|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| AcetaldehydeOrganic chemistry is unexpectedly more enjoyable than majority of my other sciences. I hated phsyics, biology is a headache, and I have yet to see what biochem has in store for me. (I can't wait) Organic chemistry is not that bad since it's pretty interesting other than the fact that you have to memorize tons of mechanisms. My ochem teacher is probably in his late 20's or early 30's and I would describe him as a punk rock nerd. He has thick black glasses, a tattoo under his right arm, earrings, and very tight shirts which he wears without fail everyday.
I walked into the classroom and sat down in the front row since our midterm is coming up and I needed to start paying attention. The lecture went as usual and as the end of class neared he began to describe Aldehydes and Ketones. For you non- chemistry people those are different names for structures that have oxygen with a double bond. We got to Acetaldehyde and he wrote a reaction on the board that went something like this:
EtOH ---alcohol dehydrogenase---> acetaldehyde -- acetaldehyde dehydrogenase---> Acetic Acid
He started out saying this will probably be the only personal thing he ever tells us in class (hes a real hard ass but cool) and says he did not drink at all in college but had a friend who did. And this person would turn extremely red or get sick quickly when she drank alcohol and he wondered why. Then his friend who was a fellow chem fanatic told him about this reaction happening in our bodies. The liver oxidizes the alcohol and coverts the alcohol to acetic acid but around 50% of east asian people (asians -__-) have a mutation in their proteins that carries out this reaction which catalyzes speed of this reaction to quickly turn alcohol to Acetaldhyde.
Acetaldhyde is very toxic and carcinogenic to our bodies. People who have this mutation usually have low reactive acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which is the second part of the reaction that converts it to acetic acid. With high productions of acetaldehyde and low conversions to acetic acid, people actually become very sick and red when they drink alcohol. Not due to "lack of experience" or mental state of mind. It is simply in their genes. Amazing. hahah well thats what I thought since I see red lil asians all the time and never knew why it happened. It is because of their genetics. Hope this was educating to you. If you even understood what I wrote. Oh ochem. Love hate.
-Albert
| | |
| Closing time.I've been working at starbucks recently as a part time job to make money while I get my things in order and it has opened me up to new experiences that I never knew before. After working there for several months, I have acquired many weird and sad stories but tonight i'll just tell you one that I will remember forever.
It was a hot summer night and I was tired from a long shift. The clock hit midnight and I give a little rejoicing sigh. I usually close at starbucks and when I first started they first taught me how to clean the lobby. I would sweep, mop, change the trash bags, etc. One of my main duties was to clean the bathroom by refilling the towels, wiping down the surfaces, and changing the trash bag. I was pretty good at closing the lobby after awhile and I thought that night would be like any other night however, it wasn't. As I started to clean the bathroom I noticed something pink and shiny on the floor. Something I had never see in there before. "What the hell is that?" I said to myself and bent over to take a closer look. I couldn't figure it out....I turned it over with my broom that was in my hand. "Is that blood? What the hell.."
And that was when I realized that it was a used pad on the floor. wack.
I mean I have seen them before but never used on a wet floor at a public setting. "What the eff! EVERYONE come look at this!" I yelled and bought all my coworkers to show them. They all ran over and illustrated their own disgust. The pad wasn't that disgusting but just the fact that a girl used it and threw it on the floor was just terrible. I immediately threw it away swept the floor and thoroughly mopped it to a nice lemony shine. When I think about it now it still grosses me out knowing that girls apparently don't care where they throw their used bloody pads away. Is that what girls really do wit their pads? Throw them willy nilly every where?! If so, then shame on you girls. Thats disgusting.
I have many more stories but another time.
-albert
| | |
| Oh wow I haven't logged into xanga in about three years. Poor xanga can't compete with the other giants in social networking sites like myspace and facebook. They need a new marketing strategy and a better competitive advantage. =) Since the fad isnt really webbloging anymore but posting up past social events where it looks like you're having the time of your life when in reality it was quite boring and unproductive like many of the things we do, I decided to utilize this website for fun again. Letting the world know what I think, which is usually oddly random at times. I hate following trends. Hopefully it'll be entertaining and not boring because the truth is no one really cares about these blogs sites hahah.
Today is another day and tomorrow will be another. But at least we're still here. My random thought of the day. Peace.
| | |
|
