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.

I got to feed a Goliath birdeater today. Fed it a fully grown mouse, I did.

This can be quite unnerving, if you're not used to it. I know that a lot of people would feel very squeamish about such things.

This link is good for a laugh.

Earlier, I mentioned Lynda Carter. Well, this article talks about Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman. It says that it would be extremely difficult to find someone who can fill Lynda's high-heeled shoes.

I think that's absolutely true. I find it difficult to think of anyone else in that role.

The gal who played Nova on the old Star Blazers cartoon seems like she has an awful lot of pent-up hostility. I came across her guestbook, and I was shocked at what I read. Sounds like a classic case of overreacting.

Apparently, she tore into someone because he posted something about how hazardous it was for Nova to be the only female on the Argo. Maybe I'm being dense, but... What's so inappropriate about pointing that out? It sure didn't sound like a lewd comment to me; more like an observation.

An acquaintance of mine theorized that maybe she was victimized by some nasty fan fiction. Could be; after all, a lot of that stuff transcends the boundaries of good taste. Ultimately though, who knows?

Incidentally, if you meander over to her "rants" page, you'll see a lot more hostility and anger over there. I don't know what to make of it, frankly. I happen to agree with her on a lot of what she said, but she clearly expresses her viewpoint with undue sharpness and hostility. Criminy. Calm down, lady!

I recently read about how many people think it would be impossible to create a new live-action Wonder Woman movie or TV show. The problem is that Lynda Carter filled the role so darned well that it would be extremely difficult to fill her high-heeled shoes.

I think that Stacey Williams had just the right look, and the height to boot. She doesn't seem to be much of an actress though, and she has pretty much dropped out of the public eye.

I like rose hairs.

Do you know what's better than Courteney Cox in Blue Desert? Courteney Cox in Cocoon: The Return. Darn, but she looks painfully good.

Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my.

Courteney Cox in Blue Desert. What an incredible face.

I've been following the DC Comics mystery mini-series, Identity Crisis, and discussing its with some guys on the DC message boards. I tell you, it's become clear that very few of them truly understand the basics of logic. It's positively mind-boggling.

Thankfully, there are a few that do, and they are like a breath of fresh air.

There's some pretty cool animation at this Elispot site. Okay, so it's not really gripping, but from a scientific point of view, it's pretty darned nice.

There's some pretty cool animation at this Elispot site. Okay, so it's not really gripping, but from a scientific point of view, it's pretty darned nice.