Do You Hear What I Hear?

Cheers today to Jo for proposing a great idea of getting together this Friday after work to celebrate just being a lab. What a nice idea, especially this week! Please count me in and thanks again to you Jo. Yes, we heard you...


Hey... who can fill that last spot on the Liscum Laneconquerors (or Laneconquistadors as I prefer) this year? The day of our triumph (2/17/06, high noon) draws near and the team needs one more person. Do you think you can outbowl those departmental secretaries or that pesky history department? Please do volunteer.

Will Liscum make it? We missed him on the 2004 and 2005 teams.

Too busy with lab drama to post???

OK - I admit - I've been lurking. Trying desperately to keep up with the lab, but since I'm not an X-Files fan, don't have much to add comment-wise. So for those of us who need a Liscum Lab fix - more posts please..........

Anyhow - life here on Wisteria Lane is uneventful. Both of the F1s have been sick off and on for over a week - we had to take Abby into be tested for whooping cough (still waiting on test results, but I don't think she has it) and Ethan has been running a fever since Saturday. I'm about ready to disinfect the house with chlorox!

That's about the exciting news here - see why I need a lab fix??

Blog Going the Way of the Newsletter?

It's been ohhhh soooo quiet recently. Apparently I'm the only one with free time on my hands at 2 am....well just getting ready to hit the hay and thought I'd see if anyone has been on...nope, nadda, no one, not a sole.....quiet, silence, no news.

Here's to waiting for some more posts....

New Study: Auxins Do Not Relieve Nasal and Sinus Congestion Resulting from the Common Cold

UPI (12:43 AM EST) - A researcher at the University of Missouri-Columbia has reported that the plant morphogen auxin (chemical identity; indole-3-acetic acid) can now be conclusively removed from any list that it might be on as a possible cure or relief for nasal and sinus congestion resulting from the "common cold". Professor N. O. Sheet told reporters, "I thought it might be worth finally putting to rest an idea, kicked around for a couple of decades in select circles, that the simple phytochemical and plant hormone auxin might hold the cure to the common cold." Prof. Sheet said, "I recently caught a nasty cold and my head felt just congested enough to do some tests...I wasn't surprised at the finding. I read several scientific papers devoted entirely to the role of auxin in axis formation during embryogenesis, but it did absolutely nothing for my pounding head. If anything my head felt more like an explosion waiting to happen after the tests than before, although I don't have any statistics to support this contention." If Prof. Sheet's findings hold up to the scrutinity of the scientific community it is nearly certain that his chances of wining one of the top prizes in science will continue to elude him.

Gone With The War of the Coprophages

Sitting here watching an awesome episode of the X-File (The War of the Coprophages) about killer roaches from space - this is the one with "Bambi" the entomologist hottie - another sexy scientist to add to the list - and thought I'd add a post.

Well we had our run on the F1000 Top 10 Plant Biology papers list, as of today we got bumped off. In an ironic twist we got bumped by a paper I reviewed for F1000 on BTB proteins that was on the Top 10 Hidden Jewels and is now also on the Top 10 Plant Biology papers.

Time to get cracking on the next paper - I like being on these lists!!!!

Sweat dreams all.

Hanging On By Our Fingertips!

Well we've slipped to #10 on the F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Biology:

F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Bio

...but we're still hanging on...how much longer????

X-Files - A New Way to Lose Weight

Apparently one needs just find a find devouring mutant to date to lose SERIOUS weight! The present X-Files on tonight (2SHY) is one about a serial killer who uses digestive enzyme excretions to "devour" his fatty victims!! Only drawback - you don't survive this little proceedure, pretty effective though at removing weight.

Creepy scene...the killer was just having correspondance with his soon to be next victim (e-dating) and the camera panned up to show him licking his lips...what a stylistic touch. The X-files was classic when it was good.

OK, time to read something fun for a few minutes before bed (I'm feeling completely wiped out tonight - I think everythings catching up with this old body) since I've been working all night on my discussion for tomorrow's Plant Development class.

Trivia of the day (night): What was Shaggy's (from Scooby Doo) family name?

No Mark Estelle visit

According to Elizabeth Rogers, who I just spoke with, Mark Estelle will not be coming to campus for a seminar tomorrow and will thus not be meeting with our lab. Apparently his wife sustained an injury and he feels it would be better for him to stay home.

Just thought I'd pass this along...
-B

Starting that next trip around the sun

Well the birthday festivities are finally over and I can get back to work today to get ready for a very busy week.

Thanks to everyone who came out with me to Hooters on Friday, I appreciate the appearances very much. It was really nice to be surrounded by my friends from work at the beginning of this birthday weekend. We all had a good time including watching me fail at the hula-hoop. I include some of the much requested (including the hula-hoop episode) photos below.

Yesterday, I drove out to Lawrence to see Jason, Kelli and the new baby (see photo below). They are doing very well in their new place and getting settled in for a long semester (Jason's is just getting started next week I guess). Kelli will remain on maternity leave until early March when she has to go on the conference circuit, start writing up her data for publication and go through the comps. We shared a nice dinner in KC before I headed back to Columbia. I hope I'll have a chance to see them again very soon.

All right so much to catch up on, and so little time to do it.

Have a great Sunday everyone!
-B

Recovery Time!

Well no news from B today so I guess he's still go that goofy grin on his face from last night!! Actually I know he's on the road to visit Jason and Kelly (and baby). I hope Jo get's the Hooters pics up soon and they aren't obscured by fake boobies.

Remember all - we have a lab time with Mark Estelle on Monday (he's the IPG speaker this coming week).

BTW, the PNAS paper is holding on to the #6 position on the F1000 Top 10 in Plant Biology list:

F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Bio

NaCl & Latex - Did You Know You Can Find It In Great Concentrations in Columbia Outside the University?

Well tonight was our lab outing and like any good field trip - and yes even Renee will agree that this now constitutes a "science field trip" - I learned something new. I learned that one can find high concentrations of NaCl and latex in at least one place in Columbia that is not a University - Hooters!! I swear every waitress there was carrying at least a quart-n-half of NaCl and four good large gloves worth of latex!!

Beyond the learning experience I think everyone had a good time - I gotta give it to B and Jo, the wings are pretty good. While the hottest ones were best the milder ones had good flavor. B got a special "gift" for his B day, although I don't think it's what any of us expected - he got to hula-hop with the Hooter girls encouraging him on - they didn't partake in anyway - I venture to say B felt a little ripped off but I gotta say everyone else got their money's worth of the "Latino 2D Torso Shimmy" - I gotta get Taylor to give B hula-hop lessons.

Here's to modern cosmetics!

BTW, if you're familiar with the Howard Stern show you're familiar with the term "But-er-face", I think it's fair to say a lot of the Hooters girls have that syndrome - apparently they ran out of $ after the gloves and NaCl solutions!

Hoooo-De-Hooooooooo....

Well I think B is shaking with pure adrenalin-driven excitement today. Our long awaited (for B anyhow) venture to the new Columbia Hooters is nearly upon us. We should all take this as an opportunity to visualize the male of our species in a long lost jungle stalking habitat where bagging a mate was paramount to everything aside from eating (the latter of which is apparently easier to do at Hooters than bagging a mate!). Hmmmm, this seems like a science field trip to me...

Ready or not...

Just a reminder to all attentive readers of this blog eager for news about my birthday celebration (9th anniversary of my 18th birthday) at Hooters. I'm going to go forward with plans as they are despite some likely (though not confirmed) cancellations since rescheduling is a bigger pain. I will send out an e-mail to folks currently working in the lab as a reminder as well. All the fun will start at 5:30 PM though I'm going to get there around 5 PM to try and get a good table. If you're in Columbia and would like to come, please e-mail me (brc4yd@mizzou.edu) so I can get a bigger table. Currently, I'm planning on 6-9 people coming.

Take care all!
-B

Fahrenheit or Celsius??

Funny story. We got a new refrigerator yesterday. It has controls the top where you can see the actual temp inside the firdge and freezer. I asked the delivery guy if the settings could be changed to Celsius instead of Fahrenheit and he looked at me as if I came from outer space. After being in the lab for so long I refer to the fridge as 4 degree and the freezer as -20. However, tell me the temp outside in Celsius and I am running to get my calculator for conversions........ Anyway, I read the manual and I was indeed able to change the seting - so now I'm obsessed and keep opening the fridge to check the temp. I need a job........

Photo clarification...

I just checked out the lab photos on the Flikr.com link to the right (on my Explorer browser it shows up as just a white box)...I thus feel the need to clarify the caption for the photo of the Herr Dr Prof working in the lab...the caption reads somelike "working on a grant / funding the lab" - to be honest there is a 50/50 shot that at the time that picture was taken the boss was NOT actually working on the grant but taking a break to play a game of Euchre (setting a good example for the kids huh?) - look at the screen of the computer in the shot- doesn't look like a Word doc to me - the only other thing it could be is a screen of SwissProt modeling, in which case the boss WAS working on the grant. Actually now that I think about it I'm certain it was the later since the boss would never play Euchre in the lab!!

Watching X-Files again...tonight is a bigger than normal laundry night (I'm on my third and final load of the night) - tonight was monthly bath night for the kids so got lots of towels (they get really dirty after 20-30 days)...BTW, that was humor - remember it's often twisted!!

"This Is Going to Hurt Me More Than It Will Hurt You!"

Tomorrow is shaping up to be a good "dad day" - I have to take ALL three of my kids to Green Meadows tomorrow to get their flu shots!!! I can hear the growns from all those as excited as I (and my kids iy turns out) get about needles being driven into our arms. Taylor is currently the only child who knows we are "going to see mommy at er work". In fact I told her this morning (we've been planning this trip for a few days) not to mention the real reason for the thurs trip to her brother and sister - big mistake (hindsight is "20/40" as Dan Q. once said) - right before bedtime tonight she asks me in front of Kasey (who gets the most freaked about visits to the Doc): "Dad does Kasey know why we ARE REALLY going to visit mom tomorrow?" We some quick thinking got me out of that little moment without having to beat either child!

I'm not looking forward to teaching a class tomorrow with no syllabus even prepared, followed by an afternoon of screaming kicking children. ARRRRRRRGGGGGGG.....

OK, somebody else needs to break themselves away from their work to post something...otherwise I want to see thick notebooks of data in lab meeting tuesday!!! (Actually maybe I should expect that anyhow...there's a thought...I'll rumminate on that for a bit)

The Chicken's Cluck

Click link to see my hot Flickr.com pics reneemerri.

Blockheads, Geeks, Dog-Faced Boys & Fiji Mermaids

Nightly pre-bedtime post...just chilling watching a great episode of the X-Files..."Humbug"...it's the one with all the circus 'freaks'. They made so many good episodes the first few years.

Ahhhhh...the Geek was just chasing down the trailer park landlord's dog (Geeks eat anything...apparently including yippy dogs)...what the midget (ooops, little person) landlord catches him before the deed is done...but wait, the Fiji Mermaid attacks and kills the midget - ok it's not a Fiji Mermaid but really the twin brother freak to otherwise normal Vincent Schiavelli, who carrys his deformed flesh eating brother around in a sort of human pouch...sooo twisted. Gotta love it.

Ok, that's enough of my mindless posts of absolutely no interest to anyone and certainly capable of aggrevating Jo.

I think I'll join the circus....

When Its Done Well & Explained Clearly...Proteomics Rocks

If you didn't go to Scott Peck's talk (Scott is a new faculty member in Biochemistry, his group is on 2W LSC) you missed a killer talk.

We need to partner up with Scott!!

Fear

I log in last week .. 5 posts. By Monday.. 23 posts.

Again I say "Fear".

I don’t have your all’s witty repertoire (or, apparently, your free time >:), but in the famous words of Frasier, “I’m listening.” Nice lab fix for the Tucker Hall Slave to the Man.

-Bethany (the other B)

(Chirp.....Chirp....Chrip....Chirp.....)

Silence...???

I guess this means everyone is working hard. GOOD! I guess I'll be the lazy one to contribute tonight. Just sitting on my fat ass (and yes it is - just call me porker) watching UFC dummies beat the crap out eachother and switching between reading papers for Plant Development and trying to make some progress on the USDA proposal. Bed time soon...I'm feeling cranky and overtired lately (could also be stress associated with the upcoming semester - ARGGGGGG, starts tomorrow - and grant proposal deadline).

So apologies in advance for any moodiness I might exhibit at the lab - if it gets too bad, just say: "Get back in your office!!"

Mystery Revealed...Useless As It Is

OK, since Jo refuses to read the Blog thoroughly enough to "get it" but wants to weigh in with her sarcastic comments (NOTE: Jo I am just messing with ya here!!! Laugh now please!) I'll clear up MY movie trivia. My initial trivia question (what movie was the quote "They drew first blood, not me" from?) was posted in a "comment" to Renee's cheesy Swayze post and then I followed it with the Post entitled "Arrrdddiiiiaaaannnnnnnn". OK, the actor in common to both statements is Sly Stallone. Jo got the second movie correct ("Rocky") but because she failed to read the earlier posts/comments she mislead Renee as to the answer to the original quote from my wife's favorite movie: "Rambo: First Blood" - Alex actually answered correctly in one of the posts.

There you are Renee...string of thought to this answer was certainly not straighforward.

Peaked Too Soon?

Well after hitting #5 on the F1000 Most Viewed papers in Plant Biology last week our PNAS paper slipped to #6 O/N...I guess we've had our 15 min of fame for this month...WHO'S NEXT???

F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Bio

Uma In The Dark

Ahhhhh....what a great scene...the burial scene from KBII (on E-Mys)...that 2 minutes of darkness with Uma freakin' is worth admission - of course followed by B's favorite portion - Pi Mei teaching Uma.

OK, getting tired, as much as I want to stay up and watch the chick fight I can't do it....

Adddrrrriiiiiiaaaaannnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!

As per normal Renee has an observing eye...where are the posts from B? The Blog was Ullas' idea (great one BTW) and B was first to post (this too was notable!)...but silence since. While it's hard to argue that "silence from B ISN'T golden" (sorry B couldn't resist), I think we all need some B postings!!! Come on dude, buck up.

For R, the title to this post is a hint to my wife's favorite movie quote in the comment to the "Baby" post - the hint is: the same actor uttered (pun intended here!) both "Adddrrriiiiaaaaannnnnnn" and "They drew first blood, not me".

OK...waiting for more post (Hint, Hint B). BTW, we had a hit from someone outside the group.

NOTE ADDED AT 8:43 PM: Apparently B was writing a message about the same time I was and although it wasn't present when I posted it was actually sent before mine - thus his earlier post time. So I guess I can't be too hard on him...silence is rare though isn't it!!

Weekend fun! And a preview of what's to come...

No need to fear Renee, Brandon is alive and well. It's just Ullas, Amanda and myself hanging around the lab right now getting ready for the week and watching the kiddies trickle in to their dorm rooms. It was a warm Columbia afternoon and its shaping up to be a pleasant evening too.

To prove this isn't a posthumous letter, I include a snap of Ullas and myself from just a moment ago (he strokes the yeast with his loop and I'm screwing in the rotor). I guess you were right about the weekend romance possibilities. :-)


Left: Brandon at centrifuge
Right: Ullas at bench

Actually, I'm working this weekend, because I'm planning on being out-of-town next Saturday for my birthday to see Jason, Kelli and new Trajan and to have some fun in KC. This is to be preceded by a Friday evening get-together of lab and other 3W folk at the new Columbia Hooters restaurant. You see they have some of the most tender, succulent and luscious .... chicken wings and other delicious cuisine that it seemed a shame not to visit on my birthday weekend. And it wouldn't be right to forget all of my fellow 3W brethren for this special occasion either (In fact some people in 3W are Hooters virgins and have yet to ever go to a Hooters! I guess they didn't have fathers like your Ed that take a positive, active role in their son's life and take care of these things early on.). Well those deficiencies will be seen to forthwith.

Hope all is well with everyone else. Perhaps I'll go home now and enjoy those films on TV that everyone has been watching/discussing all weekend.

-B

PS I shall contribute when appropriate (mostly when I feel like it). Don't worry I cannot be silenced for long. Besides who isn't enjoying the hourly play-by-play of TCM's weekend line-up, associated commentary or thinking about whether my boss is running around without his wallet? :-)

Where in the world is Brandon Celaya??

I can't help but notice the lack of posts from our friend B, founder of the lab newsletter and the first to post here on the lab blog. So, what's up? Maybe there was a hot date this weekend and he's still recovering?? Maybe hard at work at the lab?? Maybe accosted by rednecks at Wally World?? Inquiring minds want to know...........

Get Yer Movie Fix - 31 Days of Oscar

Just flipping through the boobtube looking for something good to watch (I'm too lazy to get up and put a movie in!) and saw a comercial on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) for their "31 Days of Oscar" which starts in Feburary. Couldn't find the schedule but they are limiting ALL showings to Oscar winning films (something like 450 movies). Got to be a couple decent ones in there once and a while!

BTW, although Alex is clearly our resident film (and probably music) expert, I have to agree that Renee might give him a run for his money on cheesy 80/90's chick flicks (2 sisters or not Al!)...

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner"

OK - I can't compete with Mannie and Alex on the movie trivia - unless we want to venture into the chick-flick genre, but couldn't resist this "classic" movie quote when I turned on the TV to see Dirty Dancing. I finally got the kids to bed - and when Ed saw what I was watching he deserted me with the excuse of checking his computer for work. I figure he's probably reading Land Cruiser or Big Foot info on the net - but hey, it gives me a few minutes peace and quiet!

Anyhow - back to the chick flick - almost time for the big ending. (Athough there is an encore presentation next - may be a whole evening of Patrick Swayze for me!) Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Mars Attacks!

No surprisingly Alex got the movie trivia in last nights post (although it was damn easy and certainly not a challenge for him).

Hope everyone is having a good day - I managed to go to Wally-World at 2 pm to do my grocery shopping just to find that after an hr being there, getting everything I need, and getting in line, that I forgot my damn wallet - YES B. apparently age is catching up with me - anywho - back home and back for another satisfying hr at W-W to finish the job started earlier...not much fun.

Gotta check on the dinner...BTW, Alex the answer to your trivia is found here!

They're (Coming) Back...

Just got the girls to bed about 20 min ago and now sitting here watching Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate" - very under-rated psychological horror gem with Jonny Depp - and considering doing some reading for Plant Developmental Biol - just considering it mind you. Actually the thought of class starting next week makes me feel a bit light headed like I might blow lung butter...THEY'RE COMING back (to get you Barbara...name that movie).

Anywho...just my nightly post of useless drivel...am I abusing this Blog????

Sleep tight and don't let the Boogyman bite

Friend, Foe or Nutjob? Enigma Revealed

Well we got a response to our "2 Days and Going Strong" post query about the anonymous comentator - a comment was posted to suggest it was a nutjob, however I suspect now it was a Friend (actually family member).

Thanks Jim

Movin' On Up! (Cool News part 2)

Update to the earlier Cool News post - our paper is moving up the ladder - today it's #5 of the Most Viewed papers in Plant Biology. Check it out:

F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Bio


Keep up the good work troops!

Herr Dr Prof Rat King

Day 2 and Going Strong!

Well, just sitting at home reading Jen's manuscript and watching some dude f**king with sharks on Discovery Channel (the guy's name is "Manny the Shark Man"! Hey B- Manny looks like he still lives in the 70s!). Thought I'd check out the Blog. Looks as if people are checking it out - we have a response from "Mad Dragon" (our Korean artist and heavy metalhead) to the F1 post and Renee has already visited. Plus we have an anonymous commentator (friend, foe or nutjob???) Hopefully some more of our family will visit and leave some tracks!

OK, back to Manny the Shark Man & the enigma of the sphingolipid!

BTW, FYI - this post was a mindless type especially for Jo (sq'd) - Whatever man!

Almost as Good as a Webcam!

I'm with Jo on this one. I'm not a fan of blogs, but this is a great way to keep up on the lab gossip. Almost as good as a lab webcam! I had a great time visiting yesterday - wish I could have stayed longer and talked with everyone a little more. Maybe one of these days I'll get away without kiddos...........

(I posted this under comments earlier - I'm trying to get all this new-fangled technology figured out;)

Cool News!

The most recent paper from the Liscum Lab has made the "Top 10 Viewed Papers in Plant Biology" at the Faculty of 1000 site...we're #6...check it out:

F1000 Top 10 Viewed in Plant Bio


As our lab page says "Bringing You Quality Plant Biology Since 1996" - we're continuing to do so!!!

Welcome from the Herr Dr Prof Rat King

Kudo's to the Liscum Lab Rats...this is certainly an upgrade on the newsletter and will hopefully live a bit longer.

For legal reasons I want to take this chance to point out that this Blog is sanctioned by the Liscum Lab Rats and Herr Dr Prof Rat King ONLY and does not in any way represent an opinion of the University of Missouri or the CSB Life Sciences Center. It is meant to be a means of communicating with eachother and the outside world of science geeks bored enough to check us out (or former lab members trying to keep up with lab gossip)...

...visitors and members alike should feel free to use this Blog but please use some tact (not too much that would be out of character with the Lab)...but always remember no offense is EVER meant by anything Blogged by a member of the Lab or the Rat King, so please read our Blogs with interest but a sense of humor (ours is often crass and tends towards potentially offensive by some with thin skins - again no offense is ever meant!!!)

With these welcome statements of use...Off we go!! Have fun all

Lab alumni visit with F1 or are making F1's!!!!

Above: Jason, Kelli and Trajan

Below: Renee, Ed, Ethan and Abby
Well the blog is born so it is time to start adding to it...

Today we got a special visit from one of our lab's founding members, Renee Harper. Renee and her daughter Abby were in town for a brief visit and a chance to grab some Mexican food at El Maguey. Renee and the rest of her family (husband - Ed and son - Ethan) are doing well and adjusting to life in suburban Kansas City. Hopefully she will be able to come and visit us again very soon.

In other news, over the weekend Jason Barr, a former technician in our lab, welcomed a new baby son Trajan Robert Barr into his family. Jason's wife Kelli and the new baby are doing well and enjoying a brief period of maternity leave before Kelli finishes her Ph.D here at Mizzou and Jason begins his residency in pharmacy school at the University of Kansas. I think I speak for the whole lab when I wish them all the best in these first few months

I have attached photos, the first a card from Renee and her family from the holidays and also a picture of Jason, Kelli and their new baby Trajan.

Have a great night all!
-B

Our Very Own Lab Blog

This is Brandon here with the honor of the first lab post for our lab. A few years back I started a newsletter for our group, but to keep pace with technology I thought this blog would be much more up to date.

I, and other lab members, will be posting here with various exciting lab news and events here in the CSB Life Sciences Center at the University of Missouri. Please come back and visit for fresh updates and fun stuff!

-B