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SammyBirdland

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Posts posted by SammyBirdland

    Short rants.

    in Rants

    Posted

    On yesterday's med school exam there was a horribly written multiple choice question that essentially asked: which of the following will ALWAYS (in all-caps) cause a certain medical condition. I was struggling between two answer choices: 1) inhibition of enzyme secretion and 2) stimulation of secretion. I looked for something semantic that I had missed, until I realized that inhibition of enzyme secretion would NOT cause the condition for someone who was either not eating, consuming solely monosaccharides, or on intravenous nutrition.

    Of course, the answer key said that inhibition of enzyme secretion was correct. The answer key also explained that stimulation of secretion would not ALWAYS cause the condition because it would depend on the level of stimulation. Of course, it would also depend on the level of enzyme inhibition, which was not specified in the other answer choice. I took advantage of the policy that we could e-mail the professor to get clarification on the question. He told me that "a little bit more attention in class should have guided you toward the correct answer" and that "your hypothetical scenario ... is quite a stretch to justify an answer that was clearly incorrect."

    First of all, it seems awfully pissy of him to question my work ethic when in reality I understand this particular concept quite well but picked the wrong answer because the question was bad. Secondly, I wish he had some background in Computer Science or Logic so he would realize that to prove that something is not ALWAYS true, I only need to provide a single counter example. It's really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but the question was worth 4% of that particular exam section, and it's just frustrating when professors let their ego trips supersede logic.

    :angryfire:

    Things like this always sometimes tick me off.

    Short rants.

    in Rants

    Posted

    When you order a kids meal at a restaurant, why do they always serve it with a soup spoon. First, my child did not order soup. Second, the spoon is too damn big for his little toddler mouth. ...and please don't serve it scalding hot and then sit it right in front of him.

    <iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PONvX6LmAPo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    I am a banana.

    • Upvote 1

    Selling baseball cards

    in Hangout Club

    Posted · Edited by SammyBirdland

    This thread reminds me of a story. My father is an antiques dealer, so he always has various goodies to show me when I go over to visit. Last summer he showed me a box of old wax packs of baseball cards that he picked up. He told me I could open a few, so I picked out a pack of 1987 Topps and opened the wrapper hoping to find a Barry Bonds rookie, or Rafael Palmeiro or Bo Jackson "future stars" in all their simulated wood-grain glory. As I started to scan through the cards in the pack, I was distracted and my 1987 ten-year-old self took over. I took the stick of gum and popped it into my mouth. As you can imagine with a 24 year old stick of gum, it turned to powdery sand as soon as my teeth hit it. It was quite disgusting. I spent the next several minutes rinsing.

    Do you like country music?

    in Music

    Posted

    Radney Foster from Del Rio, Texas 1959

    <object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfa4vxpdH3Q?version=3&feature=player_detailpage"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfa4vxpdH3Q?version=3&feature=player_detailpage" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="360"></object>

    I had no idea that Stephen Colbert could sing.

    Random Thoughts

    in Hangout Club

    Posted

    _________________________ ___________________________

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rkYiAA-RbQM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    Those pants are a miracle.

    Short rants.

    in Rants

    Posted

    Received a bill from my former dentist for $403. We haven't been there for over a year, since my employer switched to a new insurance company that they don't accept. I called and found out that the bill is from a rejected claim from my former insurance company from...2009. So, a bill doesn't go through in 2009, and they finally notify me about it in 2011?

    Do you like country music?

    in Music

    Posted · Edited by SammyBirdland

    As country is defined today, no. I do like country music elements in non-country songs: pedal steel guitar, banjo...just not people singing songs about America in fake southern accents.

    The banjo is definitely one of my favorite instruments, especially when it's played in a minor key. Which makes me think of Bluegrass music. I love Bluegrass, but my wife (who likes country) can't stand it. Go figure.

    Minor key banjo examples:

    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Vcjt0EKCxpI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HsEEILH-484" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    Do you like country music?

    in Music

    Posted

    My wife loves country music, so I've listened to lots of it to try to force myself to like it.

    I draw a clear line between "good" country" and "factory" country. It's obvious to me that many country songs are written very quickly, like they came from a factory. They pick a mundane aspect of daily life, write some rhyming lyrics, and make sure that each verse or chorus ends in the title of the song. However, every once in a while I'll hear something "different" that will be appealing to me. Here's some stuff I like:

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TTA2buWlNyM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FXKBUK94cC0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6gKlBGjDbfI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wx-dUsh6OT8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BKZqGJONH68" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    Anti-Rants

    in Rants

    Posted

    Just cancelled DirecTV. We are officially cordcutters. Funny, DirecTV was a lot nicer to me today than they were when I first started my contract and discovered that the sales rep lied about pricing. Back then they told me I was under contract and to go pound sand. This time they offered me three separate discounts.

    Short rants.

    in Rants

    Posted

    Yesterday, my cube neighbor started doing filing. Around 10am I heard the first three ring binder open, then a few seconds later close. A moment later another opened, then closed. Open...close....open....close....open....close. 3 hours this went on. I swear I never knew how annoying that sound could be. I was ready to explode!!!!!!

    That reminds me of the time two of the other geeks in my cube area decided to go retro and order IBM Model M keyboards from eBay. "Dude, they're so sturdy and the keys feel awesome when you type!"

    I was surrounded by this noise coming from both directions all day.

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dZ80bIUEMyQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    Man, am I glad I work from home at my new job...

    Short rants.

    in Rants

    Posted

    Indignant geographically challenged Steeler fans. I want you all to do a favor...get a map. Look where Pittsburgh is. Now find Baltimore. Now locate where you are. You may notice that you're MUCH closer to Baltimore. Therefore, it shouldn't be any surprise that you should find yourself around Ravens fans...fact is, you're the aberration, not the Raven fans. Now, I want you to take this map, roll it up nice and tight, and BEAT YOURSELF IN THE HEAD WITH IT UNTIL YOU LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS!

    I live outside of York, PA and like to tell all my ravenous Steeler fan friends who have never lived in or near Pittsburgh about all the teams that play closer to their house than the Steelers do:

    - Baltimore Ravens

    - Philadelphia Eagles

    - Washington Redskins

    - New York Giants

    - New York Jets

    • Upvote 1
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