Today I saw a homeless man standing on the steps of the Cathedral of the Madeleine.
He was surrounded by pigeons, and they were perching on his hands and shoulders.
There was traffic, pedestrians and business as usual. But for that moment; he was their center.
"When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen:
Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. "
~ Edward Teller
Friday, February 13, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Cloudy Daze
Good evening everyone.
My goodness it has been a long time since I have been online…
Anyway, being this blog is called ‘The Mad Scientist’, one would expect more science stuff right?
Well here you go:
This is what I have been up to the past couple of weeks. Not just this project, but this one is the most interesting thing that has come out of it. The rest is the usual pen & paper math, spreadsheet programming and reading, reading… reading.
So here is the cool stuff. I made a Cloud Chamber.
What it does, and how it works:
You will need an airtight glass chamber, a sponge to attach on the upper end of the container, and soak it in alcohol (I used Everclear- it’s cheap and really concentrated). You will also need a tin filled with dry ice, a flashlight, a small piece of paper towel, and last but not least: a radio active “source”. We used a needle dipped in a chemical that had a bit of radioactive stuff in it, I think it was Uranium, but I’m not sure. At the time, I did not care either. I just needed some Advil.
Anyways, you put the source in the chamber bottom, and the alcohol soaked sponge side on the top, and set it on top of the dry ice. The small piece of paper towel goes between them for traction.
Once the alcohol evaporates from the spounge, it condenses at the cold bottom, and it is thick enough, that when the source decays (here we had alpha particles (a helium nucleus)), it leaves little trails in the gas! When you shine the flashlight on it, it looks like little hairs standing straight up! Observe:
Do you see them? The little straight lines shooting out from the tip if the needle like fireworks?
Awesome.
T
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Reprezentin' The Nerd-Life
[The following is real grafitti in the mens room in the North Physics building]
What's uppitie yall',
I thought today I would give a shout-out to all my homies livin' the Nerd Life.
Tis' tha hard life yo:
Forget da East Side- West Side; we gotz the Normal-Vector, sin(a), cos(a), and a shiz-load of other dimentions bee-atch!:
Tangent si-eeed!
Oh, what's dis?:
Momentum! Holla!
Don't be hatin' on the kinematics thug, they's here too:
For realz thug- BOOSH!. Keepin' it real with the Story Problem!
Yea- And dis homie too:
True homie. So true.
Livin' the life aint eazy:
Keep up the fight dawg!
M to the S out~
(I think the only thing more hilarious that nerds actually having math equations for grafitti is me trying to fake like I know the slang kids are using these days. I am not a big fan of rap music (in fact, I have yet to hear any I like), and I think it shows. When I first noticed this I was chuckling for hours... and I hope I made you do the same. Good night all.)
T
What's uppitie yall',
I thought today I would give a shout-out to all my homies livin' the Nerd Life.
Tis' tha hard life yo:
Forget da East Side- West Side; we gotz the Normal-Vector, sin(a), cos(a), and a shiz-load of other dimentions bee-atch!:
Tangent si-eeed!
Oh, what's dis?:
Momentum! Holla!
Don't be hatin' on the kinematics thug, they's here too:
For realz thug- BOOSH!. Keepin' it real with the Story Problem!
Yea- And dis homie too:
True homie. So true.
Livin' the life aint eazy:
Keep up the fight dawg!
M to the S out~
(I think the only thing more hilarious that nerds actually having math equations for grafitti is me trying to fake like I know the slang kids are using these days. I am not a big fan of rap music (in fact, I have yet to hear any I like), and I think it shows. When I first noticed this I was chuckling for hours... and I hope I made you do the same. Good night all.)
T
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
25 Random things
Good afternoon everyone,
I have another post coming. It will be significantly more light hearted than my last one. However it is still in the draft phase. As well as my review of the new Underworld movie. that will be on The Cinema Project soon.
Well, in the meantime, here is another one of "those" things. This quiz thing came to me on facebook, but since I do not have anything interesting to post as of yet; here we go- 25 random things about me:
1. I believe all art is subjective.
2. I have an unfounded phobia of dry-mouth.
3. I can’t stand it when people call themselves professional photographers, buy thousands of dollars worth of camera gear, and know NOTHING about the equipment they are using. This is mostly geared toward 90% of you “wedding photographers” here in Utah. Not only that; but people who do “wedding photography” and know nothing of photojournalism.
4. I think fortune tellers, palm readers and horoscopes are full of crap. I don’t think anything can tell the future. However, I am fascinated with Tarot Cards.
5. Physics was not my first choice for a major. My first choice was a writing/journalism field. Those of you who knew me in high school can testify that I was editor in chief of the school newspaper; and liked it. Then film caught my eye. I wanted to make movies for a while. When I started college, I never thought I would do physics.
6. I change my goatee a little bit every couple of moths or so, because having the same one all the time bores me. But I have not changed my hair style in more than 6 years.
7. Even though I love photography, I have not taken a photo class since high school.
8. I will eat tomatoes if they are in sandwiches, burgers or sauces. But I hate them by themselves. The same goes for mushrooms.
9. I am one of ‘those’ people. The ones that always talk about exercising and getting into shape but never do.
10. I find most all religions interesting. The creed, origins and ritual enthrall me.
11. I do not like the Pope.
12. I hate TV, but I love animation.
13. I listen to hard, heavy fast and violent metal music; but I am a very docile and patient person.
14. Video games bore me to tears.
15. I would love to sail the horizons of this world, to seek and discover new things. But my daily routine anchors me, and sucks the wind from my sails. I also like to talk in metaphors.
16. One of my personal mottos is “Never say never.”
17. I have a love/hate relationship with my job.
18. I have never known what I want to do with my life. I have never had a dream, goal or any such thing that was more than a fleeting thought.
19. I do not want kids.
20. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when people ask “when are you getting married?” and I say “never”; and they automatically assume I have commitment issues. It’s a personal choice that I have my own founding for- trust me.
21. It takes me weeks and weeks to read a book. I like to go slow and digest every sentence. Sometimes read it twice.
22. I think James T. Krik was the better captain. That’s right; I am that big of a nerd.
23. I like whiskey, but I have never tried scotch.
24. I love being in the city at night. I will go out of my way when driving home to go down main or state. I don’t know why. Maybe I like street lights.
25. I love big empty spaces, or small tight ones with lots of hallways and doors.
T
I have another post coming. It will be significantly more light hearted than my last one. However it is still in the draft phase. As well as my review of the new Underworld movie. that will be on The Cinema Project soon.
Well, in the meantime, here is another one of "those" things. This quiz thing came to me on facebook, but since I do not have anything interesting to post as of yet; here we go- 25 random things about me:
1. I believe all art is subjective.
2. I have an unfounded phobia of dry-mouth.
3. I can’t stand it when people call themselves professional photographers, buy thousands of dollars worth of camera gear, and know NOTHING about the equipment they are using. This is mostly geared toward 90% of you “wedding photographers” here in Utah. Not only that; but people who do “wedding photography” and know nothing of photojournalism.
4. I think fortune tellers, palm readers and horoscopes are full of crap. I don’t think anything can tell the future. However, I am fascinated with Tarot Cards.
5. Physics was not my first choice for a major. My first choice was a writing/journalism field. Those of you who knew me in high school can testify that I was editor in chief of the school newspaper; and liked it. Then film caught my eye. I wanted to make movies for a while. When I started college, I never thought I would do physics.
6. I change my goatee a little bit every couple of moths or so, because having the same one all the time bores me. But I have not changed my hair style in more than 6 years.
7. Even though I love photography, I have not taken a photo class since high school.
8. I will eat tomatoes if they are in sandwiches, burgers or sauces. But I hate them by themselves. The same goes for mushrooms.
9. I am one of ‘those’ people. The ones that always talk about exercising and getting into shape but never do.
10. I find most all religions interesting. The creed, origins and ritual enthrall me.
11. I do not like the Pope.
12. I hate TV, but I love animation.
13. I listen to hard, heavy fast and violent metal music; but I am a very docile and patient person.
14. Video games bore me to tears.
15. I would love to sail the horizons of this world, to seek and discover new things. But my daily routine anchors me, and sucks the wind from my sails. I also like to talk in metaphors.
16. One of my personal mottos is “Never say never.”
17. I have a love/hate relationship with my job.
18. I have never known what I want to do with my life. I have never had a dream, goal or any such thing that was more than a fleeting thought.
19. I do not want kids.
20. It is a huge pet peeve of mine when people ask “when are you getting married?” and I say “never”; and they automatically assume I have commitment issues. It’s a personal choice that I have my own founding for- trust me.
21. It takes me weeks and weeks to read a book. I like to go slow and digest every sentence. Sometimes read it twice.
22. I think James T. Krik was the better captain. That’s right; I am that big of a nerd.
23. I like whiskey, but I have never tried scotch.
24. I love being in the city at night. I will go out of my way when driving home to go down main or state. I don’t know why. Maybe I like street lights.
25. I love big empty spaces, or small tight ones with lots of hallways and doors.
T
Friday, January 23, 2009
What Muse-
Good evening everyone,
I was driving in the canyon the other day (why is another story), and I forgot my iPod, and of course I could not get a decent signal for any radio stations. So I spent the way down the canyon with the sound of my tires on the road and the thoughts in my head.
I got to thinking about my hobbies. Not so much about what I do (or could do) with my hobbies, but why I do them. Not only that, but why I chose physics for a major. And to me they are not just hobbies, but passions. And the trail of thoughts lead to this post.
When I chose physics for a major, people just gave me a funny look like they bit into a sour piece of candy, and just asked 'why'? The answer is that I find the natural world fascinating. I love to find out how things work, and what they could do. I love to find out the strange behavior of things, because often times the old saying holds true: sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And I not only like to know, but doing the work for it often times gives me a high. The way the math equations flow, predict and cement excites me, and the possibilities of 'what could be' do so even more.
I love cameras. My affection for the tools of the trade goes beyond just the use. I love the aesthetics, function and complexity. But as much as I geek out over the cameras, I love what they produce more. There is a picture of Tuesday Weld in the current issue of B+W Magazine that I can't stop staring at.
Any picture is worth a thousand words. But have you ever seen a picture you could not think of any words for? Have you ever seen a picture that just takes your breath away? A picture that with one glance, the world's weight is shot clear of your mind and your soul is electrified?
Any book can entertain. It can thrill, excite and make you laugh. But have you ever read a book that inspired you? Made you want to change? Do something else, something new and important?
That is what I think people need more of in their lives. You may not be able to pay the bills with it, but you can chase your dreams all you want. And I am tempted to use the phrase "to your hearts content" here, but that is a dangerous statement. I think that through contentment comes atrophy, something terrible for any mind, body and soul.
Instead challenge yourself with these things that spark your interest. Do not merely try to duplicate, but create. Confront yourself with opposing ideas. You may ground yourself in what you already have. You may find something new.
That's why I do what I do, and as much of it as I can.
Thank you for reading through my cliché tripe. I know it sounds like something out of a bad movie. But you should try. At least try. You may not become a giant, or stand on the shoulders of any. You may sink into anonymity as another bastard child of creativity and fate. But at least the journey is worth taking.
So, then, what is your muse? What excites you? What makes you curious?
T
I was driving in the canyon the other day (why is another story), and I forgot my iPod, and of course I could not get a decent signal for any radio stations. So I spent the way down the canyon with the sound of my tires on the road and the thoughts in my head.
I got to thinking about my hobbies. Not so much about what I do (or could do) with my hobbies, but why I do them. Not only that, but why I chose physics for a major. And to me they are not just hobbies, but passions. And the trail of thoughts lead to this post.
When I chose physics for a major, people just gave me a funny look like they bit into a sour piece of candy, and just asked 'why'? The answer is that I find the natural world fascinating. I love to find out how things work, and what they could do. I love to find out the strange behavior of things, because often times the old saying holds true: sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And I not only like to know, but doing the work for it often times gives me a high. The way the math equations flow, predict and cement excites me, and the possibilities of 'what could be' do so even more.
I love cameras. My affection for the tools of the trade goes beyond just the use. I love the aesthetics, function and complexity. But as much as I geek out over the cameras, I love what they produce more. There is a picture of Tuesday Weld in the current issue of B+W Magazine that I can't stop staring at.
Any picture is worth a thousand words. But have you ever seen a picture you could not think of any words for? Have you ever seen a picture that just takes your breath away? A picture that with one glance, the world's weight is shot clear of your mind and your soul is electrified?
Any book can entertain. It can thrill, excite and make you laugh. But have you ever read a book that inspired you? Made you want to change? Do something else, something new and important?
That is what I think people need more of in their lives. You may not be able to pay the bills with it, but you can chase your dreams all you want. And I am tempted to use the phrase "to your hearts content" here, but that is a dangerous statement. I think that through contentment comes atrophy, something terrible for any mind, body and soul.
Instead challenge yourself with these things that spark your interest. Do not merely try to duplicate, but create. Confront yourself with opposing ideas. You may ground yourself in what you already have. You may find something new.
That's why I do what I do, and as much of it as I can.
Thank you for reading through my cliché tripe. I know it sounds like something out of a bad movie. But you should try. At least try. You may not become a giant, or stand on the shoulders of any. You may sink into anonymity as another bastard child of creativity and fate. But at least the journey is worth taking.
So, then, what is your muse? What excites you? What makes you curious?
T
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
My Newest Toy!!!
Good afternoon everyone,
Let me introduce you to my newest toy:
It’s an infrared filter. A Hoya R72 to be exact. Needless to say, there will be a few updates (finally) to the Photography blog.
That’s if I can find the time to use it… sigh.
Let me introduce you to my newest toy:
It’s an infrared filter. A Hoya R72 to be exact. Needless to say, there will be a few updates (finally) to the Photography blog.
That’s if I can find the time to use it… sigh.
T
Monday, January 12, 2009
Begin-Again and Another Book Rant
Good afternoon everyone,
Well, holy crap. Another semester has started, and another break gone by way too fast. I know, a lot of you out there are a little pissed, because I said we would hang and then I bailed. But really? You have all known me long enough that on the occasion that happens it should come as no surprise. It’s nothing personal, I’m just really really lazy. And aside from working more than I should have for the sake of my sanity, and From Russia with Love’s trip to California, nothing went on. At all. Lame right? Well, that’s exactly what I was looking for. Summer is for partying, winter is for hibernating.
I am not going to be doing any sort of class checklist here or on the R&D Pages this semester, because I hardly kept up on it last time. I will just post the cool learnings as they happen.
Any way, as promised, here is the Book Rant:
Stranger than Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
Very good. It’s his non-fiction stuff, so don’t expect too much craziness. But the journalistic writing and interviews are fascinating. He talks about wrestlers, demolition derbies, and interviews people who hand build their own castles. He interviews a woman who took her dog to Honduras after a hurricane, and searched for survivors. He interviews Marilyn Manson and Juliette Lewis. He talks about his own personal experiences, from working as a hospice volunteer to his fathers murder to his trips to Hollywood and the set of the Fight Club movie. Fascinating from beginning to end. By far one of my favorite books. Ever.
T
Well, holy crap. Another semester has started, and another break gone by way too fast. I know, a lot of you out there are a little pissed, because I said we would hang and then I bailed. But really? You have all known me long enough that on the occasion that happens it should come as no surprise. It’s nothing personal, I’m just really really lazy. And aside from working more than I should have for the sake of my sanity, and From Russia with Love’s trip to California, nothing went on. At all. Lame right? Well, that’s exactly what I was looking for. Summer is for partying, winter is for hibernating.
I am not going to be doing any sort of class checklist here or on the R&D Pages this semester, because I hardly kept up on it last time. I will just post the cool learnings as they happen.
Any way, as promised, here is the Book Rant:
Stranger than Fiction by Chuck Palahniuk
Very good. It’s his non-fiction stuff, so don’t expect too much craziness. But the journalistic writing and interviews are fascinating. He talks about wrestlers, demolition derbies, and interviews people who hand build their own castles. He interviews a woman who took her dog to Honduras after a hurricane, and searched for survivors. He interviews Marilyn Manson and Juliette Lewis. He talks about his own personal experiences, from working as a hospice volunteer to his fathers murder to his trips to Hollywood and the set of the Fight Club movie. Fascinating from beginning to end. By far one of my favorite books. Ever.T
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