They're after your blood

It's true. They are. They're quite up-front about it as well, and ask for your blood without any qualms.

But it's alright, because 'they' are actually the National Blood Service, the blood-bank from which the NHS and private hospitals in the UK are supplied. I've never thought about it, but there must be fewer volunteers to donate blood at this time of year, when so many people are on holiday or occupied with looking after the kids whilst school is out. In addition, people who go on vacation in places where there's a risk of malaria, sleeping sickness, or other blood-borne diseases, are automatically excluded from the pool (or blood-bath?) of potential donors for a period of time. If you've visited the US of A or Canada, you're asked not to give blood until at least a month after you've returned to this side of the Atlantic. It's good to know how careful they are about blood collection, but that means they're a bit short right now.

That they're a bit desperate is evident as I've had two letters, one e-mail and a sms message asking me to book an appointment (I'm a regular, so they have my details on database). The only reason I hadn't was because I couldn't get through on the hotline! I have now, so I have an appointment with a needle, a pressure cuff, and an empty bag next week (shiver).

One of my friend's sisters had an operation, a kidney transplant, last month, and she needed blood transfusions for that. I wonder if what I give will be enough to 'cover' that? Probably not.

It's not so bad giving blood really, though I still get a bit nervous about it. But, being a student, the free biscuits and drinks you get after (not to mention a stunning, highly fashionable, sticker to decorate your t-shirt and engineer sympathy) are enough of a lure. Like my friend says, I'm a cheap date ;P But if that's not enough of a lure, surely the fact that you're helping to save lives is?

Facebook whispers

Haha one of my friends has just experienced the scary gossip-monger effect that is generated via Facebook. Having decided to whittle down the personal details on his Facebook profile, he removed his declaration of singledom - and promptly activated a chain of messages from inquisitive friends speculating on who the lucky girl was. Oddly, as he pointed out, his removal of his political alignment and religious views didn't quite generate the same effect.

I fell prey to the same 'Facebook whispers' (my coining) phenomenum at the beginning of last year when, three months after I joined Facebook, I decided that actually, I didn't want everyone to be party to so much personal information. Being a relative late-comer to the world of Facebook, I hadn't realised how much store people put into the changes of status made to your profile. Hours after removing the information that I was 'in a relationship', I received several messages and phone calls from friends commiserating on my broken heart. As my heart wasn't, in fact, broken (at least, not yet) I was a bit bemused.
Funnily, a few months after this event, a high-school friend of mine left a message on my Facebook wall, jokingly asking when I was going to get married. Despite deleting the message as soon as I saw it, I was obviously too slow to stop the gossip-chain, as someone else wrote 'what, you're engaged?!!' on my wall. That took a few days to resolve. ('The Wall', for the uninitiated, being the electronic equivalent of a notice-board where other people can read the messages left on it).

Anyway, the moral of the story is, at least for me anyway, to use Facebook with care. Some of my friends don't use Facebook, for various reasons, many concerning privacy and data protection issues. Fair enough. I still use it, but I minimise what details I put on my profile and only fill in forms with basic information which is easy to obtain from other sources anyway.
The good thing is, any gossip dies down quite soon, because someone else in your network of friends inevitably falls foul of the gossip-mongers and Facebook stalkers fairly quickly. It's the online equivalent of the trashy tabloids.

China 5.12 earthquake strips (by Coco Wang)

My friend forwarded me a link to some comics strips depicting some of the human stories from the days directly after the 5.12 earthquake in Sichuan, China. The comic strips are simply drawn, but very touching, and very moving. The stories tell of the bravery and determination of the rescuers and people who sacrificed themselves to protect others. Although reports of the devastation and massive rescue efforts, these individual struggles really went home to my heart.

The panda story made me laugh though, especially after the tears I'd already shed.

The aftershocks of the major earthquake in May are still vibrating through Sichuan. The aftershocks of all the deaths and damage caused will carry on vibrating through millions of people's lives through this generation and the next. Let us not forget not only the losses, but also the bravery and love of the Chinese people.

I've just got back from a weekend away - without doing any of the work I took with me of course. I feel better for the break, though that might have something to do with the ridiculous amounts of sleep I've had. How am I going to get back to having 'only' eight hours of sleep a night? But I'm looking at the piles of work I have to do now, some of which is due in tomorrow, and I may slip back into sleep-deficit again. Ah well

Anyway, can anyone guess where I've been?

olympic handshaking

Today's the opening day of the Beijing Olympics 2008, in case you've missed that part of the news. Actually, although it's been impossible to miss the fact that the Olympics are being held in China this year, given all the anti-China protests and debates over the last few months, you may have lost excitment for the games themselves.

All the debate about whether China is 'fit' to host the Olympics and activists decrying that having the games in Beijing is against the spirit of the Olympics.... given that the original Olympics were only open to free men who spoke Greek (so no peasants please) and women were barred from even attending, I guess that's a good thing. And don't forget the Berlin Olympics in 1936, were the Olympics revived to forward the 'Aryan' ideal only?

Ok, so perhaps that is an unfair point - but if the spirit of the Olympics is to bring athletes together and promote global unity and fair, friendly, competition, then the violence of some of these protests is the real issue that has spoilt the Beijing Olympics, if anyone feels that they have been defiled. There are many problems, including human rights issues, that need to be addressed by the Chinese government, and pressure from the global community is what is needed. However, before condemning others, perhaps we should examine our own actions and motives first?

Personally, I think that it's too soon for China to host the Olympics - maybe in 8 or even 4 years time I would have felt more comfortable with it. I worry that in both social reform and economic terms they may do China more harm than good. However, I'm pleased to see how well the Chinese government has handled the earthquake disasters this year and even the free-Tibet protests that have made so many headlines. If anyone condemns me for that view, consider how far China has come in the last 20 years, and then attack me. I stand by my opinion.

Today should be a hopeful day though, both for China but also for all the competing athletes! Let's not forget the hard work and training that has gone into the games and instead celebrate that. How better than with an Olympic handshake - an commitment 'to hold ALL our governments to a higher standard of peace, justice and respect for human dignity', one you can also join in with. I'm still proud to call myself Chinese.

Enjoy watching the games! I hope they broadcast the badminton....

Danger alert

Today's new phd comic is very fitting. John has been let loose in our lab. We did clear his desk for him first, to reduce the danger potential [think radioactive plants (though under a lead-lined perspex box), syringe needles and razor blades]. We have a summer student and a visiting PhD student, and John likes to use the opportunity to put a lab coat on and show them what to do. We would feel a lot safer if John wouldn't keep explaining how to make liquid nitrogen and dry ice bombs, and wave his hands around whilst holding bottles of toxic chemicals.

We've printed the comic strip out and stuck it to his door. I think he may get the hint.

mystery sender

Ah ha! I've finally worked out who's been sending me presents at my Manchester address. Your latest gift betrayed you - only two people know what my favourite perfume is. Thank you ^_^ I remember telling you that they don't sell it anymore, where on earth did you get hold of it? And thank you for the plums. Now, were you also the mystery sender of those flowers back in March?

I know if I were to thank you directly you would just deny it, so I won't. But still, thank you.
But why can't you send them to my Cambridge address instead?!! ;P

....eeee I'm so ungrateful I know :P I'm very happy really, absolutely, completely. Can you send me those hazelnut mint love letter wafers next time? Or Gundam.....