So I was looking at this multilingual site, and it occured to me that it would be really nice if someone could jump from one page to its translation in another language, simply by clicking on the language name. This would require a bit of Javascript programming though, and a fairly extensive table. Maintaining the site when new pages are added can become a bit messy as well, although not unreasonably so.

Someday I might comment on the design of the splash page as well. Maybe some other time.

I'm not getting a flu vaccine shot this year. I don't think I can justify getting one, even though I normally opt for one. It just wouldn't be right.

I remember reading The Grapes of Wrath in college, and discovering the connection between its title and The Battle Hymn of the Republic (a truly stirring song!). That was a real "Eureka!" moment for me--one of the most satisfying in all my readings of literature.

Of course, I wish I could read me. Heck, I rented a video copy of "The Mysterious Island" this weekend, only to discover that the writers took enormous liberties with Jules Verne's work. What a rip-off.

A little something for Michelle Nicastro fans.

I just wanted to link to the following blog entry on scientific illiteracy.

I mentioned that I fed a Goliath birdeater recently. Like other arachnids, these are truly fascinating creatures. Goliath birdeaters have a real attitude though, so they are not for the faint of heart.

I mentioned that I fed a Goliath birdeater recently. Like other arachnids, these are truly fascinating creatures. They have a nasty attitude though, so they are not of the faint of heart.

These guys have real guts. You just have to commend them.

I have no ethical problem with offshoring of labor. Indeed, I think that it's often necessary for a company's survival.

However, when it leads to horror stories like this one, then it's a crying shame. A lot of companies are shooting themselves in the foot by being too quick to relocate their services abroad.

Speaking of strong female characters, one of my favorites was Gloria Dinallo from the short-lived "Misfits of Science" TV series. Played by a youthful Courteney Cox, she was a stunning young beauty, yet suitably hard-nosed and strong of character. She exhibited feminine empathy, yet she managed to maintain a strong inner character without becoming overly masculine.

What a great show.

I've been watching my new DVDs of the old G.I. Joe animated series. Boy, this brings back memories. The animation wasn't great, but it was pretty good for its time, despite the occasional shoddy bits. It had some fairly intelligent plots, and characters that grabbed one's attention.

I particularly liked the way they portrayed strong female characters--Scarlett, Lady Jaye and Cover Girl. Each and everyone one of them was competent, and capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the men. Each one of them frequently took command in the field, without any guff from the menfolk. They all had feminine wiles, but without being reduced to dainty flowers.

I liked Cover Girl the most, possibly because she got the least amount of air time. Or maybe it's because I was captivated by the concept of a high-status fashion model turning to diesel mechanics and firearms. I even liked her costume, which was stylish yet utilitarian, and decidedly more realistic than the one which Scarlett sported. Too bad she didn't get more exposure in the comic books or the cartoons.

I wish they had gone that way with the A-Team's Amy Allen. The actress who played her, Melinda Culea, was also a former model--and clearly, the producers weren't beyond capitalizing on her leggy appeal. Still, they ultimately failed to depict her as a strong female who could stand alongside the men. What a shame.

A few years ago, telecommunications was all the rage. After a while, it fizzled out, leaving many people unemployed and with shattered dreams. (I am SO glad that I didn't jump on the telecom bandwagon!)

As of late, biotechology seems to have emerged as the field to beat. Unfortunately, a lot of biotechnology firms have likewise fallen by the wayside. I'm hoping that biotech won't follow in telecom's footsteps.

In my judgment though, that's unlikely. Biotechnology is much more diverse than telecommunication, and it can expect to receive heavy funding from both government and private sources. People always need new medicines, especially when their insurance companies are willing to foot the bill. Vaccine research will continue to progress, especially with the advent of new and exciting research tools.

Here's hoping that this rise will continue for years to come.

I've done some reading on flow cytometry lately. I'd love to learn more about this technique. I've been thinking about some potential applications for this technique, apart from its usual usages. Ideas are stirring and baking right now. I'd love to spend about two weeks with one of these devices and an armload of schematics.