Mark Frank

The truth will set us free. Opinions are my own. Facts are not.

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Anyone else coming back to Tumblr in light of the Twitter fiasco?

[thedreadpiratejames]

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The new kitties yawn in sync. Took these photos less than one minute apart last weekend.

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Climate change not an agenda | News, Sports, Jobs - Altoona Mirror

I am writing in response to the May 18th article entitled “HAHS science book sparks contention.” In this article, it is reported that two members of the H

In today’s Altoona Mirror, I object to Lois Kaneshiki’s characterization of climate science as the “green agenda.” On May 18th, it was reported that Kaneshiki and Ron Yoder, members of the school board, opposed the adoption of an AP Environmental Science textbook due to the manner in which it addresses anthropogenic climate change.

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“Sometimes, carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement.”

— Albert Camus, The Fall (via books-n-quotes)

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[sagansense]

Seriously.

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Climate change is a global injustice. A new study shows why. — Vox

The US is second only to India when it comes to the economic cost of global warming.

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So it’s been a while

Grad school has been keeping me busy. I am up for the qualification exam this Fall. Moreover, my research changed back in July from structural studies of NtrC to cellulose synthase complexes now. Currently trying to figure out how to get these guys to grow. This is Micrasterias, literally Latin for “little star”, it is a desmid, meaning it’s cells consist of two semi-cells separated by a narrow tube known as an isthmus. Sadly I have been having trouble maintaining my cultures long-term.

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Trump closes Climate Preparedness Agency

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX4BWOnrJZQ&feature=share

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Thumb drives finally live up to their name. 

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Image 1: The view from on top of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. It was quite windy up here, with gusts up to 35mph. Here I am looking southeast toward the Atlantic Ocean. 

Image 2: A nice perspective from the base of the lighthouse, I didn’t expect this turn out well with the sun in the background, but here it is! 

Image 3: Another view from on top of the lighthouse. 

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 Of course, what is vacation without good food? This was my favorite meal: Chargrilled salmon and shrimp with Teriyaki sauce at Bistro by the Sea.  It was very good! 

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I really like watching the sunrise. This photo will be published this Sunday in the Altoona Mirror. 

Location: Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, North Carolina. 

Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 6:25am.

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Encyclopedia: Useful Reference or Archaic?

I start in the Biochemistry Ph.D. Program at Penn State next month. I am doing my best to make sure I am 100% prepared. As part of my preparation, I've been reading the book "Getting What you came for: The Smart Student's Guide to earning a Masters or PhD." It recommends an encyclopedia, but it's dated (Windows 95 was state of the art when it was published). So I am considering purchasing Encyclopedia Brittanica on disc or online subscription, but is it worth $60 per year? I'm naturally skeptical of most websites and I only trust Wikipedia when I can proceed directly to the primary source. Brittanica is a highly reputable reference, but I'm not sure if I'll get much use out of it.

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqTOEospfo)

A very important video for the current political climate.

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Bernie Sanders has a PodCast

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With my undergraduate education completed, I took the time today to read a little bit more of “The Case Against Sugar” by Gary Taubes. So far the case is quite strong against the copious amounts of sucrose in the modern American diet.