Veal? Or Pork?

So the following is just a story I heard in my lab:




The people work in the meat lab right next to our lab went to a restaurand which sells veal meat. They took some veal meat back to the lab. Some guy ate some meat and said "This is not veal, this is pork!" They checked the meat under microscope and the tissues looked like veal and also looked like pork. So they did Real-Time PCR, Regular PCR, and some other lab work on the meat. Eventually they confirmed it was pork meat, not veal. They went to the restaurand to question them. They convinced the restaurand that it was pork not veal by some PCR data. (People thought they were FBI or something like that.... :) )They ask the restaurand to bring them some real veal, so the guy went back a couple times to grab veal meat, but every time it was pork not veal. The lab people were kind mad, asked the restaurand " So do you really have veal here or not?!" Then the guy brought two plates of meat and showed the lab people which one is veal and which one is pork. So, the lab people took the plate of veal and left. On their way back to lab, the restaurand called them and said "Oh, we might have given you pork in stead of veal by accident!"


Watch out what you are eating! :)


Veal Or Pork?

Which Sharon do you like best?

Last Thursday Sharon and I went to Gate's Pass, a nice little pass that has short hikes to beautiful overlooks for the sunset. It's right outside Tucson on the way to West Saguaro National Park.

Sunset at Gates Pass, Tucson AZ

Awww, look at these two lovebirds

Ok, now for the exciting part. Which Sharon do you like the best?

This Sharon is normal, cute real-life Sharon.

This Sharon is the Sharon out of a classy magazine ad.

This Sharon is super-hero Sharon, maybe out of the X-men

And this Sharon is the one on the CD cover of some apocalyptic band. It makes me scared to look at.

A poll about hair

This post is just to draw attention to how long my hair is getting (I haven't cut it since December), and to solicit your help in taking the poll on the right.

learning english

A friend of mine, a former 15-year old investigator in Taiwan, sent me these emails. At the risk of being considered mean by posting his email to the public, I am anyway because: for one you might be able to help me understand what he means sometimes, and for two I thought you might find it funny to read.


Email 1
"How are you? My name is ****.
Recently has wanted to make money, to read English, wants to go to the US to attend the university, the US expends can be very high?
I was thinking, if I go to the US to attend the university, did not know that has the place to be possible to live, if I go to the US studies, you are willing to help me to be busy?
Saw troublesome please reply in writing! I am anxious."


Email 2
"I in two year graduation, these two years period I must read English diligently, the graduation must test receive help the US to study, you may recommend some schools? The score is quite low, because I wanted to be possible to go to the US to study have been good, too will not care about the school the height!"


Email 3 (I have no idea what his last sentence is saying)
"Which language school does your family leave to be quite near? I want to be possible the words go study your family nearby school, is lodging your family, did not know that your family member does have the opinion? As soon as raises while convenient, the language school is goes abroad that side to read first?"



I hope he does come to America and masters English, mainly because then someday he'll look back on the things he used to write and think they're hilarious. I wish I had recordings of all the crazy things I said when I was learning Mandarin.

signs of the times

I'm not sure if this is in the book of Revelation or anything, but I think me putting ads on our blog is a sign of the times. Although I doubt it will provide much, if any, income, I figured it couldn't hurt to try. And I'm curious.

best songs in a while

These are some of the best new songs I have heard in a long, long time. They are all by Rocky Votolato, a singer/songwriter Leslie introduced me to in highschool, only these songs are recently released in 2006 off his album "Makers" and show a big increase in depth and beauty. What does he sound like? Well, to compare him to sounds that you will be familiar with, I'll bring up Jack Johnson. Imagine Jack Johnson with a better voice, less bubbly lyrics that are more human and passionate and deep, harmonica, and a richer guitar sound, and you have Rocky. Listen to these 4 songs and I highly doubt you will dislike them. It makes me really want to buy his album, but for now I guess I'll be content to stream them for free at Grooveshark.