Walking Last Month

Rutgers Football Player Paralyzed

This is terribly sad, and unfortunately happens far too often. This past Saturday, Rutgers special teams player Eric LaGrand broke his neck making a tackle during the Scarlet Knight's game against Army. He collided with a player, and slumped immediately to the ground, motionless. I can and can't imagine what was going through his mind at that moment. As I lay face down in the Atlantic, waiting patiently for someone to flip my ass over, I had no idea what had happened to me. Something serious obviously had happened, as I couldn't move anything, arms, legs, nothing, but I wouldn't find out how serious for days, even weeks later. Coming to understand the permanence of such an injury takes even longer, if at all.

Watching ESPN this morning, I saw and heard many touching tributes to Eric; his team has 'Believe' stickered on their helmets, and Rutgers' opponent today, Pitt, is making a banner that many in the student body will sign. He has received 24,000 emails over the past week. I only hope that this intense wave of support can buoy him in the hard times ahead. As has been reported, he had surgery at the C3/C4 level, and his condition has not changed much over the past 7 days. They say the first 72 hours after injury are the most crucial; you want to see signs of improvement during that window. Shit, we were still trying to understand the doctor's accent during my '72 hour window'. It's been said Eric is a great guy with a strong family and community around him; in that, he is lucky, just as I am - about the family and community part, at least :).

I'm not too sure I would like all my medical updates making the front page of ESPN.com, either. My website was good enough for me. And there is hope for Eric, to which former NFL player Kevin Everett is a walking testament. Eric, we pray for you, and a swift recovery, both in body and spirit.

Now This Is A Candidate I Can Support

The rent IS too damn high! And I dig those gloves.

At Least UofM Cheerleaders Are Still The Leaders And Best

Every school has one: a homecoming celebration, an annual pilgrimage where proud alums return to campus to drink beer, eat chili, and wish for an afternoon that they were still enrolled.

At Michigan homecoming games, a particular delight are the cheerleaders, who, with the zest of Civil War re-enactors, return to their glory days of too-tight block M sweaters and dare-devil stunts. They pull off backflips, arm-in-arm handstands, and the famed 'locomotive', done correctly by the chaps above, and horribly wrong, though enthusiastically, by the fellows below.

Miracle Rescue in Chile

What a story! After 70 days stuck over 2,000 feet below the surface, the last miner was rescued early Thursday morning. I can't imagine the re-entry process needed for those rescued, both physical and psychological; the condition of their eyes, used to only darkness for so long, more resemble those of a mole than those of a human.

One negative from the rescue I read about was actually kind of funny - the mine-side vigil held by friends and family of those trapped attracted both the wife and the mistress of one of the miners, outing his little dalliance. I'm thinking he might want to stay down there a little longer.

Another Cool Feature on Brock Mealer

This story has captured the eyes and hearts of the nation, and recently appeared on the ESPN news show E:60. Each iteration adds a bit more, and the more recognition this gets, the better.

Bonus - At the 10:47 mark of the video, the camera scans over the student section and Mackenzie is easily recognizable, wearing sunglasses.

As for a prediction for tomorrow...this game will be a shootout undoubtedly. The game will ride on which offense can limit turnovers and which defense can make stops on their own side of the field. Homefield advantage will be huge....Michigan 38, Michigan State 31

MORE Great Stem Cell News

U of M created the state's first line of human embryonic stem cells, a huge step forward towards the ultimate goal of cures. Using embryos headed for the garbage, and with the help of the state constitutional amendment passed in November 2008, U of M scientists join a select group of American universities who have created a line of human embryonic stem cells. Read more here.


Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.


A camera in SPACE! Almost as cool!

More Stem Cell Good News

My favorite word is in the title of the article: Progress. Scientists have formulated a more efficacious way to reprogram skin cells into stem cells, the stem cell-creation methodology of choice, as it circumvents the political firestorm surrounding destroyed embryos. 

The cells become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) by fiddling with their RNA. The previous approach involved using the cell's DNA, which resulted in a heightened risk of cancer. Needless to say, that plan was quickly scrapped.

Luckily, using the RNA turns out even better, as the process is highly efficient and the iPS cells are of good quality. Good thing, because I want only the finest iPS'.