Mayan calendar

Somewhere I heard that the Mayan calendar ends in 2012, although another explanation is that it just starts over. Anyway, I wonder if the media is going to start putting that out there, kind of like the Y2K thing, and whether people will get hyped up about it. Any speculations out there?

Racehorse pharmacology

A professor in my small clinical medicine group told us a personal experience about accumulating water. He had had some swelling in his feet and legs, and had gained weight. He was prescribed a powerful, common diuretic drug called furosemide (lasix). This fluid accumulation was rapidly reversed - he lost 15 pounds of water in one day! I was looking up some general information about the drug on Wikipedia, and happened to notice that it is used frequently in racehorses to increase their endurance and make them lighter (by shedding water weight). It dawned on me that this is probably why an irresistible need to use the restroom is often compared to that of a racehorse. It makes perfect sense.

Born in the USA

Factoring in the costs of the 4 applications, biometrics fees, and the physical exam, it costs a non-resident family member of a US citizen about $1800 to request residency in the United States for 2 years. After that, you pay several hundred more to become a permanent resident, and finally a citizen. So, if you were born in the US, you are fortunate, literally! You just saved yourself a lot of money, not to mention hassle and scrutiny, in becoming a citizen of the most prospered, comfortable, powerful country in the world.

Report Card

The first quarter of PA school is over, and things are looking good. I got an A in biochemistry. Boom shakalaka. And a B- in anatomy. So you win some and you lose some.
This semester it will be pharmacology, clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, and physiology. I guess I will have to step it up.

Creative Scam

A while back we had a note placed under our windshield wiper that said "if you want to sell your truck, call Alex, 555-555-5555." Here are the questions he asks when you call:
1. What year is it?
2. When can I come look at it?
I have come to find out this is a scam. Other people with older cars have gotten similar notes, and been asked the same questions. If you tell them your car is more than 'x' years old, and you are at work until 'n' o'clock, they can devise when you leave the car alone. I have heard they may come find your car and cut off parts of the exhaust system for some expensive metals they can melt down and sell or use.
On the other hand, they might just really like your bumper stickers or the Garfield in your rear window.

Caught Riding Dirty

Yesterday I got my first ticket for running a red light. I need some advice on what to do to get out of paying my debt to society. Are there any good one-liners I can give the judge that might convince him to let me off, or to reduce the penalty?
All I got so far is "thank goodness no one was hurt, and I learned my lesson." Either that or "I had to get home before Judge Judy started."

Global decision-making

The 8 most developed nations got together and decided to limit the warming of the globe to 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial times of 150 years ago. Does it sound reasonable for humankind to decide what the temperature will be? Just as reasonable, I would say, would be an agreement that would prohibit an invasion of extraterrestrials attempting to conquer our earth. Yea, we would like to have such power to make these decisions, but we have no control.