Bye, Facebook

I quit Facebook a few days ago. I really enjoyed my time on Facebook, too much. My evenings wasted away while I played with the site.   My Facebook habit must not exercise that much power over me.  Therefore, I canceled my account.

This blog remains my Internet presence.  Everyone is welcome to visit.  Please click in the upper right corner of the blog page if you wish to subscribe to my updates by email.

I wish you a Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of the Savior.

Alphabet made of glands

Enjoy a glandular font, courtesy of Dr. Ma. Ivy Clemente's Glandular structures from Fibroadenoma and Nodular Prostatic Hyperplasia cases.

Anti-energy drinks

from BoingBoing

Promising a "vacation in a bottle" or an "acupuncture session in every can," makers of anti-energy drinks, as they're known, say that after bailouts, foreclosures and Ponzi schemes, Americans nowadays would rather chill out than tweak out. To help us do so, they're spiking their new beverages with ingredients such as chamomile, melatonin, and valerian root -- all known for their supposed calming effects. Now in convenience-store display cases across America, drinks with names like Slow Cow, Ex Chill and Malava Relax are increasingly jockeying for space with their amped-up alter-egos like Jolt, Monster and Rockstar.
"It's my quest to relax the world," says Innovative Beverage Group Holdings (IBGH) CEO Peter Bianchi, who developed the anti-energy beverage Drank. "I saw America becoming more and more hurried. We are going to burn out after a while."

Timms Mill In Anderson, SC

We enjoy a wonderful Christmas gathering at Timms Mill in Anderson, SC. I like the bluegrass band and the fresh grits.


View out the window of the mill


Elliott and Simon entering the mill


This bevel gear can be used to join drive shafts at an angle.

Yes, They Really Are A Company

I think most scientists are familiar with Analtech.  They make chromatography equipment.  Does their name reflect marketing genius or simple naivety?  Decide for yourself.  I found a link to this article on Eric Berger's blog.  The article discusses the origin of their name.

Analtech faces certain challenges because of the "juvenile" humor that has developed in the past few decades and current web filters that may block the company name.

I also found this medieval video on youtube.  A damsel in distress, appropriately named Anna, uses an Analtech chromatography machine to discover forged documents. The video exemplifies nerdy wit with a nod to Monty Python.  Enjoy!

Horsing Around

A lady rides a horse downtown Walhalla this afternoon.

Clemson Geology Museum

Clemson University's geology museum is located on the grounds of the SC State Botanical Garden.  The geology museum recently opened the doors on Sunday afternoon to allow local families to enjoy the collection.  Simon and Elliott fancy themselves as amateur geologists.  They collect rocks from everywhere we visit.  The apple does not fall far from the tree.  My father still has a big rock in his yard that he and I picked up from Myrtle Beach in 1990.


Simon examines a rock sample at the geology museum.


Simon completes his paperwork.


Elliott joins Simon in the investigation.