wryeyes

Homemade and Artificial Life

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:58:00 +0000

I often teeter between a teleological view of my own life and a more scientific outlook, which I believe to be more agnostic rather than coldly atheistic. However, teleology is winning me over for a few reasons ever since I became a sleep-deprived mother. I see that there is a specific direction that my life is running its course and if I look hard enough, everything else seems to correspond to it somehow.

Let me start with the pattern. Ever see the t.v. show Fringe? Well, you should see it. I consider it to be comic-book science fiction with parallel universe drama. The amazing thing is that it is on network television. How they sold it next to all of the reality shows and crime story procedural schlock is beyond me and I am still grateful. However, I am getting off topic. The main character, Walter Bishop found his record player, it happened to be the same night that my husband got his his working. Coincidence? Maybe. How about the fact that it debuted on my husband's birthday and got renewed on my birthday? Interesting. What about the fact that I happen to be from another universe and have to type backwards in order for it read correctly? Ha! Gotcha.

Okay, so enjoying a television show and finding connections to my real life is a very silly thing to do with my not-so-free time. But it is enjoyable. I can find connections and patterns anywhere I choose to look. Our minds may just work this way. But who is to say that I'm not just finding what has been created for me? The question continues to baffle us semi-spiritual types. And it can be entertaining as well, as evidenced by the popularity of horoscopes.

Now this is a more interesting connection...the year I gave birth to my daughter, synthetic life was created in a laboratory by Craig Venter and his group, Synthetic Genomics. They created a bacterium starting with the DNA, then sort of placing it into another bacterium's empty shell, and then watched it reproduce according to their instructions. Their next goal, working with ExxonMobil, is to created their own algae which can remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and turn it into fuel. (You can read the abstract here.) My first reaction was to imagine a work of fiction where Venter and his team lose control of the bacterium they created and they take over the world. My second reaction was to imagine he and his team losing control over the algae as it removes every trace of Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere, leaving us with an uninhabitable planet. Then there was the third reaction, utter awe.

How did humans go from producing fire to creating life? I don't know that this is progress in that Victorian sense, except that we are working to right the wrongs of our ancestors who went a little too far with the Earth-polluting fires. While my feat may be more common, I like to think that we were both working on a miraculous creation. Not miraculous? That's what some people think. In fact, in an analysis in the Financial Times, I read a quote from Arthur Caplan, bioethics professor at the University of Pennsylvania who said, "Venter's achievement would seem to extinguish the argument that life requires a special force or power to exist." I disagree. You could believe what he believes or you could say that the years of planning, researching, and the special conditions that were required for this life to begin proves that a special force is required for life to exist.

Of course, leaning toward science again, I'd say that nothing was proven either way. Proof takes a lot more than that. But I enjoy the idea that although we didn't see it in the case of the "synthia" or artificial life form and just because no one has documented it in the moment when I created my own (whenever the fetus became truly alive in our understanding), that doesn't mean that it didn't take a little bit of magic. Although maybe that just depends on your point of view.

Fertility Charm or Booby Doll

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:12:00 +0000

I can safely write that I am pregnant now without it coming across as too personal. It's a natural part of the life cycle and well, anyone who sees me walking (slightly waddling) down the street can point out the pregnant lady. So why has it been so difficult to write anything about it? Because it is a running thought, all day and night, that I'm pregnant/carrying a child/have a huge responsibility/am not doing anything right. Now I've read insensitive comments from people who are just bored to tears with pregnant women or the breeders out there. This has fed my already paranoid thoughts about boring friends and strangers but it is time to embrace the bump and be proud!

Perhaps thousands of years ago, our ancestors embraced the feminine side of life. They may have worshipped it for all I know. We can only guess from the artifacts they've left behind like the earliest sculpture of a human figure, found in 2008 in a cave in Germany. Click here to read more. The 35,000 year old sculpture is of a woman with exaggerated breasts, belly, and genitals. Her arms and legs are insignificant while the head is actually in the shape of a ring, which could mean that the sculpture is actually a pendant.

Now, it irritates me to no end is that mainstream media has to refer to the sculpture as "the earliest pinup" and another article titled "Obsession with Naked Women Dates Back 35,000 Years." Anyone else read this as completely modern and male centered? One anthropologist, a man who was not part of the discovery offers all kinds of juicy quotes for the masses in this article, "I assume it was a guy who carved it, perhaps representing his girlfriend," he says. "Paleolithic Playboy? We just don't know how it was used at this point, but the object's size meant it fit well in someone's hand." I can't tell if he was kidding but he certainly doesn't come across like a scholar.

So where to start? Pin-up implies something bordering pornographic. Most articles that reported on the sculpture chose to use this word but why do we assume that this figure was meant to titillate? After all, do we know if people lived in the same prudish culture that we've developed after so many years of hiding and shaming female sexuality? And speaking of females, why are we meant to jump to the conclusion that all images of naked females are meant for the viewing pleasure of men?

It may be my pregnant hormones influencing me but I suggest that this figure just might signify the awesome power of female fertility and the act of carrying a child. Back then, breasts weren't filled with silicone but more likely milk- which could explain the heft. And a large belly is pretty obvious to me. Also, sex resulting in conception doesn't always lead in a straight line to a healthy birth. So I'm guessing that a pregnant woman might wear this as a type of charm to keep her safe during pregnancy. The exaggerated features are those she would be most concerned with at the time and the lack of the head probably made the charm represent every woman rather than one in particular, hence making the charm potent to the wearer.

Of course, I can't prove my theory either.

Why have we come so far in science and technology and yet left behind any notion of the power that is inherent in the human animal? Half of the human population experiences the trauma and wonder of pregnancy and motherhood and yet these stages of our life cycle have become marginalized and separated from what passes as normal culture. So I suppose that we shouldn't be too surprised that any naked female figure these days has nothing to do with fertility, just the fun sex part. The two shouldn't be separated, they should be combined because until a woman's bodies starts to mutate into something entirely new, we are all of these messy and complicated things.

Back to the Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:08:00 +0000

We're back! Not better than ever just yet but that will happen in good time, my friends. I apologize for the long absence but finishing up a screenplay takes a lot of brainpower, I'll have you know. Of course, that doesn't always seem true...

It may take some time to get back into the groove so please pardon the lack of any useful science fun facts and just enjoy the latest from Sarah Haskins as she mocks the science of skincare...just click here.

People Trapped in a Time Warp

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 16:29:00 +0000

No, they aren't aliens in anachronistic disguise who have been exposed by the Daily Mirror in the article "Time Warp Wives." These are just normal gals discussing their complete mental retreat into a fantasy of the good 'ole days. Or at least that's what the the newspaper wants us to believe.

The general gist of the article is this "Men and women knew their roles in society and there wasn't all this pressure on women to have to go out to work and try to be equal to men. "- Diane Rowlands, a.k.a. Mrs. 1930s and arch enemy of Katherine Hepburn.

They all seem to believe that drugs and violence were invented in some later decade. Fascinating.

Of course, the point is to live in a complete fantasy-land, so in their versions of the past, perhaps they mentally corrected these errors. I get it. I mean, I can't go on pretending to be a medieval princess if I have to contend with the constant threat of invasion, death-by-cold, and the fact that baths are a big no-no. In the meantime, would you like to come over for some mead and rock-hard "cake"? Oh, and we're going to the basement to watch them install the iron maiden.

Okay, that fantasy did get a little weird.

Cougar on the Daily Show

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:35:00 +0000

After three weeks of houseguests, I'm ready to start up the blog again. And what better way than to share a hilarious clip from the "Daily Show." This is a great commentary on the so-called "cougar" phenomenon, one of those ridiculous trend stories that clogs the airwaves.

Suitcase Planter

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:39:00 +0000

Ever wonder what you should do with that busted old suitcase? Well, these people in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn turned it into a lovely planter.

Funny Thing About Cosmetic Science

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:18:00 +0000

I worry about my appearance as much as the next gal. It's as if my various problems—real or imagined—are on some sort of weekly rotation that include frizzy hair, the color of my teeth, cellulite, and dark circles. Really, none of it is too bad but what can I do? New York is a city with a disproportionate number of models or model/actresses or people who could be models. So there we are.

Clicking around on the nytimes.com today, I found an article addressing the dark circle or what I like to call the Frankenstein Eyes Syndrome. That's Dr. Frankenstein to you. After reading the article, I just had to share. According to the article, the cost of creams can start in the $20 range and surgery can cost a ridiculous $800. The worst part is that they still aren't sure what causes this condition, which can be quite severe for some people.

It's a vanity thing, sure. But how do doctors get away with approving creams and surgery for something they don't even understand? I am starting to think that it's one big joke on half of our population.

The New York Times is on the case and after interviewing a professor of dermatology, I now understand it all:

"There are a lot of factors that contribute to quote-unquote dark circles,” said Dr. Diane Berson, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in Manhattan. “It’s a combination of heredity and genetics."

You see, it's heredity AND genetics. It is all so clear.

You see, it's a combination of your lineage as well as the family tree. Your parents as well as your chromosomes. I realize that I am picking on one quote among many and this isn't cancer we're talking about, but don't we deserve a little better when this is a major industry? Women are expected to look good and on the whole, but women pay a good portion of income on bad science.

I'll just try to get some sleep, take my vitamins, and slap on the concealer. At least two of these things aren't a complete waste of time.

1960s + Bollywood + Scary Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:26:00 +0000

A friend of mine directed me to this superfantastic and bizarre video on YouTube. My first thoughts:

Did someone spike my coffee with LSD?
Is this a bad trip?
Are we finally getting transmissions from another planet?
If I time traveled to the 1960s, what would be more disorientating—going to a Monkees concert, Woodstock, or just living this video?

The Truth Behind The Ten Commandments (the movie)

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:06:00 +0000

In The Ten Commandments, I Performed All My Own Miracles

Every year, during the special holiday season, one can watch a reenactment of the great Hebrew Exodus from Egypt. The movie is a grand epic about princes, forbidden love, and a man who received messages through burning plants. It was one of the few Jewish stories that made us look tough despite some big doses of crazy. Do any biblical characters resemble real people?

I had to watch the movie every year at Hebrew school, so now whenever I read about Moses, I imagine Charlton Heston. He is Moses and no matter how hard I try to give him another face, it is always that way. Does anyone else have this problem?

The "Onion" writers pretty much had the same idea and took it to the next logical place. The late Charlton Heston apparently self-reported that not only did he do his own stunts, but that he actually performed each of the miracles for the sake of the movie. Check it out, if you missed it at the beginning of the month.

(Okay, um, so I forgot to post this during the Passover holiday. Happy belated Easter too!)

Trapped Video

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:30:00 +0000

This is one of the scariest videos I have ever seen. It could have been you or me or anyone we know who has worked in a big office building. When I used to work for McGraw-Hill, we heard rumors about this person, about the frightening story of one man being trapped in an elevator for an entire weekend. But now I see that it is true.

Ever since my friends and I were stuck in my apartment elevator for 30 minutes, I have avoided that claustrophobic space as often as possible. And that was only half an hour of torture. Or was it fifteen minutes? But forty hours is unthinkable.

I grabbed the video from gawker.com (yes, a guilty pleasure gossip site) but you can read a bit more of the story in the New Yorker. But if you already have a little elevator phobia, just don't read the article. Forget I ever mentioned it. Go watch 30 Rock or something and think about all of the fun one can have in an office building. That is what I'm about to do.

Finally, an online game for girls

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:16:00 +0000

I love video games and computer games in general. You can rule the world, race and appreciate the physics of a collision, or you can work out some occasional aggression with a realistic shoot 'em up or the less realistic and super cute LEGO® Star Wars.

But no one can deny that these games and virtual worlds can manipulate your senses and affect your real life reactions. I tend to feel pretty emotional when my character is losing a fight. If you've ever played HALO, you might have felt the same unwelcome rush of adrenaline that accompanies the realistic battle. (Halo is on my list of banned games.) Games are also addictive, which either means not everyone should play or that programmers might think about including some built-in timers. But, I don't have an answer for that problem. These are a few reasons why parents should pay some attention to what the kids are playing on their PS3 or xBox late at night.

Now, most of these games are aimed at males. I don't know why. It might be that the marketing surveys discovered that girls get bored more easily. Or more likely, they just don't identify so much with the male characters or scantily clad females that inhabit the majority of the games. I sometimes like to imagine that male characters are just too delicate to run around in a bathing suit, unlike the super strong females. But gaming is still young and perhaps the right game just needs to come along to entertain them. So, I just had to share this new and super fabulous online game with you: Miss Bimbo.

"Become the hottest, coolest most famous bimbo ever !"

And I thought that Barbie dolls were supposed to be bad for a impressionable girls. I'm not making this up so check it out for yourself. Although I haven't played the game, I'm feeling a strange and intense visceral reaction... I might throw up now.

Food Fight

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:49:00 +0000

This video is making the email rounds today. You might want to laugh at first but it's surprisingly thought-provoking.

Oscar Thoughts...and sharks

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:51:00 +0000

The Oscars came and went. As usual, my husband and I avoided all parties and entertainment dedicated to the event. Until I sell a screenplay or star in a movie, I really shouldn't have to be subjected to the marathon of bad song numbers, insider jokes, and back slapping that occurs once a year for 3 hours.

But, that doesn't stop me from watching videos of the odd speeches. Actually this dubbed acceptance speech makes me want to see "There Will Be Blood." Milkshakes, anyone? [Note on the video: This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—so sensitive, aren't they?]

But can you tell me why the silliest "drama" won any prizes? Seriously, "No Country for Old Men" made me laugh out loud. Maybe it's a guy thing. Or a macho American thing. Or a gun-toting nihilist thing that seems to be getting pretty popular in schools and shopping malls all over the country. I might just be angry that "Atonement," a beautiful story about love, regret, classism, and the horrors of war lost out in the Best Picture category.

A good story is difficult to write. I get it. But an entire film about two people who have no motivations whatsoever for their actions? Even the shark in Jaws had a more believable character arc than the characters in this movie- well apart from the hilarious Woody Harrelson.

Why bring up Jaws yet again? I'm glad you asked. Well, I've been a bad blogger and although all three of my readers aren't too worried about it, I feel like I should have mentioned something earlier about Roy Scheider's death on February 10th. He was a great actor and starred in "Jaws" and "The French Connection" (best car chase ever). Very sad but this has been a year of Hollywood funerals.

Anyhow, as much as I protest and vow to skip the Oscars, they still get to me. What can I say? I do love the movies.

Love and Romans

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:43:00 +0000

Today is Valentine's Day, the ultimate pink and red Hallmark ™ holiday. First off, I'd have to say it inspires many bitter discussions amongst my New York friends. It is tough enough to be single without everyone rubbing it in your face. As for us couples, we'd like to think that we're more authentic in our love lives. Why should a calendar tell us to exchange silly cards and flowers? And yet, if we miss out on the ritual of this day, then we're deliberately taking the fun out of a harmless and indulgent day.

So, what to do? I might bake something. Nothing says "I love you" like baked goods. Actually saying the words would do it too, but you can't put strawberries on top of words.

The History Channel website gives a remarkably vague explanation for the origins of Valentine's Day. You'd think they would have prepared a reeneactment of some sort. St. Valentine is a mystery, much like the very definition of love. He may have been a Christian martyr who lived and died in Rome during the the 3rd century.

A more entertaining version of the origin of Valentine's day is also described on the site. It could be a Christianized version of the ancient Roman holiday called Lupercalia. The holiday was a fertility festival day dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. Though ancient Roman customs may seem odd to us now, it was once acceptable to slap women and fields of wheat with bloodsoaked strips of goat hide. I am not making this up- but I can't guarantee that someone else didn't invent the story long before me.

So, Happy Valentine's Day!

Mac vs. PC

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:15:00 +0000

A friend of mine forwarded a funny link to an article in "Advertising Age" featuring some new research that unveils the truth behind those Mac vs. PC ads on television.

According to the article, the research was conducted on 7,500 Nielsen online consumers by Mindset Media, which I take to be this same Mindset Media. The company is an internet ad network for brands that boasts: "Only Mindset Media lets blue-chip advertisers reach their psychographic targets on a mass scale in simple online media buys." Huh? Welcome to the murky world and spicy jargon of marketing and advertising.

Anyway, the fun part about this is that this "research"confirmed many PC-users suspicions; that we Mac users are conceited jerks. It's kinda hilarious. You can catch the article here.

The Cable Guy

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:25:00 +0000

Last week was very eventful. In fact, I had a fistful of tidbits to keep this little blog in business—a business without the actual money part, of course. But then I encountered my very own black swan. The unforeseeable cable outage. Dear lord! Okay, maybe it wasn't that dramatic but what was an occasionally dedicated blogger to do? I lost my Internet and the telephone was a dead. We were cut off entirely. But now all is good. We are back in business due to my Cable Guy.

Ahh. Cable Guy. You have saved us again and again. In web ding language/font they call you Cable Guy. The words are probably pronounced with a clicking sound in the web ding language. Don't you love to play with fonts? And in some suburban cultures, I believe that you are worshipped as a god. Like the god of cute furry animals, you bring joy wherever you go. Or you are like the god of coffee, who could bring hyperactivity to cute furry animals.

He was an unexpected visitor this morning and I must admit to a slightly hostile welcome. After all, I just got out of my shower when suddenly the doorbell rang. I threw on the standard work-from-home clothes but without my face cream, I actually couldn't smile too much lest my skin crack off. We have a slight humidity issue, I guess.

After my dreadlocked cable guy explained the situation, I let him into the apartment and we proceeded to search for what I imagined to be a mythical cable box. But after a phone call to the building's superintendent, we eventually found it in the hallway closet.

Now, I am very good at hiding dirty laundry and most embarrassing unmentionables that tend to multiply around the apartment. But I forgot that my sparkling, look-at-me, belly dancing costume was hanging right in front of the cable box. It doesn't fit in the unmentionable category but you never know what a stranger will react to in your closet. At first, I believe that he thought I was a gypsy woman. But seemed open-minded about it, so I casually corrected him, "It's for belly dancing, not for telling fortunes."

Yes, I own a sexy costume and have worn it on the odd occasion even *gasp* on Halloween. I don't know why I worried.

We quickly moved on from that topic to discuss the various wires that had no business being connected to each other and other technical details. Still, in return for learning something about me, the Cable Guy shared a few tales about life as a cable guy, and it's dark underbelly.

He's been called to homes where the lack of cable television elevated domestic arguments to full on dish-throwing brawls. An aged, frightened widow, so desperate for a cable fix, locked him in the backyard. That was actually one of the weirder stories.

Cable Guy also described a frightening afternoon when he was held prisoner in a dissatisfied customer's home. The police finally freed him. The biggest shocker was the customer who pulled a gun on him. I'm not sure how he got out of that one. And this is all in the name of cable service.

I'd hate to think that he was making up his stories for the sole purpose of entertaining me. No, I am sure that he was genuine and I will pass on his tales to others, so that we remember to be grateful for the cable guy. He risks his life everyday and yet instead of thanking him for his good work (Yay! He fixed my phone and Internet!) we make his life hell. It's not like the movie at all. Not at all! Remember Cable Guy?

On his way out, we joked a bit more about life and that pesky costume of mine that mildly captured his imagination. So, feeling mildly competitive in the story telling department, I told him that I too risk my life, for I am actually a dancing superhero and he now knows my guarded secret identity. I wonder who tells a more believable story...

Construction Below

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:36:00 +0000

The construction continues beneath my apartment. I hate to complain about noises, but I work from home. At least I try to stick to the home office to write one half of the world's longest screenplay. So perhaps I have the right to complain out loud. And the noises start at 7 am!

It's really muffled banging noises, either the occasional hammering or sound of large men moving heavy objects. The drilling has stopped for the most part, although there was another incident not too many weeks back when I thought that I would need to steady all of the dishes and glasses with my hands lest they bounce to the floor.

All this for a clothing shop frequented by the noisiest demographic in existence. No problem, we'll wait and see what happens to the noise levels when Urban Outfitters finally opens.

At the Hotel, Don't Touch that Drinking Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:13:00 +0000

A recent television report exposed the common practices of the hotel staff, which should make your stomach turn. If you haven't already seen this video, which is doing the email rounds at the moment, you can check out the video here.

It's not just that the drinking glasses aren't being cleaned with soap and water, it is also quite disturbing that they maids have found other unusual ways of giving these glasses that clean look— from a good wipe down with your used washcloth to a few squirts with a toxic blue chemical probably used for toilet cleaning.

This is too disturbing to think about, but good to know that it isn't just the door handle or remote control that holds all of the serious germs. I guess it's time to drink the old fashioned way: directly out of that mini bottle of gin or cola or tonic. Or you could take a swig out of one followed by the other so that the cocktail is actually created in your mouth.

It reminds me of other reports on the quality of drinking water on airplanes. Remember that story?

Iran and Watersports

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:12:00 +0000

It was not even a year ago when a British military vessel somehow "wandered" into Iranian waters. They were boarded and 15 serviceman and women were taken prisoner by the Iranians for 12 days. Read more here.

Apparently, the U.S. Navy had some excitement of its own on Sunday when three of its ships nearly entered into a skirmish with Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast boats in the same region. This news article reports that the Iranian ships radioed the message: "You are going to blow up within minutes." They moved in and out of formation— and I have no idea what kind of shape that looks like— but it must have been pretty menacing since our guys went on the defensive. However no one was hurt in the incident.

I suppose that the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, should not on anyone's top five luxury cruise routes.

A Song "Chinese Food On Christmas"

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:45:00 +0000

There was a time before I knew my handsome Scotsman and before I started to partake in the traditional Christmas feast every year. During that time, I didn't decorate or celebrate or eat roast turkey. My family had other traditions. You see, like the song says, life without Christmas isn't so bad as long as Chinese restaurants and movie theaters stay open on Christmas day.

My sister sent this link to me the other day. He sure gets the lyrics right.

Black Mambas and Spitting Cobras

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:59:00 +0000

It was in 1997 when my grandmother and I were traveling with a group on the Botswana/Zimbabwe border. This was before Mugabe entered the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, before he confiscated land from the whites, and before the country became of land of "political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse" according to the CIA World Factbook as well as most publications.

Despite the occasional highway check points with machine-gun wielding soldiers, I knew that Zimbabwe was one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I was sure that my adventurous grandma agreed. Then our guide started telling stories. Politics aside, he was beginning to convince us that Africa had to be the scariest places to live or travel, especially if you have a fear of snakes.

Of all the dangers, he focused on one in particular: the Black Mamba. It was the most dangerous snake in the region, he told us. It is the longest snake in Africa and can reach a length of 14 feet. The snake can lift one third of its body from the ground and blend in with surrounding tall grasses but once it gets a whiff of potential prey, it can move up to 20 mph toward it. It one of the fastest snakes in the world.

(Grabbed off of Wikipedia.)

Our guide described the time he was riding his horse on a blissful sunny day when suddenly, the infamous snake attacked. It stood up as tall as the animal's neck and injected its venom more than 50 times before it gave up and slithered away. The horse dropped to the ground and died within seconds. The guide watched us react with some amusement. Some of our fellow travelers refused to believe the story but most of us started to search near and far for any unusual movement. We were certain we were being watched by one of these reptilian beasts.

Although we were excited to be in the midst of real wilderness, both my grandmother and I were relieved to get back to the hotel.

News: Largest Spitting Cobra

Have you heard of the newly named species of cobra, the largest in the world? The naja ashei was once a member of the black-necked spitting cobra species but it was recently confirmed to be a wholly new species of cobra. It is native to Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia so one can suppose that some locals already knew about the creature before the scientists gave it a brand new name and place in the taxonomy.

However, scientists aren't exactly wasting time when they study and reclassify species. According to National Geographic News, this species actually delivers twice the venom than previously thought—enough for 20 people in one bite. This will affect the dosage of antivenin administered to bite victims.

Yes, snakes are scary but they are part of our natural ecosystem. Unlike some urban-dwelling insects, which I truly believe in destroying, I believe that the snake has an important place in
the world, as long as it isn't in anyone's back garden. If the snake stories are too much to bear, scroll down and look for the previous entry on the adorable kitten. Yes, put your mind at ease with thoughts of kittens...

For more information on the largest spitting cobra, visit:
Physorg.com
and
National Geographic News

A Kitten from Far Far Away

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:09:00 +0000

Something about this kitten immediately reminded me of the lucky or beckoning cats that you see in Japanese restaurants. But he doesn't look very much like the Japanese bobtail, the breed on which it is based.

It is more likely to be a member of the Scottish Folds breed known for resembling owls or teddy bears. But then again, don't you think that there is something a little bit more Spanish about this animal?

"I too was concocting this very same plan, already our minds are becoming one!"

This kitten shares the same eyes and body type as Puss-in-Boots from the Shrek movies. Either way, this isn't your run of the mill average American cat so I thought I'd share.

Raiders of the Lost...with bunnies

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:07:00 +0000

We're still working on the screenplay and it must be going well this week since my wrists are starting to show signs of tendonitis or whatnot. Always a good sign. But even in the midst of creating new settings and adventures for our invented characters, we writers cannot ignore those films and books that still influence us today.

Of all filmmakers, I must admit that Steven Spielberg has influenced my movie saturated existence more than anyone. Well, he and Terry Gilliam. Some of my earlier posts reveal my feelings about the ocean, a beautiful and scary place. You see, I don't like to swim in the ocean because I must have viewed the movie "Jaws" at the age of three. The film "E.T." made me love aliens and fear anything covered in plastic, although I 'm pretty much over that by now.

Another important movie influenced my passion for archaeology. Of course I wanted to be a real life Indiana Jones and if not for the intense study of pottery that it required, archaeology might have been my chosen profession. I am sure that the professionals love to hear that lazy excuse. If not for the physics stuff, I might be a rocket scientist as well.

I've only seen Indiana Jones around one hundred times so, I recently decided to refresh my memory about that movie. However, I didn't have the time to view the entire movie this week. Luckily the wacky people at Angry Alien Productions recreated the film in 30 seconds. Although all of the actors are cartoon bunnies, they stay true to the story.

By the way, if you didn't already know this, the next Indiana Jones movie is coming out in May 2008.

A Review of "Samedi the Deafness"

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 02:05:00 +0000

Last night I finished Samedi the Deafness, by Jesse Ball. It was not your average novel and I still feel odd. I like that. I don't always like your average literary novel about devastating relationships or the day someone learned a family secret. Those stories can be interesting but never so absorbing as good genre writing that requires an actual plot. But this isn't genre, nor is it your average literary novel. So what is it?

I'm not sure it is a novel at all. Maybe it was a series of prose poems that fit together to describe an overall theme of deceit. It is a story of deceit, of a man who is caught up in a conspiracy. The conspirators are exceptional liars, for their political cause and for their own amusement. Perhaps it is because they work in a special sanatorium specifically designed to cure chronic liars. But the main character, James Sim, is a mnemonist. This is a great made-up profession for someone who is caught in a conspiracy.

From the beginning to the end of this book, I kept wondering if each short passage or story would later be revealed to be a lie or illusion. You have to love that. The book is a fiction, after all and as readers, we are used to believing every word of the writer. We are used to true works of fiction rather than fiction that contains multiple lies. That is, unless we are reading mystery or spy novels. In those the deceit is expected.

In other reviews, the book is called Kafkaesque, a bit like David Lynch, or like a tale told by Lewis Carroll. I agree with this last description the most. This is partially due to the seemingly unconnected encounters that our hero experiences throughout the story. It is also due to the introduction of childhood memories in a series of dreamlike flashbacks. True episodes from his past are mixed with memories of his playtime. When I think about it, my own memories of childhood are just as confused. Just like his imaginary owl, my childhood recurring dreams or even the imagined settings that my friends and I invented at recess are just as real as my first day of school.

Does this review offer any insight into the book? I hope it does. Then again, it might make no sense at all because I haven't really finished. The words and images are still falling into place in my mind. You see, a good book stays with you even after the last page is read and it makes you feel slightly odd, which I like.

This book was recommended to me and I recommend it too.

Ancient Zombies in Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Strachan) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:43:00 +0000

Hierakonpolis or Nekhan is a famous Egyptian site for archaeologists. The "City of the Hawk" and the remains of the largest Predynastic (4000-3100 B.C.E.) settlement of Egypt. It is home of the tombs belonging to Horemkhawef, a Chief Priest who lived during the Second Intermediate Period (1750-1550 B.C.E.). Another famous tomb belongs to a Prince, Ny-ankh-Pepy, who was actually the second person laid to rest at that site in 1980 B.C.E. Yes, that is all well and good and scholarly but did you know that this is also the site of some major zombie activity in or around five thousand years ago?

According to an article that appeared online at Archeology Magazine's website, zombies were un-alive and un-well in ancient Egypt. The author goes on to explain that author Max Brooks' "The Zombie Survival Guide" brought some startling yet very old news to the archaeology community when he recounts an 1892 dig at Hierakonpolis. During that fateful expedition, archaeologists discovered a partially decomposed body with a brain possibly infected by the Solanum virus. The tomb is also covered in scratch marks, typical defensive behavior for an entombed zombie.

The Urban Dictionary defines Solanum as this:

SOLANUM: THE VIRUS

Solanum works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By stopping the heart, the infected subject is rendered "dead." The brain, however, remains alive but dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from oxygen. By removing the need for this all-important resource, the undead brain can utilize, but is in no way dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a zombie, a member of the living dead.

The article reveals other zombie evidence: bodies with decapitated heads. In addition, the marks left on the cervical vertebrae "...indicate an effort far greater than that needed simply to cause the death of a normal (uninfected) person. The standard position also indicates these are not injuries sustained during normal warfare."

For once, I am relieved to see that aliens had no part in the mysterious findings at these ancient tombs. However, I am hoping that they will get back on track with investigating Mummy curses. I am still working out the evidence, and looking for my own funding regarding one Mummy in particular may have brought down the entire Roman Empire...

To read more about how archaeologists plan to fight a potential zombies attack at the dig site, check out the article "Zombie Attack at Hierakonpolis." An interview with Mr. Brooks (Mel Brook's son), is available online here. I do love archaeology humor.