Mike Frizzell’s Weblog
Dec 9

Huge AIDS Breakthrough From UCLA Announced

We have demonstrated in this proof-of-principle study that this type of approach can be used to engineer the human immune system, particularly the T-cell response, to specifically target HIV-infected cells," states lead investigator Scott G. Kitchen, assistant professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of the UCLA AIDS Institute. "These studies lay the foundation for further therapeutic development that involves restoring damaged or defective immune responses toward a variety of viruses that cause chronic disease, or even different types of tumors.
via blogs.laweekly.com

Application is still a ways off, though.

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Dec 8

Reggae as Ethics: Rastafari Theology From Garvey to Marley

I've been on a Bob Marley kick lately, so this book caught my eye: Noel Leo Erskine, From Garvey to Marley: Rastafari Theology (University Press of Florida 2005). It's a fascinating and colourful exploration of the history and theology of the Rastas. In Erskine's analysis, the whole Rastafarian theology boils down to this: "God is an African" (p. 158) – so that "the central question the Rastas pose for us is where we stand in relation to Africa" (p. 5)

Read the rest here. Sounds like an interesting book.

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Dec 7

A Day of Infamy

Franklin D. RooseveltYesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.

Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

This morning, the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Headlines-WarJapan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

Filed under  //  History  

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Dec 7

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

6 December is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. Not only does this day commemorate the murder of 14 women at l’École Polytechnique in Montreal, but it also serves to remind us of violence against women on a daily basis.

As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.
via swc-cfc.gc.ca

Read more about this day here.

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Dec 6

Wired: 8 Reasons Hitchcock’s North By Northwest Still Rules

Punking U.N. security: Hitchcock was an old hand when it came to massaging studio execs into expanding his budgets, including that of North by Northwest. But getting clearance to film at the United Nations took vastly more clout. So Hitchcock went guerrilla and filmed Cary Grant entering the United Nations on the down-low, right under the noses of U.N. security and the New York Police Department.
Read the rest here.

Absolutely, hands down, North By Northwest is my favorite Hitchcock movie of all time, and pretty down close to my favorite movie period.

Filed under  //  Film   Hitchcock  

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Dec 4

The NYT top 10 for '09

Dimitri Rotov on the New York Times top 10 books of the year:

The Times roster is divided into five fiction and five nonfiction selections. (Book Ninja says these restrictive categories are used because they are the most advertiser friendly.) No independently published titles made the list (none) and the ten titles fall out among these corporations: Simon & Schuster, three; Random House, three; Penguin (Pearson), two; HarperCollins (NewsCorp), one; and Farrar, Straus & Giroux (MacMillan), one.
Filed under  //  Books  

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Dec 2

Against Camel Case

In my considered opinion, the juxtaposition of majuscule and minuscule in a personal name may be safely indulged as a prerogative of the human being, with all his individual strangeness, but to extend the same license to the fruits, literal and figurative, of human labor is another matter. Steep is the descent into orthographic antinomianism.
via nytimes.com

Crain's problem here is with (among other things) the way the word iPhone looks. I won't disparage anyone for their typographic beliefs (heaven knows I have a lot of my own), but in this case I think there is no problem. I see iPhone as a visual design choice, having nothing to do with readability. Just like the very popular ThinTHICK design you see all over the place, it is a design choice that has little to do with orthography.

Filed under  //  Apple   iPhone   Orthography   Typography  

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Dec 2

Quicksilver beta 57

Macworld is reporting that a new beta of Quicksilver is available (1.0 beta 57). Quicksilver was once part of my daily Mac routine, but it's been nearly two years since the last update and hasn't worked all that well in the past year or so. Let's hope this version works well in Snow Leopard so that I can get rid of Launch Bar or Google Quick Search Box.

 

Filed under  //  Apple   Mac   Quicksilver  

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Nov 30

Why the Holiday Suicide Myth Persists

You could blame George Bailey. In the 1946 holiday film It's a Wonderful Life, that fictional character contemplated suicide on Christmas Eve, possibly giving birth to the idea that suicides climb during the winter holidays.

But moviemaker Frank Capra had it wrong: Study after study shows no such link; in fact, suicide numbers peak in the spring and may even dip in December, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, the holiday suicide myth has amazing staying power.

via usatoday.com

It appeared this had been thoroughly debunked, but it seems to be making a comeback. See also this article at Snopes.

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