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- April 25, 2018
- DNA Day 2018
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Francis Crick
James D. Watson
It's DNA Day, that day when we celebrate the 1953 publication of Francis Crick, James Watson, Maurice Wilkins, Rosalind Franklin, et al in the scientific journal Nature regarding the structure of DNA.
Maurice Wilkins
Rosalind Franklin
There were a number of subsequent declarations of the commemoration until 2003 when annual DNA Day celebrations began to be organized by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) culminating in April 25 becoming declared "International DNA Day" and "World DNA Day" by several relevant groups.
So, in that intellectual rarefaction that arises from those mechanism of international recognition we finally have a regular day nailed down. HAPPY DNA DAY !
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- April 24, 2018
- World Day For Animals In Laboratories 2018
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I was watching Big Bang Theory in syndi a month or so ago when Sheldon and Amy were working in Amy's lab participating in one of her neurobiology studies involving the solving of a maze.
Sheldon completed the test and commented that it was usual and customary for lab rats to receive a food pellet upon successful completion of the maze whereupon Amy told him that the completion culminated in her plucking out the rat's brains with a pair of tweezers.
Today is World Day For Animals In Laboratories (WDAIL) aka known as World Lab Animal Day. Each April 24th the day is observed as part of the surrounding week known as "World Week for Animals In Laboratories" and is held under the auspices of The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) as an "international day of commemoration" for animals in laboratories.
Animal testing has become a contentious issue among animal rights proponents, scientists, and the populace at large. As I personally know, some of these lab animals live a short life in the name of safer product lines and scientific research.
It would seem that animal suffering is beyond that considered necessary or desirable by a large contingent of people upon the earth. Personally, I am not a proponent of the mistreatment of animals for any reason and the concept of animal testings leaves me somewhat ambivalent when I consider the benefits compared to the suffering for the test subjects.
There are a spectrum of opinions regarding animal testing which range from "don't do it at all" to "animals have zero rights and are totally expendable". Thusly, counterpoints will be batted around for quite a while to come BECAUSE ...
Regardless of which side of the fence you find yourself on one thing is sure: SCIENCE WILL CONTINUE so animal experimentation is going to be around pretty much in a parallel time frame; along with those who will actively seek it's cessation — sometimes by extreme means.
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- April 23, 2018
- International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day
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I am a reader. I am also a professed bibliophile who doesn't really encounter many bound volumes anymore ... though in my day countless numbers of them have passed both my hands and subsequently my eyes in steady pursuit of either information or entertainment. I fear the new media nowadays predominates that which I read to a much larger degree than I might like to admit.
On April 12 of 2007 quite a furor resulted by Dr Howard V Hendrix who explained in a post on LiveJournal that he would not be seeking the presidency of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America — having previously served as vice president. This decline of such ambitions was attributed to his disdain for authors who offer their work free on the internet ... whom he referred to as "webscabs" who are "converting the noble calling of Writer into the life of Pixel-stained Technopeasant Wretch".
This somewhat severe dismissal of those who wish to be read regardless of profitability became declared as International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day by accomplished author Jo Walton whose aim was the encouragement of writers to post "professional quality" pieces for free on the internet.
Other noted authors contributed to that first International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day observed in 2007. Being a writer as well as a reader I can certainly sympathize with Dr Hendrix's attitude toward those who would diminish the market ... but it's a given fact that "you can't always get what you want". This leaves us hoping we "find sometimes we get what we need !"
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Well, I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would go meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
No, you can't always get what you want
No, you can't always get what you want
No, you can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime, you just might find
You get what you need
And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair shares of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
And if we don't, we don't blow a 50-amp fuse", yeah
And no, you can't always get what you want
No, you can't always get what you want
Well, no, you can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need, baby
And I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescriptions filled
I was standin' in line with Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
We decided to have a soda
"Whatcha favorite flavor?", "Cherry red"
And I sung my song to my friend Jimmy
And he said one word back to me, that was "Dead"
I said
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, you just might find
You get what you need
Oh, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
And she was practised that the art of deception
I could tell by her blood-stained hands
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
Oh, you can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
By Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Performed by the Rolling Stones
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- April 22, 2018
- Earth Day 2018
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First observed in 1970, we now see Earth Day events held in some 200 worldwide locales under the auspices of the Earth Day Network.
I'm not a big fan of Earth Day.
It's not that I don't pursue environmental protection.
My problems surround local entities polluting the environment with their petroleum distillates and other chemicals, manufacturing particulates in the atmosphere, and noise like backup alarms sounding all gd night at the Old Dominion truck depot at the end of my street. BOO !
The tax revenue crazy local jurisdictions would just as soon have the money than force these people to toe the line with good corporate citizenship.
This leaves me pretty much at a loss for anything remotely supportive.
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- April 21, 2018
- The Founding of Rome
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April 21, 753 BC
The birth of that which became the Roman Empire of antiquity is part and parcel of myth, legend, fact, and conjecture.
The two primary stories surrounding the founding of Rome entail the twins Romulus and Remus who were nursed by a she wolf and the refugee of Troy, Aeneas, who was the subject of the epic by Virgil called The Aeneid and his issue, a son named Ascanius aka Iulus for whom the Julio-Claudian dynasty was named.
The stuff of legend, those mythological references to Ancient Rome being founded by the two demi-god brothers named Romulus and Remus on 21 April 753 BCE remains one of the most compelling and interesting sidebars for a child such as myself learning of these things at an elementary school age.
Included in this legend is the claim that Romulus killed Remus during the course of an argument regarding who would rule the city (or where the city would be located) and named the city Rome after himself.
Not having been a big fan of Virgil, the second Aeneid based story was one I never really pursued.
Though the year of the founding of the city varies between 752 and 728 BC ... the day has been steadily fixed April 21 by all of the individuals involved in determination of the date; which is the date of the feast of Pales, godess of shepherds and livestock. Incidentally, the Roman calendar actually began at 753 BC.
So it really doesn't matter which year to which you might subscribe as that of the founding of Rome. Today marks the anniversary so — Happy Birthday Roma !
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- April 20, 2018
- 420
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420
4:20
4/20
pronounced four-twenty
Today represents a code-term in cannabis culture that indicates cannabis is to be consumed. It originates back in 1971 by several high school heads from San Rafael California known as "the Waldos".
Personally I've heard and related the story already and no longer partaking makes the entire notion somewhat less than it once was in my life
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Suffice it to say if you indulge today is your day. Weed may grow from roots in Hell, but there are a lot of people who still enjoy it.
I didn't quit because I "disliked" it. I quit because of the mandatory pre employment testing which became in vogue and caused me to decline to allow anyone to hold a weapon of recreational drug use over my head.
Suffice it to say that I like the clear thinking and loss of mental haze more than I ever enjoyed smoking marijuana.
The fact that I could remain employed was merely the bonus of getting to eat and remain indoors.
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- April 19, 2018
- The Problems with People
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There can be issues with people whereby they are told to do something within a purview of authority and they may attempt to rationalize a reason not to do it.
The problem is one of being told what to do and failing to do so because the person is in disagreement with instructions. Some can't even read between the lines to see the peril of those ways of action. The consequences of this are many and varied ranging from confrontation all the way toward a write up for insubordination.
The worst part of that is how "fine" I am personally with the notion of consequences anymore.
The underlying context is that infuriating upheaval where the logic becomes a circular mess of trying to "be right" rather than "achieve a satisfactory end quickly and without delay".
While reticence exists for creating additional problems; tomorrow will see if indeed he incurs that wrath which has been cultivating — the severity of which will be dependent on several factors extrinsic to the problem at hand.
Some of us simply grow tired of this never ending battle of wills.
Hopefully this becomes a non issue in the morning. I'm not looking for trouble, but I'm not running from any either.
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- April 18, 2018
- Were I condemned ...
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I have on occasion considered what might transpire were I a condemned inmate.
All of this in the absence of real crime, the thoughts are primarily inspired by my interest in capital punishment in the US, the deathrow experience, victims rights, perpetrator contrition, and myriad other aspects as presented by various others in my midst from whom I glean tidbits of the experience ... though all secondhand and hearsay.
There is that lengthy appeals process. The possibility for periods of extreme isolation (not that this would really be a bother to me personally) as well as that culture only present in the prison system and it's unique perspective coupled with the ultimate reality of an impending death can imbue in the hearts of men.
Methodology being a foregone conclusion of 'lethal injection' not being something I could fear; the portends for other solutions to the problem of dispatching those sentenced to death have been in the forefront of criminal justice news these days, i.e., our intermittent inability to procure suitable concoctions for administration on a gurney might surrender to more violent ends like electrocution or firing squad. These things I most certainly could fear.
Then there is the question of my immortal soul. While my personal theology only reveals a single unpardonable sin; could I be "sorry" for some deed for which I ended up on death row in the first place.
While my initial thoughts appertaining to execution of inmates level off somewhere in the vicinity of "hell no" there is this other part of me which sometimes succumbs to apologetics and might be wanting some modicum of forgiveness.
This being said, I would also envision myself as going down with a certain amount of defiance and possibly even levity.
How about my family? Subjecting one's self to a judicial "disposal" is one thing. Making it the problem with which one's family must contend adds a twist that complicates matters much more ...
So the quandry remains.
At this juncture the entire concept of judicial execution is something with which I would not be inclined to wish upon anyone, myself included.
However, I remain decidedly "pro death penalty" for whatever level of deterrence it may provide and these feelings within me remain as well.
It would appear that I will probably forego capital offenses altogether as a matter of personal choice and avoid the entire process of having to write a check my life can't cover.
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- April 17, 2018
- World Hemophilia Day 2018
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One of the most memorable hemophiliacs I ever knew of was Ryan White. While I didn't really immerse myself into the problems associated with persons with AIDS I did follow the developments as well as I could. I thought his story to be particularly poignant given the treatment he was given by his community and the general failure to even attempt to understand the nature of disease instead of persecuting the victim of it.
Ryan White was a teenager from Kokomo, Indiana who suffered intense stigmatization and discrimination after an AIDS diagnosis which was the documented result of a blood transfusion.
That cruelty which is ignorance knows no bounds and his efforts fighting the foes of his community catapulted him to the status of national poster child for HIV and AIDS as the result of not being readmitted to school following his diagnosis. He was infected with HIV from a contaminated blood treatment called factor VIII.
That notoriety of his public and personal plight attracted a number of stars who rallied around him and his cause. The tragedy of his illness culminated with his death on April 8, 1990 — which ironically was but a month prior to that
high school graduation he pursued with everything he had left.
Congress subsequently honored his memory by passing legislation bearing his name in August of 1990 called the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.
World Hemophilia Day is an international observance held annually on April 17 by the World Federation of Hemophilia. It is an awareness day for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, which also serves to raise funds and attract volunteers for the WFH. It was started in 1989; by one Frank Schnabel with April 17 being chosen in honor of the anniversary of his birth.
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- April 16, 2018
- National Healthcare Decisions Day 2018
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Today is NHDD (National Healthcare Decision Day) which is all about planning in advance for healthcare. This year's theme is "It Always Seems Too Early, Until It’s Too Late."
The day involves collaboration and information dissemination so that health care decisions do not fall too late or to others. It's a sad notion that we can't always have our final arrangements conducted in tune with our personal wishes. This is one of those wake up calls for the populace to get in there and take care of business before it takes care of you. Preparing for the inevitable is not morbid or maudlin ... it is essential to your well being.
You should have a care plan in effect for your now. You should have a living will and durable power of attorney for your later. You don't want to leave your existence to chance ... or if you do you're simply not in tune with what's best for you in the long run.
Advance healthcare decisions involve more than final preparations. They are a process by which health maintenance may be attained and involving of someone to represent you BEFORE you can't do so yourself.
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- April 15, 2018
- Tax Day 2018
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April 15th is Tax Day, the ever looming official deadline for getting those individual tax returns filed ... or requesting an extension.
My mother and I try to get ours done at the earliest possible moment. More for the refund we typically get; but also to curtail some dirtbag attempting to commit tax fraud on us.
I understand from cohorts that I trust that the fact that I get a refund at all is indication for a failed "tax plan". The whole idea being to end up with no bill and no refund ... or a minimal amount of either and not the wad of cash with which I typically end this duty to country.
Now I'm not one to begrudge the government their due ... but we hear of so much fraud in the system and I for one would like to see serious consequences for tax criminals as a matter of course.
I also decline to allow tax criminals to get over on my mother for any reason.
Therefore, we will probably maintain the status quo with early filing and close monitoring of the situation until we are sure that a successful conclusion is at hand.
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- April 14, 2018
- It's My Birthday 2018
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- April 13, 2018
- Thomas Jefferson
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Like so others in the wake of those who would rewrite history, Thomas Jefferson has been dissed right up there with Andrew Jackson, The Confederacy, and all the other leftist liberal pansies cultivated in our institutions of higher indoctrination and cultivation of the fake world we know.
My only beef with Thomas Jefferson is that too many of his children were mixed race being the results of his various cavortings with slaves. I remain against slavery of any kind.
Taking undue advantage of supposed "property" for the purposes of carnal indulgence with lustful intent is simply unethical, immoral, and down right dastardly — but it is generally recognized that this was one of those things he (as well as many others) pursued vigorously.
So Thomas Jefferson the American Founding Father who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence was a slave hopping breeder who incidentally served as the third President of the United States from 1801 through 1809.
It only goes to prove that those frailties of the period remain to this day only now it's the black men hopping every white woman they can get their hands on in revenge. Can't really say that I blame them.
The only group with a bigger beef with white humanity would be the Native Americans — who are indignant as well and rightfully so.
Luckily that fug factor a lot of jungle fever adherents typically encounter is lost upon them because they're used to being with the attractiveness challenged. More power to them because if it floats their boat their ancestors earned that right for them.
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- April 12, 2018
- Charles Quinton Murphy
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Charles Quinton Murphy
July 12, 1959 – April 12, 2017
American actor, comedian, writer, voice artist
One of the absolute funniest men who ever lived.
Gone a whole year now. Rest in peace.One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible.
Charlie Murphy (@charliemurphy)
Final tweet
April 12, 2017
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