I’m leaving for Colorado today at noon, so I decided to be lazy and not research anything for Friday Science, that and I’ve been busy with all the packing and gathering of stuff. My Dad asked me way back in April if I wanted to go back with them to Colorado this summer and I told him that I didn’t think I would. Then my sister called and said that she and Amanda wanted to go, but Janell’s husband couldn’t and he didn’t want her driving out there by herself. So I said OK with a little nudging from Chris who thinks it’s good for me. Now it seems like there’s a big group of us going. My niece-in-law and the Thomas and JR are all tagging along.

I think no one wants to be around here for the first of August. Even my brother and sister-in-law are going somewhere (Mexico!). I’m a little apprehensive about the trip. I have a tendency to be the buffer and also the one trying to make sure everyone’s happy. But I have to remember that this is my vacation too. Repeat after me: It is not my job to make sure everyone is happy and having a good time 24hrs a day. I will not become neurotic and stress out if Dad starts making that grumble face or Mom starts pinching her lips closed into a thin line.

It will be good. I will catch lots of fish, do some hiking, and rediscover my yoga mat. Reservation aside, I am really excited about going. The only thing that could make it better was if Chris could go too. As it is, I guess I’ll just have to try out the new tent with out him. See ya in a week!

I know I shouldn’t do it, but I …can’t…stop…my…fingers…from…typing. Entries like these attract the crazies and I inevitably have to shut down comments. But I can’t help it. Bush vetoing HR 810 is big news in the science world, big news that sucks.

HR 810 is the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act and would increase federal funding for stem cell research and expand funding to research with surplus stem cells from fertility clinics. Many of you may recall that in 2001 Bush allowed federal funding of research on stem cells, but only on the 78 stem cell lines that already existed (not embryonic stem cells). Of the 78 lines, only 22 of those were viable and many of those viable ones are contaminated with mouse feeder cells.

There are almost half a million frozen embryos in the U.S. More embryos are harvested and frozen than what is needed of an ivf treatment. So there’s this really big surplus of embryos in limbo. Well, they’re not really embryos, but really what is called a “pre-embryo�. A fertilized egg is not considered an embryo until after two weeks of development. Pre-embryos are frozen way before this stage. HR 810 would require that embryos be donated by fertility clinics only if the patients didn’t need them any more and that the patients provided a written consent form and did not receive compensation for the donation.

There’s so much I can rant and rave about this, but it’s all preaching to the choir. It comes down to the fact that we have someone who doesn’t have a freakin’ clue about the issue, yet has the power to regulate it. Next stop: imprisonment of scientists and witch hunts.

Chris and I had to go to Wal-Mart yesterday to pick up the rest of his niece’s birthday present and peanut butter (Peter Pan’s new PB made with honey…and crack). They’ve opened up a new super store about two miles from us, but we’d still rather drive across town to one of the other Wal-Mart’s than go to this one. The parking lot of the new one was designed by monkeys and it’s so crowded.

Yesterday seemed worse than usual. People were every where pushing their carts down the middle of the isle or on the left (we don’t live in England! Do you drive left out on the street?). Eventually we made it over to the grocery side. I reached up to touch some baby soda cans and they shocked me so hard I felt it in my elbow. From that point on every thing I touched, and I mean everything, shocked me. By the time we were headed out the door to the car, Chris and I were grumbling and talking about moving out of state.

We had parked right next to one of the cart corrals, which you would think would be convenient. I thought it was until I rammed our cart into another cart and busted a light bulb all over myself. Apparently there was a light bulb in the child seat part of the front cart and when I pushed our cart into it, the child seat folded up smashing the bulb. Glass flew up all over me along with this whitish powder that I’m going to believe to be phosphorous (possibly Anthrax). Chris grabbed my arm to see if I was OK. I guess I looked a little freaked, but it did scare me. I had glass bits sprayed all over me and a few tiny cuts on my hands and arm. Chris was livid. He yelled at me to get in the car and “don’t touch anything�. When we got home he carefully peeled my clothes off and made me take a shower. He was yelling and cursing the whole time. It was great. And now, I never have to go back to the store ever again ‘cause Chris said that he would do any Wal-Mart shopping at 2:00AM from now on.

Does any one remember that movie The Thing? Well, we may be this close to turning that movie into a true story. A group of geologists from the University of Calgary’s Arctic Institute of North America recently discovered alien-like life forms living in yellow snow (watch out where the huskies go).

The mysterious yellow snow bank was discovered on Ellesmere Island, northwest of Greenland. Temperatures there hang out around -5 degrees Fahrenheit so it’s no surprise that there are fewer than 200 permanent residents. The area is known for natural wonders like the fossils of a transitional fish on land animal found earlier this year.

The yellow snow comes from a sulfur spring that’s bubbling up under the glacier. The team found 20 different strains of bacteria growing in the sulfur spring. Now it gets a little freaky. You see Ellesmere Island is very similar to Europa, Jupiter’s ice-covered moon. Scientists at NASA know that the moon has an oxygen atmosphere and suspect that there is sulfur present as well. The 20 new strains of bacteria found right here on our planet, may be very similar to something possibly found on Europa.

There are no immediate plans for a NASA mission to Europa, but there are several comities within NASA that are lobbying for the mission. The site in Ellesmere provides scientists with a working model of what to look for on Europa. My question is how do we know that the bacteria on Ellesmere didn’t come from Europa in the first place?

My mom has wanted to redo her kitchen for a while now. She wants all new counter tops and a new set of cabinets on one of the walls. She also wants to move the fridge and maybe put in new flooring. She has big plans, but she also wants to redo the downstairs bathroom (dad’s bathroom). Dad’s bathroom needs a bit more attention like new flooring, new sink and counter, and a new toilet. The space is small, but it needs a lot more work. My mom thinks that she can do both rooms for $3,000. This is possible if you are budget savvy person like me or Chris, but mom could never pull this off with the resources available to her in her area.

That’s why we took her to the Ikea store on Saturday. My sister and niece tagged along too. Mom won’t admit it (its part of the habit), but she’s a shopaholic and while we were in Ikea, my mom shopped with a capitol S. Yet she still only managed to spend about $35. She didn’t buy anything for the kitchen or bathroom. She did collect product sheets on prices and sizes of things. She was very excited about the bathroom stuff (sinks, countertops, etc) and is preparing to Ikea-ify dad’s bathroom.

Chris and I spent the most money, but only because we bought a table. It’s hard to go in there and come out with nothing. My niece’s dad was transferred to Sweden for two years, so Amanda new what an Ikea store was. She said the Ikea that they went to all the time was five stories. Good Lord! If we spent three hours in a two story Ikea, it would take us three days to get through the five story one.

The day was very good. We all found things we wanted and Amanda got some of her favorite Swedish candies. The only problem is that I feel a tad bit guilty for introducing Ikea to my mom. I think I’ve created an Ikea monster.

We need more judges like this one. This week California judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered the U.S. Navy to temporarily stop using sonar equipment because it might harm whales.

The Navy was planning on using the sonar in Pacific war games off the cost of Hawaii. Many of you might remember that President Bush declared the Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters a National Marine Wildlife Sanctuary. Apparently the Navy gets a different set of laws because the US Department of Defense exempted them from the Marine-Mammal Protection Act for six months so that the Navy could carry out anti-submarine warfare training.

But judge Florence said “No way mister�! Well, maybe not in those words, but she sure put a stop to them at least until July 18th when the Navy can argue against the injunction.

My Mom explaining to Chris how to get to Nevada Missouri:

“You know. You take that highway that goes up by the Precious Moments Chapel.”

Yeah, ’cause Chris knows how to get to the Precious Moments Chapel.