At least until you get to the last few paragraphs. Then you realize that these kids are still waiting to receive the recognition that would have been theirs if they had been the MIT team or a foreign design team with a visa (now a government contract). Some people think this is okay because they are undocumented aliens and shouldn't be rewarded unless they are citizens.
Great idea. Let's punish the kids because their families brought them here to make a better life and give them an education. They shouldn't get help to go to college because they are illegal. Not by their own choice. No Child Left Behind. I guess after they graduate high school it doesn't matter anymore. A rundown ramshackle school produced four boys who were capable of successfully completing a project partially sponsored by NASA, but that isn't enough because they aren't true Americans. Young people are not like AVIS . They don't always try harder because they are in second place. It takes a special person to keep trying after they have done everything they were supposed to, achieved the goal and then go back to the drudgery of life because they don't meet criteria they have no influence over. Oscar now hangs sheetrock and Luis is filing paperwork. Great use of natural resources.
Wired 13.04: La Vida Robot
Once again it goes to show that hard work and ingenuity do not necessarily go hand in hand with the American Dream. Unless you meet predefined criteria. Known in this country as an accident of birth. I seriously doubt that they would have received any more help towards a college education if they had been citizens. Do you think Paris Hilton will design the next space station? Pacemaker? Maybe the Olsen twins next vehicle will actually be one. Fuel efficient and inexpensive.
Bling bling.
You can help at http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/donate.html
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Rest In Peace
After 15 years of being unable to communicate Terri Schiavo has passed on. My fervent hope is that everyone can get back to their life, but something tells me that repercussions will ripple outward for a while.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
That Green Drinking Day
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I love to listen to KFOG, 97.7/104.5 in the Bay area. I am a proud and dedicated Foghead. I listen most of the day, but my favorite is the morning show ending with 10@10. These guys have such a good time on the radio and they actually play quite a bit of music in between the chatting. Each morning they have at least one guest, usually two.
This morning they had on the Pacific Boys Choir. They sang Danny Boy. An extremely sad song that should only be sung and heard while drunk. First of all it is just downright depressing. Secondly it isn't very melodic. You know the kind of song. It has high notes that have to be hit in the most unusual places. Well, they nailed them. Perfectly. Age of one of the kids was 10. He had his birthday last week. Almost made the song tolerable. You just have to ignore the words.
I love to listen to KFOG, 97.7/104.5 in the Bay area. I am a proud and dedicated Foghead. I listen most of the day, but my favorite is the morning show ending with 10@10. These guys have such a good time on the radio and they actually play quite a bit of music in between the chatting. Each morning they have at least one guest, usually two.
This morning they had on the Pacific Boys Choir. They sang Danny Boy. An extremely sad song that should only be sung and heard while drunk. First of all it is just downright depressing. Secondly it isn't very melodic. You know the kind of song. It has high notes that have to be hit in the most unusual places. Well, they nailed them. Perfectly. Age of one of the kids was 10. He had his birthday last week. Almost made the song tolerable. You just have to ignore the words.
Monday, March 14, 2005
10 minutes
In 10 minutes there were 1336 new posts on Blogger. I knew the blog world was getting crowded, I just didn't know how crowded. Probably the same reason I have a problem with doing math in physics. At least I can add and subtract correctly without a calculator. Multiplication and division also. Arithmetic rules. I think I can get along in the world with those limited skills.
I just have to stay away from the third dimension. We all know my connection to the fourth is tenuous at best.
I just have to stay away from the third dimension. We all know my connection to the fourth is tenuous at best.
Checking out other states
People are looking outside California for places to live. Number one reason is a better quality of life. Not for their kids, but for themselves. They want houses they can place a king size bed and furniture in the same bedroom. They don't want to look into their neighbors kitchen, living room or backyard. They really don't want their neighbors to have the ability to do it either. They want to be able to afford something else besides their house. Traffic, taxes, politics, watching what they work for count for nothing.
In the last week two different households decided to check out our neighbor to the immediate north. For right now that means Oregon, but both of them are capable of relocating outside the US. A woman who shares my birthday is moving to Arizona, she bought over the w/e and is now checking into her pension plan, plans to be gone in a year. As soon as her new house is completed. Arizona? I would rather go somewhere a little more green.
My only hope to get out of this state is to accidentally get roped into marriage or have there be national recognition of the CA Acupuncture license and I can move to another state. Zip, zilch, nada, a snowball's chance in the nether regions springs to mind for both those options. Since I no longer take insurance, staying here isn't required. Just a compatible scope of practice.
Someplace green with old trees and very little traffic would be great. A really good grocery store would rock. Of course, it is a little difficult to make money when you are isolated. Hmmm, will have to think on that.
In the last week two different households decided to check out our neighbor to the immediate north. For right now that means Oregon, but both of them are capable of relocating outside the US. A woman who shares my birthday is moving to Arizona, she bought over the w/e and is now checking into her pension plan, plans to be gone in a year. As soon as her new house is completed. Arizona? I would rather go somewhere a little more green.
My only hope to get out of this state is to accidentally get roped into marriage or have there be national recognition of the CA Acupuncture license and I can move to another state. Zip, zilch, nada, a snowball's chance in the nether regions springs to mind for both those options. Since I no longer take insurance, staying here isn't required. Just a compatible scope of practice.
Someplace green with old trees and very little traffic would be great. A really good grocery store would rock. Of course, it is a little difficult to make money when you are isolated. Hmmm, will have to think on that.
Friday, March 11, 2005
Good morning!
My first blog. Prior to this moment I have ventured into the online literary world twice. These were very brief posts on Dkos after the recent "National" election.
My interests are varied, but I have a few favorites that occupy a good percentage of my thinking time. Depending on my mood I can focus on politics (the stuff that gets glossed over on the national infotainment that describes itself as news), things that fall into the geek category (science, electronics, etc.), cooking/nutrition (from recipes to the latest health news) and anything else that strikes my fancy.
I am an Acupuncturist by trade, a borderline geek by nature and a home cook by intention. Almost any problem can be solved or defused by food. Whether you are hunting/gathering (shopping), prepping, cooking , presenting, eating or digesting, your mind should be focused on what you are doing. The above activities can be creative and relaxing with the reward being you get to eat the results. Digesting usually makes most people calm and sleepy. Thanksgiving springs to mind. National eating holiday.
People usually know how to drink water, come in out of the rain, find sexual companionship, but cooking intimidates the most adventurous person. As Lao Tzu is reported to have said, "The journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step". So I just might write about the wonders of the dark leafy greens that Americans avoid with such creativity while embracing the statins and colonoscopy in their stead.
I had hoped there would be more Wil Wheaton on CSI last night. Oh well, there are two other CSI's. The way they have been recycling plot twists, he could easily get a better gig. Maybe one where we can see his face. They used a fingernail clipping as the key piece of evidence on LV and NY in the same week! He's better than a clipping. Maybe he could have a recurring role?
My interests are varied, but I have a few favorites that occupy a good percentage of my thinking time. Depending on my mood I can focus on politics (the stuff that gets glossed over on the national infotainment that describes itself as news), things that fall into the geek category (science, electronics, etc.), cooking/nutrition (from recipes to the latest health news) and anything else that strikes my fancy.
I am an Acupuncturist by trade, a borderline geek by nature and a home cook by intention. Almost any problem can be solved or defused by food. Whether you are hunting/gathering (shopping), prepping, cooking , presenting, eating or digesting, your mind should be focused on what you are doing. The above activities can be creative and relaxing with the reward being you get to eat the results. Digesting usually makes most people calm and sleepy. Thanksgiving springs to mind. National eating holiday.
People usually know how to drink water, come in out of the rain, find sexual companionship, but cooking intimidates the most adventurous person. As Lao Tzu is reported to have said, "The journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step". So I just might write about the wonders of the dark leafy greens that Americans avoid with such creativity while embracing the statins and colonoscopy in their stead.
I had hoped there would be more Wil Wheaton on CSI last night. Oh well, there are two other CSI's. The way they have been recycling plot twists, he could easily get a better gig. Maybe one where we can see his face. They used a fingernail clipping as the key piece of evidence on LV and NY in the same week! He's better than a clipping. Maybe he could have a recurring role?
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