Better
I am not known as a "do-gooder," to the extent that I do not make it a mission life to actively make the world a better place. Some might argue the point, but let's just say that activism isn't my thing.
That said, I'd like to think that I can make the world a better place through my interactions with my fellow human beings and other creatures. Or, barring that, I can at least not make things worse by being a jerk. Case in point: the guy (or gal) who zoomed down a country road in their vehicle, clipped a deer, and left it wounded and paralyzed for Dr. OZMG to find on her run today. If you see other life sharing the road, do you not make some effort to avoid it? Failing that, if you hit the critter, especially a big one, do you not pause a moment to find out what the heck happened and whether you can render compassionate aid? Just askin'.
Showing posts with label OZMG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OZMG. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Potpourri CXXVI
I'm in the process of remodeling and adding a lot more content to Rhetoric & Rockets (a.k.a. Bartacus), so if you see more than the usual number of book or product reviews, that is on purpose. I'm trying to see how much money, if any, I can make through my Amazon Affiliate activities. Here's the general premise: if I write a good enough review and you are tempted to buy a book/video/product based on said review, click on the product "badge" on the page, and buy it through Amazon. The writer/creator/producer gets the joy of a customer, and I get a tiny piece of the action as a reviewer.
Another week's worth of stuff to plow through, so my apologies if there isn't a lot of commentary attached. In response to a comment from one reader, I do not read EVERYTHING included in these links, but it would probably terrify you to know how much I do read. Shall we begin?
From Hu: The People's Republic of China is studying a Saturn V-class launch vehicle. There is only one practical purpose for such a rocket, and that is to send human beings to the Moon. What do they know that the Obama administration does not, hmmmm?
From Greg A.: In the spirit of the late Senator William Proxmire and his "Golden Fleece" award, here are the most 10 most absurd scientific papers published in recent memory.
From Tracy: A good article on how space was promoted back when our country believed that exploring space was a Good Thing.
From D2:
From Science @ NASA: Some interesting things are happening on the Sun.
From Dar, who is visiting the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference this weekend:
How did they get that bug in the museum anyway? A 100-year-old mystery solved. I expect to see a CSI episode about this soon, but it wouldn't be the same without Grissom on the show.
President Obama has called for a space summit in Florida April 15. He'd better have really good briefings/message control, because there are a lot of angry people at Kennedy Space Center. Anyhow, there are several articles about this summit, which NASAWatch has conveniently put all in one place:
Is the Orion crew exploration vehicle being transferred to the commercial sector? This article says yes.
Some interesting stuff from OpenNASA…
http://www.opennasa.com/2010/03/09/heavenly-answers-for-earthly-problems/
http://www.opennasa.com/2010/03/11/open-participation-not-just-open-information/
Also from Jeff Foust's Space Politics/The Space Review blogs...
Machines capable of reading thoughts? Maybe.
Here's an article on the fact that Twitter knows where you are tweeting from. But really, anyone familiar with the technology already knew this…
Like most large, bureaucratic organizations, the Department of Defense has a love-hate relationship with social media web sites.
This is kind of cool: a Flash feature showing the process/progress of assembling the International Space Station (ISS). Just a gentle reminder, all: there are only four more Space Shuttle missions planned, and once they're done and, if the President gets his way, the Constellation Program, NASA will NOT have a rocket that can fly up to ISS until 2016 at the earliest, leaving us dependent on the Russians to get our astronauts there. If you want to know why, I suggest calling your elected officials and demanding an answer. I already KNOW the answer, but I'm not going to share that. It's more fun for you to call and ask. Trust me.
From Martin: A Russian-language travelogue through a "boomer" (nuclear missile submarine) base. I'd be interested to know if this sub is considered "active," or if it's been retired. If it's been retired, has all the hot stuff--the ship's nuclear reactor and its missiles--been removed? Russian speakers are welcome to enlighten me.
The Echoes of Apollo group is interested in building or enhancing the Deep Space Network, which is a worldwide set of dish antennas used to collect data from satellites and vehicles farther in space. Gosh knows the U.S. system could use an upgrade or two.
From Regina: The European Space Agency (ESA) has upgraded its "Eduspace" web page for space education.
From Father Dan: A very cool map of weather conditions at every airport in the U.S.
From Lin: A new bicycle from New Zealand, the "Yike Bike."
And that will do for now. Your readership and patronage are appreciated!
I'm in the process of remodeling and adding a lot more content to Rhetoric & Rockets (a.k.a. Bartacus), so if you see more than the usual number of book or product reviews, that is on purpose. I'm trying to see how much money, if any, I can make through my Amazon Affiliate activities. Here's the general premise: if I write a good enough review and you are tempted to buy a book/video/product based on said review, click on the product "badge" on the page, and buy it through Amazon. The writer/creator/producer gets the joy of a customer, and I get a tiny piece of the action as a reviewer.
Another week's worth of stuff to plow through, so my apologies if there isn't a lot of commentary attached. In response to a comment from one reader, I do not read EVERYTHING included in these links, but it would probably terrify you to know how much I do read. Shall we begin?
From Hu: The People's Republic of China is studying a Saturn V-class launch vehicle. There is only one practical purpose for such a rocket, and that is to send human beings to the Moon. What do they know that the Obama administration does not, hmmmm?
From Greg A.: In the spirit of the late Senator William Proxmire and his "Golden Fleece" award, here are the most 10 most absurd scientific papers published in recent memory.
From Tracy: A good article on how space was promoted back when our country believed that exploring space was a Good Thing.
From D2:
- A Big Think video explaining the possible psychological bases of political ideologies. This one gets a "maybe" in my truthiness scale, but it's an intriguing notion.
- Another article that will probably be of interest to Dr. OZMG re: the profit motive and keeping animals in captivity
From Science @ NASA: Some interesting things are happening on the Sun.
From Dar, who is visiting the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference this weekend:
- An article on the future of video games.
- Science has become a serious political issue in the UK (about time it was taken seriously somewhere!).
How did they get that bug in the museum anyway? A 100-year-old mystery solved. I expect to see a CSI episode about this soon, but it wouldn't be the same without Grissom on the show.
President Obama has called for a space summit in Florida April 15. He'd better have really good briefings/message control, because there are a lot of angry people at Kennedy Space Center. Anyhow, there are several articles about this summit, which NASAWatch has conveniently put all in one place:
- http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/03/florida-space-s.html
- http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/03/space-policy-an.html
- http://nasawatch.com/archives/2010/03/daniel-in-the-l.html
Is the Orion crew exploration vehicle being transferred to the commercial sector? This article says yes.
Some interesting stuff from OpenNASA…
http://www.opennasa.com/2010/03/09/heavenly-answers-for-earthly-problems/
http://www.opennasa.com/2010/03/11/open-participation-not-just-open-information/
Also from Jeff Foust's Space Politics/The Space Review blogs...
- Some progress might be made on making export control rules more rational (i.e. not so tight that American aerospace companies cannot compete overseas).
- An excellent analysis of how the unveiling of the Obama administration's NASA budget was rolled out and why they face challenges getting their way in fiscal year 2011.
- What hope does the U.S. or NASA have for getting international partners for future space missions? Taylor Dinerman says the odds aren't great unless some serious structural changes are made. This is easily fixed, by the way. The Department of Defense is able to obtain "five-year" funds to build things like aircraft carriers without having to debate the whole thing every year.
Machines capable of reading thoughts? Maybe.
Here's an article on the fact that Twitter knows where you are tweeting from. But really, anyone familiar with the technology already knew this…
Like most large, bureaucratic organizations, the Department of Defense has a love-hate relationship with social media web sites.
This is kind of cool: a Flash feature showing the process/progress of assembling the International Space Station (ISS). Just a gentle reminder, all: there are only four more Space Shuttle missions planned, and once they're done and, if the President gets his way, the Constellation Program, NASA will NOT have a rocket that can fly up to ISS until 2016 at the earliest, leaving us dependent on the Russians to get our astronauts there. If you want to know why, I suggest calling your elected officials and demanding an answer. I already KNOW the answer, but I'm not going to share that. It's more fun for you to call and ask. Trust me.
From Martin: A Russian-language travelogue through a "boomer" (nuclear missile submarine) base. I'd be interested to know if this sub is considered "active," or if it's been retired. If it's been retired, has all the hot stuff--the ship's nuclear reactor and its missiles--been removed? Russian speakers are welcome to enlighten me.
The Echoes of Apollo group is interested in building or enhancing the Deep Space Network, which is a worldwide set of dish antennas used to collect data from satellites and vehicles farther in space. Gosh knows the U.S. system could use an upgrade or two.
From Regina: The European Space Agency (ESA) has upgraded its "Eduspace" web page for space education.
From Father Dan: A very cool map of weather conditions at every airport in the U.S.
From Lin: A new bicycle from New Zealand, the "Yike Bike."
And that will do for now. Your readership and patronage are appreciated!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Potpourri CXXIII
It's been a bit heckish this week, what with the water heater flood, car repairs, and bookcases needing replacement. However, on the plus side, the ever-fun Dr. OZMG sent a care package of chocolate and Cheez-Itz to start the weekend off on the right foot. (THANK YOU!!! <3) With my senses of equilibrium and humor restored, let's see what's lurking out there in Cyberland, shall we?
First up, from the folks at Science @ NASA, a video and brief explanation of a rocket destroying a "sun dog."
Here's a different perspective on why the space program isn't going anywhere anytime soon (Note: might require tinfoil hat to appreciate properly).
Speaking of OZMG, she also referred me to this NPR story re: science writing and communicating. Does she know me or what?
If you have the wild urge to read and buy one of the books reviewed on my site, I'd appreciate it. I got a "showing concern" email from Amazon.com noting that I haven't sold anything yet. Boo.
From Doc: a Palm Sunday poem by T. S. Eliot. Warning: serious brains/thinking required.
From the Washington Post, via my AIAA news feed, a story about the Airborne Laser successfully shooting down another target during a test run. We just might need this someday.
From The Onion: NASA scientists start planning approaching a girl.
And that's all he wrote. Have a good weekend, all!
It's been a bit heckish this week, what with the water heater flood, car repairs, and bookcases needing replacement. However, on the plus side, the ever-fun Dr. OZMG sent a care package of chocolate and Cheez-Itz to start the weekend off on the right foot. (THANK YOU!!! <3) With my senses of equilibrium and humor restored, let's see what's lurking out there in Cyberland, shall we?
First up, from the folks at Science @ NASA, a video and brief explanation of a rocket destroying a "sun dog."
Here's a different perspective on why the space program isn't going anywhere anytime soon (Note: might require tinfoil hat to appreciate properly).
Speaking of OZMG, she also referred me to this NPR story re: science writing and communicating. Does she know me or what?
If you have the wild urge to read and buy one of the books reviewed on my site, I'd appreciate it. I got a "showing concern" email from Amazon.com noting that I haven't sold anything yet. Boo.
From Doc: a Palm Sunday poem by T. S. Eliot. Warning: serious brains/thinking required.
From the Washington Post, via my AIAA news feed, a story about the Airborne Laser successfully shooting down another target during a test run. We just might need this someday.
From The Onion: NASA scientists start planning approaching a girl.
And that's all he wrote. Have a good weekend, all!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Potpourri CXXII
Apologies for the long delay in posting. My apartment got flooded after my water heater had a gusher, saturating the carpet and resulting in a four-day exile to the Hotel du Despair. A slight moldy smell emanating from my closet, but the rest of the place is okay for now. We'll see how long it takes before I exile myself to get the carpet replaced. Grrrr...Okay then...having straightened up that little mess (more or less--new bookcases are on order just because), let us continue with this evening's festivities.
First up from D2, a site dedicated to space architecture. Pretty cool!
For reasons that elude me, Fox News decided to post some pictures of Nazi Germany's "Amerika Bomber," a hypersonic vehicle that was skirt/bounce off of the atmosphere before reaching and dropping a nuclear device on New York City. The U.S. government has been looking at a vehicle like this for awhile. I confess to a certain curiosity about the plane, but don't think I'd want to fly in it.
For reasons that amuse me, I am posting this link to Jerry Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy. It's relevant, folks, regardless of the type of bureaucracy you work for. Just sayin'.
Okay, I'm sorry, if you're in the world's tallest building, there's no such thing as a minor lift (elevator) “incident." As Dr. OZMG might say, "Eep!"
Space exploration and education is always a favorite topic of mine. Here's something from my NASA PAO (Public Affairs Office) feed:
RELEASE: 10-039
NASA AND TEXAS INSTRUMENTS USE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT TO BRING MATH AND SCIENCE TOPICS INTO HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS
HOUSTON -- NASA and Texas Instruments are using the theme of human space exploration to develop digital libraries of math and science problems for high school students. The goal is to bring real-world topics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, into classrooms to spark students' excitement and interest in these critical career fields.
The collaboration will produce two digital libraries. One, called Exploring Space Through Math: Applications in High School Mathematics, will provide problems based on NASA data that are set in the context of space exploration. The project material will cover almost the entire high school math curriculum, with applications in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-Calculus.
The other digital library, named Science at Work: Exploring Space with NASA-AP, will contain questions for Advanced Placement classes. This program seeks to develop and test problems in calculus, statistics, physics, chemistry and biology.
"As students solve real problems NASA faces in space exploration, they will practice during high school and college the skills necessary to pursue a career in a STEM field," said Charles Lloyd, NASA's lead for the effort and program manager for Human Research Program Education and Outreach at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "NASA and Texas Instruments are passionate about motivating the next generation's interest in science and math subjects and equipping these students to take us farther into space and improve our lives here on Earth."
The libraries of questions will use NASA applications and data while incorporating Texas Instruments' math learning technology. Each problem includes student and teacher editions to help the teacher link content to higher concepts.
"Our goal is to make STEM subjects more fun and interactive," said Werner Garciano, director of Professional Development for Texas Instruments' Education Technology. "Working with NASA is a great opportunity to bring exciting, real-world math experiences into the classroom. Our collaboration will expand the digital content and professional development that Texas Instruments provides teachers, and will help engage students more deeply in math. Together, we believe these activities will break through to students who have never considered a STEM career path."
Both projects will be available in the fall of 2010 on NASA's Web site. With this program, NASA continues its investment in engaging and retaining students in STEM disciplines critical to the agency's future engineering, scientific, and technical missions. For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
For more information about NASA's Human Research Program Education and
Outreach, visit:
http://humanresearch.jsc.nasa.gov/education.asp
The digital libraries also will be available through Texas Instruments' Teachers Teaching with Technology workshops and online at the Texas Instruments' Activities Exchange at:
http://education.ti.com/educationportal/activityexchange/activity_list.do?cid=us
-end-
Ever wonder how much blood and treasure is being wasted at one of your corporate meetings? Check this out.
Speaking of Dr. OZMG, she sent me this little moment of surrealism from The Onion.
This was sent to everyone at Marshall Space Flight Center by someone named Markeeva Morgan. I should probably know who Markeeva is, but regardless, I liked this link from TED about questioning our assumptions.
From Tracy: Here's another space policy author I probably need to review.
For aspiring high school and college students interested in a) space-based solar power and b) winning $2,000 for your trouble, there's a contest sponsored out of India that is offering a prize for just such a thing.
Boeing has executed the first flight of the 747-8 freighter, the largest aircraft it has ever built.
From Erika: For my local readers interested in developing their leadership skills, here's a program for the Huntsville/Madison County area.
From Dar: A group activity on "crowdsourcing change." No, I don't know what that means, either. Oh, wait. Try this:
On a similar line of thought, here's an article on how IBM uses social media to encourage innovation by their employees.
Some folks are still trying to stop "nerd" from being a dirty word, lest the general herd mentality in our public schools eventually pounds the snot out of anyone with an I.Q. one point higher than the average...which, of course, would lower the average, but I digress. IMHO, one can send bullies to as many counseling and Kum-Bah-Yah sessions as one wants; but until the social dynamics, rules, and rewards/punishments are restructured and enforced, weak-chinned, brainy kids will continue to get stuffed into lockers by their less intelligent, more muscular peers. Again, just sayin'.
An editorial by Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham on the recent proposed budget cut to NASA. Mr. Cunningham says things pretty well on his own, so I don't need to comment further.
Speaking of Dar, one of her favorite topics is using the Internet to make government more open and accessible to private citizens. Here's NASA's site dedicated to doing just that. And there's also this bit from Dar herself on doing science outreach at your local saloon.
From Homer Hickam: a new short story on the future of our space program.
And believe it or not, I have cleared out my inbox for the moment. Be good to yourselves and others. You never know when someone else is having a bad day.
Apologies for the long delay in posting. My apartment got flooded after my water heater had a gusher, saturating the carpet and resulting in a four-day exile to the Hotel du Despair. A slight moldy smell emanating from my closet, but the rest of the place is okay for now. We'll see how long it takes before I exile myself to get the carpet replaced. Grrrr...Okay then...having straightened up that little mess (more or less--new bookcases are on order just because), let us continue with this evening's festivities.
First up from D2, a site dedicated to space architecture. Pretty cool!
For reasons that elude me, Fox News decided to post some pictures of Nazi Germany's "Amerika Bomber," a hypersonic vehicle that was skirt/bounce off of the atmosphere before reaching and dropping a nuclear device on New York City. The U.S. government has been looking at a vehicle like this for awhile. I confess to a certain curiosity about the plane, but don't think I'd want to fly in it.
For reasons that amuse me, I am posting this link to Jerry Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy. It's relevant, folks, regardless of the type of bureaucracy you work for. Just sayin'.
Okay, I'm sorry, if you're in the world's tallest building, there's no such thing as a minor lift (elevator) “incident." As Dr. OZMG might say, "Eep!"
Space exploration and education is always a favorite topic of mine. Here's something from my NASA PAO (Public Affairs Office) feed:
RELEASE: 10-039
NASA AND TEXAS INSTRUMENTS USE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT TO BRING MATH AND SCIENCE TOPICS INTO HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS
HOUSTON -- NASA and Texas Instruments are using the theme of human space exploration to develop digital libraries of math and science problems for high school students. The goal is to bring real-world topics in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, into classrooms to spark students' excitement and interest in these critical career fields.
The collaboration will produce two digital libraries. One, called Exploring Space Through Math: Applications in High School Mathematics, will provide problems based on NASA data that are set in the context of space exploration. The project material will cover almost the entire high school math curriculum, with applications in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-Calculus.
The other digital library, named Science at Work: Exploring Space with NASA-AP, will contain questions for Advanced Placement classes. This program seeks to develop and test problems in calculus, statistics, physics, chemistry and biology.
"As students solve real problems NASA faces in space exploration, they will practice during high school and college the skills necessary to pursue a career in a STEM field," said Charles Lloyd, NASA's lead for the effort and program manager for Human Research Program Education and Outreach at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "NASA and Texas Instruments are passionate about motivating the next generation's interest in science and math subjects and equipping these students to take us farther into space and improve our lives here on Earth."
The libraries of questions will use NASA applications and data while incorporating Texas Instruments' math learning technology. Each problem includes student and teacher editions to help the teacher link content to higher concepts.
"Our goal is to make STEM subjects more fun and interactive," said Werner Garciano, director of Professional Development for Texas Instruments' Education Technology. "Working with NASA is a great opportunity to bring exciting, real-world math experiences into the classroom. Our collaboration will expand the digital content and professional development that Texas Instruments provides teachers, and will help engage students more deeply in math. Together, we believe these activities will break through to students who have never considered a STEM career path."
Both projects will be available in the fall of 2010 on NASA's Web site. With this program, NASA continues its investment in engaging and retaining students in STEM disciplines critical to the agency's future engineering, scientific, and technical missions. For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
For more information about NASA's Human Research Program Education and
Outreach, visit:
http://humanresearch.jsc.nasa.gov/education.asp
The digital libraries also will be available through Texas Instruments' Teachers Teaching with Technology workshops and online at the Texas Instruments' Activities Exchange at:
http://education.ti.com/educationportal/activityexchange/activity_list.do?cid=us
-end-
Ever wonder how much blood and treasure is being wasted at one of your corporate meetings? Check this out.
Speaking of Dr. OZMG, she sent me this little moment of surrealism from The Onion.
This was sent to everyone at Marshall Space Flight Center by someone named Markeeva Morgan. I should probably know who Markeeva is, but regardless, I liked this link from TED about questioning our assumptions.
From Tracy: Here's another space policy author I probably need to review.
For aspiring high school and college students interested in a) space-based solar power and b) winning $2,000 for your trouble, there's a contest sponsored out of India that is offering a prize for just such a thing.
Boeing has executed the first flight of the 747-8 freighter, the largest aircraft it has ever built.
From Erika: For my local readers interested in developing their leadership skills, here's a program for the Huntsville/Madison County area.
From Dar: A group activity on "crowdsourcing change." No, I don't know what that means, either. Oh, wait. Try this:
“Crowdsourcing Change” will be a highly participatory event where attendees will have an opportunity to help three “Social Changers” who are using –or trying to use — the social web for the common good. The way it will work is that presenters will first explain the change they are trying to achieve through social media. Attendees, with the help of a moderator, will then provide feedback, ideas, constructive criticism and concrete instructions to help the presenters succeed. This is a great opportunity to learn and to have an impact.”Just check it out.
On a similar line of thought, here's an article on how IBM uses social media to encourage innovation by their employees.
Some folks are still trying to stop "nerd" from being a dirty word, lest the general herd mentality in our public schools eventually pounds the snot out of anyone with an I.Q. one point higher than the average...which, of course, would lower the average, but I digress. IMHO, one can send bullies to as many counseling and Kum-Bah-Yah sessions as one wants; but until the social dynamics, rules, and rewards/punishments are restructured and enforced, weak-chinned, brainy kids will continue to get stuffed into lockers by their less intelligent, more muscular peers. Again, just sayin'.
An editorial by Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham on the recent proposed budget cut to NASA. Mr. Cunningham says things pretty well on his own, so I don't need to comment further.
Speaking of Dar, one of her favorite topics is using the Internet to make government more open and accessible to private citizens. Here's NASA's site dedicated to doing just that. And there's also this bit from Dar herself on doing science outreach at your local saloon.
From Homer Hickam: a new short story on the future of our space program.
And believe it or not, I have cleared out my inbox for the moment. Be good to yourselves and others. You never know when someone else is having a bad day.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Potpourri CXIII
LOTS of stuff to clear out of the inbox. A visit with Dr. OZMG looks like it is going to be snowed out, so I might as well write.
Regarding my previous post on coping with burnout, D2 sent this article. One of the ways I personally am trying to work on burnout is to start writing a science fiction novel. As usual, it's ambitious, complex, and quirky, and will cover several issues. I might use the blog here as a way to track my progress as well, but writers are notoriously shy (and rightly so) about sharing rough drafts, so the most I might say is what I've been up to or what sorts of sources I'm using to educate myself. One thing I'm also using to keep myself honest is a "small, attainable goal" support group on Facebook recommended by Dr. OZMG. A novel is a difficult thing to do, and SF brings an additional layer of complexity, in that the author must be a) technically/scientifically correct, b) innovative in pushing the envelope of future technology, and c) interesting and readable in his descriptions. I love a good challenge. :-)
Also from D2: an online lecture by a quantum physicist on why quantum physics violate comon-sense logic. God's universe is a very strange, marvelous place.
Looking to live in another country? The Down Under Defense Expert (DUDE) sent this link on International Living listing the best countries to live in and some more detailed explanations of their choices.
Also from the DUDE: an article on the "Israelification" of airport security.
NASA has an open opportunity for academic institutions to pursue grants for developing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education opportunities in connection with the Summer of Innovation event in 2010. Along similar lines, the Obama administration is ponying up more money for STEM education. This year, when the government is spending in ways that make drunken sailors blush, that might be great. Sustained funding will be a bigger problem once the President and Congress become Born Again Budget Cutters.
The internet is spawning some interesting ideas in philanthropy. For example, instead of spending a ton of money on Super Bowl commercials, Pepsi plans to participate in the Refresh Project, asking readers to suggest how they should spend the money on worthy causes instead. Also, a group called Syntiant4G has created a YouTube video to promote a mentorship program that combines for-profit and nonprofit ethos. Interesting!
From Tracy, an article on the "secrets" of innovation.
From my NASA Public Affairs Office (PAO) feed, the Fermi telescope investigators think they can use pulsars as a "galactic GPS" system, given their precise rotations. Speaking of telescopes, the Kepler telescope has located its first five "exoplanets" (that'd be planets circling other stars, not our own). Kepler was designed specifically to locate Earth-like planets in other solar systems. It's a marvelous, heady time to be alive--so many wonders to discover!--stay tuned.
Also from the NASA PAO, a notice that a moon rock collected by Apollo 11 will be taken up to a new, permanent home on the International Space Station. This same piece of rock was carried to the top of Mount Everest by former NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski. You might ask, "So what?" Well, jeez. Consider the number of adventures involved in moving that little rock around. If being the first man on the Moon, a person who has scaled the tallest mountain on Earth, or someone who has been to the International Space Station won't inspire you, then I can't help you. The short, Bartish answer is that "Greatness matters. Achievement matters. As long as individuals are willing to try to do great things that NO ONE else could do, what might they inspire other individuals to do that they had never considered possible?"
My fellow tech blogger Darlene Cavalier the Science Cheerleader is starting a new web site soon called ScienceforCitizens.net, which will promote opportunities for private citizens to get involved in conducting science at home and (probably) also encourage them to get involved in the science decision-making process. I like the way Dar puts it: "A whole lot more goes into setting science policies than the pure science: economics, values, and other societal implications that come into play in a big way. Scientists themselves ought to have more access to Congress, for example, but there needs to be put in place a deliberate mechanism to inform--and then solicit--input from the public." The Science for Citizens site is still a work in progress, but you can sign up for update emails now. I believe Dar is looking for partners to promote this cause, so if your organization is interested in supporting her work, by all means email her, either through SfC or her primary page, ScienceCheerleader.com.
On one of my random New Year's Eve weekend Facebook posts, I suggested that it was long past time for someone to develop wine pairings for junk food, as some of us don't always do high-quality snacks at home. Jennifer the PAO Maven pointed me to this article on Food & Wine.com. Awesome.
More from the world of space...the Mars Spirit rover is starting its seventh year exploring Mars. It might be common knowledge, but bears repeating: Spirit and Opportunity were both designed to operate for 90 days. That is some outstanding engineering. I'd want these people designing and building my car, but then they and I would miss out on the other cool stuff they might achieve. If you wonder why I have no problem working for NASA, it's stuff like this.
I haven't discussed politics in awhile here, mostly because it's been boring me and I've got more important things to concentrate on. However, this link from the Heritage Foundation is worth checking out...in case you're interested in how federal government spending is trending. The graphs are not good. One thing not discussed by Heritage is the increase in science and science-related education under Obama, which I consider a good thing, if sustained over the long haul. I've been told that the last time the U.S. went in big for science and research and development spending was under Ronald Reagan (note to my friends who think Republicans are anti-science). Our nation's leadership now depends on large and sustained investments in science and technology. And students aren't stupid. If they see that there's money to be made in STEM, they will return to those fields.
That's about now for this dose of Potpourri. Sorry it's so long, but I got a little behind in my postings. Happy 2010! Let your year be filled with happiness and marvels.
LOTS of stuff to clear out of the inbox. A visit with Dr. OZMG looks like it is going to be snowed out, so I might as well write.
Regarding my previous post on coping with burnout, D2 sent this article. One of the ways I personally am trying to work on burnout is to start writing a science fiction novel. As usual, it's ambitious, complex, and quirky, and will cover several issues. I might use the blog here as a way to track my progress as well, but writers are notoriously shy (and rightly so) about sharing rough drafts, so the most I might say is what I've been up to or what sorts of sources I'm using to educate myself. One thing I'm also using to keep myself honest is a "small, attainable goal" support group on Facebook recommended by Dr. OZMG. A novel is a difficult thing to do, and SF brings an additional layer of complexity, in that the author must be a) technically/scientifically correct, b) innovative in pushing the envelope of future technology, and c) interesting and readable in his descriptions. I love a good challenge. :-)
Also from D2: an online lecture by a quantum physicist on why quantum physics violate comon-sense logic. God's universe is a very strange, marvelous place.
Looking to live in another country? The Down Under Defense Expert (DUDE) sent this link on International Living listing the best countries to live in and some more detailed explanations of their choices.
Also from the DUDE: an article on the "Israelification" of airport security.
NASA has an open opportunity for academic institutions to pursue grants for developing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education opportunities in connection with the Summer of Innovation event in 2010. Along similar lines, the Obama administration is ponying up more money for STEM education. This year, when the government is spending in ways that make drunken sailors blush, that might be great. Sustained funding will be a bigger problem once the President and Congress become Born Again Budget Cutters.
The internet is spawning some interesting ideas in philanthropy. For example, instead of spending a ton of money on Super Bowl commercials, Pepsi plans to participate in the Refresh Project, asking readers to suggest how they should spend the money on worthy causes instead. Also, a group called Syntiant4G has created a YouTube video to promote a mentorship program that combines for-profit and nonprofit ethos. Interesting!
From Tracy, an article on the "secrets" of innovation.
From my NASA Public Affairs Office (PAO) feed, the Fermi telescope investigators think they can use pulsars as a "galactic GPS" system, given their precise rotations. Speaking of telescopes, the Kepler telescope has located its first five "exoplanets" (that'd be planets circling other stars, not our own). Kepler was designed specifically to locate Earth-like planets in other solar systems. It's a marvelous, heady time to be alive--so many wonders to discover!--stay tuned.
Also from the NASA PAO, a notice that a moon rock collected by Apollo 11 will be taken up to a new, permanent home on the International Space Station. This same piece of rock was carried to the top of Mount Everest by former NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski. You might ask, "So what?" Well, jeez. Consider the number of adventures involved in moving that little rock around. If being the first man on the Moon, a person who has scaled the tallest mountain on Earth, or someone who has been to the International Space Station won't inspire you, then I can't help you. The short, Bartish answer is that "Greatness matters. Achievement matters. As long as individuals are willing to try to do great things that NO ONE else could do, what might they inspire other individuals to do that they had never considered possible?"
My fellow tech blogger Darlene Cavalier the Science Cheerleader is starting a new web site soon called ScienceforCitizens.net, which will promote opportunities for private citizens to get involved in conducting science at home and (probably) also encourage them to get involved in the science decision-making process. I like the way Dar puts it: "A whole lot more goes into setting science policies than the pure science: economics, values, and other societal implications that come into play in a big way. Scientists themselves ought to have more access to Congress, for example, but there needs to be put in place a deliberate mechanism to inform--and then solicit--input from the public." The Science for Citizens site is still a work in progress, but you can sign up for update emails now. I believe Dar is looking for partners to promote this cause, so if your organization is interested in supporting her work, by all means email her, either through SfC or her primary page, ScienceCheerleader.com.
On one of my random New Year's Eve weekend Facebook posts, I suggested that it was long past time for someone to develop wine pairings for junk food, as some of us don't always do high-quality snacks at home. Jennifer the PAO Maven pointed me to this article on Food & Wine.com. Awesome.
More from the world of space...the Mars Spirit rover is starting its seventh year exploring Mars. It might be common knowledge, but bears repeating: Spirit and Opportunity were both designed to operate for 90 days. That is some outstanding engineering. I'd want these people designing and building my car, but then they and I would miss out on the other cool stuff they might achieve. If you wonder why I have no problem working for NASA, it's stuff like this.
I haven't discussed politics in awhile here, mostly because it's been boring me and I've got more important things to concentrate on. However, this link from the Heritage Foundation is worth checking out...in case you're interested in how federal government spending is trending. The graphs are not good. One thing not discussed by Heritage is the increase in science and science-related education under Obama, which I consider a good thing, if sustained over the long haul. I've been told that the last time the U.S. went in big for science and research and development spending was under Ronald Reagan (note to my friends who think Republicans are anti-science). Our nation's leadership now depends on large and sustained investments in science and technology. And students aren't stupid. If they see that there's money to be made in STEM, they will return to those fields.
That's about now for this dose of Potpourri. Sorry it's so long, but I got a little behind in my postings. Happy 2010! Let your year be filled with happiness and marvels.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Potpourri CXI
Cleaning out the inbox and getting laundry done this morning...it's an epic morning at Casa de Bart! Why not join in the fun?
The Iranians claim to be behind a crash/hack of Twitter yesterday. Message: "You allow our people to tell the world what we're doing to them, we'll crash your site." Nice.
From Melissa: an alternative to the Diet Dr. Pepper I've been drinking ("That stuff causes kidney damage!")...Zevia Black Cherry Cola. Well, first I'll have to find it locally. Second, I'll have to find out if I'm allergic to it. The reason I shifted from regular to diet was because I liked the caffeine but was allergic to the high-fructose corn syrup. Zevia is sweetened with stevia, a plant-based sweetener that has recently appeared on TV as an alternative to aspartame or saccharine (both old favorites of mine).
Need something fun (toys/treats) for your dog this holiday season? Here's a shameless plug for Bark Avenue Bakery, my friend Christine's dog bakery in southwest Orlando. Chris also takes internet orders for merchandise.
A reflection of sunlight was found on a frozen lake on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Frozen water? Unlikely, given how far out Saturn is from the sun, but interesting nonetheless. Interesting universe out there.
From Pastor: Luther Bible verses in MP3 online. Guess who volunteered to read for the German service this year? That'll teach me to take Spanish in high school...
The Zombie Apocalypse craze continues. Doc ordered one of these shirts--how the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine would look like in the event of the Z.A. Still don't get this zombie thing. Some sort of comment on the quality of acting on television? Our politicians? I'm baffled.
Insurgents in Iraq have occasionally intercepted imagery from overhead drones. Apparently encryption wasn't high on the list? How good would an insurgent feel if the feed they were getting was of themselves just as the missile was being fired? The Department of Defense is working on this issue, presumably.
With the sun's sunspot cycle being very quiet the last few years, NASA has determined that the outermost layer has been cooling dramatically. No word from the global warming crowd if they were going to accuse the sun of being in collusion with oil companies to undermine the proof of global warming.
SpaceX was planning to run its last engine test prior to launching Falcon 9 in 2010. No word on the SpaceX website yet that they've actually run the test, though.
Scientists using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) presented a paper suggesting that the radiation environment on the Moon might not be any worse than what a nuclear industry or x-ray technician gets exposed to in a year. This is good news for future explorers or settlers, as there are existing protocols and mitigation steps to cope with those levels of radiation. Still, you wouldn't want to be sunbathing out there...
Alerting Bruce Willis...saving the world from an incoming asteroid wouldn't be as simple as NASA sending up a group of roughnecks to take care of business. Former Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart suggests that a certain amount of international diplomacy would be called for first. Why? Well, deflecting an asteroid using some sort of tug would be a very gradual process, and until it was safely out of the risk zone, its trajectory could actually be pointed at various countries on the Earth. Who decides what a safe trajectory is? Who builds the hardware? Sigh. There are times when it helps to take unilateral action.
Cleaning out the inbox and getting laundry done this morning...it's an epic morning at Casa de Bart! Why not join in the fun?
The Iranians claim to be behind a crash/hack of Twitter yesterday. Message: "You allow our people to tell the world what we're doing to them, we'll crash your site." Nice.
From Melissa: an alternative to the Diet Dr. Pepper I've been drinking ("That stuff causes kidney damage!")...Zevia Black Cherry Cola. Well, first I'll have to find it locally. Second, I'll have to find out if I'm allergic to it. The reason I shifted from regular to diet was because I liked the caffeine but was allergic to the high-fructose corn syrup. Zevia is sweetened with stevia, a plant-based sweetener that has recently appeared on TV as an alternative to aspartame or saccharine (both old favorites of mine).
Need something fun (toys/treats) for your dog this holiday season? Here's a shameless plug for Bark Avenue Bakery, my friend Christine's dog bakery in southwest Orlando. Chris also takes internet orders for merchandise.
A reflection of sunlight was found on a frozen lake on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. Frozen water? Unlikely, given how far out Saturn is from the sun, but interesting nonetheless. Interesting universe out there.
From Pastor: Luther Bible verses in MP3 online. Guess who volunteered to read for the German service this year? That'll teach me to take Spanish in high school...
The Zombie Apocalypse craze continues. Doc ordered one of these shirts--how the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine would look like in the event of the Z.A. Still don't get this zombie thing. Some sort of comment on the quality of acting on television? Our politicians? I'm baffled.
Insurgents in Iraq have occasionally intercepted imagery from overhead drones. Apparently encryption wasn't high on the list? How good would an insurgent feel if the feed they were getting was of themselves just as the missile was being fired? The Department of Defense is working on this issue, presumably.
With the sun's sunspot cycle being very quiet the last few years, NASA has determined that the outermost layer has been cooling dramatically. No word from the global warming crowd if they were going to accuse the sun of being in collusion with oil companies to undermine the proof of global warming.
SpaceX was planning to run its last engine test prior to launching Falcon 9 in 2010. No word on the SpaceX website yet that they've actually run the test, though.
Scientists using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) presented a paper suggesting that the radiation environment on the Moon might not be any worse than what a nuclear industry or x-ray technician gets exposed to in a year. This is good news for future explorers or settlers, as there are existing protocols and mitigation steps to cope with those levels of radiation. Still, you wouldn't want to be sunbathing out there...
Alerting Bruce Willis...saving the world from an incoming asteroid wouldn't be as simple as NASA sending up a group of roughnecks to take care of business. Former Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart suggests that a certain amount of international diplomacy would be called for first. Why? Well, deflecting an asteroid using some sort of tug would be a very gradual process, and until it was safely out of the risk zone, its trajectory could actually be pointed at various countries on the Earth. Who decides what a safe trajectory is? Who builds the hardware? Sigh. There are times when it helps to take unilateral action.
From Tracy: an article explaining why the trends in new media are hard to track.
NASA is making audio files of space stories available online.
From Lin:
- An editorial on the source of the ongoing problems with the economy. If you've read this blog or Lin's contributions long enough, you probably don't need to guess what direction this editorial is pointing.
- An open letter from the National Taxpayers' Union asking Congress to reject H.R. 4173, "The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009" because of the amount of additional regulation taxes it would impose on an already struggling economy. The Obama administration either doesn't get it or gets it and doesn't care, but if you take more money from businesses by increasing taxes and make it harder for them to operate, they will not create jobs and the economy will remain stuck.
- While salaries might be declining in the private sector, the number of civil servants making big money has increased dramatically in the last two years (note: this implicates Bush AND Obama).
And to end on a more positive note, I've been toying with research for a science fiction novel. Dr. OZMG is a sharp observer of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality types, so I'll probably be pinging her at some point on how the various MBTI types might operate in a space environment. One thing that was interesting to note was that the primary jobs needed to get any mission done up there--astronaut, engineer, scientist, researcher, pilot--tend to fall into two major personality categories: INTJ (my type, incidentally), and INTP. Both of these types are introverted, more focused on abstract principles than exterior/social cues, and thinking (as opposed to feeling). This also describes most of my friends in the space business.
That is not to say that there are not extroverted scientists or engineers (or even technical writers). It's just that folks with this set of personality traits is more drawn to the technical disciplines that make space travel possible. The more social folks will probably end up making money elsewhere and becoming passengers on Virgin Galactic or some other space tourism operation.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Potpourri CX
From Tracy, a site that tracks trends in scientific research and how many times particular papers are cited.
For those of you accessing NASA TV via direct satellite link, the satellite is changing.
Just to give myself an idea of what Dr. OZMG has decided to put herself through, I did a little reading on what it takes to train for a marathon. I think I'll stick with aerobics, walking, and weight lifting for my exercise. I've had the popping knees and ankles of an 80-year-old man since I was about 10. I can be an energetic cheering section, though...
Yikes! The U.S. has exceeded the congressionally approved ceiling for the national debt--over $12 trillion!
Roy Disney, nephew of the late Walt Disney, has died. A shame. Roy was a decent guy, from all I heard.
A book that's right up Dar's alley: Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision Making.
Another book of interest: Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering.
Hat tip to Dar for pointing this one out to me: From NASWatch/SpaceRef: A rumored/leaked breakthrough in learning what President Obama's NASA policy is going to be. The original story can be found here.
From Tracy, a site that tracks trends in scientific research and how many times particular papers are cited.
For those of you accessing NASA TV via direct satellite link, the satellite is changing.
Just to give myself an idea of what Dr. OZMG has decided to put herself through, I did a little reading on what it takes to train for a marathon. I think I'll stick with aerobics, walking, and weight lifting for my exercise. I've had the popping knees and ankles of an 80-year-old man since I was about 10. I can be an energetic cheering section, though...
Yikes! The U.S. has exceeded the congressionally approved ceiling for the national debt--over $12 trillion!
Roy Disney, nephew of the late Walt Disney, has died. A shame. Roy was a decent guy, from all I heard.
A book that's right up Dar's alley: Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision Making.
Another book of interest: Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering.
Hat tip to Dar for pointing this one out to me: From NASWatch/SpaceRef: A rumored/leaked breakthrough in learning what President Obama's NASA policy is going to be. The original story can be found here.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Potpourri CIX
Spent a couple days hanging with the incomparable Dr. OZMG. Not nearly enough, but I'll survive. Meanwhile, the inbox continues to fill up with other, less important items that still require my attention. Let the good times roll...
New from Hu: This was a surprise to me, but Orion Propulsion (run by my friend Tim Pickens) has been bought by Dynetics (a company that now employs two former customers of mine, former Marshall Space Flight Center Director Dave King and former Ares Projects Manager Steve Cook. Huntsville and the space business really are a small world.
If you scroll down on this page, the YouTube video on this page is kinda fun. Fighter jocks doing what they do best--showing off in their pretty airplanes.
Here's a picture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first flight, which has been delayed a bit due to technical issues. The 787 isn't that far different from other commercial airliners you'll see, but its fuselage has more composites than any previous model, making the plane 20% lighter that it would be if it were made of metal. Cool concept, but I'll be interested to see what the long-term effects of pressurizing and repressurizing an all-composite airframe are. Unlike metal, apparently composites are harder to check for fatigue. This bears watching, especially with an airliner that is being built across multiple sites worldwide.
NASA has a new website that allows teenagers to have access to mission data for school papers and so forth. Pretty cool!
Speaking of Dr. OZMG, she's registered for the Reykjavik Marathon in Iceland this coming August. The Down Under Defense Expert (DUDE) recommended checking both the regular Icelandair web site, but also the site for locals to see about getting the best rate for air fare. Yes, the site's in Icelandic, but as the DUDE put it, "The res pages for most airlines look alike."
The DUDE also suggested a couple of novels by an Icelandic author: Yrsa Siguoardottir, Last Rituals and My Soul to Take.
From Lin, with the comment, "This seems like further justification for space exploration." Four planets found circling other stars? Yes, indeedy. That sounds like justification to me. But we're having trouble funding stuff flying within this solar system...good luck finding money for something orbiting another star if there aren't Vulcans involved.
Another reason the U.S. needs to maintain the ability to fly humans into space: Russia just isn't that dependable as a partner on some things. For instance, it has recently reneged on an agreement to provide NASA with plutonium needed to power exploration vehicles. Once the Shuttle is retired, the Russians will be able to charge whatever they like for their services, especially if SpaceX or United Launch Alliance don't have their collective acts together yet.
From Doc, a new poster, with a suggestion that I restrain him from ordering this item for his cube.
Found during my morning environmental scanning, "a crisis of confidence for aerospace careers." It's getting difficult to be a professional space geek, unless you REALLY want it.
Spent a couple days hanging with the incomparable Dr. OZMG. Not nearly enough, but I'll survive. Meanwhile, the inbox continues to fill up with other, less important items that still require my attention. Let the good times roll...
New from Hu: This was a surprise to me, but Orion Propulsion (run by my friend Tim Pickens) has been bought by Dynetics (a company that now employs two former customers of mine, former Marshall Space Flight Center Director Dave King and former Ares Projects Manager Steve Cook. Huntsville and the space business really are a small world.
If you scroll down on this page, the YouTube video on this page is kinda fun. Fighter jocks doing what they do best--showing off in their pretty airplanes.
Here's a picture of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's first flight, which has been delayed a bit due to technical issues. The 787 isn't that far different from other commercial airliners you'll see, but its fuselage has more composites than any previous model, making the plane 20% lighter that it would be if it were made of metal. Cool concept, but I'll be interested to see what the long-term effects of pressurizing and repressurizing an all-composite airframe are. Unlike metal, apparently composites are harder to check for fatigue. This bears watching, especially with an airliner that is being built across multiple sites worldwide.
NASA has a new website that allows teenagers to have access to mission data for school papers and so forth. Pretty cool!
Speaking of Dr. OZMG, she's registered for the Reykjavik Marathon in Iceland this coming August. The Down Under Defense Expert (DUDE) recommended checking both the regular Icelandair web site, but also the site for locals to see about getting the best rate for air fare. Yes, the site's in Icelandic, but as the DUDE put it, "The res pages for most airlines look alike."
The DUDE also suggested a couple of novels by an Icelandic author: Yrsa Siguoardottir, Last Rituals and My Soul to Take.
From Lin, with the comment, "This seems like further justification for space exploration." Four planets found circling other stars? Yes, indeedy. That sounds like justification to me. But we're having trouble funding stuff flying within this solar system...good luck finding money for something orbiting another star if there aren't Vulcans involved.
Another reason the U.S. needs to maintain the ability to fly humans into space: Russia just isn't that dependable as a partner on some things. For instance, it has recently reneged on an agreement to provide NASA with plutonium needed to power exploration vehicles. Once the Shuttle is retired, the Russians will be able to charge whatever they like for their services, especially if SpaceX or United Launch Alliance don't have their collective acts together yet.
From Doc, a new poster, with a suggestion that I restrain him from ordering this item for his cube.
Found during my morning environmental scanning, "a crisis of confidence for aerospace careers." It's getting difficult to be a professional space geek, unless you REALLY want it.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Ending Life on Your Time or God’s
Yesterday a hard day for Dr. OZMG and her family. Her 80+ year-old grandfather has been in the hospital, staying alive basically on life support. There was little change in his condition after they put him on the machines, and they turned off the respirator per the man's living will. He passed away before I could post this. Dr. OZMG and I are wont to discuss philosophical topics, and the subject of living wills came up—individuals’ wishes to have (or not have) extreme measures taken to save their lives in the event of Bad Things happening. This is one of those issues that is bound to cause me trouble, either because I disagree with my church or because I don’t fully understand how the church places one value above another. However, I’m willing to dive in because I consider the matter important enough to wrestle with here, not just among friends.
Life is our most precious gift from God. Throughout history we have dedicated considerable effort, thought, and technology to doing all that we can to preserve it. We even have incredibly vicious arguments over when life begins and what constitutes reasonable boundaries for preserving it. Keeping ourselves or our loved ones alive “at all costs” is an easy answer, but sometimes doesn’t match the painful realities. We don’t think twice about treating minor or even major illnesses. We get limbs fixed, wounds healed, and damaged or diseased organs removed. We get surgery done, take noxious chemicals, and get ourselves irradiated to reduce this or that malignancy. No one considers these efforts at treatment violations of God’s will.
But then there are the really Bad Things that come along: aggressive cancer, incapacity, coma, and other circumstances where we or our loved ones are either in excruciating pain or unlikely to wake up. Our love for life and our desire to preserve it can come into conflict with our compassion for the one we see suffering. Mind you, I’m partial to extraordinary measures: “If A doesn’t work, try B. If B doesn’t work, try C, D, or E. If E doesn’t work, try something really wild.” But eventually there comes a point where the limits of human knowledge are reached, and nothing further in the medical bag of tricks will work. Then what? Then you face the ugly probability of watching someone you love slowly die, either in unconsciousness or agony.
I am not a fan of Jack Kevorkian. That man was and is more interested in killing patients than looking for alternatives to improve the lives they have. I am not an advocate of euthanizing anyone with a merely inconvenient ailment or condition. I love life and wish for it to continue in as many ways as possible. I am just wondering, point-blank, which value is supposed to take priority when our medical sciences have reached their limit: protecting life or preventing suffering? And if it’s not “playing God” to do everything possible to keep someone alive, why is it playing “playing God” to stop trying and to resign oneself to the inevitable once that point is reached?
There’s a great line from a Star Trek book of all things that addressed this very issue. A very old man was suffering from a blastoma that was killing him and he stopped the treatments he was getting because they made him feel even worse. He explained to a young Lieutenant Sulu, “I’m not afraid of dying, son. I’m afraid of dying badly.”
No doubt someone will argue that my reasoning here leads to a slippery slope; and that while extreme measures and circumstances might call for compassionate release, it’s too easy (as in the case of Terry Schiavo) to just pull the plug on someone whom we don’t want to care for anymore because it’s too inconvenient, expensive, difficult, or painful. But really: when it’s your loved one suffering there in pain or a vegetative state, what the heck would YOU do? When prayer and hope and medicine have all reached their limits, what do you do next? I don’t know. God willing, I’ll never have to find out.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Psychology and Space
The following links are the result of a text exchange with the irrepressible Dr. OZMG on counseling in the space biz. As usual I provided too much information, but what the heck.
The following links are the result of a text exchange with the irrepressible Dr. OZMG on counseling in the space biz. As usual I provided too much information, but what the heck.
- A rather old (1982?) Johnson Space Center paper on "The Psychology of Human Orbital Factors."
- The Association of Aviation Psychology, which presumably covers regular aviation and aerospace.
- The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, which I believe is the official journal of the AAP above.
- Here's that psych book I recommended earlier, and which I might add to my Christmas list for science fiction research/writing purposes: Choosing the Right Stuff: the Psychological Selection of Astronauts and Cosmonauts.
- Another book in the same category: Space Psychology and Psychiatry.
- ABC News Article: "Feeling Low Up High: The Lonely Astronaut."
- Psychiatric News Story: "NASA Addresses Mental Health of Mars-Mission Members."
- National Academies Press book: Safe Passage: Astronaut Care for Exploration Missions.
- APA Online article: "Psychology Keeps Astronauts Well Grounded."
- NASA Astronaut Health Care System Review Committee February - June 2007 Report to the Administrator (this was the report requested after the Lisa Nowak affair).
- Astronauts with a psychology degree or some connection with psychology:
--Dan Tani (like me, a Glenbard East High School graduate)
--Nicholas Patrick
--James Pawleczyk
--Thomas Reiter (European Space Agency)
--Gerhard P. J. Thiele (ESA) - A NASA Flight Surgeon with the Constellation Program...also an Illinois guy.
- I mislabeled this for Dr. OZMG earlier, but it's a newsletter out of JSC that happened to focus on employee mental health, on the ground and in space.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Potpourri CXIV
Got a lot of stuff that has backed up in my inbox, but I'll do my best to clear it out before I head off to do Food & Football Day with friends.
New from Hu:
From Lin:
Got a lot of stuff that has backed up in my inbox, but I'll do my best to clear it out before I head off to do Food & Football Day with friends.
New from Hu:
- A report that says Mars life might've been brought to Earth. Swell...so where did the Mars life go? Death by global cooling?
- NASA looking at an asteroid mission as a prep for going to Mars.
From Lin:
- It's possible...just possible, mind you...that there might be a lot of waste included in the proposed government health care bill.
Found this on YouTube: a video on the Ares I-X mission by one of the folks down at KSC. Some great sites you normally don't see.
Another item from YouTube...an "autotune" mashup of Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and Neil de Grasse Tyson.
From Father Dan, an online app from Disney that allows you to enjoy personalized holiday greetings. Gotta confess, I could only handle the cute for about a minute before closing. Your mileage may vary.
Speaking of Dr. OZMG, she introduced me to a couple of very large words/terms from her world of Psych-Doc-ness, which seemed interesting enough to share:
And in case I can ever coax her into the space biz, she might give this book a look: Choosing the Right Stuff: The Psychological Selection of Astronauts and Cosmonauts.
Apparently the global warming/cooling/climate change debate isn't as "settled" as some would like to assume. A series of emails from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) show that there was quite a bit of argument behind the scenes, as well as accusations that any data or arguments that might prove the human-made climate change thesis wrong were suppressed. Meanwhile, documents coming out of Britain's University of East Anglia show that data might have been massaged to downplay or gloss over the fact that average global temperatures have been dropping the past several years. I have no problem with investigating how climate works and what impact humans have upon it, but I think it's a dubious practice, at best, to start with a conclusion in mind and start dictating very costly policies when the data are either still inconclusive--or worse, being fabricated.
And speaking of the climate debate, there's a video out there that is particularly gruesome. To the sound of jets flying overhead, we see polar bears falling from the sky and landing on a cityscape in rather horrific and bloody ways. The message being: every short-haul air flight you make generates 400 pounds of carbon dioxide, the equivalent weight of a polar bear. See my comments above. This is just nasty.
Eighty-one members of the House of Representatives have signed a bipartisan letter of support of the space program.
A good Science @ NASA article on the SOFIA airborne telescope.
From my AIAA news feed:
- A cosmonaut complains that Russia's space program is falling behind and is unsustainable.
- An Indian university is offering its first space law class. Good!
NASA announced two winners in its Centennial Challenge competition to develop new astronaut "space gloves."
Huntsville got an unwelcome rating recently: the second-most dangerous military town. I find this hard to believe, given how many seaport towns there are with MUCH rougher reps than ours.
Guess that'll do it for now. The inbox is mostly cleansed. Happy Thanksgiving, all. I've plenty to be thankful for this year, so I consider myself supremely blessed. If you can't think of anything to be thankful for, consider the fact that you're here and able to think in the first place and start from there.
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