I recently came across a website, DNA 11, whose catchphrase is There is Only One Original. They are, of course, referring to you your genetic make-up which the company collects and creates artwork out of. It sounds absurd but this is how it works.
DNA 11 sends you a mouth swab that you use to collect epithelial cells from the inside of your cheek. You then mail these back to the company and they conduct a gel electrophoresis run of your genes. The results of this (the black and white bands …

Stephen Harper’s decision to shut down parliament has been met with criticism from all sides of the political spectrum. Is it a hugely political move? Yes. Is it to cover up the Afghan prisoner issue (that shouldn’t be an issue)? Yes. Has it hurt him? By all accounts, dramatically. The below poll by The Strategic Counsel explains how badly (source).
So where does that put us now. To understand that we have to start by understanding Harper’s strategy over that past 12 months. Since …

By far the one of the best experiences I’ve ever been a part of was attending the 2nd Annual Clinton Global Initiative University Conference in Austin, TX last year.

If you are a student bent on making a positive difference in the world then this is the place to get your start. This year, the 3rd CGIU is happening in Miami from April 16-18. It will undoubtedly be as awesome this year as it was last year. Participants will get to hear speeches from and interact with world leaders in many …

Well it sure has been a crazy 48 hours. That’s the biggest reason that I haven’t written one of these already. I wanted to take some time to let things filter out and crystallize a bit. Haste makes waste they say. That and throughout the whole process all I found myself wanting nothing more than a drink. Not the best mindset to be in when you have to weigh in on an issue such as this. But I believe I’m ready now to say what I think needs to be …

With all the debate going on in the US about ‘Obamacare’ and health reform it is hard for Americans to not make comparisons to other systems. The Canadian system has been used as an example by both the GOP and the Dems as an example of what we shouldn’t or should do. Naturally, as a Canadian I am willing to blindly defend our health-care as being the best in the world; after all, that’s what our politicians have been telling us for eons, right?
Today, the Conference Board of Canada released …

Open source technology has changed the world. The results of OST can be seen in programs we use everyday – Firefox, bitTorrents, WordPress. Leading programs are looking towards the masses for better, more adaptable solutions. But what happens when open source technology leaves the digital world and becomes physical?
That’s what researchers University of Bath are looking at. Lead by Adrian Bowyer, the team has created RepRap: an open source machine that is capable of creating (at least in part) a copy of itself.
You may have heard of three dimensional printers …

A little challenge I’ve given myself over the past couple days is trying to solve a cryptic crossword puzzle. What is a cryptic crossword puzzle? It is a type of crossword puzzle where each clue is a puzzle in itself. The real challenge of cryptics is actually figuring out what the question is asking you. Once you do this the answer becomes very quickly apparent.
Its been a fair challenge to figure out but I thought I would share with you what I’ve learned so far.

So recently feathers have been ruffled people have been causing a ruckus around an ad attempted to be published in the two major Calgary papers. The ad, produced by the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS), depicts a competing cowboy calf-roping a calf as a bully/baby relationship.
Peter Fricker of the Vancouver Humane Society on Monday:
We think the calf roping is one of the cruelest of rodeo events. We felt that there wasn’t any other major animal protection group taking on that issue at the stampede.
Obviously, whats good for the goose must be …

Happy Canada Day everyone.
Today is one of my favourite days of the year because we get to celebrate the 142nd birthday of our country. Its not just a paltry rip off of July 4th either, its the day we get to gloat about living in the best nation in the world.
As part of the day of civic pride, I thought I would share with you my favourite 5 Canadians. These are people who inspire me and we should all be proud of. The list isn’t in any particular order.

I’m pleased to announce UBC MIX’s first partnership: Science One Biology and HIST 104!

This partnership is a great one and the faculty involved are certainly diving into it head first.

There are several components to this partnership. I’m going to go ahead and outline what the plan is.