Mississippi Court Jesters

So, I had my interview(s) at Vanderbilt today for the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences. It's a pretty cool program, you spend the first year in one big class with everyone and doing lab rotations to figure out what you want to specialize in. Then you choose an advisor and start thesis research after that, along with whatever classes are required for the particular program.

I talked to three different people. The first guy, Dr. Patton, is the director of the program. He basically gave me the details of what goes on the first year, the way the classes and rotations work and such. Then I talked to Dr. Osheroff about choosing lab rotations and such in general, and his research area specifically. His research is on DNA Topoisomerase II, which is involved in a whole bunch of DNA related functions and, apparently, is the most common target of chemotherapy drugs. Pretty interesting stuff. Finally, the assistant director, Dr. Grundy, interviewed me. Actually, that last one was the only part that really felt like a traditonal interview, with me mostly answering questions. Though I got to ask a couple, especially about what students generally find challenging about the program, especially just starting out, and stuff like that.

Overall, I think it went really well. It sounds like it's going to be tough, but rewarding. They claim that 85% of their students finish their degrees, which is excellent. So, they're going to confer with each other and let me know next week...I'm very optimistic.

So, today Allison was passing through Franklin on her way back to Alabama and stopped to eat lunch with me. We went to Blue Coast Burrito and had some tasty burritos. By the way, don't get the combo there, the chips are oily and have zero taste. Rookie mistake by me. Anyway, Bermuda tried to steal some little girl's Popsicle while we were eating, but she got away in time. So, that was a lot of fun - we need to try to get everybody together again before the end of the summer!

A little while later I went to see The Proposal with some friends. It was quite entertaining...you need to go see it immediately, it's hilarious. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but whatever. It has Oscar from The Office - his character is pretty entertaining. And stay for the credits, they show some funny clips of people answering questions in the INS office.

So yeah, good times. I'm also building a new computer to replace my laptop...it's served me well for the past 4 years, but it's starting to die, I think. I ordered all the parts from newegg monday night, and they should arrive tomorrow, so that'll be exciting. Okay, good stuff.

First: The author brings up a really good point when it comes to gender associations. When we think of the word gender usually females come into mind, right? Does this mean that only women have a gender? Let me explain. "The very processes that confer privilege to one group and not another group are often invisible to those upon whom that privilege is conferred. What make us marginal or powerless are the processes we see. " I mean that when it comes to gender, race, class, and power, when we have the upper-hand that privilege is invisible to us. I'll try to clarify using an example from the book: the author overheard a debate between a black woman and a white woman. The black woman asked what the white one saw when she looked into a mirror, she responded that she saw a woman. The black lady said that's where the trouble is, that when she looks into the mirror she sees a black woman. The author (who is a middle-class white male) said when he looks into a mirror he sees a human being. *Is this making any more sense?* Being Caucasian has for a long been looked at as a superior feature, as has being male, so since white males have the "upper-hand," at least as far as society is concerned, they have no race or gender. Everyone else has to declare themselves if they are seen by society as inferior, like women for example. Look at email addresses, why is it that the US is the only country that doesn't have to put a country code at the end? We are considered a very powerful nation so why should we have to declare ourselves to anyone less powerful? 

My point is not be sexist or racist but more to get your minds turning about our invisible privileges. Thoughts?

Secondly (and in reference to the title of the post): Here is the quote according to evangelical preacher Jim Rutz:

"He argues that homosexuality is caused by insufficient amounts of the appropriate sex hormone and that therefore gay men are more 'feminine' than straight men. And, he claims, soy products, like tofu, contain large amounts of estrogen, so 'when you feed a baby soy formula, you're giving him or her the equivalent of five birth control pills a day.' Eating tofu can turn you gay. 'Soy is feminizing,' he claims, 'and commonly leads to a decrease in the size of the penis, sexual confusion and homosexuality.' This idea was recently translated into a commercial for Hummers, the ultimate compensation for insecure gender identity."

I thought everyone would find that amusing at least since our ongoing debate over vegetarianism. 

So, anyone have any bets on when the economy will turn around? I just read this article on Reason online, and it got me thinking about just how humorous these predictions can be. Since the best outcome of our guessing is generally a "post hoc, ergo propter hoc" fallacy anyway, I'm going to say that the economy will begin recovery within the year in spite of Congressional meddling. And, just for fun, I'll add that if Congress had done nothing the economy would already have recovered. That second part has the advantage of being plausible yet completely untestable. Thoughts?

So, has anyone else seen "The Hangover"? I went to see it with some friends Tuesday afternoon. It was also dollar drink and popcorn night at the theater, so I got some cheap refreshments to go along with the matinee price. It's pretty ridiculous, but entertaining. It's worth seeing - maybe not in theaters since that's pricey, but definitely a redbox.

I also got to do some more tie dying on Monday night with my brothers & sister. Oddly enough, the Hobby Lobby here didn't have any shirts between youth medium and adult extra large...it was very strange. Fortunately, Wal-mart came through for us...after I checked with Mary Ellen, of course, to make sure Wal-mart shirts are OK to tie dye.

I haven't heard anything back from Vandy yet about grad school...the longer it takes the more I think it's not going to work out for this fall. So, I went ahead and applied for a couple jobs in Nashville. Hopefully, I'll hear something next week. Hmm...I'll try to do something more entertaining next week so I have some good stories...

http://www.reason.com/news/show/133859.html

I can't figure out how to make a cool link to this, but check this journal out you guys, I'm curious to hear what everybody thinks.  One of the most shocking aspects of the article for me was the fact that the author expresses a desire to erase his positive memories.   Even though he says it's for the sake of rediscovering them for the first time, if things are truly good they ought to stand the test of age.  I want all of my experiences and relationships to build on each other and mature; I would hate to remain in a perpetual state of infantility.  

Even my worst memories are valuable to me because of what I can learn.  Those memories prevent me, (or at least discourage me), from repeating mistakes.  

What do you think, would you guys selectively erase your memories?  Aside from personal preference, do you think there are any moral/ethical dilemmas associated with that?