Rince Art

Thoughts About NASA's Budget Cut

2012-02-15T09:07:00.001-08:00

I am not going to write a long post about the recent proposal to cut NASA's planetary exploration budget, mainly because other people have already done so here, here, and here (and many other places as well). I do, however, would like to share a few quotes from these articles that I feel perfectly summarize the issue:

"There is no other country or agency that can do what NASA does—fly extraordinary flagship missions in deep space and land spacecraft on Mars. If this budget is allowed to stand, the United States will walk away from decades of greatness in space science and exploration. But it will lose more than that. The U.S. will lose expertise, capability, and talent. The nation will lose the ability to compete in one of the few areas in which it is still the undisputed number one."

- Bill Nye, Executive Director of the Planetary Society

". . .Reducing America’s presence in space- which is what the current budget amounts to- is a bold statement to the effect that the US is no longer looking outward. We’re no longer interested in pushing the boundaries of what we can do, because we seem to be more interested in wallowing around in what we can’t. . . . I’m interested in science and engineering and technology, not least because those things make life better for everyone . . . The technology we build today will help feed, clothe, and heal the people of tomorrow. . . ."

- Dark and Sinister Force for Good Blog

The Legend of Drizzt Board Game Review

2012-01-14T01:47:00.000-08:00

After my short visit earlier last year, I would like to once again venture into the colorful world of board games. I recently had the opportunity to take a closer look at the newly released cooperative board game, The Legend of Drizzt from Wizards of the Coast. Although the four or five sessions I played with friends hardly make me an expert, they provided me with enough oversight that I feel confident sharing my impressions of this latest iteration of the adventures of Drizzt Do’Urden.

For any of you not familiar with Drizzt Do’Urden—the renegade dark elf and perhaps the most well-known fantasy hero after the Fellowship of the Ring—I highly recommend purchasing a few novels based on his adventures. Although the board game does not require any previous knowledge of the back-story, knowing the underlying universe and the characters certainly gives an extra dimension to the game. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent penmanship of R. A. Salvatore—the author of the Drizzt books—it is hard to imagine any fantasy-loving person walking away dissatisfied from purchasing his books. But let us get back to topic.

Why Space?

2011-12-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

On November 3, 2011, the Planetary Society and the Mars Society hosted a co-sponsored forum, titled “NASA at a Turning Point: Vibrant Future or Close Up Shop?” While the discussion centered around NASA and the implications of its recent budget cut, the underlying message of the speakers was much more universal!

I am sure many of you have asked the question at least once: why do we "waste" money on exploring space when humanity have other, much more vital problems here, on this planet? Well, I hope that the following videos (together roughly one hour long) will provide you with the answer. They contain an insightful and thought-provoking discussion, which I highly recommend watching (even for those not interested in space).

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - R. Zubrin Speech (part 1 of 2)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - R. Zubrin Speech (part 2 of 2)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - Q&A Session (part 1 of 4)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - Q&A Session (part 2 of 4)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - Q&A Session (part 3 of 4)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - Q&A Session (part 4 of 4)

Mars Society: Capital Hill Forum - Closing Statements

2011 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar

2011-12-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

Continuing a years-long tradition, The Atlantic once again began its annual Advent Calendar, revealing a new and interesting picture every day until the December 25th. “Why is that noteworthy?” one might ask. Well, if the title did not give it a way, they use images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, giving a unique flavor to the holiday season. I personally love spending a few minutes every day checking out the latest picture and reading the description.

2011 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar

Las Vegas

2011-11-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

The short movie below is the next in the series I began about a year ago. It gives tribute to Las Vegas, part of Day 7 of my Route 66 journal.

As always, the film is available in Full HD on YouTube; although this time it does not make that much of a difference as my camera were not too good at handling night shots and, unfortunately, it shows on the quality. Also, due to the song I used in the video (Little Less Conversation by Elvis Presley & JXL), the audio track is muted in Germany, for which I apologize.

Please give it a thumbs up and share it with others if you like it; thanks!

Our Future in Space

2011-10-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

I would like to share a video today that is not exactly current—it was shot back in July at the annual TAM Conference in Las Vegas—but the validity of the topics discussed in it more than justify the delay. In fact, I think I am not exaggerating if I state that, for any person with even the slightest interest in space, science, and astronomy, this video is a must-watch!

It is basically a panel discussing, as the title suggests, humanity’s future in space. What makes this video unique, however, are: 1) The participants who are all world-renowned scientists and 2) The typically thought provoking topics they discuss—and their often conflicting viewpoints.

It is a little long—53 minutes—but well worth the time!

The Spectacular Draconids

2011-10-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

Skywatchers rarely consider the annual Draconid meteor shower a noteworthy phenomenon, often regarding it as lackluster and uninteresting—especially when compared to other meteor showers, such as the Leonids or the Perseids. Not this year though!

On October 8^th, Earth will move through the denser regions of the debris left by the Comet Giacobini-Zinner, resulting most likely in a spectacular display of falling stars, estimated to reach 750 meteors per hour. This is many times more than the above mentioned Leonid and Perseid meteor showers’ average. In fact, the Draconids this year are expected to be so abundant that NASA is afraid that they might damage satellites or the International Space Station.

Astro Photography and Slooh

2011-10-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Today, I would like to take a detour from my usual Route 66 topic and venture into the field of amateur astronomy.

In the past year or so, I had spent considerable time clinging onto slooh.com’s robotic telescopes. During this time, I had snapped hundreds of pictures, on occasion revisiting the same celestial object time after time waiting for the perfect conditions to produce the clearest pictures. At the bottom of this post, you can find a gallery of some of these images. Before getting to them, however, I would like to talk a little about Slooh, more precisely, about the discontinuation of their “Free Tier” service and how I think this might impact users.

The Painted Desert

2011-07-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

It took a while, but I have finally completed the next piece of my ongoing video series from around Route 66. This time, I would like to introduce the Petrified Forest National Park and the surrounding Painted Desert of Arizona, which you can read about in Day 6.

As always, the film is available in Full HD on YouTube (please give it a thumbs up and share it with others if you like it).

Route 66 Travel Guide

2011-04-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

I think anyone would agree that spending a couple of weeks on the Mother Road hardly makes one an expert. It is also true, however, that even a short trip can grant experiences that some—especially those who have never visited Route 66 before—might find helpful. Therefore, in this article I would like to offer a few tips and tricks that I learned while on the road. My guide is by no means a complete one—it might not even be that good—but I hope it will provide a good starting point for at least some of you wanting to explore America’s Highway.

The Grand Canyon Movie

2011-03-07T14:04:00.000-08:00

Below is a short film I made about my visit to the Grand Canyon. Although it is not readily apparent, the movie is part of my Route 66 series (it covers parts of day Six and Seven). For maximum enjoyment, use the HD option and watch it in full 1080p!

The Ninth Planet..., or not

2011-02-16T03:31:00.000-08:00

My concept of Tyche

(Space.com) Since the 2006 reclassification of Pluto by the International Astronomical Union, our solar system has to make do with “only” eight planets. This situation, however, may soon change.

For over a decade, astrophysicists John Matese and Daniel Whitmire from the University of Louisiana have suggested the possibility of another planet. The two hypothesized that the odd orbital paths of some comets could be explained by the gravitational field of a ninth planet—approximately four times the size of Jupiter—in the so called Oort Cloud, which marks the boundary of our solar system about one light year from the sun. The two scientists call this, so far fictional, planet Tyche, named after the Greek god of luck.

Very exciting right? Well, not everyone thinks so…

Route 66 Reflections and Statistics

2011-02-15T04:11:00.000-08:00

With my journey on the Mother Road reaching its inevitable end, I would like to provide a few statistics and reflections about the trip. I believe it is a good and interesting way to end the story. But before I get to that, I would like to thank that nearly 3000 people who had visited my blog in the past few months. Your unceasing interest is what made me keep working on my journal. I sincerely hope that most of you found my work entertaining, as well as informative, and that a lot of you will be coming back in the future. Thanks!

Route 66 Journal - The Last Day

2011-02-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

6:52 a.m.

Deer at Buckeye Flat Campground

Upon emerging from my tent, I was welcomed by a buck wandering around the campground and grazing on the shrubs as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The animal seemed almost domesticated, which of course made some sense considering the park enjoyed heavy traffic year around. Nevertheless, this did not make the sight of the unusual visitor any less exciting. Since I had never seen a wild deer from so close before, I felt it was a good sign to start the day with. I just hoped my good fortune would last for the rest of the day—perhaps even allowing me to see bears.

Route 66 Journal - Day 8

2011-01-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

9:13 a.m.

My goal for the day was to reach the Sequoia National Park in California, a drive likely to take up my entire day. Despite the urgent need to hit the road, however, I had a hard time saying goodbye to the relative comfort of my hotel room. My travel funds were speedily depleting, and I knew I was probably looking at the last real bed and hot shower until I returned home. I tried to enjoy them while I still could.

Space Hulk: Death Angel Review

2011-01-08T02:07:00.000-08:00

Today, I would like to venture a little away from my usual topics and take a short journey to the realm of board games. If you like fantasy, science fiction, and/or games in general, this might just be your kind of thing. If you do not, well…, you might still want to give it a try and see if you like it.

For those of you familiar with board or role-playing games I probably do not have to tell what Warhammer 40,000 is. But, for the sake of others not falling under this category, let me briefly introduce it. In short, Warhammer 40k is among the darkest and most unique sci-fi (although technically the definition would be ‘gothic science-fantasy’) universes ever created. If you like something different from mainstream science fiction, I would highly recommend looking up Warhammer 40k and possibly even purchasing a few novels.

Funny Newspaper Clippings

2011-01-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

Over the past few months, I accumulated quite a few funny newspaper clippings, which I though I would share here. They are by no means new, but hopefully you have not seen all of them. Enjoy! ;)

Route 66 Journal - Day 7

2010-12-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

7:11 a.m.

I woke up rested and feeling energetic, apparently getting the hang of sleeping outdoors. Although, my restful sleep may have been the result of my closeness to one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, lying only a few hundred yards from my tent. Without a doubt, the Grand Canyon emitted a certain sense of peacefulness that affected everyone around it.

8:28 a.m.

Grand Canyon in the morning

After breaking camp, I went back to the Desert View lookout and watched the rim in the glow of the morning sun. Even though it was my second time looking at the canyon, I felt the same awe and inspiration I experienced when I first laid eyes upon it. I doubt I would ever become bored of the spectacular sight of the Grand Canyon. It is a truly spiritual place.

Total Lunar Eclipse Captured

2010-12-21T23:09:00.000-08:00

This is a video of the Total Lunar Eclipse captured with Slooh's Chile telescope on December 21, 2010 from 0:28 a.m. CST to 4:01 a.m. CST. The clip is actually a series of 158 photographs aligned perfectly and then blended together to form a continuous sequence. Prepping the pictures and then making the video took me about 15 hours (it was a lot of work). Hope you all enjoy!

Lunar Eclipse Tomorrow

2010-12-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

A total lunar eclipse—the first in two years—will make an appearance on the night of Monday, December 20th. For those of you not familiar with the phenomenon, here is a brief explanation from Wikipedia: “A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle.”

Unfortunately, due to the early setting of the moon at certain places, not the entire world will have the privilege of observing the lunar eclipse in its entirety. To find out if the event will be available at your geographic location head to SpaceDex. For those interested in the science behind the phenomenon, NASA will also host a live chat with lunar experts from the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Update: Slooh will also host a free live event with host Bob Berman at 1:20 a.m. EST, 6:20 a.m. UTC. If you are at a geographic location from which the eclipse will not or only partially be visible, this is your chance; Slooh's telescopes will provide an excellent opportunity to observe the phenomenon.

Route 66 Journal - Day 6

2010-12-12T12:18:00.002-08:00

5:57 a.m.

Welcome to Arizona

It was hard to find rest at the busy welcome center. Well-traveled, even at night, Interstate 40 offered little opportunity to sleep. People were constantly passing by, slamming car doors, and making noise. Even worse, lying on the payload bay of my truck made me feel as if I had put myself on display, quite different from the secluded lot of the small gas station from last night. Even though I knew I had not gotten enough sleep, I could not bear the though of staying any longer. I packed up my stuff and hit the road.

Geminid Meteor Shower Starts Tomorrow

2010-12-11T13:50:00.000-08:00

Just a friendly reminder to everyone interested in astronomy: one of the most spectacular celestial events of the year (well, every year really) will return this December! Caused by a passing asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, the Geminid Meteor Shower--or simply Geminids--will produce between 60 to 80 meteors an hour visible to the naked eye at its peak on December 13th and 14th, weather permitting.

To find the best viewing hours based on your geographic location, visit SpaceDex, where you can find timetables, pictures, and much more. NASA will also host events on its website starting 3 p.m. EST on December 13th.

Mass Effect 2 and Cloud Computing

2010-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

Before I would begin, let's clarify what cloud computing is. According to Wikipedia, "...cloud computing is [an] Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand..." In Lyman's terms, for gamers at least, this means that they no longer need powerful, and often expensive, devices to run games, only a fast enough Internet connection. Think of it as if your Xbox was in a different country, but you were able to play with it using the Internet.

Such services already exist. A good example would be OnLive, which launched some time ago and enjoys moderate success among gamers.

But now, with a new technology developed by California-based company, Gaikai, games will soon be available with a click of a mouse embedded into our browsers! Though this technology is currently still in beta phase, you now have the chance to try it real time with the Mass Effect 2 demo. All you have to do is click here and hope your Internet access is fast enough to be included!

Karma: A Story of Honesty

2010-11-29T12:59:00.000-08:00

I would like to share a short story that involves the concept of karma (though, those who do not believe in such ideas might call it ‘coincidence’). In either way, I hope it will be a pleasant and maybe even an inspiring read!

This story took place in Washington D.C., during a family vacation in the summer of 2010. I was on my way back from the National Mall to our hotel in Georgetown, when I stumbled upon a Thai restaurant. Since Thai food is one of my favorites, I decided to stop by and bring some back. Once I paid for my order, however, I noticed that the cashier gave me a dollar more, which of course, I gave back right away. The cashier then thanked my honesty, and I thought the story would end there. But it did not.

Route 66 Journal - Day 5

2010-11-26T02:16:00.000-08:00

6:31 a.m.

Ironically, first time since I began my road trip, I woke up rested. I had to make a few adjustments of course—such as putting something under my sleeping bag so the ribs of the cargo bay would not hurt my back—but I felt I may have found my semi-permanent sleeping place on the back of my truck.

I packed up my gear and, after a quick wash-up in the gas station’s restroom, hit the road. With the sun already up, the previously hidden landscape finally revealed itself to me. I could clearly see the hills surrounding me. Apparently I was right last night; I did reach the southernmost slopes of the Rocky Mountains—though these hills were very tiny compared to the peaks of the real Rockies farther north.