Gas coming down

Your eyes aren't fooling you. I purchased that a tank of gas at $1.49 a gallon, today. My pockets appreciate it. It's like it is 2001 again.

Science Water Cooler Talk - Evolution and Health

Lot’s going on in the world. In my effort to keep you abreast (and stay a little more on it) here are some elevated, now.

EVOLUTION & GENETICS
Paleobiology is the rage
1. Extinct Woolly Mammoth's DNA Mapped – from LiveScience.com
2. Scientists Sequence Half the Woolly Mammoth's Genome – from Scientific American

HEALTH & HUMAN BEHAVIOR
1. More teens and young adults engaging in anal intercourse – from Scienceblog.com.
Okay, we need to have a serious dialogue with our young people to make sure they comprehend what they are doing and why. This article suggests that many girls who engage in anal sex may not being do so consensually.

2. Exercise increases brain growth factor and receptors, prevents stem cell drop in middle age – from Scienceblog.com
Besides improved heart health, overall physical fitness and staving off diabetes, here is another – and very compelling reason – to NOT be a couch potato.

Later.

Cross-posting for Science

Remember the 2008 Black Weblog Awards? This blog made the cut for Best Science/Tech Blogs. The only other science blog on the short list was Urban Science Adventures. That blog's author is obviously doing well. She is a finalist for a Blog Scholarship with the winner getting a $10,000 Scholarship.
Can you believe such a thing exists? If only I knew. Sheesh, I could use $10,000 dollars.

Anyway, join me in helping this sister out. Vote for her - Danielle Lee.

For members/followers of the AfroSpear, she seems to be the only candidate of African-American background. I like to offer support for other Black Bloggers when I can.

Oh, and don't forget -- Black Bloggers for Education is still raising funds for needy public school classroom projects. Please contribute. Of the Three Projects I selected to raise money for, two are completely funded. The remaining one only needs $77.

Challenge: If my readers contribute $60, then I'll cash in some bottles and alumninum cans and pay the remaining $17. Let's do it together!

Checking in. I'm still here.

I know my posts have been sparse. Sorry about that. But I've been very productive, writing and writing and writing. That dissertation won't beat me. I've still been scanning the blog headlines, so I know I have things to do, soon.

1. A Big Thank you to Electronic Village for the Thoughtful Blogger Award. I'll do a post about this and name my own Throughtful Bloggers. He named me for this award for the Black Bloggers for Education efforts. The fundraising has stalled and some projects are scheduled to end. It's not too late to contribute. Please do. $5 is the minimum bid.

2. Bro. Eddie Griffin is spreading the word about Student Opportunity in Education. I promised him a cross-post and I've been rather busy. Here are references, though.

TCU Community Scholars Online Application due November 15, 2008
It is an excellent program that pays full tuition for deserving students who attend the nine high schools… Eva Bonilla, Chair HWNT – FW Chapter - evabonilla@charter.net The Community Scholars application is available online at the following link: http://www.admissions.tcu.edu/communityscholars/.
Please remind your students that by completing the application, the $40 fee will be waived automatically.

3. I'm behind with my Science Vocab series. Most of these postings have been submitted to the Carnival of Evolution, which is published every 2 weeks, the 1st and the 15th. I probably won't get one in this time, but I hope to be back on the ball by Dec 1. But I encourage everyone to check it out - great stuff. I might cuff some of this for my future classroom lectures. Just saying.

4. And it hasn't escaped me that we have a New President - one that is Pro-STEM and Education. I can't write about this, but the dissertation and publications come first.

Staying productive.

Veterans Day

I was born in the 70's and grew up in the 80's. Like other children born during this period (Generation X) I lived under the shadow of the Vietnam War and the Draft. Our fathers, uncles, older male cousins were trying to rebuild a life in the US after surviving an unsuccessful war campaign. I remember the overall sentiment of these men was- "I didn't want to be called up"and "I just wanted to survive and come back home in one piece." Many were called and it was very hard to get out of it. Some of the more humorous stories were the failed attempts to fail medical exams and dodge the draft.

But whether enlisted or drafted they served. Some came back home in one piece, but many did not. Many families lost loved ones - in Asia and in America upon return. Of those that returned physically whole, the same was not necessarily true of their minds and hearts.

I also have a faint memory of Vietnam Vets not being treated very well. They always seemed to assert themselves and sometimes came off as disgruntled - like Rambo - and felt disrespected by Vets from previous wars. It confused me. How can anyone not respect these men (and women) who sacrificed themselves - many against their will to serve their country? Where was the love?

Be sure to reach out to all of the Veterans in your life today and tell them, Thank you.

Also check out History of Veterans Day at Electronic Village.