borowski hnrs 177 final blog compilation

HNRS177FINALBLOGCOMPILATION

RACHELBOROWSKI

ID:803679215

Professor:VictoriaVesna

HNRS177Assignment#1

Wow!Thevideosandreadingarticlesonthetopicofthe“ThirdCulture”werefascinating!IwillbeginwithanoverviewofwhatIunderstoodandenjoyedmostfromthegivenmaterials,andthenprovideananalysisandextrapolationbaseduponmyownexperiences.However,IfirststatethatIamaSociologymajor.ButIspentmyfirsttwoyearsatUCLAasanInternationalEconomicsstudent,beforethemajorwascut(duetoUCbudgetcuts)inthesummerof2010.

IfirstreadProfessorVesna’sarticle“TowardaThirdCulture,”whichwasnicelycomplementedandsomewhatsummarizedbyLecture#1.Bothcoveredthehistoryofthistheory,withargumentsbyC.P.Snow,AlduousHuxley,JohnBrockman,andothers.Thesewereveryinformative,butIwasultimatelymostinspiredbyVesna’sargumentthatartistscurrentlyhavetheroleofbridgingtheartsandsciences.Thisisan

interestingideathatsomewhatreflectsBrockman’sideathatcontemporarypeople(althoughhesays,contemporaryscientists)arethethirdculturealready,sothereisnoneedtocreateamiddleman.Vesnastatesthatalthoughtheyareinasomewhatprecariousposition–“Artistsusingtechnologyareuniquelypositionedinthemiddleofthescientificandliterary/philosophicalcommunitiesandareallowedpoeticlicense,whichgivesusthefreedomtoreinforcethedelicatebridgeandindeedcontributetothecreationofanew,mutantthirdculture.”Thisisagreatpoint,andsomethingveryexcitingforthefutureofart.

Onourcampus,itistruethattheartsandsciences(andthehumanities,too)areindeedseparatedbothinourmindsandphysicallyinthearrangementofourdepartments.Andtherearedefinitelystereotypesheldbyeachgroup,alongwithfeelingsofsuperiorityinsomeform.NorthCampusseesSouthCampusasableak,cementregionforsociallyawkwardandoverlyintensestudents.WhereSouthCampusstudentsseesNorthCampusasaplaceforjocksandsororitygirlswhodonothingblababouttheir

emotionsandopinions(seeSantaimagebelow).Indoingthisexercise,however,Ifounditmostinterestingtonotethatneitherofus(humanitiesorthehardsciences)includeArtmajorsas“oneofus.”Andthat,Ibelieve,isbecauseouruniversityhas(forsomereasonoranother)putthemintoaschooloftheirown.

IntheRSAnimateclip,theartistdiscussedthecreationofpubliceducationsystems,andwhythesesystems(fullofseparatesubjectsandcohorts)arenotanappropriateoreffectivemodelforteaching/learninginthepresentday.Thisintriguedme,asIrealizedthatmyfavoriteclassesincollegehaveallbeenmyhonorsclasses.Thesearenotmerely“harder”classes,astheywereinhighschool.Buttheyaresmall,interdisciplinaryclasseswithlotsofnew,interestingideasandagreatdealofgroupdiscussionandcollaboration.Nowondertheseclasseshadmyattention–Iwas“firingonallcylinders,”sotospeak.IthinktheHonorsProgramisontosomething!Someofmyprevioushonorsclasseswereincrediblyinteresting:acomboofstatisticsandpublichealth,acombinationoflinguisticsandneuroscience,andmanymore!IagreewithRSAnimatethatkids(andyoungmen/womenlikeus)learnbestnotby“anesthesia”(suchasADHDmedication)butbybeing“wokenup!”

WorksCited:

http://www.someecards.com/college‐cards/college‐final‐exams‐santa‐claus‐funny‐ecard

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/davinci1.jpg

http://blogmarketing.typepad.com/.a/6a010534998f56970b015431f4ab4e970c‐pi

HNRS177Assignment#2

Thistopicisverynearanddeartome.Fromtheageof15untiltheageof19,Ilivedwithchronicstomachpain,nausea,migraines,andfatigue.Severaldoctors,includingagastrointestinalspecialist,couldn’tfigureoutwhatwaswrong,soIspentthemajorityofthosefouryearonavarietyofmedicationsforulcers,intestinalspasms,andotherdigestivedisorders.Itturnsout,however,thatnoneoftheseweretheproblem.Aftermymomwasdiagnosedwithadairyallergy,herdoctorandnutritionistdecidedtogivemeabloodtestthatmeasuresallergicreactions(onascaleof1‐6)tothe100mostcommonAmericanfoods.Myresultswereunlikeanythingtheyhadeverseen.Ofthe100foods,Irankedata6fornearly40ofthem.IwasalmostallergictoeverythingIateonadailybasis:gluten,dairy,eggs,redmeat,peanuts,almonds,bananas,pineapple,vanilla,etc.Sincethen,mylifehasbeenentirelydifferent.Ihavenoteatenatafastfoodrestaurantintwoyears.Whenmyfriendsgooutforicecreamorpizookiesorpizza,IjusttagalongtohangoutbecausethereisnothingIcaneat.Beforegoingonweekendtripsorevenjusttocampusfortheday,Imustloadupmybackpackwithallofmy

specialfoodsfromTraderJoesandWholeFoods.Anaveragedayofeatinglookslikethis:turkeysausage,blueberries,soyyogurt,Chexcerealinabag,cashews,salad,andthenglutenfreepastafordinner.Despitetheannoyancesofthisdiet(andcravingthingslikedonutsallthetime),Icannotevenbegintoimaginethehealthbenefits(especiallycomparedtomychildhooddiet,whichconsistedoffastfoodatleastonceadayand

lotsofpop‐tarts,sugarycereals,andstore‐boughtcookies).

Infact,mydietisextremelysimilartothePaleoDiet.Forthosewhohaven’theardofit,here’sabriefdescription:“ThePaleodietisthehealthiestwayyoucaneatbecauseitistheONLYnutritionalapproachthatworkswithyourgeneticstohelpyoustaylean,strongandenergetic!ResearchinBiology,Biochemistry,Ophthalmology,Dermatologyandmanyotherdisciplinesindicateit

isourmoderndiet,fullofrefinedfoods,transfatsandsugar,thatisattherootofdegenerativediseasessuchasobesity,cancer,diabetes,heartdisease,Parkinson’s,Alzheimer’s,depressionandinfertility”(robbwolf.com).Peoplewhofollowthisdietdonotconsumeanygrains,dairy,refinedsugars,etc.Andafterseveralyearswithanutritionistandseveralallergybooks,IthinkIcanexplainthereasoningquitewell.30,000yearsago,thehumanbeingasweknowitcametobe.Helivedoffofnuts,berries,seeds,andmeats.But10,000yearsago,thehumanpopulationgrewtoolarge,andagriculturewasnecessarytofeedeveryone.Humansbegantocultivategrainsandconsumelargeamountsofdairy…buttheirbodieswerenotmeantforthesetypesoffood.Infact,somepeoplestillcannoteatthesefoods(iemanypeopleinAsiancountrieswheredairywasn’tintroduceduntilquiterecently).Butevenforthosewho“can,”therearemanynegativehealthoutcomesincludinginflammation,acne,unbalancedenergy(andbloodsugar)levelsthroughouttheday,excessweightgain,gas,andevenirregularsleeppatterns.Soundlikeanyproblemsyou’rehaving?Probably,yes.

However,thiscan’tbetheonlyreasonfortheriseinfoodallergiesandintolerancesacrosstheglobe.Infact,we’veseenagreatspikesincetheintroductionofgeneticallymodifiedfoods.From1997to2007,theprevalenceoffoodallergiesincreased18%,andallergy‐relatedemergenciesrequiringambulatorycareandhospitalizationnearlytripled(Branum&Lukacs1549).AnddespiteallofthepotentiallyincrediblebenefitsofGMOs(herbicide/pest/disease/coldresistancesotherewillbeenoughfoodforall)andnanofoods(withextranutrientsandflavors),I

believethatweshouldbewaryofthemuntilmoreisknownabouttheiraffectsonthebody,theenvironment,andeconomiesacrosstheglobe.Inaddition,IfeelthatallgeneticallymodifiedfoodsandnanofoodsintheU.S.shouldbelabeledinthemeantimesothatconsumerscanbeawareofwhattheyareeating.

WorksCited:

http://robbwolf.com/what‐is‐the‐paleo‐diet/

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the‐beginners‐guide‐to‐the‐paleo‐diet/

Branum,AmyM.,andSusanL.Lukacs."FoodAllergyAmongChildrenintheUnited

States."Pediatrics124.6(2009):1549‐555.Print.

http://nanotechnology174.wordpress.com/

http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo7.htm

HNRS177Homework#3

GeneticengineeringisawaytotransferdesirabletraitsfromoneorganismtoanotherusingrecombinantDNAtechnology.BecauseallDNAismadefromthesamefourbases(adenine,guanine,cytosine,andthymine),wecantransfergenesamonganimals,plants,andevenmicrobes.Forexample,youmightrememberourdiscussionlastweekabouttheintroductionofantifreezeDNAfromfishintothegenomeoftomatoestomakethemhardierincoldweather.

In2009,theFDAissuedaguidefortheagricultureindustryregardingtheregulationofgeneticallyengineeredanimals.Thisguideexplainsthefederalregulationoftheseanimals,andalsoprovidesrecommendationstohelpproducersmeettheir“obligationsandresponsibilitiesunderthelaw.”However,ithasbeenpubliclypublishedtoalsohelpthegeneralpublicgainabetterunderstandingofthisproliferatingscience.IntheironlineQ&Asheet,thisishowtheFDAdescribesthethreemajorpurposesofGMOs:

BiopharmPurposes:Geneticallyengineeredanimalsareintendedtoproducesubstances(generallyintheirmilkorblood)thatcanbeusedintheproductionofhumanoranimalpharmaceuticals

TransplantPurposes:Geneticallyengineeredanimalsserveasasourceofscarcecells,tissues,andorgansfortransplantationintohumans(thisisknownasxenotransplantation)

FoodSources:Geneticallyengineeredanimalsintendedforhumanconsumptionmaybedevelopedtobediseaseresistantortohaveimprovednutritionalqualities

Althoughallofthesereasonsseemverybeneficial,they(andespeciallythethirdbullet)haveraisedagreatdealofcontroversy.AndIwouldsaythatthethirdbulletmakesmewaryaswell.Theprimaryreasonforthis(actuallynotedby“Hope”inStrangeCulture)isthefactthatGMfoodsintheU.S.arenotlabeled,whiletheyareinothercountries.IwouldfeelmuchmorecomfortablewiththeideaofGMOsifIactuallyknewwhenandwhereIwasconsumingthem.

ToprovideabriefanalysisofStrangeCulture,I’dhavetosaythatKurtzandhisworkoriginallyseemedextremelystrangetome.However,withintenortwentyminutesIwascompletelyonhisside.Toseesomeonelosehiswifeandhiscareerandhismostbasicrightswithinaspanofafewhourswasdevastating.Atfirst,theconfusionoftheFBIwasunderstandable.ButIbelievethattheyfelttooashamedtotakebacktheirdecisions,andhadtocontinuediggingforanyformofevidence–evendowntosomeArabicwritingonaninvitationtoanexhibitatMASSMoMA.Intheprocess,theydestroyedhishomeandhisreputation.ButIrespecthowhardsuchabrokenmanwasabletofightback,notjustforhimself,butalsoforthefieldofart/sciencethathebelievestobesoimportantandimpactful.

http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/developmentapprovalprocess/geneticengineering/geneticallyengineeredanimals/default.htm

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm113605.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_engineering

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/dna/dna.htm

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/4935

Borowski,Rachel

HNRS177

29April2012

HomeworkAssignment#4

IlovedNoaKaplan’sart,especiallyherlarge‐scalerepresentationsofcoffee,sugar,dustbunnies,andpollen.Inmymind,thesedidexactlywhatshehadhoped–to“re‐enchantthingswetakeforgranted”andmakethemonamassivescalesothatwecanactuallyinteractwiththem.Igreatlyadmirethetimesheputsintoherwork,andcannotimaginehavingasmuchpatienceassheseemstopossess.Shedoesextraordinaryamountsofresearchtostudyallaspectsofherwork(physicalstructure,socialimplications,etc.)andthenspendsmonthstoactuallycreateeachpiece.Iliketohearaboutartwithabackgroundstorylikethis,becauseitmakesitmucheasierformetounderstand.Havinglittleformalinstructioninart,Itendtounderstandandappreciateartworkmuchmorewhenitsabstractionsareexplainedtomefromaperspectiveofpurposeandintelligence.

Fromhere,Ibegantoresearchpeopleandplacesthatwerestudyingmedicineandarttogether.Oneofthefirstpeopletocatchmyeyewasartistanddoctor,JohnSaito.Hestatesthat“Paintingkeepsmeattunedtomyemotions,myhumanity,andmycompassion.Medicineallowsmetovieweventswithascientificandclinicaleyeandprovidesbeautifulvisualstorecreateoncanvas.Althoughverydifferentinmanyways,artandmedicinehavefoundabalanceformethatisfilledwithbeauty,humanity,andwarmth.”Mostofhispaintingsshowpatients,theircaregivers,andevensurgicalproceduresthemselves.Hereisanexampleofoneofhispaintings,“TheHand‐Off,”whichdepictsanobstetricscene:

http://www.artinmedicine.com/

Oneareaofartandmedicine,however,whichintriguesmethemostisarttherapy.TheClevelandClinic,oneofthebestcentersinthenation,statesthat“performingarts,astheyenhancethemedicalenvironment,expressideasandemotions,andoffertherapeuticbenefits…because[art]comforts,elevatesthespirit,andaffirmslifeandhope.”Inmostinstances,apatient’sartisusedasaformofself‐expression,whichistheninterpretedbyatherapistandusedtodirecttreatment.The

focushereisnotonthedevelopmentofartisticskills,butinsteadontherevealingofapatient’sdeepestfeelingsandperceptionsthroughhis/herartworkandimagination.Otherfineartsarealsousedbecauseeachhasitsownabilitytoheal.Dance,forexample,“usesmovementtofurthertheemotional,cognitive,physicalandsocialintegrationoftheindividual.”

http://projectfocus.org/educate/art‐therapy.php

(ArtTherapyforChildreninUganda)

http://findmeacure.com/2010/06/12/dance‐therapy/barbara_snook_leads_a_dance_therapy_class_in_duned/

(DanceTherapyClass)

Resources:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/arts_medicine/default.aspx

http://www.artinmedicine.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_therapy

http://www.adta.org/

Homework#5:MidtermPresentation(seeotheremailattachment)

Week#6Blog:DifferentPerspectivesonLivingLonger&LookingGood

Thisafternoon,IvisitedKathyBrew’s“GoingGray”installationatthe10thAnnualISGSymposium.Itwasaveryneatexhibitwithavarietyofmediumsrangingfrompopularmagazines,adsfromthemid‐1900s,asongbook,aGoogleimagescreenshot,boxesofhairdye,demeaningwordsonawall,andavideowithinterviewsfromsixmedicalspecialists.Thecommonthemewasthetopicof“graying”andhowpeople(especiallywomen)usecertainmeasurestohidesignsofaging.

Itwasinterestingtonotethatallofthespecialistsprovidedasomewhatdifferentreasonbehindthegrayingofhumanhair.I,however,foundGeraldWeissman’sreasoningtoseemthemostvalid.Hestatesthatourhairfolliclesproducehydrogenperoxide(ableachingagent)throughoutourlives.Butatacertainage(usually45orso),ourbodiesstopproducingthecatalasethatdestroysit.Withnomorecatalasetostopit,thehydrogenperoxidebleachesourhairbeforeitemergesfromourskin.Thegoalshouldbetopreventthistypeofoxidativedamage(whichalsodamagesourskinasweage)insteadofmerelyseekingtopreventorcorrectcolorloss.

Similartothis,nutritionistGaryNullandacupuncturespecialistWingTsangofferamoreEasternopiniononhowtopreventaging.TheyfeelthatAmericansarenotworkinghardenoughtoreverseaging(withhealthyeating,exercise,etc.)andaremerelyseekingtoerasethephysicalmanifestationsofage(withhairdye,botox,etc.)becausetheyare“addictedtocomfort.”Theybelieve,however,thatitisessentialtomakeyourselflookgoodfromtheinsideout.Forexample,youwonthaveahealthyoutwardappearancesuchascleareyesandyouthfulskinunlessyouputtheproperingredientsinsideyourself.AnneMcEaney,apsychologistwhofocusesoneatingandbodyimage,feelsthatapersonmusthavetheproperattitudeaboutthemselfandpositiveenergyinordertoattractothers.Allinall,itisclearthatpeoplewanttolivelongerandlookyoungerthaneverbefore.Andthisholdsespeciallytrueforwomen,whoareoftenlookeddownuponastheyage,whilemenwithgrayhairmaybeseenasmoreknowledgeableandexperienced.

Therearemanybeliefsabouthowtolivelonger.But100‐year‐olddoctorRobertBazell(stillpracticingatUCSF,seephotoabove)doesn’tfeelthatexercise,vitamins,orfrequentcheckupsaretheanswer.Insteadherecommendsfallinginlove,gettingmarried,andhavingchildren.Anotherarticleonwellbeingseemstosupportthisnotion–“Love,inallitsmanifestations,isunarguablythegreatestemotion.Lovingandbeinglovedmakesyouhappier,stronger,andlivelonger.”Thislove,however,doesn’tneedtobejustaspouse–itcanbeloveforapet,achild,hobbies,orevenyourreligion…anythingthatcausesapersontolivelifetoitsfullest,feelhappy,andactasasortofmeditation.However,sexhasbeenlinkedtolongevityandwellbeing,sotheremaybeanadditionalbonustolovingaromanticpartner.Someofthebenefitsofsexincludethefollowing:stressrelief,increasedimmunefunction,improvedheartfunctioning,increasedself‐esteem,andbettersleep.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/vp/43903066#43903066

http://completewellbeing.com/article/love‐to‐live‐longer/

http://www.webmd.com/sex‐relationships/features/10‐surprising‐health‐benefits‐of‐sex?page=3

Borowski,Rachel

HNRS177

20May2012

AlanTuringBlog

“AlanTuring’sHistorical&ContemporaryImpactonWar”

OnSeptember3rdof1939,BritaindeclaredwaronGermany.Withinoneday,AlanTuringarrivedattheBritishcodebreakinghouseinthetownofBletchley(justbetweenOxfordandCambridge).ItwastherethatheworkedwithanotherCambridgemathematicianbythenameofGordonWelchmantodesigntheBombe,amachinetobreakEnigma‐encipheredmessagessentbytheGermanmilitary.ThiswasjustthefirstoffivemajorcryptanalyticadvancesthatTuringdevelopedduringWorldWarII.Thesemanycontributionshavebeencreditedwithshorteningthewarbyseveralyears.Evenbeyondthat,Turing’sworkandhispositionasaninvaluablelinkbetweenBritainandtheUnitedStatesfrom1942‐43haveshapedtheglobalpost‐warorder.

Iwillfirsttakealookatthelatter.AfterJapanandGermanydeclaredwarontheUnitedStatesinDecemberof1941,Britaingainedaverystrongally.However,Britainhadbeenfinanciallydependentuponthisally(America),especiallysincelosingallcontrolofitscolonialandcommercialruleinAsia.Thus,Britaindidnothavemuchtooffer…exceptforTuring’ssuccesswiththeBombe.TheU.S.demandedtoknowallaboutit,soTuringtravelledtotheUnitedStates,whereheworkedwiththeU.S.navyasthefirstevertop‐tiertechnicalliaisonbetweenthetwocountries.

Thegeniusofhisworkhasbynomeanslostvalueinthelastseventyyears.Infact,hisideasledtothedevelopmentofthefirstmoderncomputer.AndhismathematicalformulasarebeingusedtodaybyscholarsatUCSDto“improveautomaticspeechrecognition,naturallanguageprocessing,andothermachinelearningsoftware.”

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombe

http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/scrapbook/ww2.html

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/501440/

http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/scrapbook/ukusa.html

(UCSDProfessorAlonOrlitsky)