Sep 25, 2015

In Vitro vs. In Vivo

We hear these terms in the medical context, but they can be confusing. In vivo, (within the living) means within the body and in vitro, (within the glass) means outside of the body, such a test tube.

Krispy Kreme Dog

A hot dog is being offered to fans at Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball games this season. The “Krispy Kreme Donut Dog” is placed between a glazed Krispy Kreme donut, packed with bacon and topped with raspberry jelly.

Contact Juggling

Contact juggling is a form of object manipulation that focuses on the movement of objects in contact with the body. It involves the rolling of one or more objects without releasing them into the air. It is divided into three main techniques: Body rolling means manipulating one or more props around the hands, arms, and other parts of the body.

Palm spinning means manipulating one or more balls in the open hand so that at least one ball is in motion. Balls may be in both hands or transferred between hands to form graceful and fluid patterns, including rotating a pyramid made of four or five balls in one hand.

Isolation refers to the manipulation of a ball so that it appears to be suspended in place, creating the effect that the ball is still while the performer moves around the ball.

I placed this three minute video link of a master juggler at the end, so you did not get distracted from the rest of the interesting tidbits above. LINK

Cutting Phone Lines

Seems like old wired telephones may be going the way of the Edison light bulbs, in favor of newer technology. AT&T and others are trying to cut the cord on the old analog telephone system that has been used for generations, with a coordinated campaign to change telecommunications law, state by state.

In Illinois, the industry wants to rescind a state requirement that it maintain those copper-wire networks. In terms of just residential phone lines that use traditional telephone technology, just 1.3 million are left in Illinois today. At the same time, the number of wireless subscribers in Illinois has climbed from about 5.6 million in 2001 to about 12.8 million by the end of 2013.

Some major carriers, including AT&T, are designated in the current law as “carriers of last resort,” meaning they are obligated by law to maintain those copper analog landlines within their service areas. The companies say it is a matter of giving consumers what they want, cell phones, broadband, and other 21st-century digital options instead of keeping their capital tied up in the telecom equivalent of a horse-and-buggy system.

In 2011, Missouri eliminated its previous “carrier of last resort” obligation on carriers in St. Louis County, St. Louis, and Kansas City. In 2014, Michigan joined more than 30 other states that have passed or are considering laws that restrict state-government oversight and eliminate "carrier of last resort" mandates, effectively ending the universal-service guarantee that gives every US resident access to physical wire-line telephone service.

Sep 18, 2015

Check My Book

Please stop by Amazon and check my latest book, Bacon Orgazmia. It will make you Happy. "Peek Inside" coming soon.
LINK

Happy Friday

"Success in anything is through happiness." ~ Maharishi Yogi

I am always happy to succeed in having a Happy Friday!

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Saturday September 19 is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. There is a Facebook page, Twitter account, and much more on the web. Look for the Facebook option to change your words to pirate talk. Here are a few pirate words to get you started.

Duffel is a sailor's personal belongings and the bag that carries them. It is named after the Flemish town of Duffel that produced the woolen cloth which the bags were made of.

Avast comes from the Dutch phrase 'houd vast' which meant 'hold fast' or 'stop'. Over time it became 'hou vast' and later 'avast'

Poop deck originates from the French word for stern, la poupe. The poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern cabin, also known as the 'poop cabin'. In sailing ships, an elevated position was ideal for both navigation and observation of the crew and sails.

Opt Out

Many companies drop cookies on our computers and store information about sites we go to, things we 'like' on Facebook, and more. This site link below will check your computer and let you know which companies are looking at your info. It provides an option to opt out. The process just takes a few minutes. If you are like me and hate all the tracking and bombarding me with ads, this is worth the time. LINK

Genetics vs. Genomics

The words genetic and genomic are often used interchangeably. However, they have different and specific meanings.

Genetics is the study of heredity. It is the study of how inherited traits are passed from one generation to the next through the genes, and how new traits appear by way of genetic mutations or changes. These traits may be characteristics like eye or hair color.

Genomics is a more recent term that describes the study of all of a person's genes (the genome). Genomics is defined as the study of genes and their functions, and related techniques.

The main difference between genomics and genetics is that genetics looks at the functioning and composition of a single gene and genomics addresses all genes and their inter relationships in order to identify their combined influence on the growth and development of an organism.


Genetic information is stored in the molecule DNA
Gene refers to a specific sequence of DNA on a single chromosome that encodes a particular product. Humans have many thousands of genes, spaced across the entire set of DNA.

The word genome encompasses the entire set of genetic information across all 23 chromosome pairs, including all genes, as well as gene-modifying sequences, and everything in-between.

In the context of clinical and research settings, "genetic" testing refers to the examination of specific bits of DNA that have a known function.

Genomic testing looks for variations within large segments across the entirety of genetic material, both within and outside known functional genes. It looks at groups of genes and how active they are, such as how a cancer is likely to grow and respond to treatment.

All the genes make up the genome. Both are important because understanding more about diseases caused by a single gene using genetics and complex diseases caused by multiple genes and environmental factors using genomics can lead to earlier diagnoses, interventions, and targeted treatments. 

Flag Trivia

Two countries have flags that do not contain the colors red, white, or blue. They are Jamaica and Mauritania (11th largest country in Africa).

Android vs. Apple Phones

Android continues to dominate the smartphone market, in spite of Apple advertising domination.

Autumnal Equinox

The Autumnal or Fall Equinox is a floating date around September 22-23 that marks the first day of autumn, when day and night are of equal lengths. The sun crosses the equator moving southward (in the northern hemisphere). The Autumnal Equinox marks the beginning of shorter days and longer nights and the passage into winter. On this day, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west; the sun will begin to rise at the South Pole after six months of darkness, to bring six months of daylight; and the zenith passes directly overhead on the equator, so the sun casts no shadows. For centuries, friends have gathered to celebrate the day and strengthen their spirits in preparation for the passage into winter.

8K TV

We do not even have much content for 4K TVs and now Sharp has announced an 8K, 85 inch LV-85001 for just US $133,000. In fact broadcast testing of 8K is not scheduled to begin until 2016.

8K is 7680 x 4320, which is 104 pixels per inch at the 85-inch size; the contrast ratio is 100,000:1 with viewing angles of 176 degrees. It will be available October 31, 2015.

When I first got into the technology business, hardware was always lagging behind need. Seems during the past ten years technology is leading, and searching for content and relevance before its typically ultra-short life cycle ends. Thank goodness for early adopters, who take the arrows and pay the big bucks so we can enjoy later.

Free Happy Dance Friday