What has the world become, pop may now be classified as a killer, right along with Fen-Phen. This is a world in which I am not sure I want to live in. A recent study has indicated that Sodium Benzoate, a common preservative in pop (including Mountain Dew ) as well as pickles, and sauces may cause cell damage. Professor Peter Piper of the University of Sheffield has shown that Sodium Benzoate can cause damage to the mitochondria of yeast cells. While I am certain that much work has to be done before this is conclusive and I am certain studies will be released that indicate the opposite, this study does seem to bother me for reasons that are not quite logical.

However, I question the motives of Peter Piper. I am not quite certain why he wants to bring these studies to light when it is well known that he likes to pick a peck of pickled peppers (which likely contains Sodium Benzoate).

-Trevor

Well I am back from Yosemite (actually last week), but I have been pretty busy at an economics conference and then packing back up to MN for June. I will get the pictures I took up when I get back. Always so much to do and so little time .

-Trevor

For my very loyal readers, I will be at Yosemite for a few days. After first looking into Yellowstone, due to lack of personnel as well as a few time deadlines, a friend and I are going to head up to Northern California for a couple days. I won't be bringing my laptop, so I wouldn't necessarily expect current updates, but it is not as if I have been updating this blog recently anyways.

Sorry to hear about your own nose bleeds Charlie.

-Trevor

Unlike Curt Schilling's 2004 bloody sock symbolizing strength of character, my recent foray into bloody clothing was not really a testament to anything but bad luck. I really love Tucson for the great weather as well as the lack of allergies, well except for about three weeks out of the year. During the three weeks during the spring, I am plagued with a bad runny nose due to "outsiders" bring their damned foreign trees to Tucson. Coupling allergies with dry weather is a recipe for a bloody nose.

Yesterday after class in one of my courses, my professor offered to take us out for lunch (there are only four students). We went to a Thai restaurant and I ordered the Garlic Chicken. While the food was great, it was a tad spicy (for me). The spiciness along with my allergies made my nose run. After lunch, we were talking and while I was drinking out my glass of water, I felt a drip out of my nose. My initial thought was that some snot dripped out of my glass; that was no problem, I could merely stop drinking. Unfortunately, my nose decided to pick a rather embarrassing time to start dripping blood into my clear plastic glass of water. While the professor was particularly kind at "avoiding" to acknowledge this situation, it is hard to ignore someone who is stuffing a napkin up his nose as well as having red stains on his shirt. Ultimately I did not die and besides having to spend time cleaning up a rather messy bathroom sink, I survived.

Unfortunately, there is no moral of the story, or at least not one that I can think of; maybe I could be a telecommuter and avoid all physical contact, but I suppose avoiding the occasional public bloody nose is not worth the loneliness from the lack of physical contact with others. Bloody noses are certainly a bitter pill to swallow for contact with other people .

-Trevor

I was glancing through a forum when I was reading that someone had noticed that Google Earth gives some great directions on how to get from Tucson to London. No I am not planning on follow the advice. Check out step 40.

-Trevor

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