Came across this great site from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum that is going to recreate the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing in real-time, it's just going to be 40 years later. They're using three Twitter accounts to track the conversation between the astronauts and mission control, but it seems like you'll also be able to listen in and hear the entire thing as it happens, with video and photos. There's even a desktop app you can download that tracks the misson's progress and location from earth to moon.
They have footage of President Kennedy (who was killed 6 years before the Apollo 11 mission) delivering his famous speech where he states that "we choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
And yes, I already downloaded the desktop app.
www.wechoosethemoon.org
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Regarding the fear of flying: Is the Airbus a Lemon?
You probably gasped when you read the title of this post. How DARE I, right? Doesn't your dad fly Airbuses for a living? How could even I consider that?
Calm yourselves, people.
In a recent article over at Salon, Patrick Smith asks this question and quickly explains that NO, the Airbus is not a lemon. Read the article here: Is the Airbus a Lemon?
You can imagine the typical reactions and strings of questions that I (along with my brother and sister, probably) receive up on hearing that my dad is a pilot. "Was he ever home?" "Was he in the Airforce?" "Is that scary?" "Do you fly for free?" "Does he have a moustache?"
Yes. No. No. Hell no. Yes, it's great.
And ime and time again, I have attempted to dispel people's fears of flying by providing them with raw, irrefutable statistical data:
"You're scared of flying? Think of the thousands of flight that take off from every airport in the WORLD every hour, going to every other airport in the world, and how every few years we hear about a MAJOR plane crash." The recent Airbus crashes are a fluke.
Being so close to the airline industry has not only made me immune to the fear of flying, but also oblivious to it. I have never second guessed flying, usually look forward to it, and am always amazed when people are scared. Do you have any idea how much research, development and testing goes into every aircraft built? And do you have any idea how much training, re-training and proficiency checks airline pilots go through every year? Here's a hint: it's a lot.
For as long as I've been alive, my dad has always been level-headed, professional, proud, and devoted to his career, and it irks me greatly when people can offhandedly say that flying is dangerous or life-threatening. Airlines have a responsibility to millions of people, and they can't even afford to consider being anything less than safe. I'm not scared to admit that accidents happen, they do. And that's why you're more likely to get killed on the New Jersey Turnpike, rather than have your plane crash.
It's terrifying even considering the notion of "crash" when, again, I've grown up so close to flying. Yet it would be unrealistic to think that my dad, or any other pilot, has never had to consider the notion. But pilots are lucky: while most of us are signing our lives away when we climb into our cars to drive ourselves to work everday, airline pilots get into an aircraft that has been safety-checked by a team of engineers and mechanics, armed with an advanced computer that is essentially capable of flying the thing itself, and watched by teams of flight control operators in towers across the country.
So I ask you: who's scared now?
Calm yourselves, people.
In a recent article over at Salon, Patrick Smith asks this question and quickly explains that NO, the Airbus is not a lemon. Read the article here: Is the Airbus a Lemon?
You can imagine the typical reactions and strings of questions that I (along with my brother and sister, probably) receive up on hearing that my dad is a pilot. "Was he ever home?" "Was he in the Airforce?" "Is that scary?" "Do you fly for free?" "Does he have a moustache?"
Yes. No. No. Hell no. Yes, it's great.
And ime and time again, I have attempted to dispel people's fears of flying by providing them with raw, irrefutable statistical data:
"You're scared of flying? Think of the thousands of flight that take off from every airport in the WORLD every hour, going to every other airport in the world, and how every few years we hear about a MAJOR plane crash." The recent Airbus crashes are a fluke.
Being so close to the airline industry has not only made me immune to the fear of flying, but also oblivious to it. I have never second guessed flying, usually look forward to it, and am always amazed when people are scared. Do you have any idea how much research, development and testing goes into every aircraft built? And do you have any idea how much training, re-training and proficiency checks airline pilots go through every year? Here's a hint: it's a lot.
For as long as I've been alive, my dad has always been level-headed, professional, proud, and devoted to his career, and it irks me greatly when people can offhandedly say that flying is dangerous or life-threatening. Airlines have a responsibility to millions of people, and they can't even afford to consider being anything less than safe. I'm not scared to admit that accidents happen, they do. And that's why you're more likely to get killed on the New Jersey Turnpike, rather than have your plane crash.
It's terrifying even considering the notion of "crash" when, again, I've grown up so close to flying. Yet it would be unrealistic to think that my dad, or any other pilot, has never had to consider the notion. But pilots are lucky: while most of us are signing our lives away when we climb into our cars to drive ourselves to work everday, airline pilots get into an aircraft that has been safety-checked by a team of engineers and mechanics, armed with an advanced computer that is essentially capable of flying the thing itself, and watched by teams of flight control operators in towers across the country.
So I ask you: who's scared now?
Thursday, July 9, 2009
On blogging, and why you're reading this
I'm not trying to keep this blog a secret, but I certainly don't think it'll make me famous. I tell people about it hoping they'll check it out and read what I write, but when they ask "What's it about?", my most recent response is "stuff in my life and things I find relevant in the world."
A "blog" is just a place where you can publish yourself for free. Anyone can see it, read it, copy it, and comment, if you allow. But there are thousands and thousands of blogs, and new ones being started everyday. With those kinds of numbers, how do you decide which ones to read when there are SO MANY to choose from? That's easy: you go with what you know, and you go with what you like.
If you're reading this, you probably found this blog from me telling you in (1) an email (2) an away message (3) a tweet or (4) my Facebook status. You probably know me personally in some respect, family, friend, co-worker, etc.
Essentially, I'm the reason you're here.
It's easy to say that blogs fuel narcissism, that they give people who love attention the chance to put themselves out there. Sure, but some people like to share, and in general, we enjoy knowing what our friends are doing. Undoubtedly, blogs have the dangerous potential of fueling self-indulgence, and as a result, IMHO, you have to give your audience a justifiable reason to read.
My audience is family and friends, and the content will be both personal and impersonal. The personal stuff will be pictures from things I've been doing and places I'm going, a diary of my experiences and is as much for me to look back on as it is to share with others.
More importantly, however, the "impersonal" posts will be things I find "culturally relevant" in today's world, articles, images, sounds and videos that I think are worth sharing. The subject matter will cater to my interests, of course, but I'll make every attempt to shape those interests around things that I think people will enjoy reading about.
In the end, my hope is that my friends and family will continue to read to learn about intriguing points of culture, as well as what's happening in my life. The "internet" is the ultimate tool for learning about what is going on around the world, and I'm fully engrossed and fascinated by the wealth of information available. Keeping it for yourself is pointless, however, as it is meant to be shared and discussed. This is a place for to me present my angle on all of it in hopes that others will find it interesting and learn more.
A "blog" is just a place where you can publish yourself for free. Anyone can see it, read it, copy it, and comment, if you allow. But there are thousands and thousands of blogs, and new ones being started everyday. With those kinds of numbers, how do you decide which ones to read when there are SO MANY to choose from? That's easy: you go with what you know, and you go with what you like.
If you're reading this, you probably found this blog from me telling you in (1) an email (2) an away message (3) a tweet or (4) my Facebook status. You probably know me personally in some respect, family, friend, co-worker, etc.
Essentially, I'm the reason you're here.
It's easy to say that blogs fuel narcissism, that they give people who love attention the chance to put themselves out there. Sure, but some people like to share, and in general, we enjoy knowing what our friends are doing. Undoubtedly, blogs have the dangerous potential of fueling self-indulgence, and as a result, IMHO, you have to give your audience a justifiable reason to read.
My audience is family and friends, and the content will be both personal and impersonal. The personal stuff will be pictures from things I've been doing and places I'm going, a diary of my experiences and is as much for me to look back on as it is to share with others.
More importantly, however, the "impersonal" posts will be things I find "culturally relevant" in today's world, articles, images, sounds and videos that I think are worth sharing. The subject matter will cater to my interests, of course, but I'll make every attempt to shape those interests around things that I think people will enjoy reading about.
In the end, my hope is that my friends and family will continue to read to learn about intriguing points of culture, as well as what's happening in my life. The "internet" is the ultimate tool for learning about what is going on around the world, and I'm fully engrossed and fascinated by the wealth of information available. Keeping it for yourself is pointless, however, as it is meant to be shared and discussed. This is a place for to me present my angle on all of it in hopes that others will find it interesting and learn more.
Kudos to Pixar
A recent NYTimes article discusses how Pixar has taken some "chances" with their past few releases, and despite skepticism from analysts about the success of the movies, they've been huge success. Nothing wrong with pushing the envelope, apparently, even for a company that caters to such a wide audience.
Check out the article: Analyst Admits to Being ‘Dead Wrong’ After Disney’s ‘Up’ Is Big Earner .
Check out the article: Analyst Admits to Being ‘Dead Wrong’ After Disney’s ‘Up’ Is Big Earner .
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
New Electric Razor: A Bizarre Shipping Experience
I had some money from xmas to spend at Best Buy, and since I have been using the same razor for the past ~4 months to avoid spending money on new ones, I decided to invest in an electric razor. I went online, found one that I liked (even works in the shower!), and bought it with expedited shipping.
I slept in late on Friday and checked the tracking info when I woke up. The UPS site said it had been delivered at 12:20PM, so I went downstairs and opened the front door, expecting to see it waiting on the porch. It was 12:45PM and there was nothing there. My roommates who were home hadn't seen a truck, and we checked all around the house for the package to no avail.
I stopped by the UPS store, they said to call UPS, UPS said to call Best Buy. I called Best Buy later in the afternoon and they said to call UPS again. I did this, and got a smart person who "initiated a trace" on the package. On a whim, I checked out on the porch again when I was back home around 5:30PM, and voila, there was the package, five hours late. Here's the photo recap:
@ 12:20 p.m.
@ 5:00 p.m.
I have not attempted to figure out what happened or why this happened. I was just happy I didn't have to deal with package tracing, and that I was able to use the razor for my post-jog shave that evening.
I slept in late on Friday and checked the tracking info when I woke up. The UPS site said it had been delivered at 12:20PM, so I went downstairs and opened the front door, expecting to see it waiting on the porch. It was 12:45PM and there was nothing there. My roommates who were home hadn't seen a truck, and we checked all around the house for the package to no avail.
I stopped by the UPS store, they said to call UPS, UPS said to call Best Buy. I called Best Buy later in the afternoon and they said to call UPS again. I did this, and got a smart person who "initiated a trace" on the package. On a whim, I checked out on the porch again when I was back home around 5:30PM, and voila, there was the package, five hours late. Here's the photo recap:
@ 12:20 p.m.
@ 5:00 p.m.
I have not attempted to figure out what happened or why this happened. I was just happy I didn't have to deal with package tracing, and that I was able to use the razor for my post-jog shave that evening.
ROAD TRIP: Princeton Printing & Mailing Office
Last week I went on a little field trip to see Princeton's Printing & Mailing office, where most of the official printed publications for the university are produced. It was amazing to see the kinds of machinery and technology involved in print production. Naturally, I l]took lots of photos, so let's recap.
To cut huge amounts of paper at once, they have this machine with a giant blade that comes down and slices across the sheets. It only cuts when both buttons are pressed at once, so your fingers are chopped off. The flat surface of the cutter is covered with a grid of ball bearing floating on air (like an air hockey table) so the paper can slide around easily.
Putting in the paper:
This things applies the glue to the stacks of paper that become books. One of the technicians said the glue is so hot that if you stuck your finger in, you would come out with just bone:
Sorting and stacking action shot:
One of the facility's two iGens. These things are massive digital printers that never stop running and are connected to a central server at Xerox so they can be continuously monitored and maintained:
The iGen control station:
As a historic side note, the Printing & Mailing building used to be a hangar for Princeton's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. A few years back, there was a hovercraft hanging from the ceiling, since it was never moved after the engineers left. Below is a photo of it in action, and more info can be found here.
Thanks to Darryl and the rest of the staff at the Printing & Mailing Office for the tour of the facilities, and to Shani for driving.
To cut huge amounts of paper at once, they have this machine with a giant blade that comes down and slices across the sheets. It only cuts when both buttons are pressed at once, so your fingers are chopped off. The flat surface of the cutter is covered with a grid of ball bearing floating on air (like an air hockey table) so the paper can slide around easily.
 |
| From Printing & Mailing Office |
Putting in the paper:
 |
| From Printing and Mailing Office |
This things applies the glue to the stacks of paper that become books. One of the technicians said the glue is so hot that if you stuck your finger in, you would come out with just bone:
 |
| From Printing and Mailing Office |
Sorting and stacking action shot:
 |
| From Printing and Mailing Office |
One of the facility's two iGens. These things are massive digital printers that never stop running and are connected to a central server at Xerox so they can be continuously monitored and maintained:
 |
| From Printing and Mailing Office |
The iGen control station:
 |
| From Printing and Mailing Office |
As a historic side note, the Printing & Mailing building used to be a hangar for Princeton's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. A few years back, there was a hovercraft hanging from the ceiling, since it was never moved after the engineers left. Below is a photo of it in action, and more info can be found here.
Thanks to Darryl and the rest of the staff at the Printing & Mailing Office for the tour of the facilities, and to Shani for driving.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bad interview aftermath, and reflections on an undergraduate architecture education
Today, I had a one-sided Skype video interview with a big-name European architecture firm, hoping to secure a spot as an intern for a year or so. It was terrible. First of all, I didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I hardly had the chance to do or say anything wrong because the guy on the other end spoke the ENTIRE time. I'll paraphrase what he said:
"We don't want people that are living in a fantasy world. We want people who know how to deal with rainwater and foundations."
Let me explain.
I graduated with an A.B. in Architecture and a Certificate in Urban Studies. Architecture majors have "studio," where you spend [almost all of] your time working through architectural problems in drawings and models, and regularly present your work to juries. With the feedback from your professors, assistant instructors (AI's) and jurors, the projects continually develop until you present in the final review.
Princeton's undergraduate architecture education is not a technical education; it is a liberal arts program. If you looked at my portfolio work from the last 3 years, you would probably say "Wow, you've got some nice diagrams and drawings and layout, but I don't think that your buildings would stand up." I would respond "Maybe, but who cares? It's the idea that matters more." You would probably respond "That's silly, what's the point of architecture if it can't actually be built?" I would probably just walk away, as I've had that conversation too many times.
Look, people. I'll speak to what I know: undergraduate architecture majors (not civil engineers) at Princeton hardly worry about if the building will "stand up" because it doesn't matter. Yet. I never planned on graduating and going to start my own firm, turning my wacky conceptual montages and diagrams into actual buildings. I worked under the assumption that I would learn the technical details of construction in a real office or in graduate school, and delve in the fascinating conceptual potential of architecture while at Princeton.
"Well, wouldn't it make sense to just learn a little about the structural stuff and not ignore it?"
Of course, and there are required classes where we learn about construction, materials, loads, etc. But Princeton's undergraduate architecture program is not pre-professional, and exists within the context of a liberal arts curriculum where you might be taking classes on Chinese, economics, music theory and pottery at the same time. If I KNEW that I wanted to be an architect ASAP, I would have enrolled in a Masters program where I would have done nothing but architecture for 5 years. Instead, I attended a liberal arts university where you don't decide your major until the end of your sophomore year.
Here's the point: this guy was out of line in telling me that I need to "reconnect with reality" if I want to be an architect. He could have simply said that I was not experienced enough, and I would have agreed, because I'm not. Instead, he explained that lots of my work looks like student work. Well, I was JUST a student. There are no drawings of roofs and gutters? Well, we were never told to deal with DRAINAGE in our projects. No sections of foundations and concrete? I've got no clue how foundations work. Yet.
He even went as far as to explain what would happen if he hired me: I would work for this team, but wouldn't know how to do this so I would be bumped to this team, where I wouldn't understand this other thing, where I would be bumped down again, but I don't speak Italian so then I would be put in the model shop in the basement where I would be sad forever and ever.
To be honest, it felt as if he really wanted to put me in my place. Thing is, I know my place: I'm inexperienced because I haven't been educated yet, and my college education was not ONLY about architecture. Some would call that the curse of a liberal arts education, but I see myself as capable of doing more. You've just got to start somewhere.
So I don't think I got the job.
"We don't want people that are living in a fantasy world. We want people who know how to deal with rainwater and foundations."
Let me explain.
I graduated with an A.B. in Architecture and a Certificate in Urban Studies. Architecture majors have "studio," where you spend [almost all of] your time working through architectural problems in drawings and models, and regularly present your work to juries. With the feedback from your professors, assistant instructors (AI's) and jurors, the projects continually develop until you present in the final review.
Princeton's undergraduate architecture education is not a technical education; it is a liberal arts program. If you looked at my portfolio work from the last 3 years, you would probably say "Wow, you've got some nice diagrams and drawings and layout, but I don't think that your buildings would stand up." I would respond "Maybe, but who cares? It's the idea that matters more." You would probably respond "That's silly, what's the point of architecture if it can't actually be built?" I would probably just walk away, as I've had that conversation too many times.
Look, people. I'll speak to what I know: undergraduate architecture majors (not civil engineers) at Princeton hardly worry about if the building will "stand up" because it doesn't matter. Yet. I never planned on graduating and going to start my own firm, turning my wacky conceptual montages and diagrams into actual buildings. I worked under the assumption that I would learn the technical details of construction in a real office or in graduate school, and delve in the fascinating conceptual potential of architecture while at Princeton.
"Well, wouldn't it make sense to just learn a little about the structural stuff and not ignore it?"
Of course, and there are required classes where we learn about construction, materials, loads, etc. But Princeton's undergraduate architecture program is not pre-professional, and exists within the context of a liberal arts curriculum where you might be taking classes on Chinese, economics, music theory and pottery at the same time. If I KNEW that I wanted to be an architect ASAP, I would have enrolled in a Masters program where I would have done nothing but architecture for 5 years. Instead, I attended a liberal arts university where you don't decide your major until the end of your sophomore year.
Here's the point: this guy was out of line in telling me that I need to "reconnect with reality" if I want to be an architect. He could have simply said that I was not experienced enough, and I would have agreed, because I'm not. Instead, he explained that lots of my work looks like student work. Well, I was JUST a student. There are no drawings of roofs and gutters? Well, we were never told to deal with DRAINAGE in our projects. No sections of foundations and concrete? I've got no clue how foundations work. Yet.
He even went as far as to explain what would happen if he hired me: I would work for this team, but wouldn't know how to do this so I would be bumped to this team, where I wouldn't understand this other thing, where I would be bumped down again, but I don't speak Italian so then I would be put in the model shop in the basement where I would be sad forever and ever.
To be honest, it felt as if he really wanted to put me in my place. Thing is, I know my place: I'm inexperienced because I haven't been educated yet, and my college education was not ONLY about architecture. Some would call that the curse of a liberal arts education, but I see myself as capable of doing more. You've just got to start somewhere.
So I don't think I got the job.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Fin de la Blog Hiatus: A near near-death experience
(Because one of my biggest pet peeves is people apologizing and giving excuses for not keeping up to date with their blogs/sites, I won't give any flowery explanation for the silence. I've just been busy, but I've got a backlog of things to post. Get exciteddddd.)
I spent my "fourth" in NYC seeing friends, fireworks, and going crazy, and sort of almost died. Driving back to the apartment after a dinner of Pho Bang in Chinatown, our cab decided to accelerate into the a cab parked on the side of the road, resulting in a violent fender bender where the fender of the other cab fine and our cab's front-left side got destroyed. Here's the photo:
Let me answer some of your questions right off the bat:
1) Yes, we're all fine.
2) No, we're not going to sue.
3) Yes, we're sure we're not going to sue. Please see #1.
4) No, we didn't wait two hours for the cops. It would have been at least 2 hours for them to arrive with all of the 4th of July festivities going on.
5) OBVIOUSLY we didn't pay for that cab ride.
6) Yes, Mom, we're actually fine.
7) Yup, we took two more cabs that night.
8) No, I don't know what that liquid stuff pouring out from under the car is. Yes, it might be gas...at least that's what the girl on the sidewalk that screamed "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" after impact thought it was. We promptly acquiesced to her request. (thanks to Chris for the inquiry)
The funny thing was that when I got into the cab, I pulled the seatbelt across myself, but then said outloud "Nah, what am I doing?!" (Subtext: "Cab drivers are the best drivers in the entire city! Am I right?!")
I guess I can mark off that square in my game of "Bingo: The Crazy, Unpredictable and Unexpected Life Experiences Edition"?
Photos from the weekend.
I spent my "fourth" in NYC seeing friends, fireworks, and going crazy, and sort of almost died. Driving back to the apartment after a dinner of Pho Bang in Chinatown, our cab decided to accelerate into the a cab parked on the side of the road, resulting in a violent fender bender where the fender of the other cab fine and our cab's front-left side got destroyed. Here's the photo:
Let me answer some of your questions right off the bat:
1) Yes, we're all fine.
2) No, we're not going to sue.
3) Yes, we're sure we're not going to sue. Please see #1.
4) No, we didn't wait two hours for the cops. It would have been at least 2 hours for them to arrive with all of the 4th of July festivities going on.
5) OBVIOUSLY we didn't pay for that cab ride.
6) Yes, Mom, we're actually fine.
7) Yup, we took two more cabs that night.
8) No, I don't know what that liquid stuff pouring out from under the car is. Yes, it might be gas...at least that's what the girl on the sidewalk that screamed "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" after impact thought it was. We promptly acquiesced to her request. (thanks to Chris for the inquiry)
The funny thing was that when I got into the cab, I pulled the seatbelt across myself, but then said outloud "Nah, what am I doing?!" (Subtext: "Cab drivers are the best drivers in the entire city! Am I right?!")
I guess I can mark off that square in my game of "Bingo: The Crazy, Unpredictable and Unexpected Life Experiences Edition"?
Photos from the weekend.
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