LastweekIwatchedthemovie“Myleftfoot”,whichtellsthetruestoryofChristyBrown,anIrishmanbornwithcerebralpalsy.Hewassocrippledthathecouldcontrolonlyhisleftfoot,andyetbecameasuccessfulwriterandpainterdespitehisphysicaldisability.Ialwayshaveasoftspotfor“freaks”.Watchingthemoftenmakesmyeyeshurtandmyheartache.IrememberwhenIwasachild,thekidsinmyneighborhoodmadefunofamentallyretardedgirlandaboycrippledby...[
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3/10/12Iamcollaboratingwith____at______onagrantproposal.Thisisourthirdtimeworkingtogether.SometimesIcan’thelpcomparingmyselftoher.Sheworksatabigresearchuniversity,andIamworkingatasmallteachinguniversity;sheisafewyearsyoungerthanmeandalreadyafullprofessor,andIamstillanassociateprofessortothisday;shealreadymadehernamewithinherfield,andIamanamelessandinvisiblepersonoutsidemybuilding.Iamoftenwonderin...[
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3/8/12(Friday)Yesterday,whilewaitingformysontofinishhispianolesson,IreadanoldissueofReader’sDigestonhispianoteacher’scoffeetable.Isawafewgoodquotesorsayings.NowIamtryingtorecallafewofthem:1.Ifyoutakecareofthemoments,theyearswilltakecareofthemselves.2.Themostbeautifulthingintheworld,ofcourse,istheworlditself.3.Youdon’thavetobeaheroineaddictoraperformingpoettoexperiencetheextremities,andyoujustha...[
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3/5/12(Monday)Thebook“TheimmortalLifeofHenriettaLacks”isastoryfullofsadness,sorrow,aswellasdeterminationandtriumph.FromthecommentsIhavereadonthisbook,IamunderimpressionthatmostofthereaderssympathizewithHenriettaLacksandherfamily,blamingJohnHopkinsfortakinghercellswithoutacknowledgementfromherfamily.MostofthereadersalsofeelthatherimmediatefamilydeservessomeformsofmonetarycompensationfromJohnHopki...[
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2/24/12(Friday)
IfinishedreadingtheIntroductionof“TheBotanyofDesire”–HumanBumblebee.Herearethetwomainpointsinthischapter.1.Justliketheco-evolutionaryrelationshipbetweenbumblebeeandfloweringplants,humanalsohasaco-evolutionaryrelationshipwiththeirso-calleddomesticplants.Inthisrelationship,twopartnerstrytoadvancetheirowninterests,andinthemeantimetradefavorswitheachother.Forexample,inbee-plantr...[
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2-23-12(Thursday)Iamreading“TheBotanyofDesire”byMichaelPollanforthesecondtime.Thisisaverysuccessfulbook,whichisveryunusualforabookaboutplants.Ialwayswonderwhythisbookissosuccessful,andwhatIcanlearnfromtheauthor.HerearewhatIthink:1.Heviewsthingsfromadifferentangle.Heseestherelationshipsbetweenpeopleandplantsfromadifferentview–aplant’spointofview.2.Heintegrateshistory,philosophy,art,mythology,an...[
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2/18/12
“Contagion”isaverygoodmovie,anditisworthwatching.Eventhoughitisafictionalmovie,ithasastrongscientificbacking.
Influenzavirusesarenastydiseaseagents.TheycanjumpfromonehosttoanotherandshuffletheirDNAswithotherviralspeciesintheprocess,creatingchimericdeadlyviruses.Inthismovie,aseedisdroppedbyabatandiseatenbyapig.Presumably,achimericvirusiscreatedinthepigbycombiningpiecesofDNAsfroman...[
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2/17/2012Iamreading“TheImmortalLifeofHenriettaLacks”.Iam57%throughnow.TodayIamwritingdownthebiologicalfactsIlearnedsofarfromthisbookbeforeIforgetthem.1.CervixcanceriscausedbyaviruscalledHPV-18(HumanPapillomaVirus–18).TheviruscaninsertitsDNAintothehumanchromosomes.InHenriettaLacks’case,multiplecopiesofHPV-18’sDNAwerefoundinherDNA.Oneofthemwasinsertedintothelongarm(q)ofherchromosome11,andmutate...[
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2/14/12TodayisValentine’sDay.MyhusbandisinToronto,andIamhereathome.NaturallywedidnotdoanythingforValentine’sDay,andweevendidnotexchange“HappyValentine’sDay”whenhecalledmetonight.Itisprettysad.IrecallthatweusedtogooutfordinnerontheValentine’sDay.Whenwewerenottogether,hemail-orderedflowersforme.NowwejustspendtheValentine’sDaylikeanyotherday.Itiscertainlynotagoodsign.IhadaconversationwithCarla...[
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2/16/2012
IwasanavidfanofJeremyLininthepastseveraldays.Likemanyofhisfans,IwastouchedbyhisCinderella-likestory.Manyofuscanrelatetohiminonewayoranother-beingAsianAmericans,strugglingwithstereotypingconstantly,clingingdesperatelytoourdreamsthatarefadingaway,etal.Butonethingsetshimapartfromus:JeremyLindoesnotgiveupeasily,andhispersistenteffortandrelentlesspursuitofhisdreamfinallygothimheretoday.阅读全文]