From the Brain of Dr. Dave

I believe that a man's wedding ring reflects loyalty, reliability, strength, trust, and love. And over the years, the dings and dents it accumulates reflects experience. It's a symbol of a strong and lasting bond.

So when it came time for me to choose, I selected a metal alloy that reflects my beliefs: aerospace grade titanium alloy. Naturally.

Titanium alloys exhibit great strength and resist corrosion, fatigue, cracks, and deformation at high temperatures. In fact, part of the success of the Mach 3+ SR-71 Blackbird spy plane can be attributed to the extensive use of exotic (at the time) titanium alloys throughout its structure. Today, titanium alloys are used in on modern commercial airliners on several high-stress parts (especially in the engines).

Yes, I think it's cool to have a ring made from spy plane metal on my finger. In doing so, I satisfied my inner chemistry/aviation geek (it's my ring, after all). But ultimately, I selected a titanium alloy because is reliable and strong, which reflect my relationship with my wife.

As for the dings and dents, since I've known my wife for over a decade before we were married, I ordered ball peen finish to remind me of our years of friendship.

And in case you are wondering, I ordered my ring from Boone Rings. I don't receive any kickbacks if you buy a ring from them. I'm just a satisfied customer who wants to spread the word.

Dr. Dave

Bird songs are complex, but when songs were replayed at a slower speeds, many sounded like classical music. One bird song example sounded like the main theme Beethoven's Fifth Symphony!

What this episode implied is that Beethoven was inspired by a bird (Nature) and ran with the idea to compose his Fifth Symphony. The bird existed long before Beethoven, so it's very likely he sought inspiration from Nature. For this we call him a musical genius.

OK, so what does this have to do with chemistry?

Nature is the largest chemical factory in existence. Over eons, Nature made a fascinating array of molecules rich in structural diversity and biological activity. Some molecules may even cure the most insidious diseases know to man and it is the role of a synthetic organic chemist to make these molecules.

It takes a lot of knowledge, skill, planning, and some luck to assemble a complex molecule. A synthetic organic chemist must sort through thousands of reactions to determine the correct order of assembly. Most reactions don't apply and those that do are often frought with limitiations. It's science and art, and it's not an easy task.

Oftentimes, an organic chemist will enlist the help of Nature. Through bioanalytical chemistry, we can understand Nature's approach to complex molecule construction and substitute our own laboratory surrogates for each reaction. In many cases, laboratory surrogates for Nature's reactions do not exist. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, it serves as inspiration to create new chemistry.

So just like Beethoven, chemists are also inspired by Nature!

Indeed, Nature's approach to chemistry has inspired the creation of several amazing chemical reactions that makes the rapid construction of interesting molecules possible. Ultimately this translates into improved efficiency for the synthesis of modern medicines.

Nature continues to perform reactions that amazes and inspires even the most experienced chemists. It makes sense, Nature has a several hundred million years head start!

Dr. Dave

My wife (who is also my best friend) knows my passion for flight and has been encouraging me to take to the skies once again for some time now. Yes, I'd like to go flying, but Chicago's weather and my free time are rarely in sync. My gut tells me they have formed an unholy alliance to keep me grounded. I've been distracting myself by playing guitar, drawing and painting. These hobbies help, but I'd rather be flying.

Microsoft Flight Simulator: My Flying Surrogate

I've played versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator since I was in the 4th grade. When I started my instrument flight training some 15 years later, I realized that it was more that just a game: it's a training tool. In fact, after every instrument flying lesson in an airplane, I would repeat the same lesson on my flight simulator.

I flew the simulator the way I was trained to fly the plane. I did everything the same, from using my checklists to tuning VORs and everything in-between. Plus, I always set the inflight visibility to a half mile just so I could force myself to fly by instruments.

Training to a high standard on the simulator made my flight training seem easy by comparison. Even the flight examiner was impressed that I passed the instrument checkride at the FAA minimum experience requirements!

To this day, I still use my desktop flight simulator to keep my instrument flying skills sharp; however, I am concerned that I'm not training in the plane I normally fly: a Diamond Star DA40 with a G1000 panel. The plane is technologically advanced, meaning it has a lot of fancy gizmos and gadgets that can make long distance flying easier, but it requires knowing how to interact with the flight computer. I'm computer savvy, but staring at a computer screen while flying through the air is a problem in my book.

Don't get me wrong, the Diamond Star still flies like any other airplane. I can navigate "old school" using VORs (I use them to back up GPS data), but my concern is that I can't practice the way I fly. I guess that's what the real plane is for, but I would feel better if I could fly like I train and train like I fly. Not only is it safer, it's considerably less expensive.

Dr. Dave

Exam Strategy 101
After all the studying is done and the books and notes are set aside, the only thing that's left is to rock the exam. Ithe sciences, a killer strategy makes your studying count.

Having been a chemistry instructor at the university level (which means I have written exams), I recommend ploughing through each page and pick off the questions you know how to answer. Not only will you knock a lot of questions out of the way, but you will also get a feel-good mental boost.

Pay attention to problems throughout the exam because little clues may trigger your studying memory. Numerous times during chemistry and physics exams, I often found clues in later problems that help solve the ones I could not.

My last bit of advice works best for people who trust themselves: once you are certain of your response, don't second guess yourself. I knew many students who changed a correct answer to a wrong one. Trust your instincts. Unless you are 100% certain an answer is wrong, don't change it.

Happy studying!

Dr. Dave

Several major earthquakes in the span of a few hours, and yet many buildings remain standing? This is a testament to advanced engineering. But science aside, I truly hope the Japanese people recover quickly from the devastating effects.

Dr. Dave

Where Did They Come From?
I don't recall seeing as many overweight people 10 or 15 years ago as I do now. I am puzzled. Seriously, why the sudden increase in the obesity rate? I only ask because being overweight or obese is associated with a host of significant secondary health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Both require medication to maintain a patient's health, but for most overweight people, a proper diet and exercise (eat less, move more) could help them to reduce their amount of medication. In fact, some folks may no longer require medication once they reach a healthy weight. Common sense tells me a healthy diet and exercise could reduce the cost of health care!

A Food Philosophy That Works
I have been able to maintain a healthy weight for 10+ years through proper diet and exercise. My philosophy is to eat less and move more. When I dine, I eat until I am no longer hungry rather than eating until I feel full. It was difficult at first, but after a few weeks I adapted. After each meal my hunger is satisfied and I don't feel stuffed following my meal. Yes, I eat frequently (mainly snacks), but I see it as a bonus since I get to sample many flavors throughout the day. I don't cut junk or fast food from my diet, but I do limit my portions. I guess the bottom line is that a healthy diet does not mean cutting the foods you like. Instead, go ahead and eat the foods you like, but eat less of it.

I ultimately hope the American public attacks the obesity epidemic head-on. There's too much at stake!

This image from NASA shows just how massive the storm was the hit the Midwest. Watch out east coast!

Dr. Dave

Although I have lived in Chicago for nearly a decade, to date the only blizzards I have experienced are from Dairy Queen. But I'm not worried. I'm prepared (food, water, alternate heat source, etc.). Despite the creaking and groaning, I'm looking forward to my first blizzard. I've experienced major typhoons, monsoons, and earthquakes. I guess I can now add a blizzard to the list.

But what makes a blizzard? According to the National Weather Service, if the wintry weather meets the following criteria:

-Visibility reduced to 1/4 mile
-Sustained winds of 35 mph
-3 hours or more in duration

...then it's a blizzard!

Plus, tonight we might have thundersnow. Wow!

Dr. Dave

Happy 2011 everyone! Well, it's that time of year when millions make the promise of self-improvement. Unfortunately, most of these promises are broken by the time February rolls around.

I think New Year's resolutions are good in principle. The desire to better oneself is noble, but why wait for a specific date to implement it? If change is truly important, start immediately.

Finally, always remember that anything worth doing will be difficult to achieve, so expect failure. Experience tells me life's most important lessons are born from failure than success. When you fail (not if), acknowledge it and try again. Let willpower maintain your momentum and keep moving forward. Every little step counts!

Of course, once your goal is met, you will have achieved much more than a target. Positive changes instills positive traits, so embrace change and become the best version of yourself for 2011 and beyond!

Dr. Dave