Members of my immediate family start asking around this time of year about what kinds of things I’d like for Christmas presents this year.
This strikes me as a good way to break the week-long bout of blogstipation I’ve been having. Here, then, is what I want for Christmas, Xmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Cephalopodmas, or whatever gift-giving winter holiday you prefer (each category is sorted roughly in order of desire at the moment):
Ridiculously Expensive Stuff
Which I only list on the off-chance that someone wins the lottery or happens to find an amazing bargain on “e-bayŽ” or something.
- A good bacteriological microscope.
- A Rotary Evaporator
- A Gastrovac!
- Book:Bioprocess Engineering
- …And a pony…
Okay, maybe not.
Relatively Expensive Books
- Book:Wine Microbiology: Practical Applications and Procedures (and similarly hardcore food microbiology books)
- Book:Principles of Fermentation Technology
- Book:Microbial Diversity and Bioprospecting
- Book:Industrial Microbiology, An Introduction
- Book:Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
Other kinda-expensive-but-maybe-you-can-find-it-at-reasonable-price stuff
A pair of “barefoot shoes”- A Dry-Ice maker (other companies make similar devices, too)
- A small-scale water distiller/deionizer of some kind
- One or more live specimens of Humulus lupulus
- A live Guarana bush.
Relatively Cheap Stuff (but still spiffy)
- T-Shirt:
Science is SATAN spelled backwards - T-Shirt: Stand Back, I’m going to try SCIENCE
(The “Actual Size” stickers are pretty funny, too…) - A pound of powdered Graphite
- An Octodog Maker
(The “dealers” list includes the Monterey Bay Aquarium, apparently…) - Gellan Gum
- Carboxymethylcellulose gum
- And various other food-chemicals
I know there was more, but my brain seems to have gone on break right now…
Nice list. I think my parents are getting my the ‘Science’ xkcd T-Shirt. I was hoping for the ‘Science, it works, Bitches,’ but I don’t think my parents would go for that…
But, there is always External Delivery.
What if the world do you want powdered graphite for?
“What if the world do you want powdered graphite for?”
Well, what else am I going to use as a moderator for the nuclear reactor in my basement?
(Dear NSA, CIA, FBI, BATF, and everyone else: I’m KIDDING. Jeez.)
Actually, it’s because graphite is a relatively chemically inert but electrically-conductive material. Mixed with “liquid tape”, it makes a conductive adhesive, which I could use to make waterproof circuits. In particular, I want to make myself some electrophoresis chambers and microbial growth chambers to play with, and I can’t afford platinum wire…
If anyone calls you and asks what I want (which of course they won’t!) tell them I NEED a pi plate please: http://www.signals.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?randomizer=701404288&action=detail&item=VC4603 no really – I NEED one. If you bake – you do too. Admit it! Happy holidays! Still enjoying visiting since the “big contest!”
“Pi R square? No, pi R not square! Pi R round! Cornbread R square!”
I’d rather have a larger version of these….I’ll just have to make my own.