Did I ever pick the wrong time to visit this thread.
I just gave a talk at the American Society of Human genetics. This is the first talk I’ve ever given to a large-ish audience (500+ people), at a real conference. For the most part, I like to think of my self as an inarticulate programmer-nerd, who can barely speak english (my native langugage), much less communicate ideas to others. Even though I’ve been in the field for about 10 years, I always feel like I’m playing pretend geneticist, as I work with some incredibly bright and articulate people (eg: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/science/12prof.html)
After practicing my talk over and over again for the last few days, I finally had my moment under the spotlight behind the big podium Friday. I have very little memory of the 15-20 minutes I was up there. Something strange happened, and I went on some sort of magic autopilot. I remember desperately trying to remember the opening lines of my talk “I’d like to thank the organizers for giving me an opportunity to speak with you today. I’d like to present some of the work our group has done on …” The next thing I know, I’m looking at an acknowledgment slide and taking questions from the audience. I apparently made a few jokes while I was in the middle of my talk (science-y jokes that fit right in?), and just rolled right through it.
I’ve spent the last few weeks terrified of what was going to happen, and now that it’s over, the relief is incredible. For my troubles, I’ve got a few vacation days left in hawaii (typing this as I stare at the ocean on waikiki beach) to enjoy before I head home…and have to give the talk again on Thursday.
Rward
3344
I’ve just applied for … potential death…
from http://www.life2thelimit.com/
In April 2010, ten ordinary people will leave behind family, friends, and the comforts of home, and embark upon an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. Armed with nothing more than the contents of a five-litre backpack, they’ll set off for the raw beauty of the Asia Pacific archipelago, and 30 days alone on a remote island. Except they won’t be entirely alone: they’ll have snakes, insects, and thick tropical jungle for company - and, most challenging of all, each other.
No film crews, nothing, Just you and 9 other people have to survive 30 days on a deserted island! Each person does get a camera and notebook that you need to write stuff down in, and there are 2 floating video cameras if someone wishes to use them.
Besides that the group is all alone on the island.
Can you get a good swing with the floating video cameras? Might be useful as a pre-emptive strike.
Kalle
3346
If you kill the others on day one you get all their stuff.
WarrenM
3347
Find the toughest guy there and kick his ass the first day. Don’t think about it, just start swinging. Then sit on the throne and enjoy the rest of your island vacation.
You couldn’t pay me a million bucks to do that. Have fun though, Rward!
Rward
3349
I was thinking that by being the only person to take along a 9mm…
floating video camera’s - not actually “float on water” but to be used by anyone (as opposed to everyone getting their own camera)
Damn, I hope I get in!
Looks like an absolutely mental experience. Hope you get on it and best of luck if you do!
Houngan
3351
How do you apply to be on the trip? I only see the “info about” links.
H.
Juste
3352
Didn’t know they were filming another Battle Royale movie. Best of luck to you!
Does the donations page mean that there’s no big media corporation behind this and that only $1200 has been raised to fund the whole thing?
Scrax
3354
That means no med evac too!
Rward
3355
On this page http://www.life2thelimit.com/lt2l-participants.php click the “YOU??” links or here, http://www.life2thelimit.com/contact-life-to-the-limit.php , click "for applications " on the left (in green).
I’m not sure how the ‘money side’ is working…
walTer
3356
Wow, good luck. Oh and what Warren said :)
Very hard core…
I’m with Juste - Battle Royale or perhaps Crimson Labyrinth come to mind here. Good luck, and trust no one!
Jojo
3358
Sunday afternoon was rudely interrupted by 2 police helicopters circling overhead, 7 police cars parked outside our house, and various police officers with automatic weapons taking cover behind a parked car outside my house. We have a bi-polar guy living a few houses away, who regularly needs paramedic and/or police “attention”. This time, someone called 911 and said he was in the road firing a shotgun, so all hell broke loose. Turns out he was shooting cans with a BB gun…
I guess I’m glad that the local police take him so seriously, and are so keen to protect us.
Those kinds of false positive police reports have always worried me since guns are so invisible in a lot of the country and people are ignorant about them now. I’ve never let myself get into that type of situation of course, but it would suck given modern police department over-reaction and poor situational analysis.
You say this like it’s a new phenomenon of some sort. People giving the police garbled reports is as old as, well, the existence of police.
Again, you seem to be asserting that there’s some sort of new problem here. What’s your evidence for this? Beyond a general sense that things were better in the good old days, I mean.
