Sunday, October 23, 2005
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Wings update...
First let me state that I am having real problems with the format for some reason. Blogger is misbehaving and I am turning a blind-eye...
Finally had my film developed, so here's the real thing:
The Hovering Harrier - my personal favorite
CDVN and the AH-64 Apache, which for some weird reason I can't recall - check out the extras, they're all watching the Super Hornet - maybe that explains things, although I did take this photo...
The afore-mentioned F-18F Super Hornet back on the ground - sweet
The Cardboard F-117A Nighthawk; Ali wearing his Canadian pride; an officer giving me the evil-eye - maybe he was just posing for the camera, but it made me pretty uncomfortable; and Christian standing to attention
A World War II BMW, and yes, that is a Nazi officer in the background. Purely there for educational purposes so I was assured. Hmmm...
Last but not, well okay, last, came the Canadian Snowbirds. What dare devils.
Finally had my film developed, so here's the real thing:
The Hovering Harrier - my personal favorite
CDVN and the AH-64 Apache, which for some weird reason I can't recall - check out the extras, they're all watching the Super Hornet - maybe that explains things, although I did take this photo...
The afore-mentioned F-18F Super Hornet back on the ground - sweet
The Cardboard F-117A Nighthawk; Ali wearing his Canadian pride; an officer giving me the evil-eye - maybe he was just posing for the camera, but it made me pretty uncomfortable; and Christian standing to attention
A World War II BMW, and yes, that is a Nazi officer in the background. Purely there for educational purposes so I was assured. Hmmm...
Last but not, well okay, last, came the Canadian Snowbirds. What dare devils.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Hop to it
There's something just magical about driving through town at night, singing along to Radio Head at the top of my voice; sometimes trying real hard, sometimes breaking into Fozzie Bear. Maybe it's the cool city lights, maybe it's that the daytime obstacle that makes the self-conscious-me clam up at red lights is missing, maybe it's the fact that just when I sing Flying on your motorcycle, watching all the ground beneath you drop some dude actually flies past on a motorcycle...
Anyway, I was returning from my very first Rice University lecture. The speaker was Manuel De Landa - self professed Street Philosopher. The title of the series is The Role of Cities in New Social Science. Tonight's lecture was about Beyond Micro & Macro: The Place of Cities in a Materialistic Philosophy. Now, I have to admit at this point that I've never taken a philosophy class, or an economics class (we're very backward in England), so 50% of the class went straight over my head. The good thing about this is that I actually understood 50% of the class. My quibble with Mr De Landa is this: His lecture series lasts all week, each day is a different topic about THE ROLE OF CITIES IN NEW SOCIAL SCIENCE. With that in mind, I wonder why I sat for two hours listening to the theory behind the philosophy of social ontology. One would presume that in order to apply the theory toward the City one would actually have to refer to said City. I expected to discover something about urban application and came away instead understanding the difference between Idealism, Realism and Materialism, and that interpersonal networks form high density networks which influence social behavior and ultimately form solidarity. I also learnt that organizational hierarchy, while necessary in society, brings a question of legitimacy concerning authority. De Landa's goal is to peel away the micro and macro examinations of society to reveal the more complex meso levels. He certainly applied meso levels to his speech, going in one direction then another, referring to bizarre examples that led off to other tangents. All that without really getting to the heart of the matter: The City.
I did hate the way he openly thrust his "leftist" beliefs on me and all present. Keep politics out of it, let the young and impressionable form their own opinions. (Although it was fun, and surprising, to listen to him shred Che Guevara and his rrrrrrrrrevolution to pieces)
To sum this experience up, I learnt something, even if it wasn't what I was expecting, I wish I had two hours off at lunch time tomorrow so I could hear his opinions on Jane Jacobs' theories, and I will definitely be going back for more Rice please, Sir.
Oh, and I managed to swipe a copy of Cite on my way out and I got gas for $2.65 a gallon. Just grand, Gromit!
Anyway, I was returning from my very first Rice University lecture. The speaker was Manuel De Landa - self professed Street Philosopher. The title of the series is The Role of Cities in New Social Science. Tonight's lecture was about Beyond Micro & Macro: The Place of Cities in a Materialistic Philosophy. Now, I have to admit at this point that I've never taken a philosophy class, or an economics class (we're very backward in England), so 50% of the class went straight over my head. The good thing about this is that I actually understood 50% of the class. My quibble with Mr De Landa is this: His lecture series lasts all week, each day is a different topic about THE ROLE OF CITIES IN NEW SOCIAL SCIENCE. With that in mind, I wonder why I sat for two hours listening to the theory behind the philosophy of social ontology. One would presume that in order to apply the theory toward the City one would actually have to refer to said City. I expected to discover something about urban application and came away instead understanding the difference between Idealism, Realism and Materialism, and that interpersonal networks form high density networks which influence social behavior and ultimately form solidarity. I also learnt that organizational hierarchy, while necessary in society, brings a question of legitimacy concerning authority. De Landa's goal is to peel away the micro and macro examinations of society to reveal the more complex meso levels. He certainly applied meso levels to his speech, going in one direction then another, referring to bizarre examples that led off to other tangents. All that without really getting to the heart of the matter: The City.
I did hate the way he openly thrust his "leftist" beliefs on me and all present. Keep politics out of it, let the young and impressionable form their own opinions. (Although it was fun, and surprising, to listen to him shred Che Guevara and his rrrrrrrrrevolution to pieces)
To sum this experience up, I learnt something, even if it wasn't what I was expecting, I wish I had two hours off at lunch time tomorrow so I could hear his opinions on Jane Jacobs' theories, and I will definitely be going back for more Rice please, Sir.
Oh, and I managed to swipe a copy of Cite on my way out and I got gas for $2.65 a gallon. Just grand, Gromit!
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Sphammers
To nuke those annoying "visitor comments" on your blog go to settings/comments then check the 'yes' box for the word verification option. People then have to enter a simple code they see to add a comment which leaves automated spammers S.O.L. Hee hee.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Will Humans Last Another 10,000 Years?
That's the cover question on the latest edition of Discover.
My opinion: Phugh, at the rate we're going we're practically sprinting down the path of self-destruction. 10,000 years? Religious hatred, disease, over population, pollution, enormous individual ecological footprints...more like 1,000. Can't wait to read Discover's prediction.
My opinion: Phugh, at the rate we're going we're practically sprinting down the path of self-destruction. 10,000 years? Religious hatred, disease, over population, pollution, enormous individual ecological footprints...more like 1,000. Can't wait to read Discover's prediction.
Emerging Green Builders/USGBC
Just got home from an interesting event, attended once again, by the unwashed. What is it with this topic? Isn't anyone squeaky-clean interested in sustainable design? Actually, my washed-friend, Anica, was in attendance. Sadly for us she just landed an extremely cool job in D.C., so one more pleasant smelling buddy bites the dust...
Anyway, it's so good to know that schools are trying to teach sustainable design to those willing to learn. Professors from U of H, TAMU, and Rice all presented their sustainable (or with the emphasis on sustainability) curriculum to us. Sadly, one of their award winning students, who graduated about a year ago, told us that now he's out there in the real world none of his colleagues are interested in his SD qualifications. Doink! As well as teaching how to apply the practice they might want to teach future architects/engineers/contractors how to sell the product. Mr. I-graduated-with-my-MARCH-in-1968 isn't going to change his way of thinking: The client is the one to convince and there are plenty of them willing to listen...
Anyway, it's so good to know that schools are trying to teach sustainable design to those willing to learn. Professors from U of H, TAMU, and Rice all presented their sustainable (or with the emphasis on sustainability) curriculum to us. Sadly, one of their award winning students, who graduated about a year ago, told us that now he's out there in the real world none of his colleagues are interested in his SD qualifications. Doink! As well as teaching how to apply the practice they might want to teach future architects/engineers/contractors how to sell the product. Mr. I-graduated-with-my-MARCH-in-1968 isn't going to change his way of thinking: The client is the one to convince and there are plenty of them willing to listen...
Monday, October 10, 2005
Wings Over Houston
If you weren't there you certainly missed out.
The F-18F Super Hornet. At 117 decibels it was incredibly loud. Apparently ear pain can start at 120 decibels; which explains why 70% of the crowd (even military personnel) had their fingers stuffed in their ears. I thought the Hornet was the coolest thing I had seen for a while, but then...
Along came the AV-8 Harrier Jump Jet. I grew up watching these things on TV, I never dreamed I would see one in real life, let alone watch one do the vertical take-off, hover for at least 3 minutes, slowly reverse, hover again with it's nose dipped, then do the vertical land. Breathtaking.
The F-117A Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter) was pretty cool, I shouldn't say this, especially when you consider it's one of the most expensive military aircraft ever built ($45M per plane) but up close it looked like a cheap cardboard toy. Sorry Lockheed.
Of course, Christian wanted to see the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter. I think we stopped by it on the way out, but I was so intrigued with the Harrier that I missed the Apache completely. Bummer. Anyway, a fun and sunburnt day was had by all. Even the hotdogs were good. Can't wait until next year's Wings.
The F-18F Super Hornet. At 117 decibels it was incredibly loud. Apparently ear pain can start at 120 decibels; which explains why 70% of the crowd (even military personnel) had their fingers stuffed in their ears. I thought the Hornet was the coolest thing I had seen for a while, but then...
Along came the AV-8 Harrier Jump Jet. I grew up watching these things on TV, I never dreamed I would see one in real life, let alone watch one do the vertical take-off, hover for at least 3 minutes, slowly reverse, hover again with it's nose dipped, then do the vertical land. Breathtaking.
The F-117A Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter) was pretty cool, I shouldn't say this, especially when you consider it's one of the most expensive military aircraft ever built ($45M per plane) but up close it looked like a cheap cardboard toy. Sorry Lockheed.
Of course, Christian wanted to see the AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter. I think we stopped by it on the way out, but I was so intrigued with the Harrier that I missed the Apache completely. Bummer. Anyway, a fun and sunburnt day was had by all. Even the hotdogs were good. Can't wait until next year's Wings.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Upcoming update uploading...later this weekend
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