Who is ZachSylvanus?

ZachSylvanus · Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2002 4:54 pm Post subject: Who is ZachSylvanus?

Well, first off, my name is Zach Sylvain. I'm 20, and a third-year Biology student at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and during the summers, I live with my family in sunny Sanford, Maine.

I met Chris, Cheryl, Jamie, and Jim over There. Of course, I didn't know them by those names, but....

I'm a third year biology student. I'm actually gearing my studies towards an evolutionary and ecological concentration, so I get to study what interests me the most: History AND Science. When I finally finish all of the schooling I foresee for myself, I hope to either get into medicine, or to work at NASA.

I enjoy reading, writing, and roleplaying games. I love outdoors sports, such as camping, biking, running, hiking and kayaking. I hate heat and humidity, so my location is perfect.

I love to read, and read Pale Blue Dot at Chris' suggestion, and that caused me to purchase and read most of Sagan's other novels. The sheer knowledge of the gamut of science that man possessed leaves me envious.

I prefer to read books on history (a lot), philosophy, religions, science, and sci-fi/fantasy. Occasionally I will read some other form of fiction, but it isn't very likely.

Er....so...yeah. Thats me.

Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 8/10/02 7:56:14 pm

stevepainter · Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2002 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

You also met Steve (Rakhir) over there.

Good to see you here.

ZachSylvanus · Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2002 12:01 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

I can't believe I forgot you, Steve

Sorry man $:\$

greg in the machine · Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2002 8:59 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

Welcome to BookTalk, Zach. With interests like those you should fit right in.

Science and history are my primary interests in life as well. I'm starting work on my Master's degree (in history) in January 2003. I've been out of school since 1998 and I can't wait to get back! (Pathetic, I know).

I'm a gamer, too. Gaming - along with biking and reading - is my main hobby. A creative and intelligent passtime if there ever was one.

G

Chris OConnor · Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 11:41 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

Zach:

I'm really happy to have you here at BookTalk. You'll fit in well and I look forward to your contributions!

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,
for there you have been, and there you will always want to be."

-- Leonardo da Vinci

Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 8/31/02 1:00:19 am

NaddiaAoC · Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2002 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

Zach,

Wahoo! I'm glad you're here. I look forward to your participation in the discussions.

Cheryl

Chris OConnor · Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2002 7:14 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

Zach:

You will have to do the "GuestMap" again....I accidently deleted everyone. I personalized the 5 questions you have to answer when you stick the push pin in the map and then hit the delete button. Sorry about that. So please go enter your info on the map again. Thanks.

Chris

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,
for there you have been, and there you will always want to be."

-- Leonardo da Vinci

ZachSylvanus · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2003 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

This weekend's been a rush of paper-writing. Come to think of it, the last couple of weekends have been a rush of paper writing. Nobody told me Science was this much work :(.

I'm analyzing a paper about mallards. Cute animals, mallards. In fact, that's why I'm doing the paper. My professor gave me a fairly decent list (8 topics) to write a paper on (well, to critique someone else's paper on), and so, being the indecisive, apathetic human I am, I asked one of my friends what I should do. She of course responded with ducks, as they are infinitely cuter than snakes, more cuddly than cichlid fish, and don't throw feces like orang-utans.

Ducks. Woo. Eight pages (or 2000 words!) about ducks. I don't want to see a duck again. Ever. I will boycott parks, hikes, drives, even that damned statue in Boston. I'm overducked. I've reached my duck limit. They're not cute anymore, they're little pawns that run around, have sex with each other, and occasionally pull feathers. Then you take blood serum and analyze it, and turn the ducks into neatly arranged graphs with little error bars and orange sauce, lightly grilled.....

I just finished a book yesterday, and now I'm starting the selected reading for this. If anyone gets a chance (and you like Science Fiction in the Cyberpunk genre, or if you just want a really good read), I highly recommend The Diamond Age by Neil Stephenson. Nanotech, drama, action, it's got it all. Plus it lacks ducks.

Jeremy1952 · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2003 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

I read an article in... I think it was Scientific American; that ducks are able to sleep with one half of their brain at a time, leaving the other half alert for danger.

In fact this mechanism may contain a clue as to why brains have hemispheres in the first place.

ZachSylvanus · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2003 4:02 am Post subject: Re: Who is ZachSylvanus?

That would have been interesting. I, however, got to critique a paper about how testosterone levels are favored by females during mate selection (higher is better--but in the spring, while males are chosen in the fall. Apparently it's predictive), and how high T levels affect mate-guarding

Duck sex, at its finest. :(

Edited by: ZachSylvanus at: 3/25/03 3:03:46 am

Jeremy1952 · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2003 8:03 am Post subject: Ducks

Lol, you have no idea, the most boring thing you do sounds more interesting than the most interesting thing I do. I am a poseur in the Sciences, especially biology; I read and try to understand other people's results, but have never done a single piece of real research myself.

I'm also a lousy bird watcher. "Pigeon? I THINK its a pigeon".


	FORUMS	ABOUT	BOOKS	VIDEOS	TRANSCRIPTS	LINKS	BLOGS	DONATE	CONTACT