Blood Almost Boiled

Ok. My blood almost boiled just now. Told a groupmate that he has to add this, this, this. In the end? Yes. He uploaded his draft early. This is good. We can all look through before discussion tomorrow. Then again, what is the point when there are so many important points missing?

I provided a review paper that he can refer and through email, I suggested several points he can include to make the report more substantial. Well... either he did not read my mail, or he is trying to hoodwink me, hoping I can add in the missing part for him - he did not add those points in. Instead, he adding a part that another person was supposed to do (this is really "icing on the cake")! However, based on my knowledge of his character, he is not that kind of irresponsible person (He better not be!). Ok... the overlap part is useful in that we get to compare both their materials tomorrow.

What really gets me is that I explicitly, in black and white, suggest to him what to write. Since we are no longer kids and I am not their senior but their peer, I do not want to "police" them. I have no rights to do that anyway. I can only give suggestions and gave them as such.  If they have other ideas that they think will work, it is fine with me. Unless it is stated as project requirement, I did not (to my memory) insist they include any material I said or simply accept my judgment unless it is agreed by the majority.  After all, I am not perfect and I believe I can learn from them. People who do not take into account the views of others but obstinately believes they are right will probably get no where.

As seniors, I believe that we should be able to perform tasks to a certain level, especially after clarifications and reaching a consensus. However, I think what I am getting is something more akin to a junior level work standard - fresh into a new environment, do not know what to expect. Yes. Everyone will go through a phase when they grow up and make mistakes. But a mistake of this scale at this point of time (after 3 years in the system)?

I think I will go nuts if I ever become a teaching assistant and have to mark the assignments of students. We need to take some initiative to do things that we think will improve the state of matters, in addition to what we are told/suggested to do. I do not see myself as better than others intellectually. However, increasingly, I have come to realize that what differentiates me from them is the willingness to go the extra mile to get the job done and to make sure I have done the work properly. Anyone can achieve this right? It is not something that is inborn.

Comments on Recent Scientific Issues on Newspapers

If you have been reading The Straits Times for the past few days/weeks, you would have come across these stories:

1. Forum letters arguing whether vegetarian diet will help save the Earth or disrupt the ecosystem.

2. A column claiming women should not be scheduled for night shifts.

3. Protests against approval of marketing of genetically-modified salmon by FDA.

Comment on issue 1: Based on my understanding, current studies have shown that eating vegetables conserves more resources than eating meat. I have no doubt that is true. Just look the food chain. How much feed do you need to supply a cow with just to rear the cow so you can the meat. So, should we all turn vegetarians? To save the Earth? Yes. I believe saving the Earth is important. But have anyone considered the enormous economic problems if everyone becomes vegan will bring? What will happen to all the farmers rearing animals if we all turn vegetarians? You do not want to solve a problem, but generate a new problem. To those who claim current methods of farming is unnatural, please do not take this accomplishment by mankind lightly. It is an achievement born out of the need to feed billions of people. Unless you are saying the very existence of human is the bane of the Earth, then I do not see why you should criticize such intensive farming. They exist because we need them to exist. As for the impact of ecosystem, who are we to claim if we do this, we are "restoring" it to natural state? Have you considered the impact of a large scale cultivation of crops? How different is that compared to rearing of animals? As a species, human have progressed far beyond any organism on Earth. There is basically no comparison for the impact human have on our environment. Yes. You can write about "restoring natural state" in your exam essays. But please do not put up such things in an international conference to chart environmental protection efforts. My view is: Yes. If you feel going vegetarian is good for you, go right ahead. If you feel you should persuade people to go vegetarian, you can go ahead, but pay attention to whether your audience is interested - otherwise it will seem like nagging. Nobody likes to be nagged at.

Comment on issue 2: After reading the column, all I agree is melatonin suppresses breast cancer. What is the problem if we sleep during the day and work at night? There is still a night-day cycle needed for production of melatonin right? Before we jump the gun and call for a stop to night shift, I think we at least need to establish a mechanism for this day-night cycle and melatonin. Instead of a complete stop, perhaps a reduction of hours of night shift  is a better measure until more conclusive evidence surfaces.

Comment on issue 3: Ok. I just found out the inventor of GM salmon is a professor at a local university whom I have seen several times. Yes. It is too early to tell the effect of consumption of GM food. These effects are likely to vary, depending on the method used to generate GM food. The FDA should allow labeling of such salmon as GM food so consumers can make a decision. It is true that consumers have the right to know and to choose. Making decisions for the consumers (when consumers have clearly shown their preference for labeling) goes against the role of FDA, which is to protect the safety of consumers, particularly since safety of GM food is inconclusive (it seems to be safe, with the exception of potential allergic reaction thus far). To those who lobby against GM food, your concern is valid. However, there is not yet evidence to show GM food is unsafe. Also, we should not be influenced too much by movies. All the chimeras, "evil" genetically altered organisms, are just designed to interest you in paying the tickets to keep the movie industry afloat. I almost burst into laughter when a local Chinese newspaper put up a picture of a chimeric animal in an attempt to portray the danger of genetic engineering. Yes. There are potential hazards. Then again, generating such a "monster" is extremely difficult and who will fund such research in the first place? There is genuine cause for concern regarding genetic engineering and various governments have started to look into the issue. We should not let irrational fear or ignorance impede us from making progress of such useful technology.

Feeling the Stress

Ok. The stress has started to hit me. Experiments are way behind time (thanks to "worms"). Load of notes not yet gone through and memorized. Concurrent projects with datelines close to each other. My getting fat (can feel the fat around my waist) and getting more and more drowsy (probably due to lack of sleep. 6 hours and less is just not enough for me.) Perhaps the only consolation is that I have no other commitment (or maybe that is bad...)

The strategy to tide over all these is not to think of how much I have left, but how to accomplish everything. Things looking daunting when you think of every thing. But if you look into how to tackle them individually, they will appear simpler. Rationalize the problem is the key. Rather than complain and whine, it is better to find a way out of problem. Rise to the challenge. Fight all the way!