I caved. It's the Interview Meme.

[quesarah]

1. If you had to choose one place to spend the rest of your life, where would it be and why?

Wherever wafflelips is. Don't get me wrong, I love Southern California. On a clear day like today, when the ocean is calm and sea birds are flying, and the mountains in the distance are capped with snow, I am filled with a sense of peace and contentment so vast it should be illegal. I never want to leave here. But the most beautiful place in the world would lose its luster without my girl to share it with. She helps me enjoy the moments of contentment and ride out the times of distress.

2. If you were not working in the field of science right now, what would you be doing?

Something in music; performing, writing, or producing.

3. Who should play you in the made for TV movie of your life. Why?

I wasn't kidding about Sandra Oh. Aside from her being cute, smart, and funny, I get the sense that she's aware of the absurdity of life. Sometimes she's confused by it, other times enraged or amused. But I always get the feeling that she thinks the world doesn't really make sense, because it isn't supposed to make sense. But we're supposed to get by, anyway. It's like those funhouses at carnivals with the "cakewalk" where the floor is in two sections that move up and down opposite each other. You have to walk across, even though the floor is constantly moving and you can never get both feet situated. It doesn't make sense, and you may fall, but you must walk. Just scratch your head, laugh at it, and walk.

4. If I was really going to give you a grant for a serious project, what would that project be?

I may get some flak for this, but if legal issues were resolved I would do stem cell research. Not necessarily from embryos, mind you, just pluripotent stem cells. I'd want to determine the best processes for implanting them in a patient in order to repopulate various tissues. The applications could range from bone marrow replacement for cancer patients, to immune disorders, to Parkinson's, to certain hereditary disorders.

5. If you could banish one thing from this world, what would it be?

Willful ignorance. Nothing offends and enrages me more than that.



The Rules:-

1. Leave a comment saying you wish to be interviewed
2. I will respond by asking you 5 questions.
3. You will Update your journal with said answers.
4. You will include this explanation.
5. You will give other people five questions when asked.

Comments

Re:

[nightxade.livejournal.com]

I agree with stem cell reseach and application for the purposes you describe. I'm against teh creation of an entire human being though. I think there's only so much God we can play before we're lost forever.

And if I haven't asked yet, ask me stuff please.

Re:

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

1. What's your loftiest dream?

2. What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?

3. What music makes you sing along / play air guitar / etc?

4. What's your favorite kitchen appliance?

5. What do you think is waiting for you when you die?

Re:

[wafflelips.livejournal.com]

I agree. It pisses me off that there is currently on a ban on stem cell research because people are afraid of the applications and the whole abortion issue that comes up from it. The thing is, stems cells from aborted fetuses are not the only way to get stem cells.

All of the ethical questions that can and should be discussed about cloning and stem cell research wa completely squashed w/ the ban on stem cell research. It's ignorance and fear of science at it's worst. It doesn't change that the technology is out there and that it will be used, it just slows progess and creates ignorance. Some of it I blame on ignorance about science, and some needs to go to the policians that are so easily swayed by the relgious right and their move to block access to abortion.

Re:

[nightxade.livejournal.com]

The public needs to know the facts on this. All we're hearing is that Stem Cell Research = cloning humans and/or aborting babies. Hell, I just watched a Law & Order: SVU episode about it where a comatose woman was being impregnated and her babies aborted for the purpose of research, funded by a wealthy older gentleman with Parkinsons.

It's amazing how easily politics and hte media and religion combine to make sure what we see and learn is exactly what they want us to see and learn.

Re:

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

What's infuriating to me is how few people realize that you can get lots of happy stem cells from cord blood. Yeah, that's right. Umbilical cord and placenta are enriched for fetal stem cells, and they usually go right in the trash.

Re:

[nightxade.livejournal.com]

Why would it be dumped? I'm sure doctors nowadays know about the potential for stem cell research. Why would they just throw that in the trash? Organs are eagerly harvested - why wouldn't this be saved too?

(And actually, they did mention that in the L&O episode when the old guy files for custody of the unborn baby at the end. It was actually a pretty damn good episode. Lots of ethical questioning - good of the one vs good of the many. But it did make the stem cell people look bad becuase of the methods used to obtain the cells)