Here’s what I learned: Corruption is embedded in our state’s political culture. Don’t try to cure it. Don’t try to fight it. Instead learn to play the game. Players who squeeze the most stuff for themselves out of their fellow taxpaying citizens win.

Chicago Tribune: Odd Lessons

On another note, Illinois Musicians Make Didgeridoos

The astronauts left a plaque at the landing site that read: “Here Men From The Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We Came in Peace For All Mankind.”

This event ended what was known as the Space Race between the U.S. and the then called Soviet Union. It also accomplished the challenge set by former President John F. Kennedy: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”

This event had a huge significance in the political world, showing in a time of great turmoil, that the U.S. had outstanding technological capabilities and a superior power in space. The significance in science and technology is beyond definition. Spin-offs of all sorts were produced in the development of the Apollo vehicles and countless discoveries have been made following the lunar surface experiments conducted throughout the program.

To celebrate the anniversary, NASA has created a number of interactive features on their website to explore the landing site, look through vintage photographs, and listen to real-time mission audio to name a few. They have even released newly reformatted video and photos from the mission. The JFK library has also produced a website for the anniversary that allows you to follow along in real-time with the mission as if it were 1969.

The importance and significance of the Apollo 11 mission cannot be fully grasp by this article. I encourage you to check out these links, read more, and relive the excitement of this monumental mission.

NASA – Apollo 11 40th Anniversary

JFK Presidential Library – Apollo 11 Site

Boston Globe – Apollo Photos

NASA – Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Journal

How long will until JBH is complete?

We are confident that our vision to build a $90 million building can be quickly realized.

I guess that’s still undetermined.

JobsNow: Champaign-Danville Highlights

Small, 43, had a winning total of 7-under 277 and earned $75,000 of the $550,000 purse. He became the fourth player to win the national title two or more times.

“I guess I’ve shocked myself,” he said.

Small came from behind for a 1-stroke victory over third-round leader Mark Sheftic of Amber, Pa., and 1995 champion Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah. Small has quite a record in the national championship since his debut in 2004. He has had five top-five finishes in six starts and a scoring average of 70.79.

STLToday: Golf notebook: Illini coach wins another trip to PGA

I’d like to celebrate the day by reciting one of America’s most recognized anthems, The Star-Spangled Banner.

O! say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

These words were written by Mr. Francis Scott Key in 1814 after witnessing an American victory following the bombardment of Fort McHenry by Royal Navy ships in Chesapeake Bay during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. It was later set to music and official recognized as the United States National Anthem in 1931.

Be safe and enjoy your holiday.

God Bless America

Michael S. Hopkins, Lt. Colonel U.S. Air Force, 40, of Alexandria, Va.; special assistant to the Vice Chairman (Joint Chiefs of Staff) at the Pentagon; born in Lebanon, Mo. Hopkins holds degrees from the University of Illinois and Stanford University.

“This is a very talented and diverse group we’ve selected,” said Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for Space Operations. “They will join our current astronauts and play very important roles for NASA in the future. In addition to flying in space, astronauts participate in every aspect of human spaceflight, sharing their expertise with engineers and managers across the country. We look forward to working with them as we transcend from the shuttle to our future exploration of space, and continue the important engineering and scientific discoveries aboard the International Space Station.”

Congratulations to Mr. Hopkins and the rest of the class! Go Illini!

2009 Astronaut Class – NASA

Attacking university officials over this scandal is like attacking the victim of a robbery for handing over his money. (Also odd is that they missed the sarcasm in former Dean Hurd’s e-mails to the Chancellor: are journalists really this humorless?)

See the original emails to judge for yourself.

Joe Hodnicki has a good analysis of all the news from the past few days.

The latest piece of the puzzle is superoxide, an oxygen molecule that may combine with light-sensitive proteins to form an in-eye compass, allowing birds to see Earth’s magnetic field.

“It connects from the subatomic world to a whole bird flying,” said Michael Edidin, an editor of Biphysical Journal, which published the study last week. “That’s exciting!”

Wired: Reverse-Engineering the Quantum Compass of Birds
Highlight, Theoretical and Biophysics Group
Full Publication, with link to PDF

Check it out!

http://uihistories.ncsa.uiuc.edu

Get ready for a great season of football!