The Adventures of Accordion Guy in the 21st Century

Today, I’m going to this city…

…and more specifically, this building…

…to attend this event…

…because one of the awardees is a friend of mine from all the way back in high school:

Here’s André’s writeup:

Dr. André Fenton, is a Professor of Neural Science at New York University. His research focus is molecular, neural, behavioral, and computational aspects of memory. He studies how the brain stores experiences as memories, and how the expression of knowledge activates information that is relevant without activating what is irrelevant. Dr. Fenton’s lab recordings of electrical brain activity are elucidating the physiology of cognitive control, learning to learn, and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, intellectual disability and autism.

In an effort to integrate investigations and understanding across levels of biological organization, the Fenton Laboratory uses genetic, molecular, electrophysiological, imaging, behavioral, engineering, and theoretical methods, to investigate these fundamental and interrelated issues in neuroscience.

Dr. Fenton and his colleagues identified PKMzeta as the first molecule that maintains the persistence of memories in the brain, a discovery recognized by Science Magazine as one of the 10 most important breakthroughs in all of science and technology published in 2006.

Dr. Fenton founded the Bio-Signal Group Corp., which developed and commercialized an FDA-approved portable, wireless, and easy to use platform for obtaining medical quality EEGs anywhere, anytime, and for everyone. It is being used in innovative clinical applications, including emergency medicine, space exploration, and underserved clinics in Africa. He co-hosted NOVA Wonders on PBS, and is now developing a way to detect and warn about concussion.

Here’s the “Meet André Fenton” segment from NOVA Wonders:

We’re having a “boys’ weekend” as a group of us from high school congregate in DC to cheer André on at the awards dinner tonight, followed by touring around DC tomorrow. There may be some drinks involved.

Congratulations and well done, André! We’ll see you tonight!

Click the photo to see it at full size.

We’re on a corner lot — this is the view from one side of the front yard, looking eastward down our street. Our street has a lovely canopy formed by oak trees, and it’s probably a contributor to Tampa’s being one of the world’s top cities when it comes to tree cover.

Of course it would be Starscream (and Ravage as the cat). I love how they switched out the food on the table with energon cubes.

Thanks to Todd Lamothe for the find!

Click the image to see it at full size.

You’ve probably heard of South Dakota’s latest campaign to raise awareness of methamphetamine addiction: “Meth. We’re on it.”

If not, you might want to check out these stories:

• Washington Post: “Meth. We’re on it,” South Dakota say in ridiculed ad campaign that cost $449,000
• New York Times: “Meth. We’re on it”: South Dakota’s anti-meth campaign raises eyebrows
• FOX News: ‘Meth. We’re on it’ campaign rolls out in South Dakota to confusion, ridicule
• Bring me the news: Minneapolis ad agency ‘proud’ of South Dakota anti-meth campaign

Here’s the “Meth. We’re on it.” TV ad:

This isn’t South Dakota’s first questionable public service announcement rodeo. A few years back, they had the ill-conceived “Don’t jerk and drive” campaign:

It’s a poor double entendre — the joke meaning is easy to get, but it’s really hard to tell what they really mean by “jerking and driving.” It turns out that it’s the tendency to suddenly the steering wheel when you start to skid on snowy roads.

Here’s their TV ad:

Naturally, this campaign didn’t last very long before it was —ahem — pulled.

• Argus Leader: State to pull ‘Don’t Jerk and Drive’ campaign
• Star Tribune: South Dakota pulls ‘Don’t Jerk and Drive’ safety campaign
• New York: South Dakota Yanks ‘Don’t Jerk and Drive’ Ad Campaign
• TIME: South Dakota Pulls ‘Don’t Jerk and Drive’ Ad Campaign

Here’s an astute observation made by Steven Trustrum for those of you who feel that people these days are “too sensitive,” “politically correct,” or “just a bunch of SJWs”:

Notice how it’s white people who tend to say “People these days are too sensitive. Remember when people could say what they want and people were thick-skinned enough to not freak out?”

Here’s the thing: Such times never existed.

What you actually remember is a time when you could be an asshole to people who society systemically discriminated against and they were too afraid to tell you that you were being an asshole because, if they did, society (including the police) would take your side and punish them for standing up to you.

What you’re experiencing now isn’t people being “too sensitive.”

You’re experiencing a time when sufficient equality exists that people can now safely tell you what an asshole you are.

Feel free to spread this screen capture far and wide: