Author's Note|First Post|Previous|Next
last episode with Dr M’Mullen
GLOSSARY
The Spaniard recovered from her confusion, steadying on her original tack and firing again. Several shots tore up the water near the Badger’s bows, and Philip saw that they were now using chain.
“He means to cut our cable and let us drift ashore, then range along and hit us with his guns, like,” said the master from his spot by the wheel, “the bloody bastard, begging your pardon, sir.”
Captain Fitton did not reply, but put his glass to his eye to scan the Spaniard’s quarterdeck, looking for the captain. He saw a flash, followed by a small but blinding explosion, and he dropped his glass, clapping his hand to his eye.
For a moment, or a minute, or an hour, it was all he could do not to cry out. A second explosion, much, much larger than the first, knocked him down, and as he picked himself up he realized that the guns had stopped firing. Still holding his streaming right eye shut, he opened his left eye and say why. The Spaniard had exploded. The blast had utterly destroyed the aft half of the frigate and as he watched the fore half capsized so the Philip looked down on her deck. Dozens of men scrambled up the tipping deck as it rolled over on them and, with a groan, sank form sight.
Author's Note|First Post|Previous|Next
last episode with Dr M’Mullen
GLOSSARY
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Friday, November 26, 2010
Preventing Wheel use
<- From
Instead of simply limiting the number of wheels that the child has, we could allow her to have the wheels, but not allow her to use them to make cars. We can do this in a few ways.
First, we can sequester the wheels, perhaps by putting them all in a bag that she can’t open. Second, we can stick something to each of the wheels so that they won’t fit into the cars. Finally, we can stick something into the cars so that the wheels no longer fit. The body uses each of these methods as well.
Instead of simply limiting the number of wheels that the child has, we could allow her to have the wheels, but not allow her to use them to make cars. We can do this in a few ways.
First, we can sequester the wheels, perhaps by putting them all in a bag that she can’t open. Second, we can stick something to each of the wheels so that they won’t fit into the cars. Finally, we can stick something into the cars so that the wheels no longer fit. The body uses each of these methods as well.
The Lego® Model of Pharmacology
In understanding drugs and how they work, it can be helpful to think of the body and its atoms as a giant set of Lego® bricks[1]. A child can use Lego® bricks to make buildings, space ships, cars, etc; and the body can use its atoms to build muscles, bones, signaling molecules, etc. Moreover, just as the child can disassemble her building and then use the bricks to make a car, the body can disassemble its muscle and build bone. Of course, the car requires special bricks (e.g. wheels) which aren’t needed to make a building, and bone needs special atoms (e.g. calcium) which aren’t needed to make a muscle: the number of cars the child can make is limited by the number of wheels she has, and the amount of bone the body can make is limited by the amount of calcium available.
This last point is important. It means that if we want to regulate the number of cars that the child makes, we only need to regulate the number of wheels we allow her to use. We might do this because we have too many cars, and don’t want any more, or we might do so because we don’t have enough buildings (or space ships, or bridges) and want to conserve our bricks to make those instead of cars.
In the body, if we want to regulate the amount of bone we make, we can regulate the amount of calcium there is to make it with. We might do this because we have too much bone, and don’t want any more, or we might do so because we don’t have enough of something else, and want to conserve building materials to make, say, muscle.
Pharmacology (the science of drugs) manipulates the body by interfering with the way it uses its atoms. Continuing with the Lego analogy, drugs are the equivalent of another person adding or removing bricks to the buildings, cars, space ships, etc as they’re being built or after they’re finished; or adding or removing bricks from the box of unused bricks.
[1] Lego® is a registered trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies, which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site
This last point is important. It means that if we want to regulate the number of cars that the child makes, we only need to regulate the number of wheels we allow her to use. We might do this because we have too many cars, and don’t want any more, or we might do so because we don’t have enough buildings (or space ships, or bridges) and want to conserve our bricks to make those instead of cars.
In the body, if we want to regulate the amount of bone we make, we can regulate the amount of calcium there is to make it with. We might do this because we have too much bone, and don’t want any more, or we might do so because we don’t have enough of something else, and want to conserve building materials to make, say, muscle.
Pharmacology (the science of drugs) manipulates the body by interfering with the way it uses its atoms. Continuing with the Lego analogy, drugs are the equivalent of another person adding or removing bricks to the buildings, cars, space ships, etc as they’re being built or after they’re finished; or adding or removing bricks from the box of unused bricks.
[1] Lego® is a registered trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies, which does not sponsor, authorise, or endorse this site
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Quentin Tarantino
Overheard: "It was like a Quentin Tarantino for teenagers."
Does this mean that Tarantino is high-end art?
Does this mean that Tarantino is high-end art?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Professional driver, closed course
Just about any car ad on TV these days features the disclaimer that the car is being driven by a professional driver on a closed course. The point of this, as I understand it, is that we non-professional drivers, driving on roads with other vehicles also present, shouldn't attempt to get the car to do what is being shown on TV. And in cases where the car is spinning through snow and sleet, or slaloming through pools, this makes sense. Skidding conditions are by their nature unpredictable, and the risk of an accident is real.
But the other day I saw that disclaimer on an ad where a car merely drives down the street. Does this mean that their car is so unsafe that a lay driver can't safely drive it down the street? That being so, why are they bothering to sell it in the first place?
But the other day I saw that disclaimer on an ad where a car merely drives down the street. Does this mean that their car is so unsafe that a lay driver can't safely drive it down the street? That being so, why are they bothering to sell it in the first place?
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Selected work-order problems and solutions
Below are the stated problems and solutions for several work orders filed on our ambulances and facility over the years.
Problem: [Ambulance] 56-B2 left inside rear tire almost needs replacement.
Solution: Almost replaced 56-B2 left inside rear tire.
P: Ambulance 3: Something loose in patient compartment.
S: A 3: Something tightened in patient compt.
P: Mouse in driver’s-side outside cabinet ([ambulance] 56-B2).
S: Cat installed.
P: [Ambulance] 56-B2's engine is missing.
S: 56B2 - engine found under hood after brief search.
P: Ambulance 2 (56B1): Lots of dead bugs on windshield.
S: Amb2: Ordered live bugs for windshield.
P: 56-B1: Evidence of brake fluid leak near front right wheel.
S: 56-B1: Evidence removed.
P: Building’s front door lock causes door to stick closed.
S: That's what it’s for.
P: Amb. 2 siren volume unbelievably loud.
S: Ambulance 2 siren volume set to more believable level.
P: Ambulance 2 handles funny.
S: Ambulance 2 warned to straighten up, drive right, and be serious.
P: Abnormal seepage near cylinder 3 glow plug (Ambulance 3)
S: Amb3 - seepage is normal. Cylinders 1,2,4,5,6,7 and 8 lack proper seepage.
P: Stairs to landing by rear building door rusted – I think they may fall.
S: I think you're right.
P: 56-B2 - Cat found in left outside compartment (behind driver’s door).
S: Dog installed.
P: Building lights hum.
S: Taught building lights the lyrics.
P: Ambulance 3: Noise coming from behind suction unit when on - sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: A3 - Took hammer away from midget.
Problem: [Ambulance] 56-B2 left inside rear tire almost needs replacement.
Solution: Almost replaced 56-B2 left inside rear tire.
P: Ambulance 3: Something loose in patient compartment.
S: A 3: Something tightened in patient compt.
P: Mouse in driver’s-side outside cabinet ([ambulance] 56-B2).
S: Cat installed.
P: [Ambulance] 56-B2's engine is missing.
S: 56B2 - engine found under hood after brief search.
P: Ambulance 2 (56B1): Lots of dead bugs on windshield.
S: Amb2: Ordered live bugs for windshield.
P: 56-B1: Evidence of brake fluid leak near front right wheel.
S: 56-B1: Evidence removed.
P: Building’s front door lock causes door to stick closed.
S: That's what it’s for.
P: Amb. 2 siren volume unbelievably loud.
S: Ambulance 2 siren volume set to more believable level.
P: Ambulance 2 handles funny.
S: Ambulance 2 warned to straighten up, drive right, and be serious.
P: Abnormal seepage near cylinder 3 glow plug (Ambulance 3)
S: Amb3 - seepage is normal. Cylinders 1,2,4,5,6,7 and 8 lack proper seepage.
P: Stairs to landing by rear building door rusted – I think they may fall.
S: I think you're right.
P: 56-B2 - Cat found in left outside compartment (behind driver’s door).
S: Dog installed.
P: Building lights hum.
S: Taught building lights the lyrics.
P: Ambulance 3: Noise coming from behind suction unit when on - sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: A3 - Took hammer away from midget.
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