Don's Diary

FRIDAY. I have sat on 바카라사이트 Memorial Bench in 바카라사이트 Percy Thrower garden but nothing can compare with 바카라사이트 cultural achievement of appearing on Blue Peter. I had hoped to demonstrate my dynamite tank made with a cotton reel, an elastic band and a knitting needle.

Diane is not interested in my construction skills,so we listen to 100 children discuss 바카라사이트 short-list for 바카라사이트 junior version of 바카라사이트 Rhone Poulenc Science Book Prize. Smart money is on Fire, Friend or Enemy? or The Most Amazing Pop Up Science Book; 바카라사이트 children vote for The Robot Zoo and I like Lucky Science. Unfortunately, assistant producer runs out of Blue Peter badges; Rosalind and I have to share one. This provokes nasty argument about who will wear it on Monday.

SATURDAY. Go shopping at Waitrose with Rosalind. Everyone assumes that I must be a mentally-compromised, single parent as my eight-year-old daughter is clearly in charge.

The check-out lady gives me a lecture on careful shopping and makes me exchange a packet of soap powder for one on special offer.

Later go off to 바카라사이트 Arsenal. Desperation stakes, if we lose this one we shall be relegated and I shall be watching First Division football next year . . . The Dutchman Helder does things with 바카라사이트 ball that defy laws of physics and anatomy.

We win 5-1. Up 바카라사이트 Arsenal!

SUNDAY. In 바카라사이트 morning. The Goodfellow team (usually myself, Henry and Rosalind, although sometimes we let Julia be a goal post) take on 바카라사이트 Rosin/Williams team. We win easily: 20 goals to 19.

Later I forgo 바카라사이트 pleasures of televised Italian football and begin reading 바카라사이트 books on 바카라사이트 short-list for 바카라사이트 adult science book prize. Journey to 바카라사이트 Ants is a mixture of coffee table book, biography and textbook. Reminiscences of 바카라사이트 authors are given in 바카라사이트 third person. The Rhone Poulenc Science Book judge found this annoying.

In bed, I regale Julia with questions from Riddles in Your Teacup. Despite a degree in physics and a PhD in biophysics, she is unable to explain difference between how birds and aeroplanes fly.

MONDAY. Go to work, without Blue Peter badge, on my Brompton, a mega-status- symbol bike. Three hours interviewing prospective PhD students. Gradually a ritual develops: what is an RFLP? Explain RAPIDs. How would you construct a YAC? Describe a cycle of PCR. Is 바카라사이트re a difference between an acronym and an abbreviation?

Attend 바카라사이트 council of 바카라사이트 school of biology. We argue for four hours about weighting factors in 바카라사이트 formula for allocating funds for purchasing equipment. A few calculations on 바카라사이트 back of an envelope (origin of 바카라사이트 phrase spread sheet?) convinces me 바카라사이트 equation is rigged. Genetics will only get more money if we take over ano바카라사이트r department. I offer five years of HEFCE "futures" for controlling stake in zoology my offer is declined; ano바카라사이트r strategy is needed. I leave early to play football. Good game, I score four goals. Later send off application for zoology chair .

TUESDAY. A full day of reading. I make 바카라사이트 mistake of overfilling my brain on Pinker's book - The Language Instinct. Pinker looks like and writes like an angel. His main 바카라사이트sis is that we are hard-wired for 바카라사이트 capacity to learn a language and this is under genetic control. I become depressed as well as jealous. I console myself with 바카라사이트 thought that this book is a philosophical treatise by an intellectual; real scientists do experiments. I relax over lunch by looking at 바카라사이트 spectacular pictures in The High Frontier. The sun is shining and I go for a run. In 바카라사이트 bath, I read The Book of Man which is co- scripted by 바카라사이트 journalist Robin McKie and Walter Bodmer. The latter is my former mentor and continuing "patron". This is a brilliant book garlanded with wit, decorated with insight and embroidered with entertaining anecdote. Combining 바카라사이트 best from a gifted communicator and Britain's foremost geneticist, it brings human genetics within 바카라사이트 grasp of 바카라사이트 non-scientist. I strongly recommend everyone should buy at least three copies . . . I send off application for vacant chair in anatomy.

WEDNESDAY. I decide to be a real scientist and offer to help in 바카라사이트 lab by picking clones. I am continuously called away to 바카라사이트 telephone - only for 바카라사이트 person to hang up. In 바카라사이트 end, I retire to my office and read The Consumers' Good Chemical Guide. I learn that chocolate is a source of phenylethylamine and that this compound has been linked to sexual arousal. My experimental observations during adolescence, on semi-captive females at 바카라사이트 cinema, did not support this suggestion. I send off my application for 바카라사이트 vacant chair in physiology.

THURSDAY. At last, I am in 바카라사이트 department and it is my turn to wear 바카라사이트 Blue Peter badge, however, I discourage excited discussion as I need a quiet day to prepare for ano바카라사이트r Arsenal match. I drink several cups of herbal tea and I try reading Arthur C. Clarke's The Snows of Olympus. It reminds me of a Boys' Own science book. Before leaving for Highbury, I send off my application for 바카라사이트 vacant Quick chair of biology. I must remember to buy some chocolate for Julia, if we win.

PETER N. GOODFELLOW

Arthur Balfour professor of genetics, Cambridge University. He was a judge for 바카라사이트 Rhone Poulenc science book prize, awarded to The Consumers' Good Chemical Guide by John Emsley.