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  • Living Forever

    January 23, 2005

    An interesting article regarding the theories of one Aubrey David Nicholas Jasper de Grey, a computer scientist turned self-taught natural scientist turned theoretical biogerontologist. He theorizes that there are 7 obstacles to immortality (heavily excerpted below):

    1. Loss and atrophy or degeneration of cells. This element of aging is particularly important in tissues where cells cannot replace themselves as they die, such as the heart and brain.
    2. Accumulation of cells that are not wanted. These are (a) fat cells, which tend to proliferate and not only replace muscle but also lead to diabetes by diminishing the body’s ability to respond to the pancreatic hormone insulin, and (b) cells that have become senescent, which accumulate in the cartilage of our joints.

    3. Mutations in chromosomes. The most damaging consequence of cell mutation is the development of cancer.

    4. Mutations in mitochondria. Mitochondria are the micromachines that produce energy for the cell’s activities. They contain small amounts of DNA, which are particularly susceptible to mutations since they are not housed in the chromosomes of the nucleus.

    5. The accumulation of “junk” within the cell. The junk in question is a collection of complex material that results from the cell’s breakdown of large molecules. Intracellular structures called lysosomes are the primary microchambers for such breakdown; the junk tends to collect in them, causing problems in the function of certain types of cells. Atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, is the biggest manifestation of these complications.

    6. The accumulation of “junk” outside the cell. The fluid in which all cells are bathed—called extracellular fluid—may come to contain aggregates of protein material that it is incapable of breaking down. The result is the formation of a substance called amyloid, which is the material found in the brains of people with Alz­heimer’s disease.

    7. Cross-links in proteins outside the cell. The extracellular fluid contains many flexible protein molecules that exist unchanged for long periods of time, whose function is to give certain tissues such qualities as elasticity, transparence, or high tensile strength. Over a lifetime, occasional chemical reactions gradually affect these molecules in ways that change their physical and/or chemical qualities.

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    p>A lot of the article is devoted to the author’s impression of de Grey himself…I honestly haven’t yet finished it, but it’s nevertheless an interesting idea that immortability, by this man’s estimate, may be achievable in 25 years. Via Slashdot.

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    DSri Seah
  • Blocking Comment Spambots

    January 22, 2005

    I’m trying the plugin wp-hashcash, which is an anti-spam plugin for WordPress. Up to now, I’ve been using ThreeStrikesSpam to catch suspect comments before they go live, which has worked pretty well. However, it creates some additional work for me.

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    DSri Seah
  • Crazy Rabbit

    January 22, 2005

    Visit Site Stumbled upon Crazy Rabbit, a neat bit of Flash featuring a rabbit that, upon mistaking the mouse pointer for a carrot, takes matters into his own hands. Don’t let the rabbit catch the cursor!

    The hosting site, esc you, looks pretty cool too with a lot of illustration and 20-something European oddness. I don’t understand it, but I dig it.

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    DSri Seah
  • NordicTivo

    January 21, 2005

    I love it when this happens: four problems, one solution! 1. Too many shows piling up on the Tivo, not enough time to watch! 2. Duncan’s NordicTrak occupying space in my basement, unused and unreturned for three years! 3. Burgeoning waistline! 4. Joining an activity group that will require a lot of running around come springtime!

    The solution: Watch Tivo in my basement while on the NordicTrak!

    Friday night’s trial run worked quite well for the season premiere of Monk…a 45 minute session without having to really think about it. Will it work for Battlestar Galactica or (perhaps the ultimate test) a week’s worth of reruns? Stay tuned!

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    DSri Seah
  • Personal Horoscopes

    January 21, 2005

    Photo by Nelson Manoel My friend S. had this great idea about writing your own horoscopes. I didn’t get it at first…it seemed that writing your horoscope was cheating, but actually it makes a lot of sense. You end up seeding your day for things you want to think about, or intuitively think might have some value. There’s also the sense of mystery and anticipation, plus it’s actually fun to throw something out there crazy to mix things up. Who knows, maybe it will lead to a new line of work. I like how it takes narrative concepts and puts them in the real world so that “Life Imitates Art”.

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    DSri Seah