They tell you to think outside the "box" when you're in a freakin' box all day long

Greetings from cubeworld, yes that’s right apparently cubicle has been replaced with the term cube. In all probability it’s because in my new company it seems to be a protocol that nothing is longer than four letters. I have a 66 page list of acronyms that I have to remember. I’m hoping that I’m going to not get confused That being said I love my new job so far and I hope it keeps up.

The best thing about this place is that everyone seems to be genuinely happy and like their job. Some of the great perks that come with this new gig are a laptop, discounts on our consumer products, a couple hundred dollars toward anything to do with fitness and three weeks vacation.

I’ve spent most of my week doing training and such. I’ve also learned that the best way to get stuff for your cube is to scavenge around recently abandoned cubes. I’ve come to work early and sneak around under the pretense I’m lost to scavenge. This is the part of the entry where I ask you folks for your input. What are some cube essentials? In other words what should I be scavenging for or buying?

BioSummary For The Week

Amniotic stem cells have been found to have many of the same traits as embryonic stem cells. These cells are found free floating in amniotic fluid and don’t involve destroying an embryo. They can be retrieved from the fluid by the same procedure as amniocentesis with the same risk to the child. Some of the benefits of these cells are that they grow just as quickly embryonic stem cells, they’re a genetic match to the future child (so they can be used to treat the kid later) and they’re pluripotent (They can change into many different types of cells but not all, embryonic stem cells are totipotent meaning they can become any other type of cell). The draw back is they’re limited in what types of cells they can become.

Stem cells: In the United States the House voted on January 11 to broaden federal support for stem cell research 253 to 174. This bill will probably be vetoed by Bush

Erbitux: ImClone Systems Inc’s drug erbitux just received positive results from phase III clinical trials. The drug is for treatment for colon cancer and is to be used in patients who have already failed chemotherapy. The drug is licensed to Merk and may be a treat to Roche’s Avastin although it’s hard to tell.

I felt this entry lacked some of my usual comedic elements so I thought I’d give you a taste of what conversations with Nikki and are like.

Random Comment from Nikki Pea: “When you get married you know how you need something old, something new, and something blue? Does the something old have to be visible? Can it be something like old underwear or a corset?”