{"id":297,"date":"2011-01-30T03:55:38","date_gmt":"2011-01-30T03:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occamstypewriter.org\/stevecaplan\/?p=297"},"modified":"2011-01-30T15:05:45","modified_gmt":"2011-01-30T15:05:45","slug":"when-bad-humor-gets-you-into-trouble-twice-removed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occamstypewriter.org\/stevecaplan\/2011\/01\/30\/when-bad-humor-gets-you-into-trouble-twice-removed\/","title":{"rendered":"When (bad) humor gets you into trouble, twice removed"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have always been fascinated by proteins, and in the course of my post-doctoral research, I began to study the process known as “endocytic recycling”.<\/p>\n

In simple terms, protein receptors sitting on the cell membrane frequently are bound by an extracellular ligand, which often “activates” the receptor and sets off a cascade of events within the cell. In addition, the receptor and ligand are taken up into the cell.<\/p>\n

Recycling is the reverse process, whereby this receptor is returned to the cell membrane, where it can again undergo activation.<\/p>\n

When I began to receive job interviews for a faculty position some years ago, I searched for some way to highlight the biological\/physiological significance of “recycling”.<\/p>\n

My search on PubMed elicited the following paper:<\/p>\n

J Forensic Sci. 2002 Sep;47(5):1065-6. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Death by compaction in a garbage truck.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Staats PN<\/a>, Jumbelic MI<\/a>, Dignan CR<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We report on two deaths by compaction in a garbage truck that recently occurred in this county. In both cases, the victim apparently climbed into a recycling<\/strong><\/em> dumpster to sleep, and was emptied with the contents of the receptacle into a garbage truck. Subsequent compaction of the victim with the load led to death. We also discuss several similar fatalities that have been reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.<\/span><\/p>\n

PMID: 12353548 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]<\/span><\/p>\n

Although I did get several job offers, I can’t help thinking that had it not been for my warped sense of humor, I might have received even more offers.<\/p>\n

And now for my “Karmic Spam Revenge”: Here is an e-mail that I received just yesterday:<\/p>\n

Dear Prof. <\/strong>Caplan<\/strong>,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sub:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSecond International Conference on Recycling and Reuse of Materials (Polymers, Wood, Leather, Glass, Metals, Ceramics, Semi Conductors, Water etc) and their products (ICRM \u2013 2011), 5, 6 and 7 August 2011, Kottayam, Kerala, India.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Conference website:\u00a0\u00a0www.recycling.macromol.in<\/a> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Greetings and best wishes from the <\/strong>\u2663<\/strong> Institute of Macromolecular Science and Engineering (IMSE), Kottayam, Kerala, India <\/strong>\u2663<\/strong> Beijing University of Chemical Technology , Bei San Huan East Road 15#, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China and <\/strong>\u2663<\/strong> Venen – Klinik Dr. Mathew, St. Primus Weg 68, A-9020 Klagenfurt, Austria. We are glad to write to you that we are organizing the Second International Conference on Recycling and Reuse of Materials (Polymers, Wood, Leather, Water, Glass, Metals, Ceramics, and Semi Conductors etc) and their Products (ICRM-2011), Kottayam, Kerala, India.\u00a0The last conference on Recycling and Reuse of Materials in 2009 held in Kottayam, India (ICRM 2009) was a great success. This conference will cover the following areas:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n