See-Talk-It

Finally Out of Iraq: Was it Worth it?

2011-12-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

The last convoy leaves the country.

On Sunday, December 18, 2011, the last of American troops finally exited the country of Iraq, effectively ending the Iraq War. The last convoy withdrew from the last active military complex, with the soldiers buzzing with excitement and relief. The departure marked the end of an aggressive nine-year skirmish that has left the government and people of Iraq shattered and seemingly misplaced.

Over these nine years, over 100,000 Iraqi citizens and 4,500 United States troops were killed. The war cost an overall 800 billion dollars to fund.

The tirade against Saddam Hussein and insurgent threats was steeped in a widespread cat and mouse chase across the entire country. The American government reached its goal to displace Hussein in 2006, when the Iraqi leader was hanged and killed. After this victory, however, the American government knew that there was more work to be done to establish a new democracy in Iraq and counter several insurgent threats.

The original motive of the United States was to take action to stop impending nuclear weapons development within the country of Iraq. Instead, the military discovered that these nuclear weapons were non-existent, and failed to prove that Iraq was a real threat to America. The skirmish resulted in a devastated country and thousands of unhappy inhabitants.

4,500 soldiers were killed in the war.

Additionally, now that thousands of innocent citizens have perished and the United States has wreaked tremendous havoc on the balance of secure government within Iraq, citizens of the country have shown great distaste for the American occupation. Some Iraqis celebrated the departure of American troops as an answer to the damage that the United States has done to their country.

The question still remains whether the Iraq War really accomplished anything at all. Many who believe so fail to recognize the big picture and point out seemingly minor benefits.

The real benefit to the United States’ Arab campaign, however, is the fact that the military was capable of assassinating two influential Arabic leaders that were potentially threatening America.

Regardless of your opinion on this issue, the departure of the overseas troops and the closure of the Iraq War is something that everyone should celebrate.

It's Really Hard to be the President!

2011-12-17T21:33:00.001-05:00

Day-to-day interviews and speeches...

If you really consider it, Barack Obama has a much more challenging and less rewarding job than preceding presidents like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. He is obligated to partake in much more modern-day drudgery on a day-to-day basis than any other president has had to experience before.

Here are the top five reasons why it’s harder than ever before to be the President of the United States:

1) Engaging with the Public
With the onset of advanced communications starting in the early twentieth century, presidents have had to engage the citizens of this country with hours and hours spent on speeches and interviews.

The leader of the country is obligated to explain his motives to the general public, and while that may be a very good thing, it is also very hard work for the President. Barack Obama spends hundreds of hours each year delivering press release speeches and answering the media’s questions.

2) A Lower Salary
The presidential salary has been increased at least five times since George Washington, but so has international inflation. If you take today’s money into account, a President in 1900 would have earned 1,500,000 dollars a year, while a President in 2000 would have only earned 400,000 dollars a year. That means that Barack Obama would be earning less than a third of the salary of the late Theodore Roosevelt.

Bill Clinton dealt with the scandal.

3) Attacks from the Media
Remember Bill Clinton? His Presidential career took a big hit when he was struck with several sexual misconduct allegations. A big reason why this was big news for America the media was empowered by technology and the news spread like wildfire.

Media attacks are much more common nowadays than they were in the past. For example, back in the 1700s, if George Washington was entangled in a sexual scandal, it would have taken months for the entire country to know about it. By then, it would have become old news.

4) So Many Ethnicities and Classifications
If you’re running for office and are seeking to effectively represent America, you’re going to have to be appealing to Caucasian, Asian, African American, Hispanic, and a vast collection of other ethnic groups. You’re also going to have to be appealing to LGBT communities, religious crowds, and worker unions.

At the time when Thomas Jefferson was President, a lot of choices were answered with “Yes” or “No”. Now the presidential stage offers a colorful mix of choices.

5) A Volatile Economy
Technology continues to make things faster, and that doesn’t mean it doesn’t do the same for the economy. As more and more people take business and investing to the internet, the international market is becoming an up-and-down rollercoaster. Because the stock market never rests, neither can the President, because he is responsible for ensuring the safety of the American economy, or it goes bust.

The President has the loneliest job in the world, so they say. In a post 9/11 world, I don’t deny it.

Awesome Facebook Status Generator

2011-12-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

"...was tenderizing meat, missed the kitchen counter and
tenderized an old friend."

The reason why I haven't been posting articles the past few days is because I have been working on a new project, called StatusGen!

StatusGen is a simple application that allows users to browse through and use a collection of randomly generated statuses. To create a status, the application browses through a comprehensive list of possible terms that could be used and selects one of them. The application combines these terms to create a full sentence. These statuses can then be posted to Facebook, Skype, Twitter, or any other network that supports status posting.

I started building StatusGen two days ago, and now the website is capable of calculating over 10,000 unique statuses.

"...is watching a hilarious monologue about purple lardfaces."

There are several buttons lining the bottom of the interface that allow users to select the number of statuses that they want the application to generate. For example, if I click on "Get 5 Statuses", the application will deliver a selection of five randomly generated statuses. This feature is useful for users that want to grab batches of statuses at once. I think it's very useful.

I also set up a Facebook page for StatusGen, so if you like this application, I would encourage you to like the page.

That really is all I have to say. If you have any suggestions on any changes I can make to www.statusgen.tk or any ideas for another project, feel free to leave a comment!

New Taxi Models for New York City

2011-12-09T19:53:00.052-05:00

The Nissan NV200 will have facilities for electronic devices.

It takes a durable vehicle to take on the often rugged streets of New York City. In both Manhattan and Greater New York, taxis must be able to endure hours of constant usage everyday for years.

It is the responsibility of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to choose and regulate the vehicles that are released to commissioned taxi drivers all throughout the city. Recently, they have been shaking things up a bit by choosing vehicles apart from the usual Crown Victoria models.

This year, they have chosen the Nissan NV200 as the Taxi of Tomorrow. This durable and fuel-efficient vehicle will be integrated into the transportation system as New York City's sole taxi model starting in 2003. The commission plans to keep it as the standard for over five years.

The "New York Avenue" is a testing ground for NYC taxis.

Some prominent changes that can be found within the Nissan NV200 are USB ports, power outlets, and other facilities for electronic devices. The taxi will also be painted a shade of yellow that is a tad brighter than previous models.

The Nissan NV200 beat out two other finalists in the Taxi of Tomorrow competition, including the popular Ford TransitConnect.

I hope that the new model will serve as an efficient transportation choice for commuters for years to come!

Mythbusters Experiment Destroys Two Houses

2011-12-07T20:31:00.004-05:00

Mythbusters gone wrong.

On Tuesday, a science experiment conducted by the "Mythbusters" TV Show went terribly wrong when a cannonball destroyed two residential houses and a minivan.

"This cannonball was supposed to go through several barrels of water and through a cinder block, and then ultimately into the side of the hill," said a police officer investigating the incident.

The cannonball hit a metal beam and went off course into a suburban neighborhood. Witnesses recall the projectile smashing right through the front door of one house, up the staircase, and out through the wall on the other side of the house. The cannonball then flew to another house, crashing through the roof and smashing the dashboard of a parked minivan.

A dashboard smashed by the cannonball.

"I had just got out of the van five minutes earlier," said minivan owner Jasper Gill. "I'm glad my kids weren't inside the van. So lucky."

The residents of one of the houses woke at the sound of the cannonball and were surprised to find a seven-inch hole on the stuccoed wall. It's a miracle that nobody was hurt.

I am definitely excited to see this episode when it airs on television.

Government Welfare Epic Failures

2011-12-06T19:54:00.000-05:00

Government welfare plan failure.

Washington State news agencies have uncovered a woman that is receiving welfare payments from the government as financial assistance. So what's the catch?

Well, this pretentious lady is apparently living in a multi-million dollar mansion!

Not only is she living in an esteemed abode of 2,500 square feet, but she also has been contributing large amounts of money to charity and going on lavish vacations to Tel Aviv, Mexico, and Turkey. Additionally, she has been reportedly receiving 1,200 dollars in public housing vouchers a month, monthly payments for a disability, and food stamps.

This woman is truly a hard case -- she should be ashamed of misusing local and state government funding. It's surprising that the city of Seattle payed no attention that she was living in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city.

Another thing that has been bugging me about government welfare is the growing number of adult babies. Yes, you heard me correctly.

Do we really need government welfare money for this?

The government provides hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for American citizens pretending that they are "adult babies" and incapable of living normal lives. Adult baby Stanley Thornton is a prime example of illegitimate government welfare benefits. He practices carpentry at home and organizes a website with over 600,000 pageviews, yet he continues to collect monthly paychecks from the government for his "disability".

Only in this country do we inject millions of dollars into welfare programs every year and end up financially aiding the wrong people. Let's get our act together and start spending tax money the right way.

Biggest Carbon Emissions Increase Ever Recorded

2011-12-05T18:41:00.003-05:00

Carbon emissions soared through 2010.

Carbon-dioxide emissions are on the rise, with a huge 5.9% increase in global emissions in 2010. This is clearly the largest increase on record... ever.

Sure, it's true that as the world continues to grow and develop we will be seeing a significant growth in carbon emissions, but a 5.9% increase is certainly overwhelming for research statisticians and scientists. Many believe that the increase in emissions was caused by 2010's global recession.

Hopefully the alarming growth will cease to persist, and governments around the world will take measures to stop the overexpansion of dirty industries. However, with an economy that is struggling to get back on its feet, many are doubting that governments around the world will be able to do anything at all about it for the next few years.

Two-Ton Bomb Explodes in Germany

2011-12-04T20:11:00.000-05:00

Technicians detonated a two-ton bomb in Koblenz, Germany.

Forty-five thousand people evacuated the city of Koblenz, Germany as technicians conducted the detonation of two bombs that were discovered under the riverbed of the Rhine.

Due to a seasonal drought, the water levels of the River Rhine were exceptionally low, so passerby were able to notice two huge World War II bombs laying beside the river. German technicians say that these two bombs were dropped by the British Royal Air Force between the years 1943 and 1945.

After the two explosives were reported, half of the city was evacuated and technicians conducted the detonation of both of the bombs. The German government reports it as the largest bomb disposal in Germany since 1945.

It's been nearly 70 years since the bombs were dropped.

"We have a British detonator which was surrounded by water for a long time and the explosives within the detonator react with water over time, which causes a high risk when the detonator is being removed," says disposal expert Marco Ofenstein.

Finding a two-ton bomb in the heart of a city must be disheartening for the people of Koblenz. Let's just hope that more bombs aren't laying underneath the River Rhine.

Herman Cain Quits His Campaign

2011-12-03T19:57:00.000-05:00

Herman Cain says farewell to the campaign.

Herman Cain, the man who many thought would become the next President of the United States, dropped out of the presidential race today. He announced in a speech today that a "cloud of doubt" had settled over his campaign.

It's clear that Herman Cain quit the campaign because he could no longer take the mounting pressures of various sexual accusations. Several women declared that they had indeed been sexually harassed by Cain, and one even went so far as to say that she had a 13-year affair with the presidential candidate.

"I believe in his plan and his vision for leadership and his solutions for very serious issues that are way beyond his own private life," said Kristen Keating, a supporter of the campaign who wept during Cain's farewell speech. "His plan was so clear. I understand it. "

Cain's first speech at the Georgia Campaign Headquarters.

During his campaign, Herman Cain brought up pivotal issues such as tax reform under the 9-9-9 plan, and improvements to federal government systems. At the height of his campaign he was the No. 1 republican presidential candidate. Now, the future looks uncertain for Cain.

What is certain however, is that the rest of the candidates that are still in the race will have to work even harder to meet up with Gingrich and Romney in the 2012 Presidential Election.

Amazing Library Planned in London

2011-12-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Curve is planned to be completed in 2013.

A new library is planned to be built in the London suburb of Slough. This interesting building is shaped like a long curve, and has distinct rounded features. It's called The Curve.

The Curve, designed by a London-based architectural firm called Bblur Architecture, has a projected cost of 19.4 million dollars. It will be situated nicely next to St. Ethelburts Church.

“The new library ‘cuddles and protects’ the church and forms a very simple curved backdrop for St. Ethelbert’s,” says Bblur partner Matthew Bedward.

A lot of glass and curved floor patterns are used to create interesting modern effects. The detailing on the facades of the building are largely minimalistic.

Modern architectural designs situated in historic locations are very interesting, but sometimes they may be controversial. I believe that The Curve will be a significant cultural center for all the people of Slough.

Moscow is Building a Huge Spokeless Ferris Wheel

2011-12-01T20:00:00.001-05:00

The Moscow View, when completed, will be the tallest ferris wheel in the world.

New innovations to present architectural designs are always quite interesting, and I think that Moscow's new giant spokeless ferris wheel is an example of that. The ambitious project involves the calibration of a giant metal ring into a local propulsion system at the bottom of the ferris wheel.

Other attractions include stylish dining options!

The city hopes that the construction of such an awesome structure is going to boost city-wide tourism and related revenues.

In addition to being the world's first ferris wheel without spokes, the new ferris wheel, called the Moscow View, is going to be the world's tallest, at 722 feet. It's going to be taller than the Singapore Flyer and the London Eye.

The Moscow View is going to cost the city more than 300 million dollars, and will include a shopping district around the attraction. You can expect to find shops, restaurants, and cultural art galleries within the complex.

This is most definitely another example of insanely cool architecture!

Burglars Cut Telephone and Internet Connections

2011-11-30T19:40:00.000-05:00

Burglars can cut telephone lines strapped to water pipes.

Many neighborhood streets have water pipes running alongside them, but most people don't know that many telephone and internet companies strap their cables to these pipelines. All communications go through these cables to allow your household to connect with the outside world.

Burglars can easily damage these cables to ensure that you can't contact the police in case of an emergency. It only takes a few shovel scoops to get to these grounded communication cables. Since more than ninety percent of all alarms run through these cables, the systems can't alert the police if the lines are cut.

Protect your home with a cell uplink!

In one scenario, thieves cut priority communication cables and burglarized most of the houses on a certain street. The victims were unable to alert the police with landline telephones and internet emergency hotlines.

If your neighborhood is threatened by criminal activity, you can effectively protect your property from communication line attacks by purchasing a cellular enabled alarm system. A cellular enabled alarm system will be able to quickly alert the police of intruders in case you're away from home.

Also, burglars can easily scope your backyard when nobody is home and look into your windows for potential items of value. It is wise to install cameras in your backyard.

Burglars broke into my house recently... and so the internet rant continues!

Burglars Broke into My House!

2011-11-29T19:59:00.006-05:00

Too many squad cars: NYPD employment problem?

Ten police vehicles gather at the scene of the incident to investigate a crime. They find a broken window and a brick thrown into the victim's dining room. What exactly happened here?

Well, it was during lunchtime when four hooded men drove a beige sedan into my neighborhood. Swiftly, they parked their car in front of my house and their criminal congregation went out into my backyard.

Upon entering my backyard, the thieves desperately looked for a heavy object to throw at the windows. Their object of choice was one of the heavy bricks encircling the sides of the swimming pool.

The scene of the crime.

After wedging the brick out from the foundation, the thieves descended upon the kitchen window. With brute force they hurled the brick at the window. They listened with satisfaction as the projectile breached the glass paneling and settled under the kitchen table.

The burglars squeezed through the narrow opening and quickly hastened to the staircase. Suddenly, as if the house itself was provoked, an alarm sounded and the criminals quickly fled the scene of the crime with little evidence but a brick and shattered glass.

Now ten police cars have arrived at the scene with Detective Richard Marra, of the Suffolk County Police Department. The police confirm that this was not the first burglary incident to strike the neighborhood. A few victims have already reported criminal activity on this street alone.

You may think that breaking the glass would have triggered the alarm, but normal alarms only are triggered when a windowpane is open. So how did the alarm trigger?

The motion detector.

Now, as the police investigate the crime scene, the events of that day have become clear. No one was home at the time at the incident. The thieves knew where the staircase was because there were no doors between each of the rooms. They quickly passed through the tall living room on their way to the staircase. As they did so, a live motion sensor located their movement and triggered an alarm.

So, the moral of the story is to always have a working alarm system at your disposal, and preferably, one that has motion detectors. When you set up your alarm system, be sure to ask your alarm system contractor to install a few motion detector units in your home. The investment is worth it -- protect your property and your family.

This story is a true story that happened to me today, November 29, 2011. Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine, but thanks for asking! Burglars can cut telephone and internet lines too!

Get on Amazon for Cyber Monday

2011-11-28T20:00:00.030-05:00

Cyber Monday lands on the Monday after Black Friday.

Today is Cyber Monday, the most popular online shopping day of the entire year. Researches predict that this year, shopping revenue from the internet will reach 1.2 billion dollars. That's a lot of online sales!

Amazon.com is clearly the best bet when you're shopping online. Great deals and a wide variety of products are available when you shop at this site. In addition to Cyber Monday deals, there are also "Lightning Deals", which will help you find the best prices on the items that you're looking for.

Since there's a lot of demand for sales on Cyber Monday, online stores may run out of certain items, so it's better to start shopping early. Some of Amazon's Lightning Deals include lightning sales, in which there's only a limited number of units for that item and a limited amount of time to buy them.

So, if you're not already satisfied with the super-cheap Black Friday sales, I can guarantee that you'll have a lot of opportunities to buy discounted items this Cyber Monday.

Apple's Grand Central Store is Arriving Soon

2011-11-27T20:00:00.032-05:00

It will be Apple's largest store in New York City.

There's been a lot of hype over the new planned Apple store in the historic Grand Central Station of New York City. The store, when open to the public in a few months, will be NYC's fifth Apple venue and arguably one of its most ambitious retail locations. It will be the city's largest Apple Store.

Right now, the storefront remains boarded up with a large sign that reads "Apple Store, Grand Central. Arriving Soon." in big, bold letters. When finished, however, the store will span across a spacious 23,000 square feet. This expanse is situated within a stretched portion within two balconies.

Grand Central Station receives as much as a million visitors daily, and with this much publicity, the prime real estate selection comes with a lofty price -- more than one million dollars a month in rent.

Apple's underground fifth avenue store.

Apple has one of the biggest figures in the retail industry, garnering more sales per square foot than any other retailer.

The image on the right shows the Apple store on fifth avenue. In between the the Plaza Hotel and FAO Schwarz, this underground store is visited by thousands of people from around the world. I have no doubt that the new store at Grand Central will quickly become a success, as Apple has shown us many times before.

Strange Structures in Chinese Desert are Spy Satellite Targets

2011-11-26T20:00:00.051-05:00

This grid is used for spy satellite calibration.

The interesting designs on China's desert are very strange!

This image shows a structure of light blue material.

Recently, Google Maps users have revealed several structures within China's Gobi Desert. Many have speculated that the mysterious structures are missile testing sites or messages from aliens.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I am here to put these suspicions to rest by declaring that they are indeed, spy satellite targets... at least most of them are, anyway.

The targets are used by satellites to calibrate themselves in space. Cameras onboard Chinese spy satellites focus on the structures and right themselves to their designated positions. The painted grids are approximately 0.65 by 1.15 miles long -- large enough to be clearly seen from space.

This answer to the China Desert mystery was first recognized by an Arizona State University research technician named Jonathon Hill. He says that the Chinese have been know to operate spy satellites for many years, so this news isn't surprising.

What's surprising, however, are the number of other distinctly shaped structures within the Gobi Desert. Some of them are shaped into ring formations. Researchers speculate that these structures are part of some military research project. Further details still remain a mystery.

Black Friday Might Be a Red Friday

2011-11-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Target opens at midnight to begin a 24 hour shift.

The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday. This day, in the United States, is described by mass media as the biggest shopping day of the year, with a number of major department stores open for 24 hours.

It's "black" because retailers usually turn a large profit due to an increase in customers, and black represents a positive financial gain.

The reason why so many folks come out to purchase items on Black Friday is because most retailers slash prices by huge margins on their goods. This is a gamble because while the prices are low to entice buyers, the retailers depend on a larger-than-normal flow of customers to cover their overhead costs and take a bite out of their competition.

Customers form a line in front of Target.

However, during the past few days, the economy has been tumbling and investors are not exactly sitting pretty about it. Will the mini-recession lower customer turnouts to retail stores across America? If it does, then we'll be having a Red Friday.

On a lighter note, Apple's offering discounts up to a hundred dollars on Macs, and additional discounts on iPads. So if you've been on the edge of getting one for a while now, Black Friday may be the perfect time.

My friend, Marvin, just informed me that people were already camping out in front of our local Target retail store the evening before, waiting for the bells to ring at midnight and the bargain hunt to begin!

Amazing Flying Cars of the Present

2011-11-24T17:59:00.000-05:00

This flying car is built by Terrafugia.

Flying cars have been out on the market for years now, but only recently have they been noticed by mainstream media. These concept cars are futuristic prototypes of new ambitious technology that is becoming a reality.

The most popular and practical concept flying car out on the market right now is "The Transition®" built by a new start-up company called Terrafugia. This vehicle has foldable wings that, given a reasonable amount of space is provided, will allow the car to take off and land thereafter.

Although the design works, I really don't see the concept becoming popular in the next few decades because of the fact that a runway must exist in order to take off, and the car looks like a tricked-out plane on wheels.

The Moller Skycar is my favorite flying concept vehicle.

My favorite flying car concept is the Moller Skycar. Although it too, looks like a plane on wheels, there is a lot more potential in terms of practical usage. Four jet propulsion engines, positioned where tires would normally be on a car, allow the Moller Skycar to take off from the tops of buildings or from smaller open places.

Because computer technology will continue developing over the years, I believe that the Moller Skycar clearly is the flying car that has the most potential. Advanced computer systems will allow the four jets on the car to maintain a more stable flight.

So, will flying cars emerge as a transportation choice for mainstream commuters? We'll just have to wait and see.

Strange Laws: Flame Retardant Pajamas

2011-11-15T08:23:00.002-05:00

It's illegal to own pajamas that aren't flame resistant!

Owning flame resistant pajamas is not a luxury -- it's the law! According to the Consumer Products Safety Division (CPSC) of the United States Government, over 300 emergency room injuries every year are attributed to flammable clothing worn at night.

The Federal Government inspects clothing suppliers that manufacture pajamas in the US. They look at the properties of each article of clothing to ensure that it is appropriate for nighttime use. Clothing suppliers that manufacture pajamas over size 9 are required to apply flame retardant techniques to their clothing.

Flame resistant pajamas are manufactured with a material that is resistant to flames and treated with high-grade fire retardants. The fire retardants help to prevent injuries for individuals that are in contact with open flames.

If you have pajamas at home, there should be a tag on it that reads, "Flame Resistant". If not, it's probably illegal!

Apocalyptic Asteroid Misses Earth

2011-11-09T17:21:00.001-05:00

2055 YU55 passed between the Earth and the Moon!

An asteroid, dubbed 2055 YU55 by astronomers, passed between the Earth and the Moon on Tuesday night. It was claimed by astronomers to be the closest an asteroid has passed by our planet in over 200 years.

If the asteroid, which was estimated to be a quarter-mile wide, hit Earth, it would have had some devastating effects. The initial blast could have wiped out a city the size of Chicago, and could have immediately burned up or seriously injured all biological life within a 60-mile radius. If it had impacted the ocean, it would have created a tsunami with waves up to 60 feet high. There could have been significant aftereffects following the impact.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to educate the public that there are things out in space that we need to be aware of,” said astronomer Ron Dantowitz.

The unpredictable nature of cosmic activity proves how fragile human development is, even with our complex technologies. I'm definitely glad that we weren't impacted by the asteroid. Swaths of people could have been killed or injured.

Russian Mars Probe Stuck in Earth's Orbit

2011-11-09T08:08:00.002-05:00

Phobos-Grunt failed to exit Earth's atmosphere

Just recently, a Russian space probe called Phobos-Grunt, the latest edition to Russia's Mars research program, has gotten stuck in Earth's orbit. Phobos-Grunt launched successfully, but due to an electronic malfunction, the probe was not able to exit Earth's orbit.

"It looks like the engine system has not worked," space agency director Vladimir Popovkin explained.

Officials from the Russian space agency say that engineers are trying desperately to fix the problem. They have just three days to correct the trajectory fault before the batteries run out.

A lot of pressure is on the space agency, as the Phobos-Grunt probe is Russia's most ambitious space project in recent years. Additionally, within the space probe lies China's first Mars satellite, Yinghuo-1.

Since the 1960s, Russia has launched 16 missions to Mars. None of the 16 completed the goals that they were built to accomplish. If the fault is corrected, Phobos-Grunt should be able to break the failure-combo and reach Mars in 2012.

Interestingly, this incident occurred at about the same time as the closest asteroid approach in more than 200 years.

Insanely Cool Architecture of the Modern Age

2011-11-07T19:42:00.000-05:00

My friend showed me this cool grand piano office building that
was built in Huinan, China.

The field of architecture is extremely diverse, and there's a lot of things an architect has to think of in terms of structure, styling, and practicality.

Emerging styles within the world of architecture, especially that of eastern Asia, strongly focus around the usage of transparent and organic shapes. This effect can be achieved with the use of glass and advanced engineering software.

I really like how modern designers have used glass in many interesting and creative ways. The image shown here (top left) shows how the creative and organic use of glass helped to shape a fundamental portion of an office building in China.

The China Central Television (CCTV) building in Beijing

Urban planning, which is becoming more important as the world's population increases, is also changing the way buildings are made. Some architects specialize in designing skyscrapers. The facilitation of modern engineering technologies have allowed designers to push the limits of structural height. Technologies like high-speed elevators and tensile-efficient metals are helping to make skyscrapers more accessible and structurally efficient. The Freedom Tower skyscraper, which is being built on the site of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, is New York's latest attempt at pushing the limits of structural engineering.

The structure shown on the right is the CCTV building in China. This eccentric building is an example of organic engineering made possible with today's advanced structural rendering technologies. The building itself is an icon of China's corporate growth and expanding architectural influence.

The creative structural design influences our lifestyles and our imaginations. I think that the study of modern architecture is really interesting -- especially when it involves grand pianos.

Reaching the Space Age: Logistical vs Un-Restricted Growth

2011-11-07T18:25:00.002-05:00

One day we'll be riding out to space for business, and not leisure.

I was talking to my friends on Skype, and we mentioned the concept of humans reaching a “Space Age”. What exactly is this concept? Well, I categorize it as an era in which humans have reached a point in which space travel can be used as a tool for human development.

Recently, the world population reached seven billion people. That’s quite a milestone in terms of our development as a species. However, with this growth comes an avalanche of serious challenges for humans. Some of these challenges include our ability to feed all seven billion people and provide them with sustainable shelters. Overpopulation is becoming an increasingly important issue in our developing world.

It’s quite unnerving. If you take into account all of the non-renewable resources we use today, and correlate that with our exponentially growing population, you will realize that something has got to give. After all, we can’t expect to sustain the projected nine billion people living on this planet by 2050 all on wind farms and solar power.

The difference between logistic and un-restricted growth.
Click on the image to view full size.

There are two things that can happen from now until the imminent depletion of fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. Either we prepare for the future by pioneering a revolutionary shift to futuristic renewable technologies (which haven’t even been invented yet), or face the reality of governmental population control and euthanasia.

Nobody would ever desire the latter -- life is precious and people have moral and ethical standards in mind. That is why if world governments to not make robust steps to promote the development of renewable energy technologies, then we may be facing a grim, dystopial future.

If we can conquer these internal challenges, then maybe the “Space Age” would be a feasible concept. With debt-ridden governments and sociopolitical turmoil all over the developing world however, the future looks grim.

As my world history teacher has pointed out however, humans have often developed life-changing technological advancements that allow for continued growth -- so maybe that cyclic idealism is going to finally yield a miracle for the human race in the near future.

The Double Crested Courmorant

2011-11-03T12:36:00.021-04:00

The Double-Crested Courmorant has no oils in its wings

It was a clear day with winds at 4 mph and air temperatures at 84º F. There was a wonderful cooling sea breeze nipping at the boat. The river was mostly clear, with only a few people kayaking. On the way back from Birch Island, we saw two Double-Crested Cormorants sun bathing on the 5 mph sign.

Unlike most birds, the Double-Crested Cormorant doesn’t have the oils in its feathers to allow water to roll off. After the Double-Crested Cormorant plunges into the water to catch fish, it must dry off, and it does so in an amazing way. It spreads its wings and waits until its feathers are dried.

When it is drying, it must wait patiently untill its wings are completley dry, and once that happens, he/she can continue on their daily business. A immature Double Crested Courmorant has a slightly grayer belly and may be smaller in size. The Double Crested Courmorant is known for its ability to live both inland and near the sea, as long as it is near a water source.

The Double Crested Courmorant has been blamed for ruining parts of the fishing industry, including sport fisheries and for devestating fish farms. This bird enjoys living very close to the water, and has been known to get as close to water, even if it involves close contact with humans.

This bird has a dark body, and the darkness of the body helps it dry. This bird has become adapted to the nonexisting oils, and has adapted to life near humans.

World Population Reaches 7 Billion

2011-10-31T21:53:00.002-04:00

There's seven billion people on the Earth!

You heard me correctly -- the world population is now seven billion, according to a recent United Nations report released today, October 31, 2011. Seven billion is about how many steps it would take to walk around the Earth's equator.

It's amazing to see how the world's human population has grown exponentially since we first appeared on Earth. Population growth continues to explode throughout the world, with at least two babies being born every single second.

As we humans continue to grow as a worldwide community, there are several implications involved with growth and expansion. To support the growing population, we're going to need at least a 17% increase in worldwide food production and facilities to shelter the 9 billion people walking about the Earth by 2050.

“We have to consume in more sustainable ways, but also we have to produce in more sustainable ways,” said Michael Herrmann, an adviser at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). “Many countries already face water shortages, food shortages and energy shortages.”

Despite shortages throughout developing countries, it's clear that people are living longer and healthier lives all over the world. Seven billion is truly a significant milestone in human history.