Oblivion

This past weekend was the first time I had seen a movie in theaters since Fantastic Four (2005) and that one mistake of an M Night Shamylamamamalan movie Lady in the Water (2006), and I'd have to say Oblivion wasn't half bad. I'd have to say the plot was at least compelling, but there were definitely some things that were a little creepy. You almost wonder how the agents never ran into each other more than once (how do you not notice these huge things floating around the planet?), and how certain memories still exist after "memory wipes". Granted, I don't remember too much from the film anymore, but it was definitely nice to get into a theater again for the first time in forever.

Beef Stock - Roasting or No Roasting?

Lately, since I've had a ridiculous amount of free time, I've been making my own stock for noodle soup. I've heard from here and there that roasting the neck bones (and meat) makes a difference in the flavor of the stock, but I haven't noticed any difference. The only different I've seen is that not roasting leads to a more clear soup that solidifies at higher temperatures. The two basically seem to taste the same in my opinion.

Perhaps I need to find some other more productive things to do outside of eating...

Apparently I'm Slow

Last week I learned I'm slower than Mantei Teo, which is a very sad thing. Granted, I also don't resemble a football player.

BRB

Getting owned :(

Help Me Understand Something...

I've played tennis since I was in middle school, and one thing I've never understood why professional women players need to shriek when they play. Growing up, I've never heard anyone I've played tennis with grunt or shriek on a regular basis. It's really annoying and seems to take a lot away from the game. It seems to be a tactic used to distract an opponent and mask the sound of the racket striking the ball (which gives a good indication of how the ball will travel). Shrieking just seems like bad sportsmanship and something that is very immature for players that I feel couldn't really win without this atrocity.

SoCal is Weak

I live in SoCal now, but I grew up in the NE, so this really cracks me up. Everyone around me freaks out when it gets "cold" (or when it "rains"). 60 degrees is perfectly warm enough for a t-shirt and shorts...

Overlooking the Ocean

(Click to Enlarge)

How Airlines Keep Their Best Customers (and Flying on the Dreamliner!)

On my most recent journey back to California I flew first class for the first time. I received a free upgrade to first class and I can now see how airlines can retain their elite fliers. After my small regional flight I had two flights on first class: PHL->IAH->LAX.

Merry Christmas!

Have fun, and stay safe! Don't do anything I wouldn't do... ;)

Thoughts on Pursuing Graduate School and Beyond

The other day one of my good friends sent me a link to an article in Science titled "The Myth of the Well-Rounded Scientist". Combining this with the Erick Carreira letter that surfaced a few years ago, it's not hard to see why so many people are dissuaded from pursuing a graduate education in certain STEM fields.

I don't really see this culture changing anytime soon. At top graduate institutions, there are always people on the outside who are willing to put in the effort it takes to perform at the highest level. It's somewhat analogous to the supply of illegal immigrants for low-paying jobs: wages are low because there will always be someone who's willing to work for such a low wage. The criticism for these cultures mainly seems to come from those who are not very experienced about the workings of those involved.  Sure we can all sit back and be appalled at the situation, but until those who are in those situations muster enough support for change, nothing will happen. (Because apparently most people think that yelling in the comments section on Yahoo is going to change the world.) As long as we choose to pursue a graduate education and are willing to work as hard as necessary to obtain that coveted Ph.D., graduate school will continue to kick your ass.

This is of course not unique to graduate school in a STEM field. We see young lawyers who are just starting out working non-stop. Of course, they can just be fired if their work isn't up to standard. In the medical field sometimes there are ridiculously long shifts. This dedication to craft is immense in areas where results and productivity are of utmost importance. Until the majority of the population has undergone these experiences and feel like there are not people on the outside willing to step into those shoes, it would be mostly unproductive to scream at other people and be outraged at these things.

Of course, I'm just an undergrad, so what do I know?