Email of the Day

[coalescent]

The internet is a truly wonderful thing. For instance, this morning I got the following email:

[snip]
Hello,

I am a post-doc fellow about to join TIFR, Mumbai, India. I used to teach at the University of Mumbai before I took to research and a Ph.D programme. I have now taken a year off from research to write a book on immunology aimed primarily at the Indian market. A friend and ex-colleague of mine, [snip], is helping me in this venture. She teaches microbiology and immunology at the Mumbai University. Books by foreign authors are expensive in India, and therefore out of reach of many Indian students. Our book is written with the aim of explaining basic immunological ideas and prinicples, whilst trying to incorporate the latest on the subject.

To try and provide some relief from the serious nature of the subject, we have tried to include some interesting insights, quotes, etc. in each chapter. While researching for this book I came across your site. I particularly loved your acount of B cell ontogeny as sci-fi. It is simply wonderful. We would like to quote that entire paragraph (episode? :)) of 'The wars within'. Needless to say, your authorship will be properly acknowledged.

If you need any more information about us or the book, I will be only too happy to provide it.

We would be really grateful if you could give us permission to quote that paragraph. It makes such wonderful reading and gives an extra dimension to what is really a very dry and complicated subject.

Looking forward to your reply.

[snip]

She's talking about this, which is one of the more, um, 'innovative' essays I wrote during my course. And as far as I can tell from Google, she's real. Persistent, too; since the email address at the bottom of the page in question isn't valid any more (whoops), she tracked down Tom and got in touch that way.

So like I said, the internet? Cool.

On the downside, it's looking like I may be stuck at work late this evening, which would render certain wagers with snowking null and void. Bah.

Comments

[wg.livejournal.com]

very cool indeed :-D

[snowking.livejournal.com]

On the downside, it's looking like I may be stuck at work late this evening, which would render certain wagers with snowking null and void. Bah.

Fix! A fix!

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Hey, I wanted my ten pounds. But it looks like it's not to be.

[snowking.livejournal.com]

Hah! Keep on dreaming!

[despotliz.livejournal.com]

That is cool. And I've said it before, but that essay amuses me greatly, and I wish I could have seen the look on your tutor's face when he read it. :)

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Apparently he was on the toilet at the time so I'm guessing that actually no, you don't. :-)

[despotliz.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that the mental image you didn't want was of your tutor sat on the bog with a pile of essays.

I'm now quite worried about my exam scripts.

V. cool

[applez.livejournal.com]

But don't let it go to your head Harrison! The last thing we need is another mad-scientist-scifi-writer-become-Cult-Leader...Island of Dr. Moreau-style (but with actual microbiologist skillz) :-)

V. cool though, v. cool.

----

[gagravarr.livejournal.com]

Tell them what you're doing now, and offer to review the book or some such thing (whatever it is that you actually do!)

It's cool about getting in their book though :-)

[mattia.livejournal.com]

So, so rawk.

I have mentioned to you that that essay is quite genial, right? 'cause if I didn't before, or you've forgotten, I'm telling you again now.

RAWK.