Thursday, December 28, 2006

Dopo "casa Vianello"..."casa Vaccari"

Il giorno di Natale abbiamo videochattato con Milano, cosi ci siamo sentiti un po' a casa anche noi. Siccome stavamo preparando il pranzo di Natale, ho messo la webcam sul frigo cosicche' i milanesi ci potessero vedere mentre continuavamo a lavura'. Grazie alla valente matita dell'Alessiuccia, ora abbiamo una testimonianza di quello spettacolo. PS: la storia del cervello e' vera!



Alla prossima puntata!

Monday, December 25, 2006

Monday, December 18, 2006

Freddo!


Stamattina il termometro dava 1.1 C. Temperatura piu' bassa mai vista qui e prima volta che vedo il gardino gelato. La mari ha dovuto cercare qualcosa per tirare via la brina dal vetro della macchina. Cose mai viste...

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Ringraziamento

Lo scorso Giovedi e' stato Thanksgiving e, come bravi Americani abbiamo ringraziato. Abbiamo ringraziato cucinando per 4 ore e poi mangiando per altre 4. Il tutto nella piu' pura tradizione a stelle e strisce che prevede:

tacchino ripieno,
salsa di cranberries
puree di patate
torta di zucca
torta ai mitilli

Cosicche' con l'aiuto degli amici Baruzzi e Daggett abbiamo preparato ben DUE (2) tacchini da 5Kg l'uno, che come vedete hanno benevolmente posato con noi prima di essere mangiati.



Da buon grigliatore ne ho amorevolmente cotto uno sul mitico BBQ weber! Qui dicono che e' il futuro, anche se i tradizionalisti del takkino al forno storcono il naso. Notare la bandiera sullo sfondo...no, non e' la bandiera del messico.



Il risultato finale non e' malaccio....Conosco almeno un Milanese che mi ha detto di aver comprato un BBQ come il mio: caro LP, qui col weber ci fanno proprio di tutto. Vai a weber.com e impazzisci!



M. con l'aiuto di DD ha preparato la torta di mirtilli che qui vedete in avanzato stato di composizione. Una volta pronta, da brava Nonna Papera l'ha messa vicino alla finestra a raffreddare.



Alla fine e all'alba delle 4 della tarde ci siamo messi a tavola....



Buon appetito a tutti!

Saturday, October 28, 2006

David's Tenure Talk Reception

Sometimes also bosses have to pass an exam; That recently happened to mine and here's the pics of the reception that followed.


The cake carring the lab logo


"Imaginal disc" cookies* by Holly


"Neoplastic disc" cookies* by Saori

*cookies shaped to resemble healthy and tumorous internal organs of fruit flies' maggots. Oh yes, not only we work with them but we even like the idea of eating them.....

The boss after the effort

Friday, October 27, 2006

Tenure Reception Afterparty Pics

Some of my colleagues gratiously accepted to take care of the reception's leftovers..........






Disclaimer: Don't try this at home, especially if you are underage! Smoke some pot instead, it's much healthier.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Una Serata con Mr Severgnini

Qualche giorno fa il mitico Beppe (beppesevergnini.com) e' passato da San Francisco per promuovere il suo ultimo libro, "la testa degli Italiani" (intitolato "la bella figura" nella versione tradotta). Per l'occasione ha tenuto una lezioncina di un'oretta a Fort Mason.

Armato di un buon inglese (accentato British), una minicoppa del mondo e una buona dose di aneddoti divertentissimi ha intrattenuto una platea di Italiani e Italo-Americani.

Poco prima il nostro aveva allegramente autografato le copie del suo nuovo libro incluso la mia, che da buon pezzente, mi ero portato da casa. Da buon patriota mi sono presentato con tanto di felpa tragata Italia e borsa timbuk2 tricolore (fatta fare su misura).

Illo, nella sua infinita bonta' di santo protettore degli Italiani all'estero non si e' neanche troppo incazzato quando ho aperto la felpa, mostrando a lui, interistissimo, che sotto non ero nudo ma bensi' vestivo la maglia della da lui odiatissima Juventus.

Si e' limitato a puntare il dito verso il cielo e ad esclamare: "signore (Montanelli, ndr) perdonali perche' essi non sanno quello che fanno".

Un grazie a Franco Folini di BAIA (baia-network.org) per molte delle foto.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

I spik Googlenglish

To make it fast, I automatically translated the text of the last post with Google. Turns out I sound like Elena, our Russian friend from a couple of posts ago. Oh yes, machines can do the job with a touch of art. How else can you define the translation of the last sentence...

Here is the glowing piece of translation for all those puzzled non italian-speaking friends:

"The past settimana finally we have given ourselves to the crazy joy! We have made six days of vacation very. As the good Vigliucci says, perhaps e' hour of preoccuparci. Pelomeno pero' has been little, but good, as they say.
Foto1: M. and T. in rests to Coronado, the island of forehead to Saint Diego with downtown Saint Diego like background. We have tested with succeeding the new machine, covering 1200 miles (1920KM) for one medium of 23 miles for gallon, one sciccheria for the medium consumptions Americans (and here the equivalence e' a little impietosa one, but you hold account that e' two thousand, e' a heavy one, e' 4X4, we were little cargos, with the wind against, and the mountains, a bag of moschini sticks you to the windshield that weighted down to us….insomma 9.3KM/l in freeway for the miseriaccia!). However we have explored with succeeding the piece of Californian coast that we had not still seen, that from Los Angeles to Saint Diego.
Photo 2&3 T. and M. to Imperial Beach, hardly outside Saint Diego.
To part several the kilometrici spiaggioni classics to Californian we have uncovered a pair of nearly mediterrane pearls like spiagge of Laguna Beach in Orange County (the Photos here over) and the Jolla, shortly before Saint Diego. Warm waters - for the crystalline standards of the Pacific and, to make enough to declare to M.: “Ah, the bath it I can here even make!”. If it had not been for all those biondazze with the strarifatte breasts to ruin the panorama, would be just a paradise…"

Absolute genius.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Il giro della California in 5 giorniiii (a noi Phileas Fogg ci fa una...)

La setttimana scorsa ci siamo finalmente dati alla pazza gioia! Abbiamo fatto ben sei giorni di vacanza. Come dice il buon Vigliucci, forse e' ora di preoccuparci. Pelomeno pero' sono state poche, ma buone, come si suol dire.
Foto1: M. e T. in posa a Coronado, l'isola di fronte a San Diego con downtown San Diego come sfondo.


Abbiamo testato con successo la nuova macchina, percorrendo 1200 miglia (1920KM) per una media di 23 miglia per gallone, una sciccheria per i consumi medi americani (e qui l'equivalenza e' un po' impietosa, ma tenete conto che e' un duemila, e' pesante, e' 4X4 , eravamo un po' carichi, col vento contro, e le montagne, un sacco di moschini appiccicati al parabrezza che ci appesantivano....insomma 9.3KM/l in autostrada per la miseriaccia!). Comunque abbiamo esplorato con successo il pezzo di costa californiana che non avevamo ancora visto, quello da Los Angeles a San Diego. Foto 2&3 T. e M. a Imperial Beach, appena fuori San Diego.


A parte i vari spiaggioni kilometrici classici alla californiana abbiamo scoperto un paio di perle quasi mediterrane come le spiagge di Laguna Beach in Orange County (Foto qui sopra) e La Jolla, poco prima di San Diego. Acque calde -per gli standard del Pacifico- e cristalline, abbastanza da far dichiarare a M.: "Ah, qui il bagno lo posso fare perfino io!". Se non fosse stato per tutte quelle biondazze con le poppe strarifatte a rovinare il panorama, sarebbe proprio un paradiso...








Gran finale con Foto 5&6: il baywatch, peccato non la baybocc, a El capitan, nei pressi di Santa Barbara e un tramonto a Pacific Beach, San Diego.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

From Russia with Love!

This is the story if a transcontinental love affair between him, a friend of mine and her, the spy that came from the cold. I’ll refer to them as Giorgio and Elena, two obviously fictional names to protect their identity. The story began when she contacted him trough a famous website and he hesitantly replied. Now he’s broken-hearted because Elena is not writing back. I decided to post their story here to help him convince her to let him join her. Will my fisherman friend win back the heart of the attractive Russian?

It began with her email:

(Elena to Giorgio)

“My name is Elena.
I already very much for a long time dreamed to get acquainted with the USA man.
I was involved always with USA.
I think, that USA will like those people who want to work and be happy. I think, that
I the good woman and I want to have the best life. I want to lift family and I want
To go in marriage sometime! I the young woman. To me now XX years and I think, that now
When I already enough adult it is necessary for me to think of private life. For this reason
I addressed to the Internet in search of mine soulmate. Now it is very popular.
I understand from a structure, that you also in search soulmate and I would like to speak with you!
I am not confident anyhow, that you will receive my letter. I am not familiar with the Internet
And I only casually found this site %#^#^.com and it speaks, that many people found
The love and now are happy! I want to try also!
I think, that I should tell about me a little. I think, that I the attractive woman.
I have blond hair and gray eyes. I 5 " 7 " foots high and I also 118 pounds to weigh.
Right now I cannot send you a picture. But I can send you pictures if you will write on my direct address.
If you will write to me the letter directly to mine E-Mail I promise that I shall send you a picture!
My E-Mail: #**#*&#@inbox.ru
Only please
With me be serious. I sincerely hope, that you good the man and you will write to me.
Until then I wish you all most good. Write to me soon. With hope, Elena
PS I want to pay once again your attention, that I can I shall receive your letter only on this Mail: #**#*&#@inbox.ru”

(G. to E.)

“Hello Elena .... thanks for your message.
I am not sure if I understand it right ... where do you exactly live? I'd like to find out more about you ...

Have a good day,

G.”

(E. to G.)

“Hi Giorgio!
WOW! I very much hoped to receive from you the letter back and now I have yours
The letter! It really brings to me pleasure, that I have received the answer to my letter!
I at once want to tell, that I sent that letter to two more other men. But I should
To tell, that up to this time I have not received more any letters back. I want to be
Fair with you and to have your trust from the first letters! I shall ask you that you also were always fair with
me.
I do not think, that there is a sense to speak a lie. You agree with me? Both of us search for love and I want,
that my love was strong, pure, present and long! I think, that you want the same things!
I want to hope, that you will be good the man! The matter is that I almost nothing know about you. I wrote to you
Casually. I chose absolutely casually you from the list of men. I also did not think, that so many men will
search for the
love on the Internet! In our city there are no many opportunities to get acquainted with men from other
countries.
I used the Internet at my work. I casually opened a site and it spoke me, that here there are many men!
It was very interesting to observe a site #*#*#*(@.com and it many opportunities for the man and women from the
various
countries are valid! You agree with me? I want to speak you so many things! Please excuse me if I can not speak
you much
Today. We shall have still time to speak! Before us still it is a lot of time to learn
Each other! About! I so to worry, that you will not love my picture and will stop to write to me!
I am valid to worry as the small girl at the first appointment to the man!
I would like to ask you that you sent me as much as possible your pictures. It will allow me to represent you
and your
life better! Well, I shall inform now to you some things me. OK? You are available to read and understand?:)
So, I want to start with my history. My profil is spoken that by me from the USA but it is a mistake.
I was no time in the USA. I was given birth March XX, 19XX in Russia in city Cheboksary.Where I now live.
I am now XX years! I am a sign zodiac Pisces. If you have the book of an astrology I think it contains a lot of
similarity to
my character. Sometimes the astrology is mistaken, but some things really the truth! It is a complex and ancient
science of stars!
You heard much about it? By the way, when your birthday? With early childhood I had good education and care of
my parents.
I went in good school and was enough the good pupil! At least the teacher always me to praise! Oh! These school
days!
These years to not return any more never! You liked to go in school? The first school love!:)..... Giorgio,
For you these sounds are familiar? In those years when I was small it was easier to bring up children.
Now the state to not care at all of young families. After school and I had good luck to enter the university.
Daddy gave me to be trained in economic sciences! However ours the university was technical, but anyhow I have
received
good economic education. I loved always the exact sciences and except for it to us taught a lot of humanist
And psychologies. I bore much from walls of university and it there were fine years! Tell to me please where you
were
trained? It is very interesting to me to know your history also! So, years of study were finished also I met my
first love.
Yes, I also would like to speak with you about it. You should know, that I had unsuccessful relations.
I remembered on all mine life, that such treachery. My guy changed to me with other woman. he betraid me.
I thought, that we shall marry and create family, but he seems did not want serious relations.
I was young and naive. After that I more never loved anybody seriously. My last relations were enough
Long, but anyhow I did not notice, that my guy may betray me. he found the woman from rich family.
For him the question of money was actual. I think, that I quite beautiful woman and I can find many men here in
Russia.
But I slightly now to be afraid to have relations. I want to find my love, my unique love.
I want to grow fond of the man up to the end of my life. You understand me Giorgio? I never was married also
I think, that it is a serious step in life. I have no children and I think, that I would like the child from
loved men.
I in general very much love children and if you have already children it will not do a problem to me.
Well, Giorgio, whether I do not know to you it will be interesting to hear about my city. Our city has a
rich history.
I shall attach a picture of our city. Only it is not so big picture from the Internet. Probably you may find
Our city on the Internet also? In our area we have a temperate climate. It is an average part of Russia with
good display
of seasons. We have a lot of snow in the winter and also in the summer air there is enough is hot! We visit a
beach and
I like to float! You have a beach close? You like to float? If there will be time please tell to me more about
your city!
I also want to ask you, what you understand as happiness? Right now I shall speak you that I understand as
happiness.
I should tell, that everyone is happy in this world in own way. For me to be happy
Means that I exist in this world. I think, that I want, that me loved.
I want, that me respected and estimated. In general I see happiness that my life will be
It is lived with sense. I should find my love create my family.
You agree with me. In tis world we should leave after ourselves good memoirs.
It is very difficult for one to find happiness. When two persons like each other,
It already does people happy. Love - very much good feeling and this sacred!
You agree with me?
Well, I probably now shall come back to my work and I shall wait your letter soon!
Heave nice day! Yours faithfully, your new familiar from Russia, Elena.”

(G. to E.)

“Dear elena,
I really much enjoyed your letter. I can almost imagine you so far away from here! I feel there's so many things we share already, although we are so distant. But tell me more about your work? What do you do? As for me, I work in a fish shop an you are pisces, what a coincidence! my training as a fisherman started when I was young and a I had a friend and she was a fisherman. I was the fisherman's friend and she thought me how to catch fish from a distant sea. We were at sea together alone for so long that eventually we had an affair married and had 3 kids. She was american and that's how I came to live in this country. Then we divorced and I decided to work in a fish shop. I sell fishing rods, live baits and all that you need to catch the biggest fish! But enough said about me. Tell me about you? Do you ever go fishing in your country? I'd love to meet you and spend some time with you. But it is impossible because you are so distant and I...I am poor, because these american don't like to fish and eat only meat. I hate those people, communism is much better, don't you think?... I'd like to come and visit you and your beautiful country. Imagine, I could even live there and open my own fish shop in your beautiful city. you had a training in economics. you for sure have a good job, why don't you help me buying a ticket to come and visit you?
Wouldn't it be wonderful: me and you in your beautiful country? Help me realizing this dream!

Yours expectantly,

G.”

(to be hopefully continued…stay tuned!)

Disclaimer: Every fact mentioned here might be ficticious. Any similarity to any person living or dead could be merely coincidental. Or could not.

Monday, August 14, 2006

La sorellina/The li'l sister

Tempo fa aveamo pubblicato le foto del primogenito. Si chiama Atlantic, ha due ruote e sta crescendo benissimo. Ora siamo orgogliosi di annunciare che e' arrivata la sorellina! L'abbiamo chiamata CR-V, e' venuta ancora meglio (ha addirittura 4 ruote...), e' nata gia' di 5 anni ma sembra nuova! Oggi, in occasione della sua prima uscita pubblica ci ha portato a fare Kayak sul Russian River, per 200 miglia senza fare neanche un versetto....La piccola CR-V sorride al fotografo/Baby CR-V smiles at the camera

A while ago, we published pics of the newborn. He's called Atlantic, has got 2 wheels and he's growing well. Now we are proud to announce that his little siter is here! We named her CR-V, came out even better, (hey, she's got 4 wheels..), was born 5 years-old, but she looks new! Today, for her first public apparence, she got us to Russian river to Kayak, up 200 mi without even a whine.... Il sederino della piccola CR-V/Baby CR-V's butt

Una visione endoscopica della picccola CR-V/A somewhat endoscopic view of baby CR-V

La mamma posa con la piccola CR-V con il piccolo Atlantic sullo sfondo/Mami poses with(in) Baby CR-V, with little Atlantic in the background.

Ora siamo davvero una famigliola felice, anche se io quasi, quasi farei anche il terzo, magari decapottabilie!/Now we are definitely an happy family, even though I wouldn't mind a third one, maybe convertible!

Monday, July 31, 2006

Lassen Volcanic Park

E' domenica notte; da un po' di tempo a questa parte sembra che io non riesca piu' ad aggiornare il blog prima della una di notte...conseguentemente dovete scusare l'economia di parole a commento delle foto dei nostri tre giorni a lassen in compagnia di frate e fidanza. Il parco, bellissimo, e' un misto tra le alpi e l'etna con tanto di fumarole, geysers, zolfo, laghi bollenti etc; il tutto condito da un caldo africano. Decisamente mefitistofelico!

Sun. nite; Since quite a while it seems I am unable to update the blog before 1am...so my apologies for the scant wording that introduces the pics of our 3-day lassen trip with bro and his girl. The park, awsome, blends alpine scenery with volcanos, fumaroles, geysers, sulphur, a boiling lake etc; Everything spiced with scorching heath. Definitely mephistophelic!

In cima a lassen peak Gi. si prende cura di Ga./On lassen peak Gi takes good care of Ga


In piscina a Drakesbad Gi. risparmia i garretti scottati dai bollori delle acque termali/At drakesbad Gi spares his sunburnt shins from boiling thermal waters

Gi, Ga e Th a manzanita lake

Misses M. aggettante in cima a lassen peak/ Misses M. leaning on top of lassen peak

Gi e Ga fanno il verso ad una coppia di elfi rossi heidelberghesi

Th in riposino postprandiale a mo' di lucertola/ Th's siesta lizard-style

Boiling lake (qui non si vede ma effettivamente...bolle!)/(can't see it in here bu it actually...boils!)

Gi e Ga tra "casablanca" e "via col vento" a childs meadows/ Ga and Gi's immpression of "casablanca" o "gone with the wind" at childs meadows

Th e M pronti per il tuffo/ Th and M ready to dive

senza parole (ma con colore)/ speachless (but colorful)

M dice che questa assomiglia a Brokeback mountain (ed e' per quello che nella foto mi guardo attorno con fare circospetto...)/ M says this one looks like Brokeback mountain (Heath or Jake?)

Panoramix

M che fa l'imitazione di una stella marina ma le manca una punta. M's impression of a starfish lacks the fifth point

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Us (and) the Campions / Noi (e) Campioni

After the footage, a 4 (such a cute number) min slideshow of us celebrating the Italian victory. The stills are the other half of Fabio's masterpiece (shall we say meisterwerk instead?).

Dopo le riprese, uno slideshow di 4 (ma che bel numerello) min di noi che festeggiamo la vittoria Italiana. Le immagini rappresentano l'altra meta' del capolavoro di Fabio (perche' non chiamarlo meisterwerk invece?)

Enjoy and rejoyce

E finalmente.....la FINALE.

Stessa casa, stessa gente e stessi colori. La italica scaramanzia ha portato bene come potete vedere nella videocronaca della finale. Segue parata in quel di North Beach e party....Stavolta superFabio ha superato se stesso nell'uso di telecamera e macchina fotografica (anche in contemporanea).

Same house, same folks and same colors. The typical Italian scaramantic ritual broght the most of luck as you can see in the footage of the final. Parading and party in North Beach follow....This time superFabio went beyond himself using the video camera and the digicam at times simultaneously.


Saturday, July 08, 2006

In finale (NOW EXTENDED VERSION)!

Ecco un video di noi che vediamo la semifinale mondiale Italia-Germania a Oakland il 4 luglio: come tutta Italia sa, fini' due pizze a a nessun crauto. Il video mostra i gol e le nostre (pacate) reazioni. Un grande grazie al mitico Fabio che ha fornito le riprese.

Here is a clip of us watching the worldcup semifinal Italy-Germany in Oakland on July 4: As all the Italians know, the game ended two pizzascores to null, nihil, nichts. The clip shows the scores and our (mild) reactions. Big thanks to Fabio who provided the footage.


Monday, June 05, 2006

Genetic Quiz

A fly geneticist understands how genes make organisms work pretty much the way a kid plays with toys. By pulling them apart piece-by-piece and observing what goes wrong. That way we can assign a function to every gene. The flies without-a-piece are called mutants and we name mutants as a kid would do too: after their appearance. Say you are looking at a mutant fly that has no wings. Well the mutated gene must do something during the development of the wings! How do you call that mutant fly? Wingless, of course! No eyes? Big deal: Eyeless. White eyes? well, duh, White! Sometimes you use your language and it might not be English: Fused embryonic segments: Fushi Tarazu; Japanese for "fused segments". Too many hairs? Tout Volu; French for "hairy". Talking about kids and toys, one pertaining example is the Ken and Barbie mutant that.... lack external genitals! This system springs from necessity rather than delight because we obviously break the toy and name the mutant to tell the function of the gene. Following this lead we might find more about the gene and want to rename the gene appropriately. Usually the old name resists because of its imagery.

Here’s a little game: Following are images of five different mutant forms of Me. Being a fly geneticists I have named them after their appearance. Can you tell what the affected gene does? Unleash your fantasy. Suggestions from other fly geneticists are most welcome.

1. Belzebut Me
2.Elvish Me
3.TomHanksy Me and G.
4. Polyphemus Me
5. Area51 Me

FYI: All these mutant Me have been generated with the contribution of Steve Jobs. All new Macs now come with a webcam (isight) and a software to run it (photobooth) that allows to add to the snapshot the weirdest effects... This sort of iSight on a bad trip is the living proof that the Apple CEO must have been heavily into dope in his days (still is?).