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Doctors Without Borders, a French medical charity, has long practiced an unusual form of discipline that may cause other nonprofits to squirm. For more than a decade, it has politely declined financial support from corporations whose activities conflict w
This is the streaming version of So you think you can dance season 2 episode 22 (s02.e22) that I found online. I can’t wait for Fox to put this up for streaming or download or purchase. I just wish they do it soon.
I know that my new beginning started the moment I left undergrad, and truly took off when I stepped foot on Penn State’s campus. Classes have been underway for a couple of months, and it is ridiculous to stop and think that two months have sped by at the speed of light. However, in terms of what differentiates this experience from Coe is the expectations involved in research, as that’s paying for my education, and more. So, during the last few weeks, I’ve been diving into my work and learning the ropes of the trade. I just got trained on the Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) today morning, and took a short day course on Fourier Transform Infrared Microscopy (FTIR), and a training session on the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). I am just excited to broaden my instrumentation skill set. I’ll be learning how to use the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). I need these instruments to characterize the surface and interfaces on my glass and polymer coating. You’ll know more when I know more.
I am also leaving the field of casual amateur photography, to a serious amateur level as I got new gear including a brand new Canon Digital Rebel XTi (black) [$750], three lenses (Sigma 28-70mm F2.8-4 [standard, $80], Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM [zoom, $560], and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II [lowlight, $75]), a Canon photo backpack 200EG [$35], Canon 200DG bag, extra battery [$70], a Canon monopod 100 [$30], Canon RC1 wireless remote [$18], and a Sunpak 6601 UT tripod [$20]. I started with a few shots of the sunlight breaking through the clouds, and I’ll try to take more tomorrow during the dances.
I’ve also gotten involved in a few clubs on campus, although I think I might be the only graduate student in most of the groups. I love Penn State Swing Club because it is incredibly active, and I dance more than twice a week. That helps me de-stress, and make new friends. I am also heavily involved in Amnesty International, and the Social Awareness Committee. I recently attended the regional Amnesty International meeting at Delaware, and made a few friends from Penn State and University of Delaware, apart from staying/hanging out with Jenn for the weekend. The Social Awareness Committee needed a person to manage and create a new blog for them, as well as help with the podcasts. So, most days I have my hands full, and love any down time I can get. I usually leave in between 8 or 9am, and get back anywhere in between 6.30pm, and 1am. Monday’s and Wednesday’s are the two days that are the busiest, with full load of classes and clubs in the evenings.
And to end this post, an image that personifies a new beginning in a novel way that’s not related to plants or bugs.
The Birth of Water, originally uploaded by javanutmom.
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We all work out, we all need re-hydration, we all buy Gatorade… wait, stop. EnerT, this simple do it yourself tea-based energy drink, may be a better (and cheaper) option.
I’ve had several discussions with my friends about the death penalty. I found a site on the death penalty and its statistics. It seems that lethal injection is the execution method of choice, with alternatives if the death row inmate so chooses (Methods of Execution). Nebraska only executes by electrocution. Ouch. Burnt flesh. I remember watching Green Mile, and it was pretty horrific. There have been botched execution attempts as the prisoners needed multiple jolts to be killed. From the website, I noticed that lethal injection didn’t have a 100% quick kill rate either. Here is a site with Botched Executions since 1982. Scroll down to the recent ones. You would have thought they would have a fool-proof execution method by now. That’s not even the point.
For a forgiving religion, Christianity certainly makes a lot of exceptions. I’ve been given Genesis 9:6 (Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man) as an example. The current reasoning goes as “Eye for an Eye”. What the hell?! Are we freaking barbarians? I don’t know how “civilized” executions are. The same people who raise a storm about public executions in countries like Saudi Arabia, still condone executions in the US. What a friggin’ double standard.
People who support the death penalty use economics to counter life with no parole. They don’t want their tax payer’s money to be funding the survival of a murderer. It’s free food, free room, and free room to exercise. The prisoners are akin to animals in the zoo minus spectators. I guess it’s a valid argument, and it would seem economically favorable to execute the prisoners versus keeping him alive till they die a natural death. However, I have also been informed that it takes a decent amount of money for the process of execution. I need to verify that. Here is the website about the costs of death penalty.
Would starvation be a method of execution? Slow, painful. So, solitary confinement, without food. That’s inhumane, right? Inhumane compared to a quick death? How much of money would be spent in that chain of events?
Now to realistic alternative that would be developed eventually for maximal efficiency: Brainwashing, cognitive reprogramming, psychological reconditioning. I don’t think we have technology to achieve that now, but couldn’t a brutal person be made docile and useful by reprogramming? So, instead of execution, just change the person and put them to constructive use. Who knows, the diabolical genius could be a genius in other fronts too.. What’s future?
Anyway, what do you guys think?
Technorati Tags: Death, Executions, USA, Policy, Religion, Opinion, Crime, Prisons, Justice, Morality, Life, Death Penalty, Life Imprisonment
[Listening to: Rock Star Land - Yellowcard - Yellowcard (4:45)]
I had heard a bit about the Tall Shiva Hookah Bar on College Ave at Penn State. So, some of my friends and I decided to try it out after eating at the Indian Pavilion. This bar was in the basement and was a little dingy. We waited out by the bar for 5 minutes before wandering into the attached hookah paraphernalia store to inquire about someone taking our order. We found one person inside helping a couple of Americans looking to buy pipes. One of my female Arab friends asked if there was any one else working at the bar apart from him. His response was very sarcastic, and we immediately felt that he was high on something. We shook that feeling off and went back to the bar to wait for him. We had just asked him a simple question, and he came about with bad attitude which was uncalled for. Then when he actually come to take our order, the first thing he says, “I don’t want to serve rude students”. We were taken aback because I have never been spoken to like that, as had none of the others with me. We were foreigners alright, but we did nothing to provoke this reaction. So, we ignored the jab, and ordered. All of us paid 5 bucks for the different flavors, and then found seats and waited. We were talking about him being rude, and his attitude, and I’m sure he couldn’t hear us. So, after 15 minutes, he walks to us with the first hookah set for three. Then, he goes on this tirade about how he thinks every foreigner he has served is rude to him and his staff, and about how we don’t know how to talk to people in the service industry. We were stunned to be talked to like that. We had almost left before when he was rude the first time, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt, basing his erratic behavior on his drug induced incapability to handle himself, and the last bit just confirmed it. After his racist monologue, we told him that we were treated no differently that anyone else, and that this was the first time that this issue had come up. While he was handing out the hookah, one of the girls just told him to leave her hookah, because she didn’t want it right away, but he wouldn’t listen. So, I took hers in hopes that he would just leave, but as he left, he said something that truly shocked me. This was as bad as my racist encounter (I was spit on) at A&M Consolidated High at College Station. He told her, “If I put burning coal up your ass, you’ll still dime me.” That was the last straw, we all got up and left. The two girls were fuming, but unfortunately, there was nothing we can do about the situation because the person who was being obnoxious while being obviously high was the owner of the bar as far as we could tell. It just looked like he had something against brown people
I am never going back there.
I have free download links for the album in individual mp3s. Cheers!
The String Quartet - Yellow: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - In My Place: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - God Put A Smile Upon Your Face: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Clocks: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Shiver: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Trouble: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Everything's Not Lost: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Don't Panic: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Daylight: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download The String Quartet - Windows: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
My entry for Penn State Photography Club’s photo challenge in between Oct 3 and 17, 2006. The theme was “I crush your head“.
1. Joy’s head uncrumpled
2. Joy’s head partially crumpled
3. Joy’s head fully crumpled
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
