I heart Keith Olbermann

Here we go again.....

So tomorrow I start a new life. A new (maybe temporary) home and possibly a new job. Now, if things go according to plan, it could be wonderful. But since nothing ever goes according to plan, I have stressed myself out so much that I have a new "ulcer".

The one sure thing in my life right now is that there are endless possibilities. I just hope Im quick enough, and lucky enough to find the right ones.

Above is a picture that pretty sums up how Im feeling- Im about to get eaten alive

I LOVE Turtles!

Turtle Nabs Drug Suspect

A box turtle equipped with GPS helps police nab a suspect growing marijuana in Rock Creek Park.

Just south of the DC/Maryland line, a turtle wearing a GPS device for research purposes makes an amazing discovery.

"The ranger in charge of the program discovered the turtle in the middle of a marijuana field," Sgt. Robert Lachance of the U.S. Park Police says.

Its been two weeks since my tests and I have, I think, finally gotten used to having free time that I dont have to feel guilty about. So I started reading NY Times, and quickly, as usual, became very depressed.

For almost a month, my news consumption had hit an all time low. I looked at the NY Times main page, scanned for what I thought was the most important/interesting and that was about it. I was feeling rather bad about being so uninformed, but I needed to study.

Sidebar
Caltech is a perfect place to study because you are surrounded by people who will always be 10x smarter than you on their worst day. This motivated me, since most of the people I smiled at while walking on campus, refused to return the sentiment. "Im smart dammit!" I wanted to scream, but would then return to my room and attempt to relearn 4 years of college biology and hang my head in despair.

Warm fuzzy CSET studying trivia: I had been studying some chemistry and came across the work of Robert Millikan, who found the charge of an electron from oil droplets suspended between two electrodes (WTF?!, I know). I then went on tour of Caltech and what do we come across? A bust of Robert fuckin Millikan, who was once president of Caltech. <3

Oh, one more Caltech warm fuzzy. SoCal just happened to have an earthquake, a rather large one, and who was everyone looking to for info? Caltech.

Anyways, back to depressing news. So today, I finally got back into the routine of reading the news, and I just became increasingly upset at what I was reading, beating myself up that I cannot change the world tomorrow. How long can I take these beatings? I dont know. What I do know is that it is rather unhealthy and cant possible be helping me fight my issue with chronic stress. So....just to included everyone in on the fun, here are two articles that make me want to jump out a window.

'The Jungle', Again
The Biggest Issue

(Yes, I realize they are op-ed's but that doesnt mean they still dont piss me off)

Besides all that, Im well, and excited to return back to my life in a little over a week, with some new exciting/terrifying additions. : )

P.S. I now have a facebook and it has (of course) become an addiction

All grown up....

The Chatterbox a cool place to hang out

So my friend's bar is in the newspaper today and I cant help but be proud. Having been a patron since the beginning, I have many fond (and not so fond) memories of this place, so Im happy that it has grown to be successful. Plus, it has Negro Modelo...my favorite beer, thanks Ralph.



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OOOOOHHHHHGGGHHHHHH!

Cheney’s Office and the Course of Climate Policy

The White House, in 2004 and 2008, has said that any presidential administration has every right to adjust or shape information flowing through the government agencies it manages. A central defender of the Bush administration’s vetting of last fall’s testimony on climate and health was John H. Marburger III, the president’s science adviser. In my 2004 story, displaying his usual candor, Dr. Marburger justified administration actions of this sort this way:

“So there’s always going to be a tilt in an administration like this one to a certain set of actions that you take to achieve some policy objective,” he said. “In general, science may give you some limits and tell you some boundary conditions on that set of actions, but it really doesn’t tell you what to do.”

There's a lot of shit going on today...
6 Die in Attact on U.S. Post in Turkey
Iran Reports Missile Test in Show of Force
Senate Backs Wiretap Bill to Shield Phone Companies (this one breaks my heart)



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Now playing: Electrelane - Birds
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NatalieDee

So today I find out about Obama's stance on late term abortion and what he thinks are good enough reasons for it. Now, Obama is starting to piss me off. I know he can't please everyone, and Im ok with that, but when men start talking about what they think validates an abortion, i get a little nutty. Especially when its to pander to the pro-lifers, who don't give a shit about life once that baby is born to a mother who is either too poor, young, abused, scared or all of the above.

You know how you reduce abortion? EDUCATION and access to REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. Yup, all that abstinence training is a bunch of bull shit. You can't have our teens watching/listening oversexed media and then think they'll wait till marriage before getting down. Does nobody in Washington remember how they felt at 16?! And for the rest of us, we all know our lives change at the drop of a hat, no matter how much we prepare and plan. Why do we have to keep trying to win those voters when they'll never accept anything but making abortion illegal?

There is no way Ill vote for McCain, but that Obama magnet I have on my car is starting to bother me.


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Whew!!
So I have internet, but now I just dont have any time. I am coming up on my second week of being an RA at Caltech and Im exhausted. Its non stop entertaining and although I enjoy my residents and the activities, I really miss doing absolutely nothing. In the past couple days Ive spent the day at the beach in Santa Monica, watched fireworks in Pasadena, been to Hollywood and Universal Studios Citywalk. Im burnt crispy and my feet hurt. Today is the Getty. To top it all off, im studying for my CSET on the 19th. Ugh.

Being at Caltech has been pretty amazing, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think Id be living on this campus. Just being in close proximity to great science research makes me giddy. The people I work with have become great friends and we spent last night eating ridiculously amazing scones ( on of my bosses is going to school to be a baker) and laughing so much my stomach hurt. Im tired but blissfully happy.


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