entry #177: Ten Commandments, for the Modern Day or the ethics of genetic engineering

From this week's Genome Biology on how to deal with genetic information:

1. All races are created equal
No genetic data has ever shown that one group of people is inherently superior to another. Equality is a moral value central to the idea of human rights; discrimination against any group should never be tolerated.

2. An Argentinian and an Australian are more likely to have differences in their DNA than two Argentinians
Groups of human beings have moved around throughout history. Those that share the same culture, language or location tend to have different genetic variations than other groups. This is becoming less true, though, as populations mix.

3. A person's history isn't written only in his or her genes
Everyone's genetic material carries a useful, though incomplete, map of his or her ancestors' travels. Studies looking for health disparities between individuals shouldn't rely solely on this identity. They should also consider a person's cultural background.

4: Members of the same race may have different underlying genetics
Social definitions of what it means to be "Hispanic" or "black" have changed over time. People who claim the same race may actually have very different genetic histories.

5. Both nature and nurture play important parts in our behaviors and abilities
Trying to use genetic differences between groups to show differences in intelligence, violent behaviors or the ability to throw a ball is an oversimplification of much more complicated interactions between genetics and environment.

6. Researchers should be careful about using racial groups when designing experiments
When scientists decide to divide their subjects into groups based on ethnicity, they need to be clear about why and how these divisions are made to avoid contributing to stereotypes.

7. Medicine should focus on the individual, not the race
Although some diseases are connected to genetic markers, these markers tend to be found in many different racial groups. Overemphasising genetics may promote racist views or focus attention on a group when it should be on the individual.

8. The study of genetics requires cooperation between experts in many different fields
Human disease is the product of a mishmash of factors: genetic, cultural, economic and behavioral. Interdisciplinary efforts that involve the social sciences are more likely to be successful.

9. Oversimplified science feeds popular misconceptions
Policy makers should be careful about simplifying and politicising scientific data. When presenting science to the public, the media should address the limitations of race-related research.

10. Genetics 101 should include a history of racism
Any high school or college student learning about genetics should also learn about misguided attempts in the past to use science to justify racism. New textbooks should be developed for this purpose.


Journal reference: Genome Biology (online, full text available here w/ abstract and everythang).



Above is an image from Hitler's foray into his ideal race.

Interesting paper (note: PDF) on Race Cleansing in America.

Entry #176: Oil & Urban Sprawl

The origin of nearly every city in the Southern California area is result of petroleum discovery.

A brief history
The glitz and glamour that seem to define Los Angeles, Hollywood, and its beach cities find its roots in the discovery of oil in Los Angeles in 1892. This lead to the discovery of other fields in the basin—and by 1923, one out of every 5 barrel of oil produced in the United States was from the Los Angeles area, making it the most productive oil producer in the United States.

The population increased significantly—doubling between 1890 and 1900, and then tripling between 1900 and 1910. Each oil field discovery lead to a population boom which formed a city, and others around it. This includes Huntington Beach in 1920, Santa Fe Springs in 1921, and the biggest of them all, Signal Hill/Long Beach oil field, also in 1921.

Oil money financed the real estate development of nearby areas and, once gas powered cars were engineered, oil men became even richer. Oil money was used to encourage the building of the roads and highways as cars were now affordable, cheap, and a reliable form of transportation.

The film industry was financed by oil money and family dynasties resulted from oil:

The Ghettys, the Dohenys and Alphonzo Bell all became rich from their discovery of oil. They also became real estate developers, creating wealthy enclaves such as Bel-Air for themselves and other rich oil men.

Even palm trees became more abundant in California because of a proposition that voters made law which required oil companies to plant palm trees around Southern California.

Below are some images of the heyday of oil in Southern California:


Oil derricks in Belmont Shores, Long Beach.


Oil derricks in downtown Los Angeles, First Street.


Oil derricks in Signal Hill, Long Beach. Signal Hill was the richest city in the world during the boom of the 1920s.


Modern day oil derricks off of Long Beach are disguised.


More disguised oil derricks in Long Beach. Notice the palm trees.

Entry #145: President's Day

In honor of the greatest President we've ever had (in my opinion):



Recently unseen photos of President Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration has been discovered at The Library of Congress-- the mistake was due to labeling errors.

A beautiful part of Lincoln's speech:

"...Fondly do we hope -- fervently do we pray -- that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether"

With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan -- to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations." - President Lincoln, March 4, 1865

Via: NPR
Copy of Speech Here

The war ended April 9, 1865. Lincoln was assassinated April 14, 1865.



What a wonderful man eh?

Above photo by Mathew B. Brady, famed Civil War photographer.

Via Wiki.

Also, also, Lincoln's Cottage will open tomorrow. You can catch the ceremony on C-span (ok ok...so I watch this channel with my dad. I particularly enjoy June, when they show graduation speeches by political heavyweights-- I am a nerd with an ineptitude at putting my penchant for research to use).

Entry #140: Goodbye to All That

All Woman, no joy. Feminism needs a new leader. Can Chelsea Clinton be it? (She emailed the above to a friend, according to Slate.com)

This is a rather powerful treatise on the current state of what it means to be a woman in American society. We are still living in a Man-Made World.

Entry #147: And We Look Up

Kids are too accomplished these days. Twenty-three-year-old Briton to 'make chicks tick' for Ungaro

I look forward to seeing this...Viktor & Rolf to Design Bags for Samsonite

Spring and Patterns: Patterns for H&M '08 Lookin Good.

Are you kidding me? They take from the street already?? Everything has been done before, did they not get the memo? A bill pending in the Senate would protect the style of a garment, and not just the logo, under copyright.

Noteworthy quote:

Ilse Metchek, executive director of the California Fashion Assn., a nonprofit organization based in downtown Los Angeles, called pattern-making "a craft, not an art. There is only so much you can do with a silhouette, a collar, a drape. For the little designers who have that one great idea and it's knocked off -- well, welcome to the real world, guys. Make another one."

Entry #118: Realpolitik?

Change of guard, says I.

At my original position, I was a Clinton fan… but, but

The potential possibilities that a black president will bring to the nation is too great to pass up.

The world wouldn’t know how to react! I think shocked. And then hope.

Me too, me too...

(p.s. I like his video—has a 60s quality to it).