- Open Source Textbooks: At www.curriki.org, you can register to start reading free, online textbooks. Although it is in its infancy now, this tool may be just the key to saving our schools hundreds of millions of dollars.
- Growing Bladders from DNA: A scientist was able to build a bio-degradable scaffold of a bladder, spray a patient's bladder cells onto the scaffold and presto! A new bladder.
- Cure for Asthma: By sticking a tube down a patient's throat and into their lungs, radio frequency signals blast the walls of the lungs to get rid of asthma attacks.
- Katrina-Stopping Nails: By re-engineering the nail, inventors were able to create a nail so strong that the roofs of houses no longer will sheer off in hurricane winds.
- Periodic Table: One of the editors of PopSci spent four years assembling a collection of elements for a real-life periodic table and photographing them. It's kinda cool to look at -- you can even order a poster of the table for your home or office enjoyment!
- Censored Hammer: Although not necessary revolutionary, I also read an article about a new hammer called the "FUBAR" which was designed for demolition work. Now tell me, how in the world did Stanley get away with that? I can picture 5 years olds watching their Dads hard at work and asking if they can have a try at the FUBAR.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
In the News
I subscribe to Popular Science and in reading some of the recent issues today, I found some cool things going on in our technology world...
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Best Wiitie Ever.
My pet name for John is "Weetie" -- short for "Sweetie". That's not public knowledge, and he'll probably kill me for posting that here, but it's important that everyone know he is now "Wii-tie". This morning he told me he was getting up early to work on a car. So I sort of just grumbled a goodbye and went back to bed. When he got home around 11:30, he proceeded to tell me he had lied to me about where he was going and then produced a newly acquired Wii!
Apparently, he had to wait in line in the 20 degree weather for 3 hours for this thing. Now that's true love! So today will be spent learning how to play in between watching football with friends.
What a great Sunday!
Apparently, he had to wait in line in the 20 degree weather for 3 hours for this thing. Now that's true love! So today will be spent learning how to play in between watching football with friends.
What a great Sunday!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Where I've Been...
I realize it's been a while since I've written something substantial on this thing. So I better fess up to what I've been doing for the past month or so.
December was fairly hectic. John and I hosted several parties and attended several parties. I was able to get together with the old HR Gang from Integic -- which was so incredibly awesome. We swapped stories and presents and had a grand time at my house. Bailey enjoyed being spoiled by them as he licked their plates clean. We attended the American Systems Christmas party which was a total joke compared to the Integic days, but had a moderately fun time. My brothers were able to come home for Christmas from Japan and Florida, and we had a great time hanging out. John's family came up from South Carolina for a while so we had a full house for about a week. After they left, I was suckered into having the Underwood Christmas party at my house. My Mom's 6 siblings, their spouses, and children came for food, fun and gift exchanges.
John and I exchanged gifts this year. Items of note would be a Pabst Blue Ribbon light up sign from the 1970s that I got off of eBay and a hydroponic herb garden for the kitchen.
For New's Years Eve, we went to Maryland to see Rob's band play. We were able to convince our neighbors, my brother, my cousin Emily and her boyfriend and Tommy to come with us. If it wasn't for Rob, I wouldn't have voluntarily stepped foot in Maryland, but I ended up having a good time all the same. Probably too good, because apparently there is video footage somewhere of me jumping on a trampoline with Rob's girlfriend after having about 8 drinks. Hm.
For the past few months, Rob and Jen and I have been holding a "Dawson's Creek/Wonder Years" night on Wednesdays. It usually consists of a bunch of dogs running around the house, cooking good food, and then us watching DC/WY and making fun of every other line in the show. So far, we have finished the first 2 seasons of both shows. It's a great break from real life in the middle of the week, so anyone who is interested, feel free to join us!
Other than that, work has been kicking my butt. I've been pretty swamped trying to take a department that has had 20 years of neglect and try and make it a fully functional environment where we are able to help grow the corporation into a billion dollar company. I have some awesome employees, so the good news is, I will not have to go it alone.
That's it for now. I must sign off so I can bake a cake for a 5 year old. It's a pony theme, but she doesn't want My Little Pony stuff. So I have to try and make a girlie pony that doesn't resemble a My Little Pony. Fun stuff.
December was fairly hectic. John and I hosted several parties and attended several parties. I was able to get together with the old HR Gang from Integic -- which was so incredibly awesome. We swapped stories and presents and had a grand time at my house. Bailey enjoyed being spoiled by them as he licked their plates clean. We attended the American Systems Christmas party which was a total joke compared to the Integic days, but had a moderately fun time. My brothers were able to come home for Christmas from Japan and Florida, and we had a great time hanging out. John's family came up from South Carolina for a while so we had a full house for about a week. After they left, I was suckered into having the Underwood Christmas party at my house. My Mom's 6 siblings, their spouses, and children came for food, fun and gift exchanges.
John and I exchanged gifts this year. Items of note would be a Pabst Blue Ribbon light up sign from the 1970s that I got off of eBay and a hydroponic herb garden for the kitchen.
For New's Years Eve, we went to Maryland to see Rob's band play. We were able to convince our neighbors, my brother, my cousin Emily and her boyfriend and Tommy to come with us. If it wasn't for Rob, I wouldn't have voluntarily stepped foot in Maryland, but I ended up having a good time all the same. Probably too good, because apparently there is video footage somewhere of me jumping on a trampoline with Rob's girlfriend after having about 8 drinks. Hm.
For the past few months, Rob and Jen and I have been holding a "Dawson's Creek/Wonder Years" night on Wednesdays. It usually consists of a bunch of dogs running around the house, cooking good food, and then us watching DC/WY and making fun of every other line in the show. So far, we have finished the first 2 seasons of both shows. It's a great break from real life in the middle of the week, so anyone who is interested, feel free to join us!
Other than that, work has been kicking my butt. I've been pretty swamped trying to take a department that has had 20 years of neglect and try and make it a fully functional environment where we are able to help grow the corporation into a billion dollar company. I have some awesome employees, so the good news is, I will not have to go it alone.
That's it for now. I must sign off so I can bake a cake for a 5 year old. It's a pony theme, but she doesn't want My Little Pony stuff. So I have to try and make a girlie pony that doesn't resemble a My Little Pony. Fun stuff.
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