obama.

[DoesntMatter]

DM, its better than any ideas I've seen come from you. So you learn math, and OC, and mbe some physics. But what you are actually *contributing* to any of that? Right now you are nothing more than an elite parasite sucking on other ppls concepts. You do it well, but when was the last time you actually did something even remotely creative out of your own initiative? Until then, shut the hell up, young Grasshopper.

Rawr, I struck a nerve with my mean sarcasm. Hot

DM, its better than any ideas I've seen come from you. So you learn math, and OC, and mbe some physics. But what you are actually *contributing* to any of that?

There really isn't much I can contribute right now. I'm just a lil undergrad, remember? Nothing interesting anyways. I could go into boring bioinformatics I suppose

But what you are actually *contributing* to any of that? Right now you are nothing more than an elite parasite sucking on other ppls concepts. You do it well, but when was the last time you actually did something even remotely creative out of your own initiative? Until then, shut the hell up, young Grasshopper.

Since you ask, I've toyed around with some novel ideas with some guys on decarboxylations of alpha-amino acids. One route we explored that was novel to the amino acids was a solvent free decarboxylation. Another was decarboxylation of alpha-amino acids by going through the Schiff base intermedite which was obtained by boiling with different ketone catalysts. These too worked but transamination was a problem that resulted in low yields

Anyways, I could, like I said, do some tediously boring "research" like the kind a friend is doing (sequencing genomes). But calling that research, well yeah it's research, but not on par with anything new or novel

And also, any research *I* could do would likely be reinventing the WHEEL because my KNOWLEDGE BASE is so LIMITED and NARROW by virtue of not having taken more ADVANCED COURSES

BTW, this had nothing to do with the topic we were discussing. Was it meant as just a random to discredit me? Yep

[IndiReloaded]

Since you ask, I've toyed around with some novel ideas with some guys on decarboxylations of alpha-amino acids. One route we explored that was novel to the amino acids was a solvent free decarboxylation. Another was decarboxylation of alpha-amino acids by going through the Schiff base intermedite which was obtained by boiling with different ketone catalysts. These too worked but transamination was a problem that resulted in low yields.

Keep a notebook of this stuff. Seriously. Undergrad is NOT too soon to be thinking of ideas. Its amazing to go back later & remember what you forgot.

And I'm not really upset w/you, and I don't think less of you being a 'mere' undergrad. These are very fertile years for you. I envy you this time. Your platter to choose from is MUCH larger than mine was. Just reminding you that its relatively easy to criticize someone else's idea compared with generating your own. But the latter is much more useful AND satisfying.

BTW, I don't consider sequencing genomes 'research' either.

[misombra]

who are you voting for dm?

[bluesummer]

It's funny when people from other countries imagine having a voice in ours! Who the fucck do they think they are?

Why is this so offensive to you? I have to share a border with you, and I know I care who your president is, because it DOES affect me and my country, and many other countries for that matter. I also care about who is running countries like Pakistan and Iran. I don't have a say in it, but am I allowed to be concerned? Damn right.

[Only-virgins]

Once again I am not voting at all. I don't like either party.

[IndiReloaded]

In some countries, it is mandatory to vote or you get fined. Just an FYI.

I like that system.

[starbuck]

I'm especially glad I voted in the last 2 elections. When someone makes fun of Bush, I can say, "Don't look at me, I voted for the other guy both times!"

[misombra]

i vote because not so long ago, women exactly like myself went through a lot of pain and torture to gain the right.

[Lipp]

Well, not voting at all isn't too different from voting blank (you can do that over there, right?), it just makes it seem like there's a lower turn-out of voters while those who were going to vote blank dont want to bother heading down to the voting machines.

And I reckon voting blank because you don't like either candidate is better than voting for one for the sake of voting rather than than actually caring.

[Mish]

In some countries, it is mandatory to vote or you get fined. Just an FYI.

I like that system.

It's like that in Australia FYI if you become a citizen

We have a 90%+ voter turn out

[Gribble]

I'm not entirely sure I want someone too lazy or apathetic to care actually having a say in who gets elected into office.

Honestly, I think voting privileges should be earned.

[Mish]

I'm not entirely sure I want someone too lazy or apathetic to care actually having a say in who gets elected into office.

Honestly, I think voting privileges should be earned.

The problem with that (as I see it) is you can easily end up with a country where half of the population (or more) is not represented. How do you get people to do anything, abide by government laws for instance if they can always say "I didn't vote for anybody thus this whole thing doesn't apply to me". Can be ignored maybe on individual level, but not if there are millions of them. Making vote mandatory pushes people to vote and removes that argument entirely. It makes every citizen and every group accountable for what goes on in their country.

[Lipp]

The downside is that those who are poorly educated or don't look into what the politics are all about are more susceptible to simple tricks (say voting for a president who gives hand-outs in the area), the bandwagon effect and propaganda.

But yeah, in a developed country voting should be mandatory. If I was a dictator in a poor developing country I'd consider limiting the voting to those who are somewhat educated until nation-wide education and communication is firmly established.

[IndiReloaded]

Actually, I've found Australians as a whole more informed about politics precisely because they know they need to vote. So they take the time to find out about their local candidate.

When ppl are drawn for jury duty and end up actually going, I find they do tend to take their duty seriously. Same idea, I think.

[DoesntMatter]

If you ever end up on jury duty you shouldn't be allowed to vote, because lawyers always take less intelligent and more malleable people