Oxford Wants You!

Ever wanted to say you work with scientists at the University of Oxford on cancer research in your spare time? Join us in the fight against this monster of a disease and it would not be far from the truth. Help us give the scientists at Oxford the data they need to move forward in the search for a cure. We don't need your money, we don't need your time, we just need the cpu cycles you're not currently using. That's it.


"One in four of us will at some time suffer from cancer. The high mortality rate, the suffering experienced by patients from the side effects of existing treatments, and the high costs of treatment all contribute to making cancer a priority for drug research.

A new way to help

A landmark research project has begun that allows people to make a real difference in the fight against cancer.

The United Devices Cancer Research Project is asking you to volunteer your PC to help process molecular research being conducted by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford in England and the National Foundation for Cancer Research. To participate, you simply download a very small, no cost, non-invasive software program that works like a screensaver: it runs when your computer isn't being used, and processes research until you need your machine. Your computer never leaves your desk, and the project never interrupts your usual PC use.

It's safe and easy

There is no cost to participate and no impact on your computer use. The project software cannot detect or transfer anything on your machine but project-specific information. It just allows your computer to screen molecules that may be developed into drugs to fight cancer. Each individual computer analyzes a few molecules and then sends the results back over the Internet for further research. This project is anticipated to be the largest computational chemistry project ever undertaken and represents a genuine hope to find a better way to fight cancer.

The computational power to perform research of this scale is only available through the generosity of individuals like you."

Thunder Bob in all his Glory! Teemie #85!

Ahhh, the official pic. Thanks Bobby! 

Thunder Bob Joins the Fight!

Breaking Recruiting News (pictures to come later):

Bobby has joined Team Andrax in the fight against this monster of a disease that never rests, never sleeps, and claims victims both young and old. Bobby, great to have you on board brother. How can we lose with ThunderBob on our side!

Linky for All-4-Fun

Chris LeDoux The Ride

Yesterday iTunes released Chris LeDoux's single The Ride

For those not familar with Chris or his music, give him a listen. If you have iTunes, download The Ride. Its a good song, not great, but good. Now, if you don't know, Chris died 9 March 2005 from cancer at age 56. Listen to it again with this in mind and try to keep your eyes dry. The lyrics take on a whole new significance. Now, this good song is one you just can't get out of your head. I'm not the biggest fan of Chris' music, but this song will always be on my playlist. And by the way, I think it's a great song.

The lyrics:

The Ride

I was six years old, my brother was ten
One July day came running in,
seen a ferris wheel at the edge of town
So, of course, we headed on down

Well it took us an hour to walk that far
Carrying our fortune in a Mason jar
It was all pretty sad, a cheap county fair
With a few old rides but there was ponies there

Well, the ponies stunk and the air was still
In that dusty circle behind the ferris wheel
This old guy smelling of smoke and rum
Swung me up and sat me down on one

Well I'd never rode a horse but I'd seen it done
Cowboy movies made it look like fun
This old man whispered a few soft words
It was the best advice I've ever heard

Chorus:
He said "Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"

I went up a kid with shaking hands
And I came down a full grown man
It was like he'd cast some Voodoo spell
Things were different for me now, I could tell

'Cos whenever troubles come wandering in
His rhyme would pop in my heard again
And somehow I rode through the needles and nails
Brambles and thorns that life entails

CHORUS

Well I know some day farther down the road
I'll come to the edge of the great unknown
There'll stand a black horse riderless
And I wonder if I'm ready for this

So I'll saddle him up and he'll switch his tail
And I'll tip my hat and bid fairwell
And lift my song into the air
That I learned at that dusty fair

"Sit tall in the saddle, Hold your head up high
Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky
And live like you ain't afraid to die
And don't be scared, just enjoy your ride"
Now don't be scared, just enjoy your ride

Inspiration on Two Wheels--Davis Phinney

From time to time we come across a story that reminds us why we devote our time and resources in this fight against disease; a story that reenergizes our focus to care Today and do something Today. Yesterday, I received such a story in my mailbox.

It came by way of the July issue of Bicycling magazine in the form of an article on Davis Phinney. Davis (46) is the winningest bicycle racer in America's history. He also has Parkinson's. To read about the grace and courage that him and his wife have and are displaying in this fight is both inspiring and sobering. Parkinson's is not a disease with a cure nor is it a disease that takes its victims quickly.

My grandfather died a few weeks ago after a long battle with Parkinson's. The last three years of his fight were almost unbearable to watch. His passing was a blessing in that it signalled the end of intense suffering. He was 81 and had lived a long, full and productive life.

Davis, however, is in the prime of his life. Scientists are perhaps ten years away from finding the right combination of drugs to slow down the disease enough to call it a draw. For Davis, barring some miracle, it will be a few years too late.

This story touches me because of my grandfather and because a good friend of mine knows Davis and from his stories, I feel like I know him too. The fact that Davis is just a few years older than me, with children like I have drives an intensity into the story.

This story may not touch your heart like it does mine, but somewhere there is a story like this in your life. You may already know this story. It may be a part of your past. Or, it may be the story you get hit with tomorrow, next month, next year or in five years. It may be a part of the natural aging process and can be somewhat accepted as a part of life, or it may strike in a tragically premature nature. I think of Sam Mills (professional football player in excellent health prior to cancer) who died of cancer just a few weeks ago at age 45, leaving small children behind. And now Davis, another professional athelete, in outstanding physical condition, fighting a fight with a disease that has all the trump cards--for now.

These are the stories that inspire. And these are the stories that remind me why we all crunch. For everyone out there crunching away, I feel blessed to know there is a community willing to take action in the fight. Keep the faith. Keep on crunching.  

Last night our team moved pass the University of Michigan team in the world rankings. We now stand in position 635 and continue to climb thanks to the efforts of so many on this great team. I am blessed to know folks with such kind hearts and outstanding committment to fighting this terrible disease.

M J-R! M J-R! M J-R! M J-R! Teemie #83

Welcome teemie #83! Mishelle your enthusiasm is so contagious. I'm putting you on my list to call more often--LOL. Thanks so much for joining our fabulous team! 

Franzke On Board!

A belated welcome to Art for joining Team Andrax. Art thanks so much for being a part of this great team. You've already busted more than 2100 points since joining us last week. That is outstanding! 

Molecule in Progress. Could this be the One?

The beauty of work. Create some art today. You never know which workunit is going to make a difference. Join us in the fight against cancer.  

A Note of Thanks. A Plea to Join.

To all the members of Andrax (our cancer fighting team) who have or are contributing to Team Andrax, I take my hat off to the effort you have made. Our cause is just; our cause is great; and our cause needs more kind-hearted volunteers to devote whatever spare cpu cycles they can.

Currently, Team Andrax is ranked #647 in the world rankings (out of 42,000+ teams). For such a young team this is quite remarkable. As much as I would like to see more volunteers join our great cause and help fight the good fight so that Team Andrax might move into the top 500 teams, I remind myself each morning as I look at the stats thats its not about our team, our stats, my stats, your stats. Its about giving hope to those that only have hope left.

Can you give hope today? Will you give hope today? They say you only ever get what you ask for, so, I'm asking. Please consider joining this great fight with Team Andrax. Stand beside us in the trenches, shoulder part of the burden, carry water if water is all you can carry, but by all means pitch in. Do it today. Do it to give hope to those little angels across the globe struck by a beast of a disease that they didn't ask for and that they can't defend themselves against and certainly that they didn't deserve.

Ask Chow to tell the story of his latest employer's son, who at the tender age of 12 is engaged in this fight. Does he have the weapons he needs? Can you hear his cry for help? Listen closely, that cry is there. You and I can't save that little soul, but we can offer hope. We can download and run a very small device, that requires almost no effort on our part. I have an eleven yo son. I thank God he is healthy. If he had cancer, I would look for support wherever I could find it, and I would thank the heavens above for the kindness and mercy of strangers. Be that stranger. Today.

I tend to pray more in times of adversity then when life is good. I would trust most of us on these boards are in good health and young enough to still think we will live forever or so it seems. Tis not the case my friends. We will all get old, sick and eventually move to a better place (fingers crossed on that one). When we are in our hour of need, our hour of darkness, will we remember the words of our enemies or the silence of our friends?

Let your voice be heard. Let it be heard with action. Join us in this noble fight. Join us today.

This one's for Trigger!

A little rec for my good bro Trigger69:



Sometime in the early morning hours, not that I was up that late, Trigger outright demolished the 100,000 point barrier.

Your making a difference brother. While others sit on the sidelines, whine, beotch and complain about why something can't be done, you're taking action and making things happen. Not all is warm and fuzzy however; your results last night moved Team Andrax into spot #666 in the world rankings. w00t!

Crunch on my good brothers. Across this globe are little angels hoping and praying that somebody somewhere cares enough to do something. We might not find a cure today, but we can always give hope. Every WU sent back is a message of hope, a message of action, a deposit in the account of all things good. Make some good deposits in that account today. Rem: 86,400 (Time Movie ref).

Great Job Trigger!

For my VG2 friends, Trigger is a local cycling bro who's crunching on our team. Look for him on the team stats. Like I said, we've got an awesome team. Please consider joining us. Oh, and by the way, that #666 ranking is out of more than 42,000 teams across the globe and we are moving up fast. We are now over 21 years of cpu time dedicated from our team--all in just about 5 months. WOW!

Mertzy Joins the Team! Mertzy Joins the Team!

Dan, thanks so much for joining our team as teammate #81! We've got such a great group of folks all fighting for the same cause and I am proud to have you with us. I would love to have a few more of our friends come on board. We would love to have you. Come join us. All welcome.

For those seeing this message for the first time, scroll down past my bird pics and past Nate's gift bags for the detailed description of how this project works. We have a great team with plenty of room for more teammates. Come join us.

You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

Grab the ball and take that shot. Here and Now. 

DO GOOD TODAY. JOIN OUR CANCER FIGHTING TEAM

Cost to sign up: ZERO, nadda, nothing.

Time to install the UD agent: 5 minutes tops.

Time required of you once installed: NONE. You just let the little thing run in the background.

Can the device be stopped at any time: YES

Can the device be put on snooze: YES

Will the device interfere with computer activity: Nope (I run the device, play iTunes, check email, surf multiple sites while having 50+ other processes working in the background--no problems). The device takes a backseat to any other application you start or run. It only uses the cpu cycles you are leaving on the table.

Is this a kickass team to be a part of: YES

Can anyone join: yes, we take christians and heathens alike; heck, we even accept folks who can't spell.

Good you can accomplish: priceless (but only if you join). Rem: you always miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Like I yell from the bleachers to my son--SHOOT THE BALL!

Take that shot today: Join Team Andrax. All welcome. See post below for instructions or email or call me. This is a project worth doing. No Regrets.

For you heathens that are on board but not producing, the beatings will continue until morale improves (for potential new members that was a joke).

Volunteer your PC

HELP FIND A CURE FOR CANCER.

Join the fight. Join the grid! Don't just make a donation. Make a difference. Two steps--takes less than 5 minutes.

Step 1:

Download UD Agent

Once you download and install the UD applet, join team Andrax.net

Step 2:

Andrax.net

We are currently 93 members strong and rank in the top 500 teams (out of 42,477). In 6 months our teammates have contributed over 30 years of cpu time.


Come join us. For more details just scroll down the page. All welcome.

The whole posse. Can you pick out Maria? 

Last summer. 

From this spring. 

Final Update on our Babies

Time to fly. Last photo taken by Sherry with the Elph. 

First light.  

Mom, keeping a very close eye on me and not at all happy with the camera. 

Only a few days later.