8 random things about me
Scientists prove that parts of cell nuclei are not arranged at random
The nucleus of a mammal cell is made up of component parts arranged in a pattern which can be predicted statistically, says new research published today. Scientists hope this discovery that parts of the inside of a cell nucleus are not arranged at random will give greater insight into how cells work and could eventually lead to a greater understanding of how they become dysfunctional in diseases like cancer. The study, published today in PLoS Computational Biology, involved systems biologists working together with mathematicians to identify, for the first time, ’spatial relationships’ governing the distribution of an important control protein in the nucleus, in relation to other components within the nuclei of mammal cells. This widespread protein called CBP acts on certain genes within the cell nucleus. [lien] [EN]
Quotes of the Day: The Best of Thomas Sowell’s ‘Random Thoughts’ in 2007
About five times a year, the man who is probably America’s foremost legitimate intellectual, who has authored over 40 books (estimate after removing duplicate listings), and is a frequent Townhall columnist, devotes his Townhall column to brief “Random Thoughts,” most of which pack more wisdom into a few words than faux intellectuals are able to utter in a year. IBDeditorials.com has the complete 2007 collection. Here are my top ten faves: Teaching is very easy if you don’t care about doing it right and very hard if you do. The culture of this nation is being dismantled, brick by brick, but so gradually that many will not notice until the walls start to sag — just before they cave in. Now that the British television documentary, “The Great Global Warming Swindle” is available on DVD. [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the Dial-Up edition
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Tupelo 2. Erykah Badu ft. Common - Love of My Life 3. Rufus Wainwright - Tower of Learning 4. Tom Waits - Russian Dance 5. The Notwist - Formiga 6. Kaki King - Doing the Wrong Thing 7. Death Cab for Cutie - 405 8. Portishead - Roads 9. Feist - Inside and Out 10. Charlie Parker - Lullaby of Birdland As this is the last FRT of 2007, I will give you my top 3 favorite YouTube videos of the year. Warning: One involves someone injuring themselves. For those of you who think that, say, cats attacking babies is less than hilarious, don’t watch. Number Three - the piece of art most deserving of a Fatwa since Rushdie’s novels:* Number Two - Two words: Vagina Power. This is the classic, but I’m also very attached to “Dick’ll make you SLAP somebody!” Number One . [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the Obamamania edition
1. Tall Birds - Internalize 2. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Lost Brigade 3. Tom Waits - Anywhere I Lay My Head 4. Jets to Brazil - Sea Anemone 5. Cat Stevens - Oh Very Young 6. Des Ark - Send Jolly to Raleigh 7. Rolling Stones - Factory Girl 8. Rufus Wainwright - Across the Universe 9. Dead Kennedys - Too Drunk to Fuck 10. Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On As a Friday treat, I’d like to take this moment to direct everyone to this comment by pro-life reader Shawn. It’s so rich that I’m convinced it has to be high-level performance art, because he insists that population statistics are evil; says that women who miscarry have been touched by Satan and need exorcism to rid them of their demons; argues that the pro-life position ends when immoral acts come into play, which is why children conceived via IVF are evil and should be destroyed. [lien] [EN]
7 Random Cookery Books
I don't know where your cookery books are, but - more often than not - my cookery books are in piles on a sofa, on a bedside table, or in the kitchen. It was with great satisfaction to put them all on the bookshelf, for my good friend, the talented and quick-witted Susan at The Well-Seasoned Cook, tagged me to participate in a meme that is meant to showcase seven randomly selected cookery books. How one randomly chooses from books piled up in two houses that are in two different countries is a bit of a problem because it eliminates some possibly whacky combinations. On the other hand, at least I don't have to get all of my cookery books into one room before randomly selecting seven of them. That presents a methodological issue anyway, for pile-making is not necessarily amenable to random selection on account of stabilising the piles by putting the largest on the bottom. [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the Hit the City edition
Sorry posting has been slow on my end. I got back to New York two days ago, and between seeing temporarily-returned far-flung friends, setting up my new apartment(!), running a million errands, doing my real job and preparing for school on Monday, the blog has taken a back seat. But I have a ton of great stuff in my email box, including a very important call to action on behalf of Jamie Leigh Jones (the woman raped by KBR employees in Iraq) which will be posted very very soon. Things will pick up over the next few days. If you’re looking for some good reading and you somehow haven’t come across this post by Brownfemipower, you should really head over there. It’s also on my list of “things to link and respond to,” but I’m really sucking at the whole blogging thing right now and it’s so good I don’t want to hold onto it any longer. [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the Countdown to Roe Day edition
1. Maxwell - For Lovers Only 2. Jill Scott - Sweet Justice 3. Ray Charles - Night Time (is the right time) 4. John Coltrane - My Little Brown Book 5. The Notwist - This Room 6. Yo La Tengo - Tiny Birds 7. Spoon - Believing is Art 8. Bob Dylan - Temporary Like Achilles 9. Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla 10. Tom Waits - Tango Till They’re Sore And this week, at the request of someone who has possibly the worst taste in music ever, I give you the videos for pop songs that I secretly love but that will make our fearless leader shake her head in disgust. First, the best of Ms. Mariah: Beautiful B being totally insane: And of course, my all-time favorite: The first time I saw this video I was at the gym, and when I looked around the room, every single person was staring slack-jawed at MTV. [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten “Save Me From Expensive Bath Products” Edition
Back from San Francisco and considering making my computer-buying move towards a Mac Book. Here’s the random ten, leave yours in comments: “Banano’s Bar”—Plastilina Mosh “Kiskaniyorum”—Mavi Isklar Number One”—Miss Fairchild “Tenderoni Renaud”—Chromeo “Trevor Dust The Bedsheets”—Everthus the Deadbeats “How Much More”—The Go Gos “Miss You”—Groove Da Paia (Rolling Stones cover “Deep Blue Day”—Brian Eno “Cough Syrup”—Butthole Surfers “Big Bird”—Eddie Floyd Thanks for all the recommendations, [...] [lien] [EN]
Friday Random 10 - the Germany Always Gets the Cutest Polar Bears edition
OMG TOO CUTE!!!!: Thanks to Sam for the video. 1. Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling into Place 2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - God’s Hotel 3. Tom Waits - Big Black Mariah 4. Les Savy Fav - Blackouts on Thursday 5. Spoon - I Could Be Underground 6. The Shins - Weird Divide 7. Mogawi - 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong 8. Bright Eyes - No Lies, Just Love 9. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Who Do You Love? 10. Portishead - It Could Be Sweet Friday Videos: Ted Leo: Neko Case: Ryan Adams: This entry was posted on Friday, February 1st, 2008 at 9:07 pm and is filed under Animals, Friday Random Ten. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [lien] [EN]
Semi-Random Weekend Thoughts
Here are a few semi-random weekend thoughts: More on Shaq and Marion A few days ago I posted a comment on the Shaq trade. In this column was the following argument: Let’s imagine that Shaq and Steve Kerr are right. The issue was a lack of motivation in Miami and in Phoenix Shaq will return to the player we saw in 2004-05. That year Shaq posted a 0.306 WP48. If that’s the O’Neal that arrives in Phoenix, will the Suns contend for a title in 2008? Unfortunately, the answer is probably no. Marion was already offering a 0.314 WP48. So even if the old Shaq can become the Shaq of old, it’s not clear this team is better than the Lakers (with a healthy Bynum). They are certainly not better than the Boston Celtics. Matthew Yglesias responded with this comment: Any Way You Look The Yglesias post begins as follows. [lien] [EN]
Random Acts of Love for Valentines
A friend of mine is trying to get a new, non-profit charity off the ground with a service called Random Acts of Love. The idea is to give to the unfortunate instead of to your sweetheart on Valentines Day. Check it out at http://blog.polka.com/ [lien] [EN]
Favorite GTA IV Random Moment [Rockstar]
It's those random moments that make Grand Theft Auto work so well. You know, when the unexpected happens, and everything just falls into place and works. What's random GTA IV moment has stood out for... [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the So Who Is Your Internet Valentine? edition
I am still working off my post-Valentine’s Day hangover — that’s what happens when you spend V-day with a friend, TeleMundo (it’s the only channel that was working on my TV last night) and two bottles of red wine. But I am not so out of it that I would forget the FRT (as I apparently did last week). Enjoy: 1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Good Good Day 2. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit 3. Hi-Tek Feat. Big D and Piakhan - No One Knows Her Name 4. CCS - Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above 5. Bright Eyes - When the President Talks to God 6. Kaki King - Can the Gwot Save Us? 7. Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks 8. The Mountain Goats - Jenny 9. Tom Waits - Falling Down 10. Guided by Voices - A Salty Salute Friday video, stolen from Ann: Also, Rufus. [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten “You Can’t Say That On (American) Television” Edition
Hat tip to Lauren for this. In other sex news (since the category does promise it on occasion), it appears that some scientists have shown that the G-spot exists using ultrasound. Some feminists are angry about this, pointing out that it’s another example of women’s word being doubted until some random instruments shows (surprise!) we [...] [lien] [EN]
Friday Random Ten - the Too Much Snow in New York edition
This basically been my life lately. 1. Radiohead - All I Need 2. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - One Good Son 3. Death Cab for Cutie - Company Calls Epilogue 4. Les Savy Fav - Fading Vibes 5. Yo La Tengo - Georgia vs. Yo La Tengo 6. Tom Waits - Ruby’s Arms [live] 7. Guided by Voices - Motor Away 8. MC Solaar - Solaar Pleure 9. The Pogues - The Sunny Side of the Street 10. Miles Davis - So What Today I’m on a crazy apartment-cleaning and errand-running spree, and I’m listening to Girl Talk while I do it: This entry was posted on Friday, February 22nd, 2008 at 6:21 pm and is filed under Friday Random Ten. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [lien] [EN]