Friday, April 06, 2012

Cleaning out the office

This summer my building on campus will be renovated with an updated heating and air conditioning system to save energy. This means I have to clean out my office by the end of the semester! Today I started emptying out old notebooks and throwing away old papers. 

I came across class notes from one of my first graduate statistics courses in 1988. I did keep those, but I threw away others. I have decided that I will never pick up literature from conventions again. I never use it, even the best stuff. I found editions of computer texts going back three generations. No more computer books. 

Also, when I leave a job I need to throw out the old research files. I will never come back to those projects again, for sure. 

I used to print out things a lot more. I found software guides that I intended to use again. All of that is online now. When this project is over I should have a less cluttered and encumbered office!

Posted via email from Black Gap Road

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Pink Slime Controversy

Penn State Prof says pink slime not bad; Facing Cancer Together 
I've been following the "pink slime" controversy in the news. I also listened to part of a Radio Smart Talk show on WITF, where they interviewed a food science professor at Penn State. The name of "pink slime" was just chosen to make people dislike the meat product. There is really no danger in it. If you eat meat you have eaten all of these products before. In a way, it makes sense not to waste this meat. It's better to use it than to throw it away. This name sounds like something chosen just to make people disgusted.