What Made You Both Happy and Unhappy at the Same Time Today? 2.0

[Northern Star Girl]

Monday night: Bicycle axle broke on the way to the grocery    Luckily one of the clerks I'm friends with gave me a lift home 

Tuesday afternoon: Another friend took me to drop my bike at a good bike shop for repair 

Wednesday (This evening): Said bike shop rang up to say my bike was ready to be picked up 

Will probably go tomorrow afternoon 

@V M
I would consider all that you mentioned in your comment is indeed "happy good news"

The happy good news certainly outnumbers the unhappy bad news....
Thank you for sharing and posting... 

Hugs and well wishes,
Danielle

[Colleen_definitely]

I just got offered the opportunity to do my doctoral project with a food screening spectrometer.  It would involve coming up with ways to screen things like honey, dairy, fruit juice, wine, etc...  It would be a lot of work (like all doctoral projects) but I would have fun doing it.  It's a bit of development work with a healthy dose of chemistry detective work.

The bad part is the "honey" most of us buy as pure honey is usually anything but pure.  After going over some data it was frightening and really a bit depressing.  It's the sort of thing that people have gone to jail over in the past and until recently there was no way to catch them.

So, interesting work involving thumbing my nose as the corrupt, YAY!
But realizing just how horrifically corrupt these producers are is troubling.

[Northern Star Girl]

I just got offered the opportunity to do my doctoral project with a food screening spectrometer.  It would involve coming up with ways to screen things like honey, dairy, fruit juice, wine, etc...  It would be a lot of work (like all doctoral projects) but I would have fun doing it.  It's a bit of development work with a healthy dose of chemistry detective work.

The bad part is the "honey" most of us buy as pure honey is usually anything but pure.  After going over some data it was frightening and really a bit depressing.  It's the sort of thing that people have gone to jail over in the past and until recently there was no way to catch them.

So, interesting work involving thumbing my nose as the corrupt, YAY!
But realizing just how horrifically corrupt these producers are is troubling.

@Colleen_definitely
Dear Colleen:
This is most definitely Happy and good news...  sounds like a very interesting subject for sure.

I have found "pure" honey from small local bee hives at Mom and Pop food fairs and flea markets... or is there some other standard for "pure" that is required for your PhD dissertation ?

Wishing you well with your project.
Hugs,
Danielle

[V M]

Endo appt. today    Which is good because I've needed to get in to be seen but had to reschedule twice before do to transportation mixups

Heavy snow last night which may make for a dangerous and scary ride     I just hope the transport driver is good and she gets me there and back safely 

[Northern Star Girl]

Endo appt. today    Which is good because I've needed to get in to be seen but had to reschedule twice before do to transportation mixups

Heavy snow last night which may make for a dangerous and scary ride     I just hope the transport driver is good and she gets me there and back safely 

@V M
Please be careful as you are out and about... snow and ice are not the friends of cars, trucks, busses, etc.    Even if your transport driver or bus driver is "good" ...even buses do get stuck on the slippery and snow covered roads.... or the "other drivers" may not be such good drivers on the snow and ice...  defensive driving is a must.

Be safe, be careful, and good luck on your Endo appointment.
I will be looking for your followup report...

Hugs,
Danielle

[Colleen_definitely]

@Colleen_definitely
Dear Colleen:
This is most definitely Happy and good news...  sounds like a very interesting subject for sure.

I have found "pure" honey from small local bee hives at Mom and Pop food fairs and flea markets... or is there some other standard for "pure" that is required for your PhD dissertation ?

Wishing you well with your project.
Hugs,
Danielle

The stuff from your local hobby producers is probably pretty pure.  At worst they might feed their bees some sugar water to boos production.  We can see that in our analysis.  That's really a pretty common practice and not a problem since it's still turned into honey by the bees.

The issue lies in places that add sugar syrup directly to honey to make it go farther and still label it as pure.  Then there's other varieties where the bees visit some plants that produce bad tasting byproducts in the honey.  These lower quality honeys get filtered over some clever resin materials and then sold as clover honey or whatnot.  And you guessed it, we can tell when that happens.  This has been a common practice because until the last couple of years there hasn't been a good way to detect it.  I see this research leading to some serious litigation.

Then there's point of origin testing.  There is a ton of honey produced all over the world and due to soil conditions and the local plants each one is a bit different, and it is possible to check to see if the label is lying or not.  From the data I looked at today, the labels are generally a lie.  Why would they do this?  Tax evasion, import duty evasion, avoiding the stigma of "made in China" labels, etc...  There's nothing wrong with Chinese or Vietnamese honey, but importers still want to lie about where it comes from for whatever reason.

My particular project might involve working with maple syrup since the database for honey screening is pretty well established.  Fake maple syrup is big business and the people producing the genuine stuff have an interest in fighting the phonies.  The method for screening that stuff would be pretty similar to honey but it just hasn't been done yet, which might be where I come in. 

The holy grail project would involve figuring out how to tell the difference between genuine extra virgin olive oil and other types, because that's a HUGE market with more fake products than genuine.

[Northern Star Girl]

Snipped:

- - - - - -
    - - - - - -
My particular project might involve working with maple syrup since the database for honey screening is pretty well established.  Fake maple syrup is big business and the people producing the genuine stuff have an interest in fighting the phonies.  The method for screening that stuff would be pretty similar to honey but it just hasn't been done yet, which might be where I come in.
- - - - - -

@Colleen_definitely
Dear Colleen:
Some years ago when I lived in the New England states going to college I would often buy locally produced Maple Syrup ... and there were certainly a lot of differences in appearance and taste.
If I recall correctly there are 4 grades of Maple Syrup:
      Fancy
      Grade A  (Medium Amber)
      Grade A  (Dark Amber)
      Grade B

While the Fancy and Grade A lighter color versions were more desired by most newbie buyers... and hence, more expensive, I found that I liked the less expensive varieties such as Grade B, and also Grade A (Dark Amber.)...they were somewhat thicker and a pleasant and more full-bodied Maple taste....   more taste for the money!!!.... and I did not like as well the "light and very mild taste of the more expensive grades that many newbies think that it reminds them of the fake stuff (Log Cabin, Mrs Butterworth's, etc) that they have used and tasted for many years.

Even back several years, the Fancy and Grade A lighter color Maple Syrups could sell for $40 - $50 per gallon or more... 
....and the Grade A darker color and Grade B Maple Syrups could sell for quite a bit less expensive prices of $20 - $30 per gallon.
Locally, one could get the best syrups at the best prices in plain one gallon Tin-Cans from the small mom and pop producers.   Sometime the big producers with the fancy packaging and labels would be the most expensive and sell a gallon of the lighter stuff at well over $50-$60+ per gallon.   

It can take roughly 45 - 50 gallons of sap to boil down and make a gallon of syrup depending on the time of the season which affects sugar content and grade.

Very interesting stuff...  honey or maple syrup, tough choices?
Good luck in choosing your subject.
I will be looking for your followup reports if you feel so led to post them.

Hugs,
Danielle

[Colleen_definitely]

Oh yes, grade B is definitely where it's at for maple syrup. 

The unfortunate thing is a lot of stuff being sold as maple syrup is thinned down with corn syrups and the like because it's cheap and boosts profits.  (and it's really hard to prove that it's being done, for now)

To be fair things like log cabin aren't sold as maple syrup, but rather table syrup or maple flavored syrup products or whatever.  They aren't claiming to be the genuine article, my work would involve developing methods to pick out the fakes being sold as the real deal.  The differences in pure vs adulterated syrup is pretty obvious when you stick it in an NMR spectrometer.  Something like the differences between real EVOO, VOO, and other olive oils is far more subtle. 

[Linde]

Oh yes, grade B is definitely where it's at for maple syrup. 

The unfortunate thing is a lot of stuff being sold as maple syrup is thinned down with corn syrups and the like because it's cheap and boosts profits.  (and it's really hard to prove that it's being done, for now)

To be fair things like log cabin aren't sold as maple syrup, but rather table syrup or maple flavored syrup products or whatever.  They aren't claiming to be the genuine article, my work would involve developing methods to pick out the fakes being sold as the real deal.  The differences in pure vs adulterated syrup is pretty obvious when you stick it in an NMR spectrometer.  Something like the differences between real EVOO, VOO, and other olive oils is far more subtle.

I don't know how much money is in that industry, or how strong the less desirable figures who are pulling the cheating ropes are.  But I would not make my work very public, if you could step on some heavy weight boots while doing you project!

[Linde]

 I was at my therapist today, and she wrote the gender change letter I need for the gender id and name change, and that made me happy. 
But I was supposed to be called by the surgery scheduler today, to tell me when my orchi would be, and nobody called.  I final called back and was told that she is out, and is not expected back anymore this week!  It might be next week until i know when they plan to make me an ounce or so lighter!  And that is not so nice!  Nobody seems to be in a hurry to help me to get to the point of my transition at which I want to be!

[zirconia]

Hi Colleen

Something like the differences between real EVOO, VOO, and other olive oils is far more subtle.

This sounds very interesting. Actually, I've never understood the what extra virgin olive oil is. Someone once told me that virgin olive oil refers pure oil from the first pressing, done with no heat. However, if virgin=pure, what is it about the "extra" version that makes it purer than pure? 

[Colleen_definitely]

Hi Colleen

This sounds very interesting. Actually, I've never understood the what extra virgin olive oil is. Someone once told me that virgin olive oil refers pure oil from the first pressing, done with no heat. However, if virgin=pure, what is it about the "extra" version that makes it purer than pure?

It might mean that somewhere, but in the USA at least it's a bit more technical.  Here's something that might make your head hurt if you're normal and not a weird chemist or food science type person: https://oliveoilsource.com/page/product-grade-definitions

This page is geared more toward normal folks: https://californiaoliveranch.com/olive-oil-101/grades-of-olive-oil/

But the basics of it is that extra virgin olive oil is straight out of the olive without any further chemical or heating treatment AND passes some tests about how much oleic acid is in it and how it tastes.  Filtering it is OK if I remember correctly, but that's mostly just for color.

Virgin olive oil doesn't taste quite as good (though it's still good), has a bit more oleic acid, and a there's a few more chemical criteria that doesn't mean much to most people.  But as I recall it's still pressed out of olives without heat (or not much heat) and no chemical extraction processes.

Then you get into pomace oils which is where they grind up what's left after pressing out the virgin oils, heating it and/or chemically treating it.  Usually there's a bunch of other stuff that comes out so they refine this stuff further.  It usually gets sold as plain old "olive oil."  It works well for cooking but I wouldn't buy it to season and dip bread in.

Anyway the issue comes in where you get people adding refined oils or even non-olive oils to things labeled as extra virgin.  Figuring out a reliable, fast, and inexpensive screening procedure to separate the sham from the real would be worth big money.

[Colleen_definitely]

I don't know how much money is in that industry, or how strong the less desirable figures who are pulling the cheating ropes are.  But I would not make my work very public, if you could step on some heavy weight boots while doing you project!

Olive oil is where the really big money is at, though the wine and juice screening that is already being done is even bigger.

Anyway with maple syrup it's likely to yield some really interesting publications and you better believe that I'm going to publish that sort of work.  It's good for my career as a grad student and peer review helps legitimatize the process.  I might even pick up some collaborators on the project that way.

The cool thing about this is I would use equipment from my old employer and since I have friends there, it would help development of the hardware and improve the database quality for screening.  Plus I might get to make or use some neato experimental hardware.

I was at my therapist today, and she wrote the gender change letter I need for the gender id and name change, and that made me happy. 

Yay!

But I was supposed to be called by the surgery scheduler today, to tell me when my orchi would be, and nobody called.  I final called back and was told that she is out, and is not expected back anymore this week!  It might be next week until i know when they plan to make me an ounce or so lighter!  And that is not so nice!  Nobody seems to be in a hurry to help me to get to the point of my transition at which I want to be!

Booo

[Linde]

that I'm going to publish that sort of work.  It's good for my career as a grad student and peer review helps legitimatize the process.  I might even pick up some collaborators on the project that way.

The cool thing about this is I would use equipment from my old employer and since I have friends there, it would help development of the hardware and improve the database quality for screening.  Plus I might get to make or use some neato experimental hardware.


Yay!

Booo

Publishing is OK (and you have to do it, if you stay in akademia), but if your work hurts some big guys, you may want to look a little over your shoulders.  Once it is finished, and becomes public domain, it is OK again.  Just in the development phase, I would not brag t everybody about it.

We were not allowed to talk about anything until a patent was filed.  You may want to look into it, if it falls under Intellectual Property, and if so, just create a record of invention and let it sign off by two coworkers!

Once it is signed off, you are protected, because the US Intellectual Property law goes by "first invented".  At that point you can decide if you or whoever wants to get patent protection, or if you want to sell it!

[Colleen_definitely]

Oh yes everything gets documented, but unfortunately the school gets the benefits from patents discovered while being paid by them and using their equipment.  Not unlike working in industry.

[Linde]

Oh yes everything gets documented, but unfortunately the school gets the benefits from patents discovered while being paid by them and using their equipment.  Not unlike working in industry.

Yes, I am the inventor (get a nice diploma for it, and a nice dinner with spouse), but the employer is the owner.
But it sounds pretty good for any potential employer, if your name is as inventor on a few patents!
Publishing is good for akademica, patents cut it with industry (cause that is real pocket change for them).

[zirconia]

Colleen,

Virgin olive oil doesn't taste quite as good (though it's still good), has a bit more oleic acid, and a there's a few more chemical criteria that doesn't mean much to most people.  But as I recall it's still pressed out of olives without heat (or not much heat) and no chemical extraction processes.

Thank you... that and the links helped, although the reasoning still confuses me. It looks like someone hybridized the product definition with quality labels and then glued a similar but different product to the resulting hodgepodge.

Extra virgin has always made me both cringe and laugh—I always think of someone claiming to be "extra virgin" or confessing to be "um, a little pregnant."

[Linde]

Extra virgin has always made me both cringe and laugh—I always think of someone claiming to be "extra virgin" or confessing to be "um, a little pregnant."

You got it wrong!  When you transition into a woman after a certain age, the chances to become a none virgin woman are very slim, and that makes you automatically  to be extra virgin!

[V M]

No, it means that your friend is a virgin too and you like to slather each other with olive oil LOL 

Well I made it home from my endo appt, but not until after a 4 & 1/2 hr. hayride through hell which included sliding off the road and getting stuck, listening to the repetitive borish conversations of other passengers and needing to pee like mad    My sides ached for 2 hours after I finally got home and I was worried the whole time that the driver's car might break down because it made all kinds of strange noises

The endo appt. went well though except they nearly wouldn't see me because I got there 20 minutes late

So yeah, 4 hr.s of insanity just to be seen for a 1/2 hr

Are we having fun yet? LOL

[Northern Star Girl]

No, it means that your friend is a virgin too and you like to slather each other with olive oil LOL 

Well I made it home from my endo appt, but not until after a 4 & 1/2 hr. hayride through hell which included sliding off the road and getting stuck, listening to the repetitive borish conversations of other passengers and needing to pee like mad    My sides ached for 2 hours after I finally got home and I was worried the whole time that the driver's car might break down because it made all kinds of strange noises

The endo appt. went well though except they nearly wouldn't see me because I got there 20 minutes late

So yeah, 4 hr.s of insanity just to be seen for a 1/2 hr

Are we having fun yet? LOL

@V M
Dear V M:
Thanks for your followup report.  I am glad that your Endo appointment went well in spite of the traveling difficulties that you encountered trying to get there on time. 

I am sure that with the bad weather and bad driving conditions on the roads that they had many patients showing up late or not at all.   If appointments weren't so difficult to get, it might have been wise to cancel it until the roads and the weather cleared.   

I am certain, that as you stated your "Hayride through Hell" and sliding off of the road were not the best part of your day, and then almost peeing your pants in the van... that just was the highlight of it all for you!!!   ..

So, did your Endo suggest any changes in your meds or anything else or as you said, it went well?

Thank you for sharing your very appropriate post here
on the "What Made You Both Happy and Unhappy at the Same Time Today?" thread.

Hugs and well wishes,
Danielle