Rent Asunder

Rent Asunder? Are RU postdocs getting a fair deal in their housing costs? A proposal for a postdoc rent increase is currently under review. To provide our readers with more information about this matter, in this issue of Natural Selections we present details about current RU housing costs, the consequences of these housing costs for postdocs, and information about the process of housing policy decision making. The University offers high quality housing to all RU postdocs and the vast majority of housing owned by the University is extremely close to the campus in a premium residential area. For details on current RU housing prices, see Table 1. How are the RU housing prices set for postdocs? The housing department has an annual operating budget of over $15 million dollars, which it has to balance on the rent it collects. Eligible university members in RU housing – senior faculty, research associates, and senior administrators – get charged a standard base rate of rent, depending on apartment type, that does not vary based on the income of the tenant. At present, postdocs receive a 15% discount off this base rate. However, in the summer of 2003, a proposal was made by Acting President Tom Sakmar to abolish the postdoc discount because of budgetary constraints. The 15% postdoc discount has to be covered by money transferred from the University’s main operating budget of around $200 million dollars a year, which covers research and graduate education programs. In 2003 the amount transferred from the main operating budget to meet the 15% postdoc discount was $900,000. The proposal to abolish the postdoc discount has been put on hold by the Nurse administration, pending a review. At present rent levels, do RU postdocs get a good deal on their housing? Certainly many postdocs appreciate the quality and convenience of the housing available and prices charged are lower than average for the neighborhood (Table 1). However, some postdocs at RU are paying a very high percentage of their income towards housing costs. In 2003, a PDA survey was taken to gather information on RU postdoc income, rent and monthly living expenses. One criteria for affordable housing is given by the US Government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development, which defines an affordable rent burden as paying 30% of your income in rent. In the 2003 PDA survey, over 75% of twoincome households were paying less than 30% of the household income on rent. However, those in one income households often paid over 30% of their income in rent. For example, 25% of two-people, oneincome households were paying between 41% and 60% of their pretax income in rent (Table 2). Another way to try to assess the fairness of housing costs is to consider them within the overall con- text of a person’s finances and to determine once rent is paid, is the remaining money sufficient to meet basic requirements, such as food, utilities, taxes, etc. Analyzing the 2003 postdoc survey, 25% of postdocs living in RU housing are struggling to make ends meet and are either in debt or have no money left over at the end of the month once the basics are paid for (Table 3). Half of all postdoc households are left with less than $500 spare cash at the end of the month. The greatest difficulties arise for those who have to support someone else on their income. For instance, some foreigners have to support a spouse who cannot work because of visa restrictions, and 75% of the twopeople, one-income households have less than $300 cash remaining at the end of the month. What is the situation like for those supporting children? The three-people, two-income households seem to have a reasonable degree of financial security (Table 3), but the situation is far less comfortable for the specific case of a four-people, two-income household of two Continued on page 3 Natural Selections Editorial Board: Abraham, Mary Berke, Ian Colgan, Diana Deaconescu, Alexandra Duque, Paula Howard, Ellen Lainé, Muriel Ligr, Martin Muralidharan, Vasant 1 2 are the base of the national pride, but most indigenous people live in poverty By Pablo Meyer and are depreciated. Mexico is thus a country of conMexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world: trasts, but not only social contrasts. The 100 million inhabitants and a very best way to get initiated into the Mexican dynamic birth rate. Add to that 20 mentality is to read “The Labyrinth of million Mexicans living in the US Solitude” from the Mexican Nobel prize (more than 4 million illegal, most of winner Octavio Paz. It is a classic and a them in LA, Chicago and NY), and perfect introduction to the incomprehenyou can be pretty sure that the sible and labyrinthic mind of the Mexican accent is going to be dominat- Mexican: Quiet, but jovial, very stronging the Spanish speaking world (includ- headed, insecure and peaceful but unstoppable and violent once unchained. ing the US). The 16th of September is the day The language of Cervantes is becoming Mexican Quixotic. Huicho- when the independence war began in les, tzotziles, tzeltales, raramuris, pur- 1810 and a day of national festivities, hepechas, mixtecos… only a few people in the streets, mariachis, and a lot names from the more than 50 indige- of beer and tequila (even if I prefer nous groups, composing the 10 million Mezcal which is more artisanal). The Mexicans that don't speak Spanish as a song that makes everybody cry is “Mexfirst language. Some of the Mexicans ico lindo y querido, si muero lejos de tí, you see in every other restaurant and que digan que estoy dormido y que me deli around NYC learn English directly traigan a tí” (beautiful Mexico, if I die from their native mixteco language (as away from you, they must say I am they come from the region of Puebla). asleep and bring me back to you). Drinking is not a social shame as But Mexico is mostly a mix of these indigenous groups with the Spaniard- in the US, it is an obligation. Impossible Europeans. This real mix is what to reject an offer of a drink, and avoided the extermination tion of local yes…tequila can be very strong. The best natives like in medicine for a long night of alcohol is an the USA or early morning trip to a moving food market to get some really spicy food. Argentina. The Mexican Nothing better than a spicy hot race of bronze “menudo” (soup) to cut the hangover. was created Since childhood, we give a hard evoluby fusion of tionary pressure to our capsaicin the European receptors: We just love spicy food, from with t h e our sweet and spicy candies to just anyAztec blood thing that you can imagine. Ah! and a lot (by the way, of lime too, please, not just with corona. Mexico has just an amazing very original diversity of foods. If you think that the genetically). hard tacos and guacamole are all you can The symbol of this union is the get, I can tell you this is just the equivabrown-skinned Virgen de Guadalupe lent of Chinese food being reduced to that appeared, in the 16th century just sweet and sour pork. Every region in after the conquest, to the indian Juan Mexico has excellent food: Very good Diego, and became mother of all the steaks and meat in the north, very origiMexican Catholics (90%). It is not nal local food in Oaxaca, Yucatan and always easy though, to assimilate and Michoacan. Veracruz has the best seaunderstand this dual heritage: White food! It is true, though, that the basic skin and blond hair with European common element is corn. But there are manners are signs of social success; on just so many varieties of corn, the sweet the other hand, pre-colombian cultures yellow American corn is pretty boring. Mexico Purple, blue, white are just some of the different colors of maize you can find prepared as tlacoyos (long elliptic tortillas with beans), tostadas (hard tortillas), salbutes, huaraches (flat elongated tortillas), gorditas (rounded small thick tortillas), and memelas (deep fried tortillas). Soccer is the national sport, but I think we are the only country in the world, outside the US, that has a baseball and a basketball professional league, plus a college football league. These American sports are really popular in Mexico! The proximity and distance of the US and Mexico is a complex but real and very enriching fact: “Mexico tan lejos de dios y tan cerca de los Estados Unidos” (Mexico, so far from God and so close to the US) says a popular proverb. This proximity has definitely been an advantage for Mexico, but it is also the source of a lot of suffering. It has been terrible for the thousands of migrants every year trying to cross the Tijuana-Berlin wall extended 3,000 km along the border, but economically Mexico has been benefited largely (and so has the US). Migrants send back to their families as much money as the whole resident national population produces. Mexican illegal workers in the US are the hardest workers, 10-12 hours work a day, 7 days a week. The problem back in Mexico are the ridiculous wages:10 times less than the already ridiculous $4 an hour they are paid here. Nobody wants to work 12 hours a day just to survive in misery. In spite of these major problems, Mexico, just because of its size and its proximity to the biggest market in the world, has a promising future. The elites have to stop being selfish and parochial and get more involved with the Continued on page 4 3 "Rent Asunder?" continued from page 1 postdocs, who have an average of Table 1 $850 left over at the end of the Current Housing Costs month to share between the entire Studio One Bedroom Two Bedroom Three Bedroom household. Average market price $1700 $2500 $4500 $8628 Some postdocs we talked to Upper East Side (1) were happy with their level of rent Monthly rents in RU $890 - $1100 $1080 - $1380 $1325 - $1940 $1800 - $2370 and general finances. Others were postdoc housing (2) unhappy and cited a range of (1) Source 2002 Corcoran Report problems that they have to face (2) Rates vary depending on location of housing and whether utilities are included due to financial difficulties: problems in paying off student loans and meeting childcare costs, inability to start retirement savings Table 2 amongst other diffficulties. Some Rent as a percentage of household pretax income for foreign postdocs also lament postdoc households at RU financial restrictions limiting travel Household Top 25% Next 25 % Next 25 % Bottom 25% back to their home countries. One person 57% to 38% 38% to 34% 34% to 30% 30% to 19% How are changes in housing One income policy decided? The Housing Two people 60% to 41% 41% to 37% 37% to 34% 34% to 28% Department works with the UniOne income versity’s Executive Vice President Two people 38% to 25% 25% to 22% 22% to 18% 18% to 10% who serves as the chief operating Two incomes Three people 53% to 44% 44% to 42% 42% to 34% 34% to 20% officer to ensure that housing One income resources meet demand. CurThree people 34% to 22% 22% to 19% 19% to 17% 17% to 12% rently, the PDA is not automatiTwo incomes cally present at meetings held to Source 2003 postdoc survey. Data from 161 postdocs living in RU housing decide changes in housing policy that directly affect postdocs, although the PDA has met with the housing department on a number of occasions to discuss Table 3 Remaining household monthly-spendable income after necessities are paid (food, utilipolicy changes. The final decision ties, rent, taxes, etc) for postdoc households living at RU on rents rests with the Executive Household Bottom 25% Next 25% Next 25 % Top 25% Vice President under the direction One person -$800 to +$125 +$125 to +$400 +$400 to +$680 +$680 to +$1800 of the President. One income What are the solutions to Two people -$1500 to -$300 -$300 to +$30 +$30 to +$300 +$300 to +$680 the housing issue? On one hand, One income the University is faced with the Two people -$1200 to +$1250 +$1250 to +$2125 +$2125 to +$2900 +$2900 to +$5800 financial reality of balancing a Two incomes Three people -$1500 to -$810 -$810 to -$110 -$110 to +$125 +$125 to +$570 budget, and there are also probOne income lems outside the control of the Three people +$500 to +$1100 +$1100 to +$1600 +$1600 to +$2200 +$2200 to +$6400 University (for example the NIH Two incomes postdoctoral grants are not given All RU post-$1550 to +$10 +$10 to +$460 +$460 to +$1160 +$1160 to +$6400 at an increased rate to those living docs Source 2003 postdoc survey. Data from 161 postdocs living in RU housing in metropolitan areas). Yet, acting as landlord, the university holds a lot of power over the finances of its workers and should ensure We thank Cathy Yarbrough and the PDA for providing some of the factual information that they can meet their basic needs. formed the basis of this article. After all, as one postdoc put it, “I don’t want to have to worry about money, when I could be thinking If you would like to comment on any of the issues raised in this article, please about more interesting things…. send letters to the editors for publication to: naturalselections@rockefeller.edu like science.” or Box 24. Comments may be published anonymously at the author's request. 4 PDA News The Postdoctoral Association would like to congratulate the Editors and contributors to Natural Selections on the publication of the first issue of Natural Selections. We encourage all PDA members to support this publication. This column provides reminders and updates of PDA activities. The Employee Assistance Program Consortium (EAPC) is a free, confidential, short term counseling and referral service available to The Rockefeller University employees and their dependents. They are located at 455 East 68th St and can be contacted by phone: 212-746-5890, or email: EAPC@mail.med.cornell.edu. For more details visit the PDA website at www.rockefeller.edu/pdaPDANews.html "Mexico" continued from page 2 SRC News Proposal for a New Housing Lottery Schedule A proposal has been drawn up to address the concerns of students that the current housing lottery starts too late and takes too long. This is just a proposal at this stage. Housing dates are to be circulated April 1 by email and campus mail to facilitate planning by students who will enter the lottery and the current tenants of the available apartments. All students are ranked within a lottery (i.e. the one-bedroom lottery and the studio/two-bedroom lottery) as per current housing rules. Students then meet at one of two meeting dates to see layouts of all available apartments within that lottery. Available apartments include those apartments definitely to be vacated and those apartments currently occupied by a student who has entered the lottery. These layouts will include square feet, kitchen amenities, floor and side of building. On these two meeting days, apartments, or representatives of similar classes of apartments, must be available for viewing. Current tenants will be informed of these showing dates April 1 and must allow their apartment to be shown. Students then have at maximum two weeks to submit a rank listing of their desired apartments or to withdraw from the lottery. Students are encouraged to submit a rank list earlier. The Housing Committee will then perform a match based on these lists. This type of system could be easily completed in under two months. The PDA provides financial support for Clubs and Societies. Please visit www.rockefeller.edu/pdaPDAStructure.html (Section G) for more information. The Summer BBQ Policy now covers interlab social functions at the Faculty and Student Club throughout the year. To find out how to get funding for your next social event, visit and scroll down www.rockefeller.edu/pdaPDANews.html Finally, we would like to remind you to read PDA email as all our social and scientific events are announced this way. An RSVP will ensure that you receive all event details and helps us to cater appropriately. Allan Coop x7646; coopa@rockefeller.edu Asifa Haider x7409; haidera@rockefeller.edu Kevin O'Donovan x7453; odonovk@rockefeller.edu André Ragnauth x8669; ragnaua@rockefeller.edu The Postdoctoral Association The Rockefeller University Flexner Hall--Room 220 Phone: 212-327-8260 Fax: 212-327-8261 email: pda@rockefeller.edu web: www.rockefeller.edu/pda Natural Selections receives financial support from The Rockefeller University Postdoctoral Association. interests of their country. In this context, science needs to be developed much more. Mexico can't be just a “maquiladora” country: China has already taken most of the manufacture industries that used to flourish near the border. Like the dragons of Asia, Mexico needs to change its focus to become a technology-producing country. For this, a lot of things need to be done, institutes need to be created, PhD programs enhanced. The national University UNAM and the Polytechnical Institute (IPN) are the main centers for research. Cuernavaca, an hour from Mexico city, and Irapuato 3 hours, have two great centers for biotechnology. Private institutions (like the famous “Tecnológico de Monterrey” or “Universidad Iberoamericana” ) are almost not involved in research, something to be changed. A high ranked center for physics and biology is being developed in San Luis Potosi, a very nice colonial city northeast of the capital. In Merida, in the Yucatán peninsula (near Cancun), a center was created 10 years ago (CINVESTAV). Mexico has to take advantage of its long cultural history and local biodiversity to develop modern biotechnology and to involve private capital in research centers (less than 20% of research is financed by industry, 40% in Brazil). To that end, an already existing strong scientific community has to be consolidated. I almost feel it is an obligation for me to go back to Mexico. I know things will not be as sweet as around here (except for the climate and the cheerfulness of the people). I will be doing a different kind of science. But I know too that I don't want to encourage the North-South rift, and staying around here is doing so. Don't be surprised if one of these years, one of the major scientific meetings (Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Cancer) is held in Mexico. Americans just love going down there, and I would be glad for this to happen. 5 Book Review: Tepper Isn’t Going Out by Calvin Trillin Reviewed by Carine Waase “Sooner or later they would presumably expect him to offer some explanation of why he happened to be sitting in his car at the same spot… But he had no intention of offering any explanation at all… He was in a legal parking spot. He had put a quarter in the meter. He was paid up.” The above scene replays itself several times in Calvin Trillin’s latest novel, Tepper Isn’t Going Out. The novel’s protagonist, Murray Tepper, has a passion for parking that borders on the obsessive, and spends a good deal of time in pursuit of the perfect parking spot. Like his fellow New Yorkers, Tepper must battle “Alternate Side of the Street” and “Diplomat Only” parking regulations. Unlike most of his fellow New Yorkers, however, Tepper has no intention of stepping onto the pavement after he’s found a parking spot; Tepper is content to sit in his Chevy Malibu reading the paper until the time on the meter runs out. Who cares if an elderly man wants to sit in his car and read the paper, you may ask? Mostly everyone, it turns out, from the kosher deli man to the bike messenger to “Il Duce”, the dictatorial mayor. A city of busybodies has a field day analyzing the motives behind Tepper’s behavior, and the reader contributes his/her own conjectures. Media coverage gone haywire is responsible (or to blame?) for Tepper’s rise to fame. Trillin wittily depicts media’s power to transform an ordinary citizen going about his daily, if somewhat eccentric, routine into a local celebrity. Tepper, a mild-mannered mailing list broker, comes to be hailed as a “model citizen,” a “symbol of the alienation of our times,” and a hero “gifted with special insights.” The amount of attention Tepper receives borders on the ludicrous given his modest demeanor and the typical length of a New York sound byte. But realistic or not, Tepper’s parking antics provide Trillin with the opportunity to introduce readers to an abundance of caricatured personalities, who, though lacking in depth, provide the novel with many of its chuckles. Why does Tepper spend hours searching for parking spots that he doesn’t need? Read the book; you’ll enjoy a light, amusing read. But don’t expect an answer. Tepper never provides us with a satisfying answer, and Trillin’s portrayal of Tepper’s rise and fall from fame gives us the impression that media manipulation and personal biases prevent us from ever formulating an objective view on anything. Trillin leaves us with the equally ambiguous notion that some things are perhaps better left with an air of mystery. Extracurricular Suggestion: Improv at the UCB Theater By Mark Schroeder The Upright Citizen's Brigade consists of Amy Poehler (now also on SNL), Matt Walsh, Matt Besser, and Ian Roberts. Their sketch show on Comedy Central lasted three seasons and funded their theater/ school here in NYC. The group focuses on long form improvisation which they learned from Del Close, probably THE guru of American improv comedy. Del trained an impressive list of comedians ranging from Bill Murray to Mike Meyers to Chris Farley and is considered by many a major comedic genius of the 20th century. My introduction to improv and the UCB was through Stefan Bekiranov, a post-doc in the Gaasterland lab who performed on one of the Harold Teams, which led to my taking a UCB class. In improv, the act of creation, which is the basis of all art, takes place before the audience. To the novice, the simple abstract structure and contributions into a complex set of scenes. The specific long form the group performs is the Harold. The first rule of which is that it has no rules, but there is a body of ideas that come from experience as to how to approach it. The basic format is a series of interconnected scenes in which characters, settings, relationships, and themes are generated, repeated, elaborated, and integrated. Rather than planning out a whole scene on your feet, the idea is to react to the audience suggestion and the subsequent choices of your group. The truth that comes from natural reactions forms the substance of scenes. The audience suggestion need not be the theme of the piece, which guides the oft chaotic flow of but rather provides a seed for the scenes may not be apparent. For any- reactive process. one amazed by evolution, long form The first guideline "yes and" improv is an interesting form of art to helps avoid individuals pushing preexperience and contemplate because the conceived or initial notions of where piece evolves before the audience. It's a scene should go, while encouraging amazing how a few simple ideas inte- everyone to contribute. "Yes" grate and coordinate many small details Continued on page 6 6 Cyrano’s Brain further restricted to gene expression from either the maternal or paternal By Leslie Vosshall chromosome. The mechanism by Olfaction — the sense of smell which this choice is effected—and — is key for all animals to enjoy how the other 999 genes are pleasant stimuli (the scent of food, silenced—is unknown. Choosing to flowers, perfume) and avoid danger- express a single odorant receptor is ous substances (smoke, rotting critical for the neuron to be sensitive food, leaking cooking gas). This is to a specific subset of odors that an interesting sensory modality to interact with a given odorant recepstudy, because at the cellular and tor. What is the relationship neural level it must recognize and between the chemical nature of an categorize thousands of different chemicals. Olfactory neurons odorant and its perceived smell? express odorant receptor proteins There is at present no way to predict that interact with subsets of these how a given odor will smell, given odorants and relay odor-specific only information about its chemical information directly to the primary structure. A lively debate in the field concerns whether the shape and olfactory relay in the brain. A number of interesting and functional groups of an odor are perplexing questions remain in the relevant for odor perception, or whether the vibrational energy of the field: How do vertebrate olfactory chemical bonds composing the odorneurons choose to express a single ant is important. How do odors stimulate recolodorant receptor gene from a repertoire of roughly one thousand lection of past events? We know that odors are particularly powerful triggenes? This transcriptional choice is "Improv..." continued from page 5 gers for memories of past events. Although the neuroanatomy of smell is relatively well described, we do not fully understand why and how olfactory cues are more efficient than visual or auditory cues at stimulating recollection of past events. The prime importance of olfaction to animals makes it possible to study different aspects of these questions in flies, mice, and humans. CYRA NO : "Ah no! young blade! That was a trifle short! You might have said at least a hundred things By varying the tone. . .like this, suppose,. . . Aggressive: 'Sir, if I had such a nose I'd amputate it!' Friendly: 'When you sup It must annoy you, dipping in your cup; You need a drinking-bowl of special shape!...” -Edmond Rostand accept every action of the other performers and validate it, even if it seems like a mistake. Trust their choices and help them feel supported enough to take risks. "And" - contribute information and detail about character relationships and setting. Upon these elements, "making connections" is key to providing coherence (and is intertwined with finding a game). Themes are generated by playing off patterns in the relationships and circumstances (wife yells at husband, who yells at employee, who in turn yells at son). The "first interesting thing" is a technique for finding a game in a scene by taking the first unusual twist or pattern and playing with it (similar to mutation and selection). Explicit jokes are discouraged especially when they block the development of the scene by not committing to the reality of it (such as repeated asides to the audience). Natural quirks often lead to humor that reflects the inconsistencies of everyday life and human interaction and is not contrived or forced (like my excessive parenthetical statements). Classes are a lot of fun and help with creativity, listening, public speaking, and cost $300 for eight 3 hour classes (or $12.50/hr). The shows are a lot of fun, cheap (free $7), and happen nightly. Asscat, their flagship Sunday night show, is one of the best and features guests from the cast of Saturday Night Live, Conan O'Brien, and The Second City. Cage Match is another favorite which features two Harold teams competing for audience votes and a slot to defend their title the next week. For details, see: http://www.ucbtheater.com/ The March to Mars By Muriel Lainé Two thousand and four may not be the year you will keep all the best resolutions you made, but it is definitely the year of Mars. This red planet that is now so close to Earth that several programs were launched across the continents to get the best of it before it gets too far. Among them is the Rover’s mission. Some indifferent or self-centered people can say it is just a piece of red dust that turns around the sun, but if you are even a little bit curious about what is around you, whether it is close or far, I suggest you take a look at the Hubble and the NASA websites. Amazing photographs, video, press releases, and technical and scientific information are presented. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/ http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/home/ index.html or http://www.uprightcitizens.org/ 7 RUFP Précis By E.J. Muñoz-Elías, S. Leal, I.C. Berke, O. Ahmad, C.D. Bess, A. Johnson, J. A. Degrasse, R. Pereira, J. Lowell, and C. Strambio de Castillia “For nothing can keep it [government] right but their own vigilant and distrustful superintendence.” (T. Jefferson) The Rockefeller University for Peace (RUFP) is a group whose goal is to contribute to the movement to promote peace and justice worldwide. At the dawn of the 21 st century, the U.S. is the sole superpower and thus it is presented with unique opportunities and challenges: the domestic and international political agenda the U.S. implements today might decisively affect the path humanity will follow in the years to come. Will the U.S. government’s guiding moral ideological principles foment the advancement of human development and the pursuit of happiness throughout? Knowledge of the historical, economic and political context surrounding key domestic and interna- tional issues is crucial for individuals to form sensible opinions and execute their democratic rights accordingly: due to media homogenization and corporate influence, people living in the U.S. are not exposed to the panoply of opinions that exist regarding important political/social issues including war as a means of ending terrorism, globalization (forced untimely privatization/liberalization), world health (epidemics of the poor), biological/nuclear development, environmental destruction, and first amendment rights (US Patriot Act I and II), among others. RUFP is a place for learning, exchanging and disseminating information about these issues in our community. While thinking globally, we plan to act locally in the following ways: - Organize seminars/teach-ins to disseminate information widely in the community. - Increase the visibility of those who want to express their views through vigils, marches and rallies. - Organize out-reach activities to raise the level of political involvement in the community. Campus Extracurricular Groups - Contact government representatives at the local and national levels regarding their positions on relevant current issues. This past year we participated in pro-peace rallies in and around New York City and Washington D.C. We also campaigned for passage of New York City Council's resolutions condemning the invasion of Iraq and limiting the US Patriot Act I (still pending). We also organized the following teach-ins: Discussion on the Current War in Iraq – Colleen Kelly (September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows), Ian Williams (UN correspondent for The Nation), Richard Bulliet (Columbia University History professor); War on Terror or Assault on Civil Liberties – Jameel Jaffer and Omar Jadwat (attorneys from the ACLU), Adem Carrol (Community Advocate and 911 Relief Program Coordinator for Islamic Circle of N. America). RUFP will start meeting again this January. Info at http://146150.rockefeller.edu/~ian/RUFP/ Society/Cla s s Ballroom Dancing Capoeira Dancing Central Park Softball Creative Writing Group Dance aerobics and body sculpting Guitar Club (Beginners) Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga Class Jazz Dance Class (Beginners) Pilates Mat Classes RU For Peace Science & National Security Seminar (Daniel Kevles) Science & Society Journal Club Science & Society Seminar Contact Person Mariah Quinn (Maq2001@med.cornell.edu) Julie (baronj@rockefeller.edu) Pimentinha (718 216-5448) Brandon Yoo (brandon@mail.rockefeller.edu) Antonia Martinez (Antonia@mail.rockefeller.edu) Liz (campbee@rockefeller.edu) Christian Janzen (janzenc@rockefeller.edu) Amy Sullivan (sulliva@mail.rockefeller.edu) Mariah Quinn (Maq2001@med.cornell.edu) Amy Sullivan (sulliva@mail.rockefeller.edu) Caterina Strambio de Castillia (strambioc@rockefeller.edu) Elizabeth Hanson (hansone@mail.rockefeller.edu) RU Student Pugwash pugwash@mail.rockefeller.edu) RU Student Pugwash (pugwash@mail.rockefeller.edu) Me eting Time s Mon. & Wed. Evenings Begins Jan. 12 Mon., 8-9:30 PM Wed., 7-8:30 PM Sundays during the summer Thurs. (biweekly), 5-7 PM Mon. and Thurs. 6:30-8PM Thurs., 7-9 PM Mon., 12-1 PM; Tues., 5:30-6:30 PM; Thurs., 1-2 PM Wed., 8:15-9:45 PM Starts Jan.14 Wed., 8-9 AM; Fri., 8-9AM See article, this issue “Eugenics” Thurs., Jan. 22, 4-6 PM Mon., Feb. 2, 6:30 PM Tues., Feb. 3, 4 PM Prof. Joel Cohen; Human Population: Situation and Prospects Plac e Lasdon Terrace Room (420 E. 70th St., 2nd Floor) Founder’s Hall Exercise Room Central Park 1B Caspary Founder’s Hall Exercise Room Music Room (next to Faculty Club) Founder’s Hall Exercise Room Lasdon Terrace Room (420 E. 70th St., 2nd Floor) Founder’s Hall Exercise Room TBA RRB 110 Faculty Club Weiss 302 8 "Thanks To Fresh Direct I Have Three Nature Papers," says graduate student. By Mary Abraham Norman Clature, a second year graduate student in the Laboratory of Biological Procrastination, celebrated yesterday the publication of yet another Nature cover article on the six month anniversary of his new life solely within the bounds of Rockefeller territory. His life took a momentous turn in August when he was put in charge of ordering food for a laboratory farewell party in honor of a departing postdoc. Another lab member suggested he investigate the introductory free $50 of food available for new customers ordering delivery of groceries from the online service Fresh Direct. “I still remember that enchanted moment when I first saw their website and realized that this was going to be the start of something beautiful,” reflected Norman yesterday. In 2003 Norman’s work was not progressing well, a fact that he now realizes was not due to any fault of his, but rather stemmed from his need to leave campus in search of groceries. “That was where the problems would begin,” he recounted, “I would innocently go out to buy some milk, overhear someone on the street talking about the Yankees game and before I knew what had happened I would be in the Bronx by the start of the second inning. Returning home via the jazz club, I would only get back to campus after midnight. Then I would wake up the next morning, realize that I still hadn’t any milk, and the whole vicious cycle would begin again.” However, Norman’s lifestyle took a definite change for the better when he decided to order all his food from Fresh Direct. Suddenly he had space in his schedule to go to the lab. “I had so much extra time to do experiments and I even began to recognize other lab members," he recalls. Norman has now entered into a creative period of enormous scientific productivity. With three pioneering Nature cover articles already under his belt, the future looks bright. However, this modest student isn’t letting success go to his head. “Honestly,” he says, “I owe it all to Fresh Direct.” Put a Little Fun in Your Life This Summer! By Bonnie Kaiser and Joe Alonzo Try mentoring a high school student or K-12 teacher. Every year about 50 high school students are matched with RU scientists. Applications are circulated to Lab Heads and if you have the time and interest, you could select a student - from over 250 who apply - to work with you. For more information please visit www.rockefeller.edu/outreach, email bonnie, call x7431, or drop by NR 412. Compiled by resident DJ Ann "The Apoptosizer" Tang Oh Death -Diane Izzo Learn To Fly License to Kill Dead on Arrival Follow the Reaper Live and Let Die I Just Want'a Fly Die Another Day Killing Me Softly Dying to Be Alive I Believe I Can Fly I Wish I Was A Fly Death and the Maiden Death and Transfiguration Death Don’t Have No Mercy -The Grateful Dead Pardon Me, I've Got Someone to Kill -Lonesome Bob -Foo Fighters -Bob Dylan -Grim Reaper -Children of Bodom -Paul Mc Cartney -Sugar Ray -Madonna -The Fugees -Hanson -R. Kelly -The Voorhees -Schubert -Strauss Steller Lab Playlist Natural Selections n e e d s y o u ! Please send articles for publication, letters to the editors, or get involved in the production of Natural Selections. naturalselections@rockefeller.edu Box 24 Oh Death, How Bitter Are You -Brahms Take these primers kid, clone that gene, and your name is going to be up there, on Broadway, in bright lights ! 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