I need a secretary

How I feel at the moment.

Danger!! Danger, Will Robinson!!!

Get Your Cyborg Name

The yardwork part is debatable...


Cyber-hat tip to Drugmonkey.

This and that

I heard this morning that my late Nanna's house was sold. She passed away earlier this year. I knew the house was on the market but hadn't really thought about it in depth. It's actually quite sad - I have some fond childhood memories of that old place. The fig tree in the backyard, the lanes out the back and on the side, the "old house" smell*... Sigh.


On a brighter note, I'm off to a smallish six day meeting this Sunday. Lots of good people will be there. My goals (you should always have goals, otherwise why attend?) are to:

i) get feedback on my new major research project - progress has been slow but steady,
ii) get feedback on my new major research project's bride, which is showing signs of life,
iii) catch up with old friends/collaborators,
iv) make new friends/collaborators,
v) score at least two seminar invites, and
vi) not make a fool of myself.

Goal vi) might be the hardest.


And finally a quote from my supertech: "Cloning always works. One day."






* Or was it an "old person" smell?

Do Science Scouts have a secret handshake?

After reading DrDrA's post I couldn't resist going over to the Science Scouts site to see what badges I could award myself...



The “I somehow convinced someone to part with a lot of money for science” badge (LEVEL II).

Haven't quite made it to Level III yet...


The “non-explainer” badge (LEVEL I).
It's been this way since grad school. Or even before. I'm trying hard not to earn Level II...


The “has done science whilst under the influence” badge.
Let's be honest now, who hasn't?


The “works with acids” badge.
This one's a bit of a gimme for anyone doing benchwork. Of course I did once dissolve part of a bench using acid...


The “I’ve set fire to stuff” badge (LEVEL III).
I did train as a physical chemist.


The “statistical linear regression” badge.
A necessary evil.


The “I’m a scientist who is fundamentally opposed to administrative duties” badge.
Another gimme.


The “has frozen stuff just to see what happens” badge (LEVEL III).
The irresistible lure of liquid nitrogen...


The “talking science” badge.
Of course!


Now I really should go do some science...

Silence is the enemy (Do what I say, please) [Updated]

Please go read CPP's latest post. Then go here and here and here. Click until your fingers bleed.

[Updated link to Isis' post on Silence is the Enemy]

Tagged for the covers meme...

Prof. Anon. was nasty kind enough to tag me in the current covers meme. It's taken me a while to respond because I simply cannot think of a well done cover that someone else hasn't already used... But I do have a stinker of a cover for you.

Rolf Harris does Led Zepplin's "Stairway to Heaven"!

Don't know who Rolf is? He's an Australian entertainer who used to have his own variety show. He sings, paints, and plays the didjeridoo and wobble board. No, not the fitness wobble board, this thing. Anyway, he's playing one in the following video so you'll get the idea.



Rolf butchers "Stairway to heaven"

This was performed on an Australian comedy show called "The Money or the Gun." They had many performers come on and do "Stairway to Heaven." Eventually these were all released on an album. Yes, an album with 22 performances of "Stairway to Heaven."


So now on to something completely different. Since I couldn't come up with a cover I really liked, I'm going to attempt starting a new meme...

How about a song that describes your career as you see it, but without actually mentioning the career explicitly?

I'm in academia, so I present to you the following:


Harvey Danger and "Cream and Bastards Rise"

The version on the "Little by Little" album is much, much better. You can download it for free from the band's web site.