AeroVironment Started
by Paul MacCready this company is an inspiration to those who are thinking about becoming
an engineer and who love a challenge.
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman! It is not an
autobiography in the traditional sense. Rather it is series of vignettes designed to
challenge the reader to become a great learner and a curious individual. The fact that
Richard Feynman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discoveries in the area of
Quantum Electrodynamics is irrelevant. He would have done great things in just about any
field. Read it and find out why.
If you read it well and pass the oral exam, I will give you extra credit
in physics class. The exam is a tough one
The causes of terrorism against the United
States (or western culture, for that matter) are varied and complex. The
Guardian provides one interpretation. While it is not a popular one here, it is
worth investigating.
If you are interested in politics, social and environmental issues then
please consider the following: (if not then please consider the following anyway):
(Interesting in light of what has happened in the
presidential election)
So, you are you more at home voting Green, Libertarian,Communist , or Reform. but are afraid you will be tossing your vote away. As it
stands now, by voting out of conviction you just might help elect someone from one of the
two main parties you really do not want elected. Look into the alternative vote system as
a potential solution for your problems. It was first pioneered in Papua New Guinea
Thinking Globally
Mark Hertsgaard is a great writer. While he does not
minimize the harsh political, economic, social, and physical realities, he presents
information it in a way that challenges the reader to find solutions.
One of the things that makes this book a stand-out is that it first presents
situations in the countries we study from the point of view of an affluent
American. Then it paints a portrait of the situation as seen by the common
person who lives there. Mark Hertsgaard pushes the reader to move past the
simplistic assessments that we in the United States are apt to make about the situations
and actions of others. It is one of the few books for which I will give extra credit
if my students read and analyze it. Mark Hertsgaard makes a compelling argument for
environmental activism as well as one of hope for the future.
Acting Locally:
For those who are interested in ecological, social,
and environmental issues in San Diego or across the planet, the San Diego Earth Times is great place to visit.
The articles are well researched, well written, and well worth reading. Make sure
to check out the column, Cut to the Chase. This web site also have a great
collection of environmentally related links
Each year
for the past three years the Institute for Theoretical
Physics at UCSB has put on wonderful conferences specifically for high school
teachers. If you have not been to one you have really been missing out. This year
the subject was string theory. Among other speakers were Brian Greene, the author
of "The Elegant Universe" and Joe Polchinski, the author of "String
Theory". What an experience.
Last year the topic was superconductivity. The year before, it was
black holes. Those who went had the opportunity to listen, talk and lunch with such
luminaries as Kip Thorne, Rodger Blandford, Steven Hawking, Robert Laughlin, Paul Grant,
and Laura Green.
Policy: If you cannot come up with great original
ideas, borrow them from others. Kelly Coakley '97 built a smaller version of this
fountain as part of her Senior Project. My wife liked it and wanted one.
My homeroom students helped fashion this one..
Can you identify each of the following personalities?
Introduction to Airborne Radar was
written by my father. The first edition sold over 50,000 copies. the second has been out
for a little over two years and has already sold over 15,000 copies. While it is difficult
not to be biased, this is a wonderful text. It covers a wealth of information and yet flow
like a novel. The layout and the artwork are the author's own. This is something rather
unusual in a text book. As a result, the placement of pictures, diagrams, and panels
allows the reader to move seamlessly between text and graphics.
