I am Getting A Life

[Getting A Life]

Kia Ora (New Zealand Greeting)

I am an adult student at Auckland University sitting entry levels this year (no sweat).

I am fascinated by most science and will be majoring in microbiology. I am interested in utilising bio-films to turn industrial waste streams into profit. Among many other things.

I believe we need to get over the two camps mentality that currently exists between economists and ecologists. As an ecologist (thinker) who know the economist rules the world, I need to incorporate profits into the models I design. It raises the goalposts, yes, but what other way forward? Out and out revolution?

I am not a capitalist, I am a greenie bastard. All that hating on greed and stupidity never got me anywhere though, I needed to get a plan, to work out WTH I was doing, to get a life.

[Boerseun]

Kia Ora! - and welcome to Hypography!

Like they say, there is nobody as patriotic as a new immigrant. In the same vein, there is nobody as green as the newly converted greenie!

You'll find threads aplenty in your line of interest, I'm sure. And if you hang on a few minutes, Pamela will be back just now with the beer!

My first point of interest, however, is to demolish you guys in the upcoming Tri-Nations final...

Mwuahahahaha....

Boerseun (another proud Bok supporter)

[pamela]

hello GAL,
you're in luck, i still have plenty of beer left, however, Modest drank all my tequila.Welcome to hypography!

[Larv]

Originally Posted by Getting A Life

Kia Ora (New Zealand Greeting)

I am an adult student at Auckland University sitting entry levels this year (no sweat).

I am fascinated by most science and will be majoring in microbiology. I am interested in utilising bio-films to turn industrial waste streams into profit. Among many other things.

I believe we need to get over the two camps mentality that currently exists between economists and ecologists. As an ecologist (thinker) who know the economist rules the world, I need to incorporate profits into the models I design. It raises the goalposts, yes, but what other way forward? Out and out revolution?

I am not a capitalist, I am a greenie bastard. All that hating on greed and stupidity never got me anywhere though, I needed to get a plan, to work out WTH I was doing, to get a life.

Kia Ora, you pinko, commie, anti-capitalist greenie bastard! WELCOME!

But don’t you know that the Monroe Doctrine is the greatest weapon for Western “economists.” Or maybe we could call them Eminent Domain imperialists. They see the world as their marketplace.

Here in America we hire private companies to pull the plug on Grandma so the government doesn’t have to do it. And we spend more than any other country on health care, too, even if it isn’t the best. But we’ll sacrifice our good health and wealth for the sake of “economics” and the health insurance industry.

I wish you a slimy good future with your bio-films. I think that technology has legs.

[Getting A Life]

Hey folks thanks for the greetings

Boersun - even if the boks win I still have plausible deniability, I don't watch rugby. So, in my mind, we are always victorious!

Met a couple africaans here lately. Must say I'm impressed with them on many counts. Top blokes.

Pamela, did not realise my acronym was GAL. Am a guy but never mind. Can join the androgenous sounding michaelangelica with dubious and confusing online sexuality.

Larv - read some of your posts and thoroughly enjoy them. Seen Quorum Sensing yet? Bonnie Bassler, youtube Ted Talks. Explains a lot of previously baffling phenomenom from biofilm inhabitants.

[freeztar]

And a sense of humor!

Welcome to Hypography! (from one greenie to another - or to borrow UncleAl's phrasing "Enviro-whiner")

What got you into biofilms for waste processing?
I'm an ecologist and am interested in bioremediation of all types. Perhaps you can start a thread and share some knowledge.

[Getting A Life]

Teehee. Me, share knowledge, I am but a student, but I do not doubt my potential to stand on the shoulders of giants (from where I hope to see further).

Auckland University is AMAZING!

How did I become interested in bio-films.

Like many others, I kept fish, and got sick of the sales pitches industry fed me concerning all those unnecessary products, so started to read "The Skeptical Aquarist" website (highly recommended!).

Then I made a terrestrial plant filter. This is now called aquaponics. I had vegetables growing and a semi aquatic bed of taro and watercress. I still do this but it gets no serious study too much schoolwork to be done for now. Added a duckweed/algae pond where the solids settle, would like to learn to pyrolise these materials via Hydrothermal Carbonisation if possible.

Then I got into my gardening again. Not happy with pollution etc I was organic without knowing it. Learned much from Dr Elaine Inghams work with 'soil food web' and decided I kinda like these science type folks.

In examining the micro inhabitants of soil I began to grasp the concept of increasing complexity in microbial communities promoting efficiency. I stopped looking for the magic microbe and began to look for symbiotic communities.

Then I was introduced to the work of Dr Teuro Higa, who created essential microrganisms. A consortium of microbes that is AMAZING in it's ability to clean waterways. From what I've observed actinomycetes work on biosolids in the benthos and layers of material aggregate and float to the surface where photosynthetic algae, actinomycetes and ray fungi begin the process of digesting spare nutrients (breaking down and digesting the sludge). Beneficial bacillus strains are also present which I believe acidify the aggregated substrate creating untenable conditions for pathogenic organisms. One thing I have noticed - the more pollution, the more oxygen debt as things begin to clean up. This is a problem in closed systems with fish present as often the water appears clean but the substrate is loaded. Friend lost a tank of fish doing this.

The 'Seti Inland Sea Project' on youtube is a heartwarming tale of EM that doesn't involve my mate killing his fish...

I'm into microbiology/mycology. I think they come hand in hand for bioremediation, phytoremediation, and many cleanup industry type projects.

Also reading all of Paul Stamets work in mycology at present. He has some neat ideas but imo wears 'fungi tinted glasses' a lot of the time. His concepts for dealing with pathogenic farm runoff is labour intensive, needs annual maintenance and replenishment, and requires a lot of materials. Much smarter, imo, to have a biodigestor reduce pathogens while providing fuel and fertiliser.

Funnily, actinomycetes are causing problems in biodigestion studies here. I understand some researchers are trying to remove them from the equation - good luck!

Enough ranting yet?

[Buffy]

Well, welcome to Hypography, but I'd have to say that this place is the last place I'd go to "Get A Life"....

Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away,
Buffy

[Getting A Life]

Thanks for the welcome, and the humour, you 'slay' me.

I am still tossing round ideas of what I want to be when I grow up. re: Study. Had my 2nd 21st this year and sitting for uni after a 'wee' break in the workforce. Now, what should I do? I'm going to start a new thread when I find the appropriate place and ask y'all who've been schooled some questions.

Nothing wrong with a brass section, but the whole band thing: with marching uniforms; the big drum guy; the big cymbal guy; the monkey, (sorry, wrong parade), and gauche hats... Surely these people need to get a life more than me.

[maikeru]

Originally Posted by Getting A Life

Kia Ora (New Zealand Greeting)

I am an adult student at Auckland University sitting entry levels this year (no sweat).

I am fascinated by most science and will be majoring in microbiology. I am interested in utilising bio-films to turn industrial waste streams into profit. Among many other things.

I believe we need to get over the two camps mentality that currently exists between economists and ecologists. As an ecologist (thinker) who know the economist rules the world, I need to incorporate profits into the models I design. It raises the goalposts, yes, but what other way forward? Out and out revolution?

I am not a capitalist, I am a greenie bastard. All that hating on greed and stupidity never got me anywhere though, I needed to get a plan, to work out WTH I was doing, to get a life.

Kia Ora, mate! Microbiology's a great field. I did most of my undergrad in microbiology, before transferring to a new uni. Ah, economists... The world cannot be made to fit theories, for theories should be made to fit the world. There's money to be made in science and saving the world. The two need not be mutually exclusive.

If you ever want to chat about micro or gardening or swap good books/lit, let me know. Always interested in learning more and swapping knowledge. I took most of my classes in immunology, cancer, and molecular/cell biology, but I'm into soil microbiology, botany, and horticulture. I'm enrolled in a botany and ecology class right now. I've also been reading some textbooks on soil science, soil microbiology, and soil chemistry.