You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:52:29 GMT

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:17:08 GMT

I don't know what the equivalent English phrase is, but I'm about to "throw a rock in the bush" and see what rolls out.

This website tells you all about how good CO2 is for the earth and how it's not actually causing increased global temperatures.

I still haven't looked at it critically (stumbled upon it while "working" on my muchly-rejected paper), but I must admit that, in all/most of the research I've seen (and done), plants *love* more CO2. Some of them don't care about it, and some just grow really huge. This is good and bad - weeds will also grow bigger and faster, and plants will struggle to use extra CO2 if there's not enough water and nutrients to use. But in general, high CO2 means plants can close their stomata and they lose less water which means they're more drought tolerant.

The jury's still very much OUT on all of this I think.

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:30:08 GMT

I wonder how Stephen Fry would describe this weather?

Anyway, this ARSINGLY BAD weather is driving me ARSINGLY insane. I was determined to go for a run. Except this being England the pavements are magically turned into ice rinks and you will split your skull open on it if you dare walk on it. (Despite this, a lot of eedjits still walk on the ice because *the bus stop is there* on the icy slippery pavement). So I ran IN the road. I pretty quickly (as in, instantly) realised this was even more stupid (given that it was also sleeting/raining so I couldn't see very well). So I found a quiet little road close to my house, that magically wasn't covered in slippery slush, and I ran up and down the road (and around the bend and up a hill so there was a bit of cardio) 4 times. That kicked 24 minutes in the butt. Then I decided to come home and jump up and down in front of YouTube to the instructions of the lady from SparkPeople for 30 minutes. Seriously folks, I'm climbing the walls in frustration.

I then proceeded to scoop up the ice that managed to thaw a bit in our driveway. AND THEN IT STARTED TO SNOW AGAIN.

You can kiss my rapidly expanding rear, Weather Gods... *fume*

ETA: HOLY SHIT! That snow "shower" was really HARD. And then it started to drizzle. I was going to catch the bus to Starbucks for some carol singing, but the bus was just parked up on the side of the road. Then I turned a corner and there was a weirdly Armageddon-like scene of cars all stuck and spinning their wheels and sliding backwards ineffectually. The snow has turned the roads to slippery mush, and people still think they can drive uphill. I walked downhill to the major crossing at the bottom and it's vehicular chaos all over. I just stood gawping at people for a while before walking back home. At last count there were 5 buses at the corner of my road, all just hanging out waiting for things to clear up...

Another wonderfully convincing phish

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:36:08 GMT

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:48:02 GMT

So what do YOU think visited our garden last night?

Less famous AIDS denialists dies.

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:08:12 GMT

As Ben Goldacre said: "You will have your own thoughts."

South Africa HIV-row minister Tshabalala-Msimang dies

As health minister between 1999 and 2008 she maintained that anti-retroviral drugs were too expensive and had possible harmful side-effects.

...a study last year claimed that more than 300,000 people had died prematurely because of the delay in rolling out the drugs to people with HIV between 2000 and 2005.

Dr Tshabalala-Msimang recommended olive oil, lemon, beetroot and the African potato as elements of a healthy diet that could treat the symptoms associated with Aids.

In other related news: she had liver failure a few years ago (apparently due to having a roaring drinking problem). She was bumped up to the top of the organ donation list (because she was Important People) and despite being told to abstain from alcohol for a year before getting the transplant, she still drank. So she stole someone else's liver in essence. And then, despite what I expect to be a diet rich in olive oil, garlic, and African potato, she croaks.

You will have your own thoughts, but mine verge very closely on "finally justice is served".

ETA:

Here is a selection of her choicest quotes. But for interest's sake a full transcript (taken from that page) detailing an interview John Robbie had with her on 702 Talk Radio in South Africa:

Robbie: You have said that the policy of the ministry is well known. Do you accept that HIV causes Aids?

Tshabalala-Msimang: Why do you ask me that question today? I have answered that question umpteen times.

R: Yes, and the answer is?

T-M: Umpteen times I have answered that question. My whole track record of having worked at the area of HIV and Aids for the last 20 years is testimony. Why should you ask me that question today?

R: You haven't answered the question, Manto.

T-M: Why should you ask me that question?

R: To avoid confusion.

T-M: I have never said anything contrary to what you want me to say today.

R: So, therefore, you accept that HIV causes Aids.

T-M: You are not going to put words into my mouth.

R: I am not putting words into your mouth. I am asking you a question.

T-M: Yes you are.

R: I am asking you a straight - now hold on a second - I am asking you a straight question, the minister of health of South Africa, I am asking you a question: does HIV cause Aids?

T-M: I have been party to developing a strategic framework and that strategy testifies what my policy understandings of the HIV epidemic are. If you haven't read that, please go and read it. And then you will understand where I depart from.

R: Manto, Manto. A simple yes or no is the answer I am looking for.

T-M: You will not force me into a corner into saying yes or no.

R: I am not forcing you into a corner, I am asking you a straight question - I find your reaction bizarre.

T-M: I would advise you to read the strategic framework. You have to analyse it. It is important for the media to inform the public about the positions of government ... It is time that when you interview people, not on yes or no, but on the tenets of the framework.

R: Manto, we have gone as far as we can go. I find your reaction to that question absolutely bizarre and that is my final word on it.

T-M: I am not Manto to you. Let me tell you I am not Manto to you.

R: What are you?

T-M: I am the minister of health and I don't even know you.

R: So, what must I address you as, Miss Minister or Ms Minister or Mrs Minister?

T-M: I don't know whatever you address me, but I am not a friend.

R: How must I address you?

T-M: I don't know - but you have to read the strategic framework.

R: Bizarre.

T-M: And I

... R: Oh go away!

T-M: And I am ...

R: I cannot take that rubbish any longer. Can you believe it? I have never in my life heard such rubbish. Here we have a situation where the minister of health sends out a document, amongst others, that is Looney tunes, that suggests that the Illuminati have conspired with the aliens to bring about Aids to reduce the African population. Now you get the minister on [radio] to explain this and see what happens. "Given that the president has led, not just in South Africa, but a complete world controversy, where many people think this country has been held up to ridicule at an international conference over this issue and given the proximity of the two, I thought it would be a good idea to get the minister in on this issue ... "... the fact that she would not answer that question leads me to be very, very worried indeed. I find that bizarre. Anyway, I won't call her Manto again".

MORE ETA: When she was sick and away from parliament, the deputy minister of health decided to roll out antiretrovirals to all (despite her "boss" being against it). The moment Tshabalala-Msimang was back at work, her deputy was fired. But not for going against the wishes of her boss, oh no, she was fired for "misuse of governmental funds" - she'd used a governmental airplane to fly her family to Dubai.

Here's another obit, this time from the South African Mail & Guardian - who always was one of her fiercest critics...

She said at the time that garlic, lemon, olive oil and beetroot "are absolutely critical -- first of all to have a beautiful face and beautiful skin -- but they also protect you from disease".

Tshabalala-Msimang was widely seen as championing former president Thabo Mbeki's views on Aids, and was supportive of so-called Aids dissidents, who questioned the link between HIV and Aids, and pinned the cause of the disease on nutritional deficiencies.

A Year in Review (borrowed from springdaisyk)

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:28:36 GMT

The first sentence of the first entry for each month of 2009:

January
I had a LOVELY ~~day~~ 5 hours in London.

February
I don't have time. [Followed by: I am retarded and managed to donate my one and only duvet in the world to my ex landlady. ON THE NIGHT THAT THE ARCTIC MOVED TO ENGLAND. LOL]

March
I baptised my board this weekend, and it was a beautiful thing.

April
I really don't feel great. [Followed by: I'm filled with dread. It feels like I'm walking through quicksand. I wish I had the guts to quit my job and leave.]

May
I'm cycling from London to Brighton (and back again) on the 21st of June in order to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.

June
I really like Mr Wonderful (I bet you can tell from the pseudonym).

July
Since Friday, when I thought I would've been fired, I've tried to stay off the 'net, and work harder.

August
First day back at work and taking it easy.

September
I'm about to resign.

October
It's a *massive* relief to be able to hit the gym again.

November
I'm going to post a lot more in December, I promise. [LOL I FAIL]

December
I am soooo moody today.

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:39:23 GMT

You simply have to LOL at the way the Daily Mail readership is coming to the defence of a Millionaire Muslim

Other than that, the judge made a mistake in giving the victim of the burglary a sentence harder than that given to the burglar (in my opinion). Yes, the rule of law must be upheld, but these two sentences were connected to each other and so should've been judged accordingly.

I would go if I was there...

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:42:58 GMT

Forwarded on behalf of the Human Genetics Commission

JOIN THE AUDIENCE FOR THE HUMAN GENETICS COMMISSION MEETING IN EXETER

The Human Genetics Commission, the Government's advisory body on genetics, holds its quarterly plenary meetings in university cities around the UK - AND THIS WEEK WE ARE IN EXETER.

The meeting is at 10.00am on Wednesday, 16th December at the Rougemont Thistle Hotel (opposite Central Station) and is open to the public - who are invited to stay for lunch with Commission members afterwards.

The HGC will be discussing the UK Borders Agency Human Provenance Project and the issue of confidentiality of genetic information together with other areas of work. There will be an opportunity to ask questions or comment on the issues raised at the end of the meeting.

A full agenda and papers are available on the Commission's website (www.hgc.gov.uk). For more information please contact the HGC on 020 7672 4646 or, for press calls, on 0208 675 1066.

They're going to discuss the idea that genetics can be used to discriminate between (against) potential refugees/immigrants. This issue even made Nature Biotechnology. There's a really good write-up over at the Genomics Law Report. One of the comments is from an actual ex-UKBA officer. While I realise they need tools to identify the liars, genes are scrambled and mixed and there really is no clear way to ensure that someone with Ghanaian genes (markers) isn't actually an EU national, or someone with Spanish genes (markers) isn't a Sudanese refugee.

I don't think DNA marker technology is the best way to identify people's *recent* origins.

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:22:22 GMT

I bought this dress in Sri Lanka for £6. That's 25% of it's retail price.

The mind just boggles.

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:30:17 GMT

Just to let you know (but you probably do), LJ's not giving me comment updates.

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:49:45 GMT

I'm heading home today. I took some photos, but they're limited. There are armed army/police/patrol guys everywhere you look and I don't want to cause problems. There's a massive watch tower with an armed guard (something big on a tripod) right next to the hotel. And then there's the navy and air force patrolling past frequently with obvious weaponry. We're not supposed to take any photos outside, but people do so I joined in.

Anyway, pics to come later.

I've done a LOT of shopping. Roxy and O'Neill seem to make their clothes (or some of it) in Sri Lanka, so it ends up at discount prices in local shops. Besides which, everything is just cheaper here.

Things I want to write about when I'm home:

- dinner with some ICRC people
- chicken porridge for breakfast
- wood apple juice (aka vomit-in-a-glass)
- potato fudge (tasted potatoey and wrong)
- people picketing about a collapsed pyramid scheme
- armed guards everywhere and frequent security checks
- tuk-tuks and insane traffic
- the lady at immigration
- religion
- stray dogs
- the president

I've only been here 4 days so I'm no expert, but I can at least tell you how I perceived the place.

Talk to y'all later!

Sneaky scam. Very convincing though.

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:57:24 GMT

This is a screenshot to protect yourself... It's very clever innit? Except of course that the http it sends you to starts:

http://wikijapon.com/data/meta/ville/data/httpsonline.hmrc.gov.ukhome&Reason=-1&APPID=Common&URI=httpsonline.hmrc.gov.ukhome/httpsonline.hmrc.gov........

PHISH-tank also confirms it as 100% scam.

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:48:34 GMT

I applied for a trainee medical writer position today.

I got rejected within 2 hours. The agency's client apparently wants someone with a PhD in a medical field.

Well. This explains why Paramount Recruitment (main agency for medical writers) haven't contacted me *at all*.

I wish looking for a job didn't feel so... enigmatic. I seem to have zero skills for anything going at the moment. FML.

ETA: just for the hell of it I've applied for a post-doc at Birkbeck in studying Chlamydia infection. Deadline's tomorrow. It'll be LOL-worthy if I get it.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:34 GMT

I bloody LOVE Will Self. That is all.

ETA: x1000000 (this all in reference to last night's Question Time)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:03:20 GMT

Mike Carter cycled around Britain and wrote a regular column for the Guardian about it. I'm just looking at some of his favourite photos...

This was taken at Callanish, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides: 'Dating from 2,900BC, the origin of the Callanish Stones are subject to much speculation. A calender system, a place of human sacrifice and giants who were turned to stone as a punishment are all put forward as theories'

These stones have been around for almost 5000 years. FIVE THOUSAND. I have difficulty picturing the world 500 years ago. That's just unbelievable. Anything pre-dating Jesus Christ is unbelievable, but these stones best him by 3000 years!

Also, here's MY favourite photo of his selection (that's a sign of the town's name):

Mike's trip as well as his selection of photos are here.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:03:55 GMT

Apparently Carnage hits Lincoln tonight (tomorrow?).

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:22:01 GMT

http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/

How rugby united South Africa. Sadly it didn't hold, but possibly the movie might remind us/them of what we attained (before losing the plot).

I watch a lot of iPlayer

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:52:31 GMT

Oh dear Claudia Winkleman. Not even flashing (as in, lighting) Noel Fielding within an inch of his life has taken away a scrap of your nuclear orange glow...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:02:43 GMT

More interesting iPlayer goodies. Prof. David Nutt features in this one, pointing out how alcohol affects our bodies (in ways that mimic other, "harder", drugs).

http://bbc.co.uk/i/ndtxm/

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:25:08 GMT

Interesting programme on BBC HD about how we develop self-awareness. At around 27:00 he explains our cultural belief in Mind/Body dualism. It was started by Descartes who actually developed the philosophy around body and soul (in a religious context). The whole idea that there's mental health and bodily health is based on that, but it really is one thing, isn't it?

Just after that bit there's a REALLY fascinating bit where they use cyber-vision goggles to give the wearer the impression that he's standing behind himself, or viewing the world from someone else's point of view (in which case you identify with the other person's body). Apparently the brain manufactures an External Eye from which we view ourselves. Or something like that. Admitedly I wasn't paying much attention...

Go here for more: http://bbc.co.uk/i/nhv56/ (eh, sorry, only available in the UK; perhaps YouTube might have it eventually. Marcus du Sautoy presented it and the programme is called "The Secret You")

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:40:39 GMT

I'm in a dreadful mood. Just woke up irritable. Then I followed a link that good old Charlie Brooker Tweeted and now I'm worse:

That explains *exactly* how homeopathy works. If your brain doesn't bleed out your ears towards 2:30, you're terribly strong.

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:22:54 GMT

In one month I'll be a Londoner.

*contemplation*

Yay for England!

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:28:01 GMT

I love you England. Except your drinking culture:

Shame of drunken student caught urinating on war memorial during 'Carnage' mass pub crawl

I'm sory to sound like a Daily Mail reader, but this IS revolting. I was relieved to see it wasn't a piece about Exeter, because I've seen posters up, however...

Today Exeter University officials voiced their outrage over planned Carnage events in the city, where a student died following a binge-drinking session in 2006.

Business student Gavin Britton died on a pub crawl with the university's golf society, just days after starting his course. He was caught on camera the night he died standing on chairs and downing spirits - including one cocktail which contained twelve shots. Gavin, of Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, was found in the street still wearing his fancy dress costume.

The Carnage events are expected to take place on October 25 and November 15 in several pubs Gavin visited before his death.

Exeter Police Commander John Vellacott said: 'We understand that Carnage UK is a legitimate company but we had a student die on a similar event. 'Any kind of event that encourages and includes binge drinking to such an extent that medical attention is needed is not welcome.'

A spokesman for Exeter's Student Guild added: 'We in no way endorse this event. The message portrayed by the title and nature is not something we agree with.'

WHAT IS THIS?! The Gavin Britton Tour of Death? Pfft. Bloody student culture. Where's the fun in 2000 drunken students on the streets of any city? 2000 people with their inhibitions removed and their hormones raging. ~brilliant~

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:20:20 GMT

My Tier 1 visa application is on its way to Durham.

*fingers crossed*