Saturday, June 25, 2011

Writing Biotechnology Scientific Reviews

 I just wrote my very first Scientific Review for my Biotechnology Writing class this morning. Very early this morning like from 2 to 6 am.

I had dreaded doing it wasn't into it at all in the beginning. I had started it several times this past week but life and school and four kids kept being to big of distractions to let me get very far. By Tuesday I had most of the researching done. I found several articles about transgenic food and allergies in children. They were all very interesting and informative. I read them several times in my false starts that got nowhere with actually getting started.

I think that it actually was a blessing for writing a Review paper to have read the articles so many times. I knew what they said and could easily put them into my own words for the review by the time I sat down this morning to write it.

What I had dreaded was the rules and the abstract. Which is funny in a way because I had already written an abstract for the class and the rules are good guidelines that really give every scientific paper a consistency that allows them to be thorough and interesting. It may have been more of the distraction issue again. It was definitely easier to get homework done when the kids were in school. Either I may have more all night writing sessions in my future or I'm gonna have to take it out of the house for a few hours like go to the Library or somewhere.

I was amazed when I started to write ad then finally after the second time through editing looked at the clock to see that it was 7 am and I had been writing for five straight hours. Well, reading and writing and a little more researching of some facts then of course editing and doing the final formatting.

The awesome part was I was writing and doing all that for five hours and it just flew by. When you are doing what you love to do time flies and it doesn't seem like work at all. I love to write whether it is my thoughts, a business report, a guide, instructions, grant proposals or scientific writing, it is all writing and even though sometimes I have issues getting going I always find that in the end no matter what kind of writting I am doing I really love to do it!

I can't wait to someday get paid to do what I love that will be the best!


So here are some links that could help you if you want to learn about writing scientific reviews.

Finally I will get my paper "More needs to be Done to Protect Children from Allergenic Transgenic Food" posted for anyone who is interested in checking it out on my online portfolio 

Have a great day and please leave me a comment let me know, What have you been writing lately?

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Writing in HTML

I'm just finishing up my very first HTML class and I have come to a few realizations.

  1. People who write in computer code are still writers like me, they just use a different language.
    • I always thought that writing in code was something completely different than writing a document. 
    • Writing an entire site requires knowledge of more than just HTML one must learn CSS and PHP too, similar to writing a great document requires knowledge about the subject and background which may include learning the meanings and backgrounds of words.
    • Computer code requires one to not only be a good writer but also to be visionary and creative thinking not only of the wording but of graphic design also, much like creating a good magazine layout.
  2. Writing code is much like writing a report or document.
    • First you need an idea, a sketch or an outline of what will be written and how it should look.
    • Good content always makes a better document, there are structures to follow in code just like in writing a sentence in English.
    • Editing is not just a necessity but with code if it isn't correct it won't work.
  3. Writing code can actually be pleasant.
    • Once a style sheet has been created and a basic page layout, the background work, then the code that creates each page is much easier.
    • I love writing and expected to dread coding but was happily surprised that I like it.
    • Graphic design is always present in writing layouts and is also important for a good webpage and I love designing pages and places to look nice.
    • It has come in handy for my blogs, my black board posts and in other places that I hadn't expected.
If you would like to see what I did for my HTML class I would be proud to introduce you to my live online website. It is called Easy Sales Shop and I will be using it to sell things that I have made and maybe someday things that other people have made too. 

Yes, I plan on taking more computer code classes. My degree requires it and my curiosity demands it. 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Net Neutrality

Have you heard about this thing called "Net Neutrality"? I hadn't before today and now I am all fired up. My fingers can't hardly keep up with my brain.

Okay so I am currently taking a HTML class and my teacher brought up this topic for our discussion for this week. He shared some really good links that I'll share with you too.

Wikipedia defines "Network neutrality (also net neutrality, Internet neutrality) is a principle which advocates no restrictions by Internet service providers or governments on consumers' access to networks that participate in the internet." Go there and read there is more too.

So the issue is that big businesses like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner Cable are lobbying our government to end net neutrality and let them control what they allow us to see ON THE INTERNET.

THAT IS JUST CRAZY TALK! I know it sounds nuts, here are some links where you can learn more.

Save the Internet.com So, apparently over 2 million people have heard about this before me and banded together so if you haven't already, go there. They also have lots of good information.

Common Cause.org another place where people are banding together to fight for our freedoms on the internet and another place where you can make your voice heard. (I really must be living in a cave with my head buried in the sand.)

Finally there is NetCompetition.org which is an e-forum promoting competitive internet choices for consumers. I love their counter in the upper right corner plus, yep, they have more good information.

So I beg you if you didn't hear about net neutrality like me and have been nose to the grindstone living your life oblivious to what is going on in the world around you, go read learn and decide for yourself.

Do you want someone else to decide what you can see over the internet?

Leave me a message and tell me, had you heard already? What are your thoughts?