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The computer science problems that earned Craig Gentry his job at IBM sound a bit like Zen koans. Could Google search the Web without knowing what it was looking for? Can an e-mail filter identify spam without reading it? Could an official count votes in an election without opening a ballot?
Those privacy puzzles, as Gentry has shown in an unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, aren't as paradoxical as they seem. In a cryptographic epiphany last summer, the 35-year-old
The premise of what computer scientists call "fully homomorphic encryption," like many long-unsolved mathematical puzzles, sounds both simple and impossible: Can data be encrypted in a way that allows any calculation to be performed on the scrambled information without unscrambling it?
Imagine online accounting software that takes in encrypted data about your salary and expenditures, crunches the numbers and spits out an encrypted tax filing ready to be decrypted and sent to the IRS. The accounting software would never know the contents of what it had analyzed, and you might be less fretful about sending sensitive financial data to that online tax service.
"It's like one of those boxes with the gloves that are used to handle toxic chemicals," says Gentry. "All the manipulation happens inside the box, and the chemicals are never exposed to the outside world."
You can, of course, keep your tax return secret from your accountant by running the tax software on your own computer. An e-mail filter that directs all messages about a confidential merger plan to a particular folder could run locally, too. But the trend in computing today is moving data and applications like tax accounting and e-mail filtering off the desktop to independently owned data centers--the so-called "cloud." That shift makes better use of scarce resources and also means that your files are always at your fingertips, no matter where you are or what device you're using. For cloud computing to fulfill its promises, users need more confidence that their secrets will stay secret. That's where Gentry's discovery fits in, though it could take another decade to put his theory into practice.
Homomorphic encryption, like any encryption, mathematically scrambles data so thoroughly that the unscrambling can be done only by someone possessing a secret key. But even though the encryption seems to produce chaos, it might preserve certain mathematical relationships among the possible inputs. If the encrypted version of input x, multiplied by the encrypted version of input y, equals the encrypted version of x times y, then the process is said to be homomorphic with respect to multiplication.
Fully homomorphic encryption would preserve not just multiplication but also addition. What's the point of that tweak? Any computer algorithm--whether it sorts your mail or figures out whether you qualify for a tax deduction--boils down to a series of arithmetic steps. If an encryption scheme allowed any number of additions or multiplications, any computing application would be possible without decrypting data.
The idea of fully homomorphic encryption was first posited in a paper three decades ago by Ronald Rivest, an MIT professor and the coinventor of the famous RSA encryption scheme now ubiquitous in business transactions. Rivest and his two coauthors also suggested it was probably impossible.
Gentry approached the mathematical riddle from an unusual path. A graduate of Harvard Law School with a bachelor's degree in math, he'd been bored with practicing intellectual-property law. In 2005 Gentry enrolled in Stanford's Ph.D. program, and in June of 2008 took a three-month internship with IBM.
Gentry's fully homomorphic revelation came to him as he sat in a New York City cafe that summer. The encryption method that intrigued him allows a few multiplications or additions of encrypted data. But it suffers from an interesting handicap. Every arithmetic step unavoidably introduces small amounts of error into the encrypted data. Performing just a dozen or so computations corrupts the data to the degree that it can no longer be accurately decrypted.
Gentry's insight was to double-encrypt the data in such a way that the errors could be removed, so to speak, in the dark. By periodically unlocking the inner layer of encryption underneath an outer layer of scrambling, the cloud computer would clean up its messes as it went along, without ever seeing the secret data. It took Gentry another 15 minutes to realize that he'd just solved an epic cryptographic problem.
Gentry's elegant solution has a catch: It requires immense computational effort. In the case of a
Today the barrier to business adoption of encryption isn't that the techniques need to be stronger. By all known methods, a million pcs would take more than a hundred years to decode a single number scrambled with an RSA encryption using a 4,096-bit key. Instead, Gentry and others argue that encryption needs to be more adaptable. "If you have to decrypt your data to actually use it, no one's going to encrypt in the first place," he says. "Inflexible encryption is basically just an obstacle."
A 2008 study by the privacy-focused Ponemon Institute found that only 21% of U.S. businesses and government agencies had a consistent encryption policy across all parts of their organizations. Meanwhile, over the last six months U.S. government and private-sector entities lost more than 12 million files containing sensitive personal data to hackers, thieves and careless employees, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
Ending that data hemorrhaging--and delivering on the promise of cloud computing--will require not only stronger encryption but also smarter encryption. Developing those adaptable cryptography methods isn't a matter of putting more thought into cryptography as much as it is approaching old problems differently--so says Daniel Boneh, the Stanford professor who got Gentry thinking about homomorphisms.
"The community is going one way, and then one smart guy like Craig looks in a different direction. That's how breakthroughs happen," Boneh says. "You look down some other path, and suddenly everything that had seemed impossible becomes possible."
Crypto Trickery
Older encryption schemes can do only a few calculations before corrupting data to the degree that it can't be decrypted. Gentry's method adds another layer of encryption every few steps and uses an encrypted key to unlock the inner layer of scrambling. That decryption "refreshes" the data without exposing it, allowing an infinite number of computations.
Read William Baldwin's Sidelines On This Story


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TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey homeowners will have more time to apply for property tax credits, but they'll get them later than originally planned.
The state on Tuesday announced that it would extend the deadline for applying for Homestead credits to Dec. 14 from Oct. 19. The original deadline was June 30.
The Treasury Department says the change will allow more people to apply. So far, about 1 million taxpayers have applied, but an estimated 650,000 more are eligible but haven't applied.
As a result, the state now says that the rebates will appear on May 2013 property tax bills. Most were scheduled to appear in February 2013. The credits are to average $477.
Senior citizens and disabled homeowners with incomes under $150,000 are eligible. Non-senior, non-disabled homeowners with incomes under $75,000 qualify.

subset: commoncrawl


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November 15, 2020
IBTM Barcelona 2020 Goes Virtual
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Search Constraints
You searched for: india Remove constraint india Publisher ML InfoMap (Firm) Remove constraint Publisher: ML InfoMap (Firm) Access Restricted Remove constraint Access: Restricted Subject Boundaries Remove constraint Subject: Boundaries Subject Elections Remove constraint Subject: Elections Place Bomdila (India) Remove constraint Place: Bomdila (India) Place Arunāchal Pradesh (India) Remove constraint Place: Arunāchal Pradesh (India) Place Khonsa (India) Remove constraint Place: Khonsa (India) Data type Polygon Remove constraint Data type: Polygon Year 2009 Remove constraint Year: 2009
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1. Arunachal Pradesh, India: Post Delimitation State Assembly Constituency Boundaries and Election Data, 2009
2009. ML InfoMap (Firm). This data layer shows post-delimitation state Legislative Assembly constituency boundaries and data relating to the 2009 Assembly elections for the... ML InfoMap (Firm).
2. Arunachal Pradesh, India: Pre Delimitation State Assembly Constituency Boundaries and Election Data, 2004
2009. ML InfoMap (Firm). This polygon shapefile shows pre-delimitation state Legislative Assembly constituency boundaries and data relating to the 2004 Assembly elections f... ML InfoMap (Firm).


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Vacuum Tube Tesla Coil Does Fascinating Stunts (Jan, 1932)
Vacuum Tube Tesla Coil Does Fascinating Stunts
Light bulbs and spinning wires which glow with weird effects, cigarettes which light mysteriously— these are a few of the stunts you can do with this vacuum tube Tesla coil.
THE older types of Tesla coils, calling for a high tension transformer and spark gap for excitation, were undoubtedly interesting and instructive, but the one shown in the accompanying photographs and sketches will prove much less expensive to construct and yet will provide plenty of sure fire fun and spectacular results. It makes use of many radio parts and therefore should prove very inexpensive to construct by those readers possessing a stock of spare radio "junk." It is simply a matter of plugging in to the 110-volt electric light line to carry on an almost endless number of interesting and instructive experiments in high frequency currents. You will need the following parts:
A baseboard 18 in. long by 10 in. wide. Cardboard tube 8 in. long, 4 in. diameter. Cardboard tube 11 in. long, 2-1/2 in. diameter. Two radio UX sockets.
Transformer giving about 500 volts and provided with two 71/£-volt filament windings. One 210 type radio tube.
One 281 type rectifying tube.
Two wooden supports for the 4 In. tube.
One 5,000-ohm grid leak about 5 watts rating.
One 1 Mfd. fixed condenser to stand at least 500 volts breakdown voltage. 50 ft. No. 16 DCC wire. 700 ft. No. 28 DCC wire. Hookup wire. Assortment of nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
The hookup and layout of parts indicated in Fig. 2 should be followed to the letter to insure best results. Place the transformer at the left end of the baseboard near the rear. Then mount one of the sockets in front of it for the rectifying tube (281). To the right of the tube mount the fixed condenser. Mount the two coil supports to the right of the transformer. Then in front of this coil mount the remaining socket for the 210 oscillating tube.
Now comes the winding of the coils. First wind those called Coil 1 and Coil 2 on the 4-inch tube. These consist of 20 turns each of No. 16 DCC wire. Note the dimensions and spacings on the diagram (Fig. 2). Wind closely and tight and space them 1-1/4 inches apart. Wind in the same direction and secure the ends by any manner at hand. Wind in the same direction as the two former coils and secure each end to a bolt, the right hand one projecting out two or three inches from the end.
Mount the 4-inch coil in the supports as shown. Now slip the 800-turn coil (Coil 3) inside the larger tube and by means of blocking or little angle pieces, support it in the center of the large tube equidistant from all sides as illustrated in Fig 4. Solder all connections not secured by connectors or binding posts and make all leads as short as possible. Hookup wire can be either bare copper wire covered with spaghetti, or any type so long as it is well insulated and about No. 18 gauge.
Start with Coil 1. Connect the outside lead to one side of the fixed condenser and to one side of the filament winding used to light the rectifying (281) tube. The inside lead of Coil 1 then connects directly to the plate terminal on the 210 tube socket. Now connect the inside lead of Coil 2 to the grid binding post on the 210 tube socket and connect the outside lead to one end of the grid leak resistor. Connect the other side of the grid leak to the inside end of Coil 3 (next to the transformer), to the iron core of transformer to filament post of 210 tube, to one side of the high voltage winding on the transformer and remaining side of fixed condenser. The remaining side of the high power winding is then connected direct to the plate of the 281 tube. Each filament winding is then connected to the filament terminals of the two tube sockets. This completes the wiring. The transformer primary should of course be provided with a cord and plug.
To test first plug in the transformer. This will light the tube filaments. Then, to see if the high voltage is energizing the Tesla coil, run a screwdriver or other metal tool up and along the bolt at the protruding end of Coil 3, as demonstrated in the photo on page 92. It should draw sparks as it passes over the threads and will prove it is working. If no show of energy occurs go over the wiring thoroughly (first pulling the plug) and look for disconnected wires or poorly soldered joints. When properly hooked up it will surely work and you are then ready for a number of highly fascinating experiments.
With your Tesla coil operating properly you are ready for some of the most weird and interesting experiments imaginable. First, do not fear a shock. Slight burns may result if taken on the bare flesh but if one holds a metallic object in the hands no sensation is noticeable. Therefore, there is no danger.
First let's see what can be done about drawing a spark from the bolt on Coil 3. Hold a metal tool in the hand and gradually bring it near the bolt. When the breakdown distance is reached sparks will jump between the two metals similar to lightning. Too great a voltage must not be used, but any voltage from 350 up to about 750 volts is perfectly safe.
Now let's try a little experiment with an electric light bulb. If you can get hold of a bum one so much the better. First fasten a small metal ball to the end of the bolt. Then, holding a 15 or 20-watt bulb by the glass, bring the metal ferrule near the bolt. As it approaches it will commence to glow and change colors according to the gas in the bulb and the power of the coil. Get a bulb in the "Five and Ten" marked "made in Japan" if you want to see some fascinating effects.
Here is another fascinating demonstration. Fasten a very fine, stiff wire to the bolt and bend it up and outward in a wide curve as illustrated in Fig. 5. Plug in the coil and watch the result in a darkened room. Varying the output voltage will change the glow around the wire and at the very end will be seen a very concentrated discharge of fire.
Here is one of the most spectacular stunts of all. It is a rotor spinning from the high frequency oscillations and emitting a changing corona discharge ever fascinating and beautiful. Bend a piece of fine wire such as No. 22 or 24 into a wide S as shown in Fig. 5. Slip this over a piece of stiff wire fastened to the end of the bolt horizontally. The wire must rotate freely and be free from kinks or corners. Start the coil and watch the S wire spin. It will rotate at terrific speed well up into several thousands of R.P.M.s. All around the circle will be seen an even number of brush discharges and the peculiar thing is that they will always be an even number.
Here is a way to mystify the crowd. Hold a match head near the bolt. No effect is noticed. Then wet the head so it is soaking. Hold it near the bolt again and it lights! The dry head was non-conductive but the wet head acted as a metallic conductor and soon ignited from the spark produced. Done with the bolt and coil hid behind a thin partition makes the trick doubly mysterious.
As the user becomes accustomed to the action of his Tesla coil he will discover many more interesting and instructive uses for it. Common things can be utilized to produce many weird results and spectators will never tire of watching the effects of its action. As before stated, there is not the least danger in its effects. But, don't get careless with the direct output of the transformer itself. The current produced is at a much lower frequency (6 cycle) and 500 volts or more at this frequency will give quite a kick if taken through the body.


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DETROIT – There is evidence that 2-year-old Detroit girl Bianca Jones will not be found alive, sources close to the investigation told the Local 4 Defenders.
Jones has been missing since Dec. 2, when her father, D'Andre Lane told police Bianca was in a rear car seat when he was carjacked at gunpoint. The car was found a short time later, but the girl wasn't in it.
Sources said investigators have searched Lane's home on Mitchell Street with cadaver dogs, which did return a positive hit for signs of decomposition. Although the little girl is still missing, sources said the search for her has turned from a rescue to a recovery effort.
Organized police and volunteer efforts ended Sunday. More than 1,000 people had searched abandoned houses, fields and alleys in neighborhoods.
Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee has said "the authenticity and credibility of the original version of events" are "under intense scrutiny" from detectives.
But in an interview with Local 4, Lane said he has answering all of the questions police have been asking him.
"All this stuff that's going on, there's a lot of speculation and things being said in the media and people thinking what they want to think," he said. "I mean, the truth will come out. I'm not worried about all that. All I'm worried about is my baby coming home and I'm cooperating with police in every aspect of the investigation. Anything they need from me they just need to get in contact with us and we'll be there."


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Australia's Belinda Snell hit a buzzer-beater from beyond half court to force overtime today against France in early-round women's basketball action. The contested shot kept the Australians alive against world-beaters France, which defeated Brazil over the weekend.
In the end, it was all for naught as France pulled out the 74-70 overtime win.


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How/Why Use PsychWiki
From PsychWiki - A Collaborative Psychology Wiki
How to use PsychWiki?
Here is an overview of how to use this wiki...
- Search the site for useful information. see How to Search.
- If you login (see login in top right) you can edit the pages. see How to Edit.
- You can also add a page on any topic. see how to Add a Page.
- If you need help with anything, see the help! pages and/or feel free to contact the admins.
- If you are new to PsychWiki, see Information to Get you Started.
Why use PsychWiki?
There are a few reasons to use online resources such as...
- A wiki is a useful tool for psychologists. see List of Uses/Tools.
- You are your web presence. With the advent of the online age its becoming increasingly common that "you are your web presence" because search engines other than PscyINFO are a starting point for seeing psychologists' web pages, lab pages, research pages, and so forth. Everyone in the field goes to conference and submits to journals with the goal of self promotion in mind to get their name and research out there to be reviewed and cited by others.
- Collaborate with others who do exactly what you do. The field of psychology is vast so online tools are useful for connecting people with common interests.
- Information wants to be free!


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REAL ID Enforcement: Maine
Maine is compliant with the REAL ID Act. Federal agencies can accept driver's licenses and identification cards from Maine at Federal facilities and nuclear power plants.
Secure driver's licenses and identification documents are a vital component of a holistic national security strategy. Law enforcement must be able to rely on government-issued identification documents and know that the bearer of such a document is who he or she claims to be. REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the Federal Government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists' ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following frequently asked questions are available regarding the implementation of the REAL ID Act.


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Published by CNN
Standing in his food shack under posters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in a Caracas slum, 70-year-old Miguel Bigello relays his backhanded support for Barack Obama.
"For all the deaths he's caused, he's not touched Latin America," he said. "The other guy [Mitt Romney] is too radical. He will fight here for the oil."
The elderly man is an avid supporter of Chavez, his "Comandante," and in the small wooden hut sits a carving of the face of Che Guevara as well as a poster depicting Latin American independence hero Símon Bolívar.
Bigello shares the view of his president. "If I was from the U.S., I'd vote for Obama," Chavez said buoyantly on state television just a week before he won his third six-year term two weeks ago, potentially extending his tenure to two decades. "Obama is a good guy."
Venezuela is still hungover from its own presidential election and in this fervently political country — mostly thanks to Chavez's ubiquity, strength of personality and polarizing policies — the U.S. election campaign offers some light relief after a trying few months.
The contest between Chavez and Henrique Capriles, the Venezuelan opposition's first real hope in 14 years, made the Romney-Obama matchup look like child's play. Chavez welcomed his opponent to the ring in February by calling him a "low-life pig" who would be "pulverized." There were no debates here as Chavez felt Capriles was below him. "The eagle does not chase flies," said a defiant Chavez.
The self-styled socialist leader's supporters see Obama taking a leaf out of Chavez's book. "Obama is working for the people just like Chavez," said Gomez Darwin, 42, stood under a huge Che Guevara mural in a primarily Chavez-supporting Caracas barrio.
However, it is the contenders' world views which really matter here. Gloria Torres helped organize prayer vigils for Chavez as he suffered cancer last year. "Obama's policies towards Latin America haven't been aggressive," she said, offering her support for the U.S. incumbent before adding: "The other guy doesn't seem to have any friendly intentions towards us!"
Venezuela has come up a number of times in Republican rhetoric during the U.S. race. Mitt Romney branded the Venezuelan government a "threat to national security" earlier this year, adding that Chavez had spread "dictatorships and tyranny throughout Latin America."
Romney's running mate, Paul Ryan, added: "In a Mitt Romney administration, we will not keep practicing this policy of appeasement ... We will be tough on [Cuban President Raúl] Castro, tough on Chavez. It's because we know that's the right policy for our country."
This antagonism from the Romney camp towards Chavez — compared to Obama's softer approach — has attracted some of Venezuela's more wealthy hard-line opposition.
"Romney named Chavez in his manifesto; Obama didn't," said Aixa Armas, eating breakfast at one of Caracas' high-end hotels. "Obama has closed his eyes to the problem, a regional problem, and he is too friendly with Chavez."
The lubricant between Caracas and Washington is the world's highest oil reserves on which Chavez sits. It is that wealth that has kept Venezuela's economy from collapsing—despite epic mismanagement which has led to the region's highest inflation rate and a severe shortage of U.S. dollars. America is Venezuela's biggest oil market and the Latin American country is among the top five exporters to the U.S..
"The U.S. remains the only actual customer paying cash and at full-price," said Russ Dallen, head trader at Caracas' BBO Financial Services. "Romney may want to use that leverage to stop subsidizing a thorn in America's side."
Dallen adds that Venezuela, or at least the Chavez government, needs oil prices to stay high, and Obama may be a safer bet for that. "Obama is more willing to tolerate high gasoline prices because gas at $4 a gallon makes people more willing to invest in alternative technologies and for those technologies to be more cost effective."
Chavez is unlikely to be thinking in such depth. His support for Obama recently marks the apex of the 58-year-old strongman's relations with Washington since coming to power in 1999. The infamous nadir came in 2006 when Chavez stood at the United Nations lectern, theatrically sniffing the air. "The devil came here yesterday," he said, a day after former President George W Bush's speech. "It smells of sulfur still." He then went onto describe Bush's "domination, exploitation, and pillage of the peoples of the world."
Chavez quipped two weeks ago that Obama would support him too, had he been born in Venezuela's slums. After some shaky relations, Chavez is prepared to start again. "With the likely triumph of Obama, and the extreme right defeated both here and there [in the U.S.], I hope we can start a new period of normal relations."


text: (Apprising And Freaking Out News)— On his recent vacation to a secluded beach, the vainhearted and valiant foolhardy great Pastor-Teacher-Scholar of all things Truth Warrior and Discernmentalist, Ken Silva was enjoying his relatively quiet and calm vacation away from discernmentalizing and Apprising everyone when he heard a voice suddenly saying: "Genuine Christianity is learning to live by an indwelling Christ. Genuine church life is born when groups of people are intoxicated with a glorious unveiling of their Lord." (Source: Jesus Manifesto). Turning around Ken noticed that the voice had come from a hideous and horrible looking monstrous creature from the deep known as an Evanjellyfish that had recently washed up on the shore. In it's invisible tentacles the Evanjellyfish had a copy of Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola's lastest heretical and apostate book, Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Apparently the Evanjellyfish had been quoting some of his favorite quotes from the book. Ken not being one to let things go immediately began Apprising and discernmentalizing the Evanjellyfish.— (Source). *(Editors note: for a better view of what these heretical and apostate Evanjellyfish look and sound like click on the included photograph to enlarge it for the most optimal viewing experience possible).*


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Animals Are Fun, But Wash Your Hands
Many communities across the US hold yearly agricultural fairs but few rival The Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair. This fair springs up at the end-of summer each year offering fair-goers a wide range of entertainment, concessions, exhibits, livestock, amusement rides and much, much, more.
Most fair goers will tell you that the food, especially the funnel cakes and sticky buns, and the chance to reunite with family and friends are among their favorites about the fair. Many will also agree that The Fair just wouldn't be complete without the animals. The animals provide enjoyment, entertainment, and an educational experience for both children and adults. Those who raise and exhibit their animals are rewarded with the pride of showing an award-winning animal while those not involved in animal agriculture get a close-up opportunity to learn more about the animals they may have only seen from a distance.
There are some obvious hazards of being kicked, stepped-on, or bitten but there is also the less recognized risk of exposure to zoonotic or animal-to-human diseases. Enteric (intestinal) infections are the most common zoonotic diseases associated with animal contact at agricultural fairs. Infections caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter sp., Salmonella enterica, and the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum represent the most common enteric infections. Other conditions such as ringworm, parasitic and other bacterial, viral, or fungal infections may also occur from animal contact.
These organisms can be found in perfectly healthy animals, usually from cattle, sheep and goats, but other animals can be a source of infection too. The organisms are usually shed in the animals fecal material and cause human infection when ingested. Because animal fur, hair and saliva can become contaminated with fecal organisms, transmission may occur when persons pet or are licked by animals. Transmission may also occur through contact with contaminated food, water and environmental surfaces.
Infections can occur in people of all ages and the severity of illness will vary depending on which organism the person is infected with and the persons ability to fight off the infection.
Don't boycott the animals barns this year, just follow some very simple, common-sense steps and reduce your risk a getting one of these infections:
Hand Washing
Hand washing is the single most important prevention step. Washing with soap and water is preferred but use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will help too. Hands should always be washed after leaving animal areas and before eating or drinking.
Food and Drinks
Eating, drinking, or simply bringing food into an animal-holding area is risky, especially sticky foods like cotton candy. Food should be consumed in areas completely separated from animal-holding areas and only after thoroughly washing hands. Do not share your food with animals either.
Supervision of Young Children
Young children should be supervised at all times while in animal-holding areas to prevent hand-to-mouth activities. Never allow children to put their hands or thumbs (thumb-sucking) or objects, such as pacifiers, in their mouth while interacting with animals. Parents can also help ensure that children adequately wash their hands after leaving the animal exhibit.
Animals contribute greatly to the experience of a fair. Adequate hand washing and common-sense safety measures will help ensure a safe and pleasant experience for everyone involved.
Look for Mount Nittany Medical Centers Clean Team at this year's fair. The Medical Center will provide hand sanitizer at several locations throughout the Fair. Be sure to stop by our booth in building 63 too and try the interactive hand hygiene activity—fun for both children and adults. We look forward to seeing you at the 133rd Grange Fair.
Marlene Stetson, RN is the infection prevention and control coordinator at Mount Nittany Medical Center.


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Ancient philosophers looked to alchemy for clues to life everlasting. Today, researchers look to their yeast. These single-celled microbes have long served as model systems for the puzzle that is the aging process, and in this week's issue of Cell Metabolism, they fill in yet another piece.
The study, led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, identifies a new molecular circuit that controls longevity in yeast and more complex organisms and suggests a therapeutic intervention that could mimic the lifespan-enhancing effect of caloric restriction, no dietary restrictions necessary. After all, says senior author Shelley Berger, PhD, "who wants to live on 500 calories a day?"
Berger, a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor in the departments of Genetics and Cell and Developmental Biology at the Perelman School of Medicine and the department of Biology in the School of Arts and Sciences, studies epigenetics, the science of the control of genetic information. Epigenetics comprises multiple regulatory layers, including chromatin packaging—the orderly wrapping of DNA around histone proteins in the cell nucleus. By altering this DNA packaging, cells can control when and how genes are expressed.
"Aging is, in part, the accumulation of cellular stress," she explains. "If you can better respond to these stresses, this ameliorates the damage it can cause."
Berger and her team looked for chromatin-associated genes that could influence longevity by searching for genes that already were implicated in epigenetic regulation that might extend lifespan when deleted in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One such gene improved lifespan by about 25 percent – this would correspond to an increased lifespan in humans from 75 years to about 95 years – a substantial benefit to longevity, notes Berger. The research, conducted by postdoctoral fellow Weiwei Dang, PhD, aimed to unravel how this increase in longevity was achieved and if it was related to cellular stress.
First, the team asked whether the gene ISW2 is part of previously identified longevity pathways, especially those associated with caloric restriction, a well-known strategy for extending lifespan. But pathways involving a form of chromatin modification (histone acetylation) came up empty, as did an alternate pathway involving growth control, suggesting ISW2 functions through a never-before-seen mechanism.
The team then looked for answers in the function of the ISW2 protein, and found that its absence alters the expression of genes involved in protecting cells from such stresses as DNA damage. Deletion of ISW2 increases the expression and activity of genes in DNA-damage repair pathways – an effect also seen during calorie restriction.
The gene ISW2, it turns out, is involved in chromatin remodeling—it controls the spacing and distribution of the histone "spools" around which DNA wraps. Normally, ISW2 dampens stress-response pathways, possibly because overactivation of these pathways is deleterious early in life, Berger speculates. Deletion or inactivation of the ISW2 gene activates those pathways, priming the cells to more effectively handle stress-associated genetic scars as cells age.
This effect is not limited to yeast. When Berger's team reduced the levels of a related gene in the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, they observed a 15 percent improvement in longevity, which is similar in magnitude to the lifespan extension observed in other worm longevity pathways. Similarly, knocking down expression of a human homolog in cultured human cells boosted the expression of stress-response genes that, again, like yeast, occur in DNA-damage repair pathways.
These findings suggest a pathway analogous to the one identified in yeast performs a similar function in humans, keeping stress-response genes in check – and if inhibited, could boost these pathways. But that has yet to be established. And, it is far from clear if tweaking these pathways can actually extend healthy human lifespan – but, of course, a goal worthy of further investigation, say the authors.
But, if there is a human version of the ISW2 pathway, these data suggest a possible therapeutic strategy for combating aging-related disorders in humans, Berger says. Calorie-restricted diets have been shown to extend lifespan in organisms from yeast to primates. But such diets are, well, difficult to "stomach."
Assuming these findings can be replicated and extended to humans, small-molecule inhibitors of the human form of ISW2 could potentially replicate that effect, leading to clinical benefits without dietary restrictions. More research must be done to work that out, however, note the researchers.
Journal information: Cell Metabolism
Provided by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine


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Police officers do a lot of great things, but the job isn't for everyone. Would you head to the academy if you got to drive this Gallardo on duty?
Welcome to Morning Would, where we present you with some of the most desirable, controversial cars ever built and ask what you would do to drive one.
Being a police officer isn't for everyone. The hierarchy, the hours, the people you have to deal with on a daily basis — it's no walk in the park.
The Lamborghini Gallardo, however, is appealing to just about everyone with a pulse. Atomic acceleration, precise handling, robot-shark styling, and a sound that make sirens redundant.


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OROVILLE — The Corning man accused of running down and killing a Caltrans worker in 2010 pleaded guilty Thursday and will be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison next month.
Russell Ned Hodge, 48, pleaded to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and admitted two prior driving under the influence convictions.
About 11:15 p.m. Nov. 14, 2010, he drove his Ford F-250 pickup into Caltrans worker Gary Smith, at a roadblock on Highway 99 north of Chico, at a speed of around 60 mph.
Smith had been called to the scene to divert traffic from another fatal crash farther north that had killed three people.
Hodge drove on after hitting Clark until he reached the other crash scene, where he was arrested. He was apparently unaware he'd hit Clark.
He had a blood alcohol level of .20 percent. The legal limit for intoxication is .08 percent.
Gary Smith's family and Caltrans workers were in court Thursday for the guilty plea and expressed satisfaction with the guilty plea, according to District Attorney Mike Ramsey.
Hodge will be sentenced Feb. 28. He agreed to state prison time as part of the plea bargain.
The first accident had also been caused by a drunken driver from Corning. Robert Edward Barnes, 26, pleaded July 17 of last year to second-degree murder in that case.
Barnes was arrested after his northbound Dodge pickup collided with a southbound GMC Sonoma pickup at 5:49 p.m. on 99 near Broyles Road, south of the Butte-Tehama county line.
Three people in the GMC were killed: Rogelio Herrera, 29; Sarai Alvarez, 31; and one of Alvarez's children, Cristian Zaizar.
Barnes also pleaded guilty to a felony count of drunken driving causing injury with priors for injuring Emanuel Zaizar Alvarez. He also admitted two prior DUI convictions from Tehama County.
His blood alcohol content was tested at 0.17 percent.
As part of the change of plea, the prosecution moved to dismiss two additional counts of second-degree murder, three counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with two prior convictions, transportation of marijuana and possessing it for sale.
He was sentenced in September to 19 years to life.
"Four innocent lives were lost on Highway 99 that night' Ramsey said in a press release. "The two men responsible, both who knew better than to be driving while intoxicated because each had prior DUI convictions, will be serving life sentences.
"We sought the maximum sentences in each of these cases to demonstrate the madness has to stop. We cannot tolerate the carnage caused by drinking drivers, particularly those who have prior convictions."


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Redlands Connection is a concoction of sports memories emanating from a city that once numbered less than 20,000 people. From the Super Bowl to the World Series, from the World Cup to golf's U.S. Open and the Olympics, plus NCAA Final Four connections, NASCAR, the Kentucky Derby and Indianapolis 500, Tour de France cycling, major tennis, NBA and a little NHL, aquatics and quite a bit more, the sparkling little city that sits around halfway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs on Interstate 10 has its share of sports connections. – Obrey Brown
In memory of the 1973 World Series.
Dee Fondy, an ex-major league baseball player who lived in Redlands for years, never seemed to show up in the spotlight. He was completely without fanfare. His son, Jon, said his late father never sought the publicity of local newspapers, preferring a low-key existence. A war hero and a local product (though he was born in Texas) from San Bernardino, Fondy was a golf-playing member at Redlands Country Club during his retirement years.
It wasn't all that well-known, however, that Fondy was a premiere advance scout for the New York Mets — a spot that is most likely among baseball's under-appreciated roles. A year after nearly producing a scouting report that nearly helped win the 1973 World Series, Fondy landed a spot with the Milwaukee Brewers.
It was Fondy who scouted the defending champion Oakland A's for the Mets in its 1973 showdown against a Hall of Fame-led team, namely Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, "Catfish" Hunter and manager Dick Williams.
The Mets, injured and suffering throughout the season, managed to package an 83-79 season together. It was good enough to win the National League Eastern Division.
In the National League playoffs, New York outlasted a 99-win Reds' teams loaded with Hall of Famers — Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Sparky Anderson, plus the likely Cooperstown inductee Pete Rose — in five games.
The A's were baseball's defending champions, having beaten the Reds one season earlier. This time, it was Oakland taking on the Mets, whose Hall of Fame talent included Tom Seaver and Willie Mays, playing his final season.
The Mets had a 3-2 lead in the Series, based off 10-7, 6-1 and 2-0 wins over the A's in Games 2, 4 and 5. Hunter outdueled Seaver in Game 6, 3-1, before Kenny Holtzman beat Jon Matlack in Game 7, 5-2.
Fingers, the loser in Game 3, saved three of those games. It took Oakland's best efforts.
"Dad's scouting report was in Yogi Berra's back pocket," said Jon Fondy, Dee's son, who had produced the report. "They almost pulled it off and beat the A's."
Berra, a Hall of Famer, was New York's manager. Part of Fondy's scouting report had to be data that led to Mets' pitchers holding A's hitters to a .212 Series average with just two HRs.
The comparative rosters of both teams should have left Oakland in position to sweep the Mets, or at least take them in five games. Fondy's notes on the A's, however, gave New York's pitchers a strong advantage.
One season later, Fondy was off to Milwaukee.
Fondy, a lefty during his playing days, wound up with the young, expansionist Brewers – eventually heading a scouting department that signed Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. In the Brewers' only World Series appearance, 1982, those future Hall of Famers were paramount in the teams' success.
Upon Fondy's death – Commissioner Bud Selig responded to a call from a local newspaper – to laud the career and life of the onetime Pirates, Cubs and Reds first baseman. Fondy had once been traded with Chuck Connors, who went on to fame as television's "The Rifleman," a CBS production.
Selig, of course, knew Fondy from his days as Brewers' owner. Fondy had worked for Selig.
In August of 1999, Dee Fondy died at a retirement home in Redlands.
In his obituary, I wrote: "He had played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds and was the last player to bat in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, died of cancer. He was 74.
"Fondy, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year earlier, died at Plymouth Village."
His death reverberated through baseball.
While working on Fondy's obituary, I'd placed a call to the MLB offices in New York City, seeking comment — a standard procedure. Baseball usually responded quickly. In this case, it was the commissioner, Bud Selig, who had placed the return call.
I was out of the office when Selig called. Mike Brown, the news editor, took the call, jotted down Selig's comments, and forwarded them to me. I must've missed the commissioner's call by just minutes in August 1999.
"Dee Fondy was one of my favorite people," Selig told Brown. "He had a great sense of humor. He and I used to kid each other a lot."
Fondy hit .286 with exactly 1,000 hits (69 HRs) over eight seasons in the majors, having batted .300 over four full seasons. His debut, in April 1951, came just a month before Willie Mays' legendary MLB entry.
Signed originally by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946, Fondy came to spring training in 1949 and competed with Gil Hodges and Connors for the starting job at first base. Dodger lore shows, of course, that the spot was won by Hodges.
Fondy played in the Dodgers' farm system until being traded, along with Connors, to the Cubs for outfielder Hank Edwards. It was a golden era of Dodger baseball that included Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, plus Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and a host of highly popular Dodger players.
He won a spot on Chicago's roster. His first major-league hit was a bases-loaded triple off St. Louis pitcher Ken Raffsenberger. It was opening day, April 17, 1951, at Wrigley Field.
By 1957, Fondy was traded to Pittsburgh. In that deal, the Cubs sent Gene Baker and Fondy for the Pirates' Dale Long and Lee Walls. Midway through that '57 season, Fondy was leading the National League with a .365 average, finishing at .313.
Traded to Cincinnati for Ted Kluszewski, a transaction mentioned by Tom Cruise's character in the 1988 movie "Rainman," his career concluding in that 1958 season.
Fondy grounded out for the last out at Ebbets Field in Pittsburgh's 2-0 loss to the Dodgers on Sept. 24, 1957. That grounder went to Don Zimmer, whose throw to first baseman Jim Gentile ended an era.
The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles the following year.
Jon Fondy had some fun memories.
"I ran into Willie Mays once and he said, 'I've still got the bruises from the tags your dad used to give me. He was a hard-nosed player,' " said Jon, a freelance cameraman who has covered major league games.
It was off to work, eventually, as a scout for the Mets and in Milwaukee, where he signed Molitor, who went on to collect over 3,000 hits.
Fondy retired from baseball in 1995 after serving as a special assistant to the Milwaukee general manager.
"He was as good a judge of talent as I've ever known," Selig said. "He played a great role in the development of the Brewers. I had as much faith in his baseball knowledge as anyone I know.'"
It was at Fondy's funeral that several ex-players – Ray Boone and Sal Bando included – had shown up to pay final respects. Another funeral-goer was a man named Fred Long. For years, Long coached local baseball, eventually rising to becoming a major league baseball scout.
Fondy's influence had been felt in Long's scouting life.
Long, who was nearing 80 at the time of Fondy's funeral, had plenty of stories to share, sporting World Series ring — Florida Marlins, 1997.
Fondy, said Long, was one of the best guys he'd ever known. "And the guy knew baseball, too. You should've heard him."
His minor league career included stops at Santa Barbara (California League), Fort Worth (Texas League) and Mobile (Southern League), each a Brooklyn Dodger farm club.
Before his climb into the major leagues, Fondy racked up 863 minor league hits, whacking out 130 doubles and 52 triples.
His career as a minor leaguer, major leaguer, scout and scouting director covered exactly 40 years — 1946-1995.
Isn't it interesting that Fondy worked as a scout for the same organization in which Hodges — who edged him for Brooklyn's first base job — was the manager?
Born on Halloween in 1924, Dee Virgil Fondy's death took place on Aug. 19, 1999 in Redlands. Fondy, a native of Slaton, Texas, served in the Army during World War II and was part of the forces that landed on Utah Beach in Normandy in 1944, three months after D-Day. He received the Purple Heart.
Fondy had also been survived by twins, Jon Fondy and Jan Cornell of Las Vegas. His wife, Jacquelyn, had died a year earlier. Fondy's funeral was in nearby San Bernardino, almost directly next door to Perris Hill Park's Fiscalini Field.
Growing up in San Bernardino, Fiscalini Park was where Fondy had played plenty of baseball.


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Flowtech Model T – Pinch Valve
The PV400 Pinch Valve is an air operated piston type valve, designed to use a plunger to crimp/close the operators blast hose to start and stop the blasting operation.
This type of valve/system allows the operator to stop the blasting process without the need to de-pressurie the blast pot.
If in turn provides faster activation and de-activation at the blast nozzle.
Upon receiving an air signal from the deadman system control valve, the compressed air in the upper chamber of the valve body exhausts. This allows the piston/plunger assembly to raise, releasing the crimp on the blast hose and starting the blast process.
A pair of guide tubes are provided to ensure that the piston/plunger assembly travels smoothly through the vertical plane during its operation.
Note: The Pinch Valve system is not a fail safe blast pot control system, it relies on a supply of compressed air to the unit to cut off the blasting process, if this supply of compressed air is compromised in any way premature activation of the blasting operation can occur.


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Maybe our night time routine might be sweeter if we had bedding like any of these:
From: Creature Comforts w/ FREE Iron-on Download
From: Room To Inspire
From: Personal Creations
From: Personalization Mall
From: Cute Valentine's
From: The Nest
From: Brassy Apple
From: Cute Valentine's
From: BoldLoft
I thought these could be useful as well...
The reverse says: "In Your Dreams"
From: Little Birdie Secrets
You can find versions of this all over the web.
And, right along with this theme is this lovely quilted love letter. What a treasure this would be!


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Shinjuku Incident R1
Say Hello To The Bad Guy: Up Close with Jackie Chan (10:34m English w/removable subs)
Wanted to do character for last 10 years.
Be like Robert De Niro, Client Eastwood
Derek Yee researched for more than 10 years
Wanted to be Daniel Wu's character.
Besides Daniel most other actors are worked with for the first time.
Thinks compared to America, movie not violence, violent compared to China.
Lost China Market.
Think if you do not show something, not effective.
Wants to laugh, happy-go-lucky person, has to be quiet on set.
Story has a lot of education.
Nobody wants to be bad people.
The Warlords R1
117 Days A production journal (2007) (35m Mandarin w/removable English subs)
Started in Dec 2006.
Outside Beijing in the Mentougou district
anti war film? [I'm not sure on this]
mention Chang Cheh [should have mentioned this was a remake of Blood Brothers]
Rare to dig trenches in Qing Dynasty (Xi Zhongwen said this)
"All Quiet on the Western Front" was influence (both movie and book)
no completed script
Chang Cheh's wife
1400 Crew members
27m of Deleted Scenes
Gen-X Cops R1
Making of Documentary (38:30m Cantonese/English w/English subs):
[Nicholas Tse, Benny Chan, John Chong, Hui Koan, Daniel Wu, Stephen Fung, Sam Lee, Terence Yin, Tom Sanders, Dennis McGlynn, Arthur Wong, Li Chung Chi, Joe Viskocil, Sam Nicholson]
[Daniel speaks English in doc]
"You Can't Stop Me" song
short soundbites
scenes intercut from movie with making of scenes intercut as well
actually gets a shot of Jackie Chan and later talk from him during the wrap-up footage.
"Today it's Jackie Chan. Tomorrow it'll be Nicholas Tse!" – Jackie Chan
Shows making-of for burning pool scene with Nicholas Tse.
First blockbuster movie for Benny Chan was A Moment of Romance then Big Bullet.
"The old genre of cop movie conservative & traditional." – Benny Chan
"We wasted lots of film to train them"
"Those annoying kids had to run for their lives" – Benny Chan
Explains roles/characters by all.
Tom Sanders Aerial stunt Coordinator (also in charge of the later parachute stunt)
Dennis McGlynn Aerial Stuntman (height of jump around 750 feet; freefall time 4 seconds)
[shows parachute stunt]
Now on Skydiving stunt (15,000 ft)
Benny states first time Hong Kong movie had such a scene.
Nicoholas doubled during end fight scene (he's not happy about that)
Discussion on blowing up of the Convention Centre (full name Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) and on Joe Viskocil, Sam Nicholson
Shows miniature Convention Centre.
Benny Chan stated that didn't want happy ending; didn't want them to die hthough but felt blowing up of building was correct.
You Can't Stop Me video [this goes on for a few minutes]
"Don't Buy Pirate Videos"
At around 33min mark shows what looks like an extended trailer.
51:30 min of deleted scenes
[ok that's just crazy.]


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WhatIsBiotechnology is a leading educational and public engagement platform that brings together the stories about the sciences, people and places that have enabled biotechnology to transform medicine and the world we live in today
Click here if you would prefer a plain version of this page
Raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance
Now that the world's attention is focused on combating COVID-19, it is easy to forget another significant threat to public health and the global economy - the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Yet, the problem has not disappeared. Indeed, the pandemic could be accelerating it. To mark the start of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18–24 November 2020) we are delighted to announce the launch of a new exhibition which explores the history of antimicrobial resistance and scientists' efforts to overcome the problem. Click here to view the exhibition.
The COVID-19 pandemic
As part of our mission to educate we cover the COVID-19 pandemic focusing on the diagnostics, vaccines and treatments being developed across the world and the scientists at the front of the battle to identify and treat the virus. Deep dives in the resources include: Coronavirus: the antibody drugs few people have been discussing – until now. Click here to access the COVID-19 related resources.
Women in biotechnology
We are pleased to publish some reflections from women about what they see as the most important change for women in the life sciences and healthcare sector in recent years. Click here to see their comments and contribute your own reflections. This is part of an ongoing public engagement project to champion the contributions of women in the biomedical sciences. Click here to find out more about this project. Find out about some of the hidden women at the cutting edge of the science by visiting our profiles of some of the women who have helped shape biotechnology. Click here to see a timeline of initiatives implemented to promote gender equality in the biomedical sciences. Click here to see a timeline of some some key biomedical discoveries in which women played a pivotal role.
This day in biotechnology
The following events took place on this day (25th November) in years past:
FDA approved alemtuzumab for relapsing MS who failed to respond to alternative treatments (2014)
Known as Lemtrada, alemtuzumab was originally developed by Herman Waldmann as a tool for the investigation of immune tolerance. The drug, which is the oldest humanised monoclonal antibody, is now used for many different diseases. Alastair Compston was the clinician who pioneered the use of the antibody for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. The first patient treated for multiple sclerosis with the drug happened in 1991. For more on the long history of the drug see our exhibition about the development of Campath.
The sciences
Visit our science section to explore some of the most important sciences behind biotechnology and medicine including: Immune checkpoint inhibitors. Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that help release the brakes cancer cells put on the immune system to prevent their destruction. This is usually achieved with an antibody which is used to block certain proteins carried on the surface of cancer cells that prevent their recognition by the immune system and hence their destruction. In 2015 Jimmy Carter, the former president of the US, announced he was free of melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. He had improved following treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor drug. How do checkpoint inhibitors work? Such therapy is designed to block the biological pathways cancer cells use to disguise themselves from the immune system and prevent their destruction. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are now considered one of the most promising avenues for the treatment of advanced cancer. Their development grew out of research to understand the regulation of immune responses. Click here to learn more about immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Special Exhibitions
Ever wanted to tread in the footsteps of scientists to understand how they come up with new ideas in the laboratory and translate these into new products for patients? You can do this by visiting our special exhibitions section. Using photographs, laboratory notebooks and other historical sources, these exhibitions bring to life some of this process. See for yourself some of the ups and downs the scientists have faced along the way.
The history of antimicrobial resistance and scientists' struggles to overcome the problem
Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing public health and global economic challenges the world faces today alongside COVID-19. If left unchecked, AMR could wipe out many of the advances medicine has made in recent times. One of the most disturbing aspects of AMR today is that many common infections and minor injuries, like a simple paper cut to the finger or a scratch, could become potentially fatal. What is AMR? Where does it come from and how have scientists tried to combat the problem over time? What new tools are now on the horizon that could help improve the use of antibiotics and help preserve their efficacy for the future?
Explore our extensive collection of resources about the issue, including resources designed as teaching resources.
Seattle Genetics: A case study of drug development
Drug discovery and development is a very complex process. Getting a drug to market can take years, even decades, and involves many scientific, financial and regulatory hurdles. This makes drug discovery and development a highly risky and a long and expensive business. Many drugs that appear promising in the laboratory fall by the wayside in clinical trials because they prove unsafe or ineffective. A great deal of money can thus be invested by a company in a drug candidate with little return. In this exhibition we follow the complex process of drug discovery and development through the story of Seattle Genetics, a small American biotechnology company set up in 1998 to develop cancer therapeutics. As the exhibition reveals, the success of drug development is not only reliant on scientific and clinical progress. Securing enough funding and the right partners is also essential to the process.
A Healthcare Revolution in the Making: The Story of César Milstein and Monoclonal Antibodies
Today monoclonal antibodies are indispensable to medicine. They are not only used as therapeutics, comprising six out of ten of the best selling drugs in the world, but are also critical to unravelling the pathways of disease and integral components of diagnostic tests. Yet, the story of how these unsung microscopic heroes came into the world and helped change healthcare remains largely untold. The journey of monoclonal antibodies all started when an Argentinian émigré called César Milstein arrived at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, the same laboratory where Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA. This exhibition tells the story of how Milstein came to develop monoclonal antibodies and demonstrated their clinical application for the first time.
The life story of a monoclonal antibody
A third of all new medicines introduced into the world today are monoclonal antibodies, many of which go on to become blockbuster drugs. This exhibition is the story of how one specific monoclonal antibody, the oldest humanised monoclonal antibody created with therapeutic potential, moved from the laboratory bench through to the clinic and the impact it has had on patients' lives. The antibody, which originated from the CAMbridge PATHology family of antibodies, started life in 1979 not as a therapeutic, but as a laboratory tool for understanding the immune system. Within a short time, however, the antibody, YTH66.9, was being used to improve the success of bone marrow transplants and as a treatment for leukaemia, lymphoma, vasculitis, organ transplants and multiple sclerosis. Highlighting the many twists and turns that this monoclonal antibody took over time, this exhibition explores the multitude of actors and events involved in the making of a biotechnology drug.
The path to DNA sequencing: The life and work of Frederick Sanger
One of the most important tools in biotechnology and medicine today is DNA sequencing, invented by Frederick Sanger, a British biochemist. This exhibition follows the journey of Sanger starting in the 1940s when he began looking for ways to decipher the composition of proteins through to his development of DNA sequencing in the 1970s. Come see the time-consuming and painstaking steps Sanger went through to perfect the DNA sequencing technique and the many different areas of medicine where DNA sequencing is now being applied all the way from the Human Genome Project through to cancer and antimicrobial resistance.
The people
Exploring the lives and works of the leading people from across the world like Hubert Schoemaker (pictured) whose efforts have helped build biotechnology into a world changing science. Hubert Schoemaker (Born: 1950 - Died: 2006) Schoemaker was co-founder and first Chief Executive Officer of Centocor, an American biotechnology company that pioneered the commercialisation of monoclonal antibody diagnostics and therapeutics. Click here to learn more about Hubert Schoemaker.
The places
Exploring the places and institutions, and people working in them, across the world like Stanford University Medical School (pictured) where the science of biotechnology has been developed. At the forefront of many biomedical advances since the Second World War, Stanford University Medical School played a pioneering role in the emergence of gene cloning. Click here to learn more about Stanford University Medical School.
An ever-growing list of events, currently 2238 events, that have contributed to the growth of biotechnology. Click here to browse the timeline. For timelines for specific sciences click here: antibodies, CRISPR-Cas9, genetics, gene therapy, immunotherapy, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, virology. For timelines for specific places click here: Cambridge University, Harvard University, The Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Pasteur Institute, Rockefeller University, The Wistar Institute. For timelines for specific people click here: Cesar Milstein, Fred Sanger, Donall Thomas, Herman Waldmann.
The untold story of monoclonal antibodies
Yale University Press has announced the publication of The Lock and Key of Medicine: Monoclonal Antibodies and the Transformation of Healthcare by Lara V. Marks (Yale University Press, Amazon). Forty years ago, viable monoclonal antibodies, imperceptibly small 'magic bullets', became available for the first time. First produced in 1975 by César Milstein and Georges Köhler at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England (where Watson and Crick unraveled the structure of DNA), Mabs have had a phenomenally far-reaching effect on our society and daily life. The Lock and Key of Medicine is the first book to tell the extraordinary yet unheralded history of monoclonal antibodies, or Mabs. Though unfamiliar to most nonscientists, these microscopic protein molecules are everywhere, quietly shaping our lives and healthcare. They have radically changed understandings of the pathways of disease, enabling faster, cheaper, and more accurate clinical diagnostic testing.
Historian of medicine Lara V. Marks recounts the risks and opposition that a daring handful of individuals faced while discovering and developing Mabs, and she addresses the related scientific, medical, technological, business, and social challenges that arose. She offers a saga of entrepreneurs who ultimately changed the healthcare landscape and brought untold relief to millions of patients. Even so, controversies over Mabs remain, which the author explores through the current debates on their cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Health: How Biotechnology Changed Medicine
The Royal Society of Chemistry has announced the publication of Engineering Health: How Biotechnology Changed Medicine edited by Lara V. Marks (The Royal Society of Chemistry). Written in an accessible style, experts trace the development of biotechnologies like stem cells, gene therapy, monoclonal antibodies and synthetic biology and how these are reshaping the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape.
Building on material from this website, this book shows the challenges behind the application of biotechnology to medicine. With medicines increasingly shifting from small organic molecules to large, complex structures, such as therapeutic proteins, drugs have become more difficult to make, administer and regulate. This book will intrigue anyone interested in the past, present and future of how we engineer better health for ourselves. The rise of biotechnology has major implications for how and where drugs are manufactured, the cost of medicine and how far society is prepared to go to combat disease.
Celebrating the first publication of monoclonal antibodies
It is now over 40 years since César Milstein and Georges Kohler published their technique for producing monoclonal antibodies. To celebrate the occasion we invite you to watch the film Un Fuegito about the life and work of Milstein, produced by Ana Fraile, Pulpofilms. The film, which you can find on vimeo.com, has been released to help raise funds for a new educational film to promote greater understanding about monoclonal antibodies and how they have transformed the lives of millions of patients across the world.
The Debate: Genome editing
Scientists have recently begun to adopt a new technique for genetic engineering, called CRISPR-Cas9, in a wide number fields ranging from agriculture to medicine. Part of its attraction is that it permits genetic engineering on an unprecedented scale and at a very low cost. The technique is already being used in a variety of fields (click here for more information about CRISPR-Cas9). But because of its potential to modify DNA in human embryos, it has prompted calls for a public debate about where the technology should be applied. Researchers working with WhatIsBiotechnology.org recently ran a pilot survey to gather people's views on the new technology. Dr Lara Marks, Managing Editor of WhatisBiotechnology.org and historian of medicine and Dr Silvia Camporesi, bioethicist at King's College London, led the project. Some 567 people contributed to the debate. The analysis of their contributions is available on this page.
Forthcoming projects
We are developing a number of new and exciting projects with highly talented partners and collaborators. These include one with Professor Gordon Dougan and his team at Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre to raise awareness about the rise of antimicrobial resistance and the efforts scientists are now taking to curb its spread in both the hospital setting and out in the community and another with St Saviour's and St Olave's School and Create Fertility to bring to life the history behind IVF to improve young people's understanding about the challenge of infertility and the science behind its treatment. We are also developing a project with the Education Development Center and the Hepatitis B Foundation to raise greater awareness about how vaccines are made and work to prevent disease, starting with the story of the hepatitis B vaccine.


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Tijuana cartel leader extradited to US, first under President Pena Nieto
SAN DIEGO – An alleged drug trafficker was extradited from Mexico on Thursday to face charges in San Diego that he oversaw efforts to bring methamphetamine to the U.S., authorities said.
Cesar Alfredo Meza Garcia, 36, is one of the first people to be extradited from Mexico since President Enrique Pena Nieto took office Dec. 1.
Pena Nieto's predecessor, Felipe Calderon, embraced extraditions as he launched an offensive against drug cartels that shaped his presidency. His administration said it extradited 502 people from Dec. 1, 2006, to the end of 2011, including 478 to the United States.
"We're hoping (Pena Nieto) will continue what President Calderon started," said Tim Durst, assistant special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations unit in San Diego. "It's wait-and-see. This is a good sign."
U.S. authorities seized more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine and 100 pounds of cocaine during a 20-month investigation that ended in May, ICE said. The drugs were mostly hidden in cars and trucks and strapped to bodies at San Diego border crossings.
The investigation began when authorities stopped a car with 48 pounds of methamphetamine that crossed the border in San Diego and was headed to Los Angeles, Durst said.
U.S. authorities described Meza Garcia as a top figure in the Tijuana cartel, made of the remnants of the once-powerful Arellano Felix family. Secretly recorded phone conversations featured repeated references to "The Engineer," as cartel leader Fernando Sanchez Arellano is known.
Meza Garcia was arrested by Mexican authorities in Tijuana in September and is the highest-ranking target in an investigation that has led to federal charges against nearly three dozen people in San Diego. So far, 21 have been sentenced to prison.
The extradition comes amid a spike in methamphetamine seizures at U.S. border crossings. In California, border inspectors confiscated 9,735 pounds of the drug during the 2012 fiscal year, up 33 percent from a year earlier and nearly five times the amount seized in 2008.
Meza Garcia was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Friday on a charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.


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Judging by recent events, it's pretty obvious that Operation Ocean Shield isn't working very well.
Somali pirates seize American yacht crew off Oman
Four Americans sailing on a yacht off the coast of Oman have been taken hostage by Somali pirates, an international maritime watchdog says.
The S/V Quest, owned by a retired couple, was hijacked 240 nautical miles (275 miles) off Oman on Friday afternoon, Ecoterra told BBC News.
It is believed the yacht was en route from India to Oman.
While pirates usually attack cargo ships, they have hijacked a number of yachts in recent years.
Ecoterra said the capture of the S/V Quest had been reported by both its sources and by Nato's anti-piracy operation, Ocean Shield. Nato could not be reached immediately for comment.
Jean and Scott Adam, the yacht's owners, have been sailing it around the world since 2002, according to their website.
See also:
Somali pirates seize yacht with four Americans onboard, military says
Pirates hijack yacht with Americans on board
Yachting race organizers name Americans aboard yacht hijacked by Somali pirates
Pirates hijack 4 Americans; US mulls responses
Somali Pirates Seize a Yacht, the Quest, with Four Americans on Board
Somali pirates hijack yacht and capture Americans sailing in the Indian Ocean
Somali pirates seize American yacht crew off Oman
Yacht with 4 Americans Seized by Pirates in Somalia
Pirates seize four Americans from yacht off Oman
American sailors kidnapped by Somali pirates
Local Couple Taken Hostage by Somali Pirates: Reports
US assessing options in hijacking of couple by Somali pirates
US considers yacht hijack response
Pirates bringing hijacked US yacht to Somali lair
Pirates: Yacht to make landfall in Somalia
When are we going to get serious about this pirate threat? It's not enough to react after they strike. In fact, in most cases, a ransom is paid, which only encourages more pirate activity. We need to strike at these pirates preemptively, lay waste to their home port bases and scuttle their entire pirate fleet. In other words, we need to change the pirates' risk calculus so that the thought of engaging in pirate activity is equivalent to the thought of touching a hot stove.
/and if the combined naval resources of the civilized world aren't able or willing to eliminate this piracy scourge, Western governments should start issuing letters of marque and let the private sector take a shot at the problem
Filed under: Blog Entry | Tagged: Americans, Anti-Piracy Operation, Around The World, BBC News, Bob Riggle, Capture, Captured, Cargo Ships, Ecoterra, Hijacked, Hostages, India, International Maritime Watchdog, Jean Adam, Letters Of Marque, NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ocean Shield, Oman, Phyllis Mackay, Pirates, Private Sector, Ransom, Retired Couple, S/V Quest, Sailing, Scott Adam, Seize, Somali Pirates, Somalia, Taken Hostage, Yacht, Yacht Crew | 1 Comment »


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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
On-line version ISSN 2078-5135
Print version ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.101 n.7 Pretoria Jul. 2011
The prevalence of hepatitis B infection in a rural South African HIV clinic
Tom H BoylesI; Karen CohenII
IBM BCh, MRCP (UK), DTM&H (UK), MD (UK). Madwaleni Hospital, Eastern Cape, and Division of Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town
IIMB ChB, FCFP (SA), MSc (Epid), Dip HIV Man (SA), Dip Obst (SA). Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town
The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in 1 765 HIVpositive patients in rural Eastern Cape was 7.1%. This is lower than the previously reported rural prevalence and is similar to urban prevalence. Male sex and baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significant predictors of HBV status. Most HBV-positive patients had normal baseline ALT, making ALT an insensitive screening test for HBV status.
Since both HIV and HBV are endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and share routes of transmission, co-infection is common.1 As life expectancy with HIV has improved owing to widespread use of antiretroviral treatment (ART), the proportion of morbidity and mortality caused by non-AIDS-defining illnesses such as HBV is likely to increase.
Estimates of the prevalence of HBV infection among adults with HIV in South Africa have been around 5% in urban cohorts2,3 and 20% in a cohort of goldminers from rural areas.1 It has therefore been suggested that co-infection rates are higher in rural than in urban areas in South Africa.4 We present prevalence data from a cohort of HIV-infected adults in rural Eastern Cape.
Madwaleni HIV Wellness and ART Programme is a public sector service in a deeply rural area of the Eastern Cape. ART delivery began in June 2005 and, by October 2009, about 4 000 adult patients had registered on the programme. About 2 000 patients had initiated ART; the remainder were not yet eligible for ART. Patient demographic and clinical data, including laboratory investigations, were prospectively entered into a database.
We sought to identify HBV co-infected patients so that we could motivate for them to receive tenofovir. All patients either established on ART or undergoing CD4 monitoring while not yet eligible for ART required 6-monthly routine blood tests. Over a 10-month period, testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBVsAg) was added as an additional test on all routine blood tests. Samples were processed within 48 hours by AxSYM HBsAg (V2) (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois, USA).
Demographic details, HBVsAg results, ALT and CD4 count at the time of registration on the programme were extracted from the database. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 10 (Stata Corp. College Station, TX). CD4 count and age were summarised using median and interquartile range as they were nonnormally distributed. ALT was categorised as either above or below the upper limit of the normal range at the programme laboratory (40 IU/l). A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed, using a stepwise forward fitting approach, adding first variables that appeared to be most strongly associated with HBVsAg status on univariate analysis. Age was included in the model based on an a priori decision.
Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee.
Between December 2008 and October 2009, 1 765 adult patients were tested for HBVsAg, of whom126 were positive, giving an overall prevalence of 7.1%. The prevalence was 5.5% in females and 12.1% in males (chi-squared p<0.001). One thousand, one hundred and sixtynine (66%) had already commenced ART, and HBVsAg prevalence was similar in those on and off ART (6.6% v. 8.2%, chi-squared p=0.207). Patient HBVsAg status, demographic and laboratory variables and results of analysis are summarised in Table I.
On univariate analysis, ALT at baseline was associated with HBVsAg positivity (odds ratio (OR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32 - 3.38). After adjustment, the association remained but was weaker (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.11 - 2.89, p=0.017), possibly because sex and ALT were strongly associated, with 21% of men and 11% of women having ALT>40 IU/l (chi-squared p<0.001). At baseline, 89/116 (77%) of HBVsAg-positive patients had normal ALT.
After adjustment for age and baseline ALT, male sex remained strongly associated with HBVsAg positivity (OR 2.59, CI 1.68 - 4.00, p<0.001). Age was not associated with HBVsAg positivity.
In this Eastern Cape cohort, the prevalence of HBV-HIV co-infection was 7.1%. This figure is lower than the 20% prevalence previously estimated in rural South Africa,1 but is similar to the estimated prevalence in urban cohorts.2,3 Male sex and abnormal baseline ALT were independent predictors of HBVsAg positivity in our cohort.
Previous estimates of rural co-infection rates may not be applicable to the rural population of South Africa as a whole. A study of goldminers in South Africa found a prevalence of 20%, but participants were drawn from a number of African countries, and 94% were male.1
Male sex is a risk factor for HBV positivity in HIV-negative South Africans5 and is thought to be the result of either the observed prolonged replicative phase of the virus in boys or differences in the sexual behaviours of men and women.5,6 Our data are the first to suggest that male sex is also a risk factor for HBV positivity in HIVpositive South Africans; further study is warranted to determine if the reasons for this correlation are similar to those in the HIV-negative population.
Studies have found ALT to be an unreliable marker of HBV status in HIV-positive adults, possibly because of the high prevalence of other factors that affect ALT, including opportunistic infections and drugs.1,3 We found an association between baseline ALT and HBV status in multivariate analysis. However, 77% of HBV-positive patients had a normal baseline ALT, so it is not a sensitive marker for HBVsAg positivity. Studies have shown that abnormal baseline ALT predicts high HBV viral load and risk of toxicity on ART.1 Baseline ALT may therefore be more useful as an addition to HBV testing than as a predictor of HBV status.
A limitation of this study is that HBVsAg was the only available measure of chronic HBV infection. A previous study has shown that detectable HBV viral load with negative HBVsAg (known as occult HBV infection) may account for two-thirds of all HBV infections, although the clinical implications of this are not well known.7 Patients were selected for the study by attending for routine blood tests, which might have biased the sample towards patients established on ART. However, the prevalence of HBV was similar among those on and off ART, suggesting that no important bias was introduced. Lamivudine is known to increase the rate of HBVsAg loss. Therefore, some patients on lamivudine might have cleared HBVsAg before testing.
We explored the association between ALT measured on entry into the treatment programme and a positive test for HBVsAg, as many patients had commenced an ART regimen containing lamivudine at the time of HBV testing. The maximum time from baseline measurement to HBV testing was 4 years. An important assumption is therefore that few HBV transmissions occurred in that time; this is reasonable, given the relatively short time period and that many HBV transmissions in South Africa are thought to occur in childhood.6
1. Hoffmann CJ, Charalambous S, Martin DJ, et al. Hepatitis B virus infection and response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a South African ART program. Clin Infect Dis 2008; 47(11):1479-1485. [ Links ]
2. Lodenyo H, Schoub B, Ally R, Kairu S, Segal I. Hepatitis B and C virus infections and liver function in AIDS patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg. East Afr Med J 2000;77(1):13-15. [ Links ]
3. Firnhaber C, Reyneke A, Schulze D, et al. The prevalence of hepatitis B co-infection in a South African urban government HIV clinic. S Afr Med J 2008;98(7):541-544. [ Links ]
4. Di Bisceglie AM, Maskew M, Schulze D, Reyneke A, McNamara L, Firnhaber C. HIV-HBV coinfection among South African patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. Antivir Ther 2010;15(3 Pt B):499-503. [ Links ]
5. Abdool Karim SS, Thejpal R, Coovadia HM. Household clustering and intra-household transmission patterns of hepatitis B virus infection in South Africa. Int J Epidemiol 1991;20(2):495-503. [ Links ]
6. Kramvis A, Kew MC. Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Africa, its genotypes and clinical associations of genotypes. Hepatol Res 2007;37(s1):S9-S19. [ Links ]
7. Firnhaber C, Viana R, Reyneke A, et al. Occult hepatitis B virus infection in patients with isolated core antibody and HIV co-infection in an urban clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. Int J Infect Dis 2009;13(4):488-492. [ Links ]
Accepted 14 February 2011.
Corresponding author: T Boyles (email@example.com)


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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Chasing And Riding Stars
Occasionally I feel as if I am standing on a high hill, all these stars swirling around me; watching as others take a leap, tie themselves to a star, and soar off into the night sky to see where it might take them. A few weeks ago a passing star shot past me, without a moment of hesitation I instinctively reached up and latched on. At first, it was euphoric. My heart accelerated as I wildly realized all the possibilities that could be, where this particular star might take me, and how it could change so much. The ride was exhilarating. Grasping on to that star took me quickly hurtling though the sky, an emotional journey if there ever was one. I was terrified more than once but knew that I needed to keep holding on. After a few days though, I began to feel that it wasn't my star but I couldn't quite let go. This morning without any sort of fanfare, as quickly as I had reached out, the star deposited me safely back where I started, forging ahead to find its rightful owner.
I thought I would feel differently than I do, realizing that the star I had been riding wasn't my own. I thought I would feel disappointed, weary but I'm not. Riding that star for a little while changed my perspective. It lifted me upward so I could see above my own situation, above the fog I before couldn't see through, giving me a clearer vision. While riding that star I saw other stars; ones better suited for me, going in the direction I wanted to go. Now I better realize what my star is going to look like. Riding the wrong star left me feeling more energized than I have been in weeks, knowing that some where in the big wide sky is the exact star that's meant just for me.
I'm more ready than ever, patiently keeping my eyes cast upward, waiting for the precise moment my star flies by so I can reach out and grasp it with both hands. Once I'm hitched to the right star, I know without a doubt that ride will be spectacular.
26 comments:
- Katie [katieblogs.com] said...
So really, it was your star that you latched onto. Not exactly the star that would take you on a long-term journey of any sort. But, a star that shook you up, gave you hope, and gently laid you back down. It reminded you that you too have stars to jump on. And make sure you jump on every single star - each one will re-point you in the right direction toward your goal. Wherever that may be.
- February 10, 2010
- Kyla Roma said...
So beautifully described, as ever miss.
This reminds me a lot of when I started working with a web design start up. I was so, unspeakably excited. And then a little ways in I realized it wasn't at all what I needed to be doing, it wasn't the right star and I wasn't riding it with the right people, and it was so hard to let go. It involved falling a long way down.
I'm glad that yours set you back exactly where you were, and that it gave you energy to go off chasing the things that you really need. =)
- February 10, 2010
and I've no doubt that your "right" star will be along soon. And that more than likely, there will be several more right stars for you in the coming years. Sometimes we need to fly high to realize what we really do need/want/miss and that makes landing right back where we were worth it in some small way.
Lovely post, as always.
- February 10, 2010
- lbluca77 said...
I love that you recognized it wasn't your star. Most people don't do that and go through life with someone else's. I love this post. It is very beautifully written.
- February 10, 2010
- Ray said...
You described this situation beautifully, and you should feel so blessed that you are able to take this situation and discover more about yourself when many people would just end up discouraged.
- February 10, 2010
- MeLaNiE said...
You are an amazing writer!! I needed to read this today!
- February 10, 2010
Wow - you're an incredible writer! :)
- February 10, 2010
- Ally said...
That was lovely to read.
Sometimes we have to get on certain stars just to transport us to other stars. I hope you find your next one soon. :)
- February 10, 2010
- Rebecca Foster said...
What a beautiful metaphor, and experience you've shared. I'm going to remember this the next time I see a star, or feel my need to follow a path maybe someone else can't see.
I agree, you are a beautiful writer.
- February 10, 2010
- alexa @clevelandsaplum said...
this was beyond beautiful to read.
- February 10, 2010
- Amber said...
There are no words for how much I love this post and how beautifully it is written. You have such a talent, miss. XO
- February 10, 2010
- Pam said...
Whatever star you finally latch onto - will be one VERY LUCKY star. You are simply amazing Mandy. Beautiful post!!!
- February 10, 2010
- Kay* said...
i second & third everything everyone has said above. very well written - & when your star does come along - what a ride it'll be :)
- February 11, 2010
How beautifully written :) This reminds me of when I decided to latch on to the idea that I should be able to be a public speaker. The journey has been incredible but I've been put back down, too, with the experience from the journey leading me to a wonderful place where I'm less afraid, but okay in the knowledge that I'm not supposed to be a pubic speaker day and night. I can speak in front of people, now, but it's still less pleasant than I'd like, and I know now it's not my "star". The rides we take are incredible experiences though, and I can't wait to hear about when you find yours, and how even more incredible the journey will be.
You're a wonderful, wonderful writer :)
- February 11, 2010
- Leanne said...
This is beautiful darling. I'm glad you had a good ride, even though the star wasn't for you. xo
- February 11, 2010
- Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...
Lovely post, as always. I think it's easy for people to get down on themselves when things don't go their way. I like the idea that maybe that opportunity wasn't yours in the first place, but there is another opportunity for you out there. Somewhere. It's a very healthy way to take on the world.
- February 11, 2010
once again beautifully written! i have no doubt that many more stars will come your way!
- February 11, 2010
- Frank said...
Beautiful as always, Mandy. Beautiful.
- February 11, 2010
- amanda said...
ah, i love this. it makes life feel so magical. and i like magical things. you always hit it right on the spot, girl! you'll find your star, that i am sure of.
ps, i had a late start into work today, it was quite lovely. i hope you got to sleep in a few extra hours as well!
- February 11, 2010
- Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...
This was so beautifully & eloquently written. I know what you mean - I think we all latch onto stars at certain points in our life - we think it's the right star, but it doesn't end up being the right one, but it's deposits us back in the same place, yet at the same time we are a step closer to finding our right star.
I believe in you, my dear. I know good things are going to come to you. :)
- February 11, 2010
- Bayjb said...
So eloquent and beautifully written. If you seen another shooting star, send it my way because I need it bad right now
- February 11, 2010
- Princess Pointful said...
Lovely words you have chosen. Sometimes, those stars exist just to remind us that we can be impulsive, and it will turn out just fine-- even if it isn't the 100% right choice.
- February 12, 2010
- L.C.T. said...
Gosh how stunningly worded. Beautiful.
- February 12, 2010
- Stephany said...
This was so beautifully written and I find this to be so, so true in my own life. For years, I was riding the "teacher" star where I thought my path was to educate the younger generation and show them how to ride their own stars. It's not, but I won't regret the path I took on that star and how it led me to the star I'm riding on now. :)
- February 13, 2010
- Manderz said...
Beautiful. Inspiring. Your writing leaves me speechless.
- February 16, 2010
- Ohmygoshi said...
I'm such a terrible commenter, but I really do read all your posts! This one was so poignant and beautiful. It's so easy to get caught up on everyone else's journeys and stars, that it becomes almost impossible to focus on your own! Your star will come, and it will be everything you could have ever hoped for and more. <3
- February 17, 2010


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