Overnight Adventures of an Engineer

The other night, I was finishing up a class project till about 12:30am. I was quite pleased that I had finished in enough time to get home and still have a decent amount of sleep. I left the lab, but when I reached my car, the locks were frozen. I tried to get the doors open for about 15 minutes and realized that I should probably just give up. I went back to the engineering building in order to find a place to sleep. I didn't want to choose a classroom, because it would be really awkward to have people show up for class in the morning and find some bum sleeping in the corner. I first thought of sleeping in a study room in the Warnock Engineering Building (WEB). However, as I entered the main atrium, I realized that the cleaners were vacuuming and would probably take awhile. I continued wandering through the corridors, racking my brain for an alternative. While I was thinking, I decided to get myself some food, since I had worked in the lab straight through dinner time. I went to a vending machine in the basement and, after studying the Net Weight of the items, decided on the Cheez-It bag, since it would give me the most mass of food for my money. I only had one dollar bill on me and the machine wouldn't take it. I quickly fixed that problem by sticking my dollar into one of the drink machines, which can recognize a dollar better than the snack machine, and directly hitting the Change Return button. With my newly acquired quarters, I bought my White Cheddar Cheez-Its. I continued my pursuit of a resting place while eating away at my dinner. As I wandered the halls, I decided to go sleep in the TA room in the Merrill Engineering Building (MEB). I doubted that many TAs would be in there very early. Who meets with a TA first thing in the morning? I reached the TA room and went to the back of the room, behind all the desks, so I could sleep on the floor without being seen from the hallway. Unfortunately, there were a couple of guys still working on a project in an adjacent lab. I could hear them through the air vents. I figured that I could probably sleep through most of the noises, so I used my jacket as a pillow and laid down on the ground. That puts the time at about 1am. While I was trying to get to sleep, I heard one of the guys mention the t.v. show "Heroes." Before I knew it, they were watching one of the online episodes- at a high volume I might add. Between the occasional explosions, shouting matches and soundtrack, I was not having much luck sleeping. The noise, combined with the fact that the building was cooling down quite a bit and I was no longer wearing my jacket, finally left me uncomfortable enough to encourage action on my part. At about 4:15am, I gathered my belongings and headed back to the WEB. I hoped that the cleaners had finally left the study room areas. When I reached the upstairs of the WEB, I found a study room that seemed promising and went inside. Unwilling to remove my jacket any longer, I sat in one of the chairs and laid my head down on the table. I tried a few different positions, but never quite found a comfortable one. By that time, I realized that, even with my jacket on, it was going to be too cold to stay. The particular study room that I had found had a large window that went to the outside. With the heat off for the night, this was not the place to stay. I remained on the same level and finally settled on a chair in the back corner of a hallway. The spot was warm and I could lean my head into the corner made by two walls and just fall asleep. For the first time, I was getting some much sought after rest. I suppose that it was getting towards 5am by this time. Although my sleep was finally deep enough that I felt like I was getting it, about an hour later, I was interrupted by a few crazy people that start there day at unholy hours. After that, I slept off and on, occasionally being interrupted by "morning people," until a little after 8. At that point I figured that I had given the whole idea of sleep a worthy effort and went downstairs, bought myself a blueberry bagel and a cup of hot chocolate, and grabbed a newspaper. I was ready to start the day, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

My dad, the legislative Watchdog

I heard that people at my dad's job were persecuting him, because he was featured sleeping in a KSL news clip. I thought I'd add to the persecution. :)
Skip to 2:05 and pay close attention to the man on the right.

There's Something Fishy Going On...

I've been reading text of the bailout legislation. I will not discuss in this blog whether I think that the idea is a good one or bad one, but I WOULD like to discuss some of the wording in the legislation.


What is up with Section 8?

"Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency."

Is anyone else uncomfortable with this? I know I am!

*********Addition***********

I thought I'd add these words from Thomas Jefferson as something to think about:

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue
of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks
and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks),
will deprive the people of their property until their children will
wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Thomas
Jefferson, 1802

Also, I think this lady has some interesting ideas.

Pop vs Soda vs Coke

Finally! Statistics worth writing about. (Click on the Map for a larger view)

Growing up in Utah, I was trained to use the word "pop" for carbonated drinks. I thought that's what everyone called it. I remember thinking it was so weird when I found out that people in other regions of the country wouldn't know what I was talking about if I asked for a "pop." It practically shattered my universe. After getting over the shock, I slowly realized that "pop" was kind of a stupid name. At that point, I began exploring other common names for carbonated drinks. I figured that if I found the right one, then I would never have to switch again. I found out that other terms besides "pop" included "coke," "soda," and "soft drink." I didn't like using "coke" for everything. That was a worse description than "pop." It made absolutely no sense.

-"Do you want a coke?"
-"Sure."
-"What kind of coke do you want?"
-"Oh, I'll have a root beer."

Ridiculous. For some reason, I didn't really like "soda" either, although I'm feeling quite partial to that term at the moment. In my early teens, I finally settled on the use of the term "soft drink." It was what fast food places called the stuff, so I went with it. It seemed a bit more professional than "pop." However, I'm now wondering if I should switch to "soda." Using the term "soft drinks" only makes sense if you know that they were originally called "soft drinks" in order to differentiate them from the harder stuff (i.e. alcohol). But, I don't think people know that piece of information, generally. I didn't know it till I read this article. So here I am, once again questioning my terminology usage and not knowing which one to choose. It's a tough decision to make and I probably have a long road ahead, but I think it's a subject worth exploring. Let's take this journey together, won't we?

An Unattended Camera

OK, so I came across an idea on the internet today that I really liked. The idea is to leave a disposable camera in a public place for people to take random pictures and then see what you get. Here is an image of the camera setup-


The note said: "Good afternoon,
I attached this camera to the bench so you could take pictures. Seriously. So have fun. I'll be back later this evening to pick it up."

I thought it was a really fun idea and I may just have to do it myself some time.

Here's a link to the site where I found the idea.

They posted the photos that were taken with the camera. None of them are too extravagant, but it's still enjoyable to see what people did with it.

The Memory Post...

I'm keeping this chain alive from another friends blog. The rules were laid out thusly:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you.

3. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

4. Please do this on your page too, so we can all share in the fun times together :-)

Dr. Horrible and the Master Plan

Link

OK, so I must say that I am a fan of the quirky humor of Joss Whedon. The writing and directing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an entertaining mix of campy fun and sheer awesomeness. At least, for the first number of seasons. I kind of lost interest after the plot started going in annoying directions. However, during those lost years there was one episode that will probably forever remain my favorite- "Once More With Feeling." For me, it would be pretty hard to beat the brilliancy of creating a musical episode for a show based on slaying vampires. Joss Whedon, I salute you.

That being said, during the writers' strike, he went about creating another musical. One that would circumvent the big studios and attempt to open the door for those who wish to make a living, but on their terms. Well, I will let his own words describe it. He begins talking about the strike.

"Frustrated with the lack of movement on that front, I finally decided to do something very ambitious, very exciting, very mid-life-crisisy. Aided only by everyone I had worked with, was related to or had ever met, I single-handedly created this unique little epic. A supervillain musical, of which, as we all know, there are far too few.

The idea was to make it on the fly, on the cheap – but to make it. To turn out a really thrilling, professionalish piece of entertainment specifically for the internet. To show how much could be done with very little. To show the world there is another way. To give the public (and in particular you guys) something for all your support and patience.

We intend to make it available for download soon after it’s published. This would be for a nominal fee, which we’re hoping people will embrace instead of getting all piratey. We have big dreams, people, and one of them is paying our crew.

And somewhat later, we will put the complete short epic out on DVD – with the finest and bravest extras in all the land."

There will be three 13ish minute acts. The first two are online and the final installment will come on the 19th and will only be left on for a day. After that, payment will be asked for the complete show.

I watched the first two. They were quite entertaining. Some parts can be kind of dumb, but I enjoyed them overall. The 2nd Act does have a somewhat off-color joke towards the end, but I think that may be the only warning necessary for more delicate individuals.

****EDIT******
Dr. Horrible can now be found for free on hulu.com

The Constitution Dies Tomorrow

"Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither."
Ben Franklin

Here are a few short, but pointed words I found about today's FISA vote:

"Over 200 years ago, we enshrined the rule of law as the only monarch in America. Tomorrow, the Senate will likely vote to shred that precedent. Democrats, "compromising" with Republicans, will act together, in a bipartisan fashion, to destroy your right to be free from search without a warrant

After months of fighting, Constitutionalists everywhere will lose this battle to a corrupt establishment in collusion with a lawbreaking president."

The article mentions how Obama is going back on his word and makes a couple of other points

House - Sitting

I don't really have anything significant to talk about. I just thought I'd talk about my weekend and post a couple of photos I took.

So, my old boss asked me to do some house-sitting for him again. I stayed there over the weekend. He lives up in the Olympus Cove area and has a nice view of the valley. He has me stay there in order to take care of his dog. Her name is Emma. She is the neediest dog that I have ever met. She will not leave you alone. You have to be showing her some sort of attention or she will keep pestering you. I have a strange love/hate relationship with her. She drives me crazy, but she's so sweet that it's hard to hold it against her. I usually scold her when she keeps bumping my arm while I'm on the computer, trying to get me to pet her. She stops for a little while and then comes back for more. After awhile it can become fairly humorous that she doesn't give up, then annoying again, then humorous again. I think you get the idea.

They have a fairly overgrown yard and it allows for some fun picture taking. I found this worn soccer ball lying in the tall grass. I really liked the look and texture of the ball.







You can't go wrong with a sunset. I posted one a couple of posts back, but I'm going to post another. While I was taking Emma on a walk one of the evenings, I noticed that it was going to be a very nice sunset, so I hurried back to the house and grabbed my camera. Here's a shot that I took from the house balcony.

The Palestinian Side

I would like to write a post inspired by a comment left about some things that I said in my “Israel and Egypt” post.

“anonymous said…
The problem I've found with the Palestinian's argument is that they are complaining about being kicked off "their" land when they were the ones that kicked out the Jews in the first place (I guess I should say "one of the groups" since the Jews have been displaced by several civilizations).”

While what was stated by anonymous may be true, I think it demands of the Palestinians way more understanding than any but the truly and exceptionally enlightened can be expected to display. Try telling someone who has lived on a piece of land all their life -their parents lived there, their grandparents lived there- that there is a problem with the fact that they see it as their land. Despite what history tells them, they will still see it as their land and I can't say that I blame them. I think that if Native Americans decided to mount an uprising and some Utes came along to kick me out of my house, I would be pretty upset about it. Do they, historically, have a right to this land? Probably, but I sure don't think that argument would make me feel any better about being driven out.

Me: "Look, I'm sorry your ancestors lost their property, but I didn't do it to them. This land is mine. Possession is 9/10ths the law, and all that."

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it really wouldn’t take the truly enlightened to leave the land they’ve lived on for centuries (or more) without arguing. Maybe the truly enlightened would be those who have the presence of mind to understand that that game of ‘Who Came First’ may not be a game that even the Jews themselves can afford to play. What about those who lived there before the Jews? Do we keep kicking people out of their homes as more archaeological discoveries are made? “Sorry, it was just discovered that there was actually a civilization here before your ancestors. I’m afraid the NEW true owners will now be moving in. So, could you kindly shove off?” Do we keep doing that until we finally hit upon a past civilization from which ALL of us came? At that point, wouldn't we all have claim to everywhere? That would sort of leave us back where we started. In the meantime, how many thousands of years have to pass before the Jews claim on Israel/Palestine expires -or anyone's claim on any land? How long before the common law of adverse possession can take effect?

My mind keeps going back to the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem. The museum takes you through examples of anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe and the beginnings of Jewish persecution in Germany before it moves on to much more disturbing crimes against humanity. While still in the beginning stages, before the major atrocities that followed, I read about the persecutions, about how the Jews were treated as second class citizens, about the prejudices and misplaced biases….and I pondered. I pondered about humanity’s inclination towards blindness and hypocrisy. I still remember passing person after person in the early stages of that museum and hearing them whisper, “Don’t they realize that they are doing the same thing that was done to them?” How easy it is for us to see the wrongs that have left scars in our own lives while ignoring the scars we are leaving in the lives of others.

Israel and Egypt

So, I recently went with my family to Israel and Egypt. I really enjoyed the experience. Growing up in a Christian household, I heard much of the land of Israel and the many historical and religious events tied to it. I have also had a certain fascination with Ancient Egypt. It has never really been strong enough to motivate me to look into it too much, but I do find it very mysterious and fantastic. This trip allowed me to experience both, first hand.

We first went to Israel. For how much history took place there, I was amazed at how small the country was. We traveled with a religious tour group and it seemed that every 15 minutes or so, we would pass by some site of significance (sibilance anyone?). I knew the country was small, and so I kind of imagined it as the size of my own state, Utah. Well, it turns out that about 10 Israels could fit inside of Utah. When we were in Jerusalem, I couldn't believe that Bethlehem was just the next hill over. We are talking about a distance of just 6 miles. And, whoever named the Sea of Galilee a sea was exaggerating. The surface are of the Sea of Galilee is 64 sq. miles. In comparison, Bear Lake has a surface area of 109 sq. miles. It was very nice there, but I wouldn't call it a sea.


I really enjoyed walking around within the walls of Old Jerusalem. I love getting a feel for different cultures and Jerusalem is a great place to do that. Old Jerusalem has 4 quarters: the Jewish quarter, the Muslim quarter, the Christian quarter, and the Armenian quarter. It was very interesting to see characteristics of each of the different ethnic backgrounds. Walking along the top of the walls, my sister and I were able to witness a body, in a lidless coffin, being carried and followed by a crowd of people into the Muslim cemetery. In the Jewish quarter, our group was able to visit the Wailing Wall a few times. As is common within religions, there are many levels of orthodoxy within Judaism. There seemed to be Jews from all walks of life at the Wall. Some in street clothes no different than mine; others in attire designed to make them stand out as much as possible, as a sign of their being God's covenant people. From all walks of life, but all there to worship the Lord of Shabbat. As the temple mount is considered the most holy spot in Judaism, but too holy to set foot on, they come to the Western Wall of the temple mount- believed to be the closest wall to where the Holy of Holies once rested. It is here that they come to pray. A site where “it is as if he has prayed before the throne of glory because the gate of heaven is situated there”(Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, 35).

While in Israel, I gained a much greater appreciation for the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Our tour director feels that the U.S. media is very Israeli biased and I was very grateful that he wanted us to understand that Palestinian does not equal terrorist. Our tour guide and bus driver were both Palestinian and it was very interesting to hear how their parents and grandparents, whose land had been in their families for hundreds of years, were forced out of their homes when Israel was made a state after WWII. Which left me wondering: Who thought that it would be a good idea to take an occupied piece of land and declare it for a certain people? Did they ask the people currently living there if they were OK with that? Now many Palestinians live behind a wall that has been erected. The wall is meant to keep the extremists out. And while the wall has proven to be a successful deterrent for extremists, the majority of the Palestinians feel like second class citizens; shut behind a wall where the standard of living from one side to the other is quite visible. Most live with the hope that one day the wall will fall and all will live in peace.

We also visited many sites with significance to the Christian world. The Sea of Galilee was already mentioned. I couldn't believe how much is said to have happened along those shores and upon those waters. We also visited sites where it is believed that Christ was born, where he died and where he was believed to have been buried. One location believed by most Christians to be the site where Christ both gave up his life and was entombed is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is a large church built within the walls of the old city. Underneath the high arching dome ceiling is a shrine. It is here that visitors line up to enter. It is here that many believe Christ's body was laid. The image above was taken within this shrine.

Another site, in stark contrast to the gaudy (or is that GODy?) Holy Sepulchre, is the Garden Tomb. Leaving the old city through Damascus Gate and walking up the hill a short distance, is the Garden Tomb. Here is a lush Garden juxtaposed with a rocky escarpment. Within the rock can be seen what looks like two sunken eyes and a nose. Something that bears significance when considering that the place where Christ was crucified was called Golgotha, or "place of [the] skull." Maybe 100 yards from the possible crucifixion site, within the garden, is a tomb. It is here that a small percentage of Christians believe that Christ's body was laid. Whichever is right, I preferred the natural beauty of the garden.

After spending 2 weeks in Israel, half of our tour group continued on to Egypt. We flew into Cairo and started visiting museums and shops right away. The next morning, we traveled to the opposite bank of the Nile and entered Giza. On the outskirts of Giza are the Great Pyramids. The largest one is said to be made of over a million massive stones. I was able to go deep inside one of them and also ride a camel in the surrounding desert.

From Cairo, we flew to Luxor. Luxor is a city that lies on the east side of the Nile, the side where the sun rises. It is on this side where the temples for the living were built. The west side, where the sun sets, is the resting place for the dead. It was on the west side that we visited the Valley of the Kings. Going away from the idea of building a pyramid for every pharaoh, the Egyptians began digging graves. The Valley of the Kings became the site where the pharaohs were laid to rest. This amazing location is filled with the tombs of ancient pharaohs. Built in a valley with a pyramidal peak above it, 63 tombs have been discovered, so far, and it is believed that there is much more yet to be unearthed.

Also along the west bank of the Nile is the Necropolis of Ramses III - A mortuary temple built in his honor. I was fascinated by the extensive hieroglyphics found in all of the temples and tombs we visited, but it was at this temple that it also struck me how much color the art would have had initially. Back in the recesses, away from the effects of sand, wind and sun were vibrantly colored images. I was amazed by the fact that I was looking at the original color. I would stand out in one of the large courtyards and imagine every wall, every pillar, and much of the ceilings covered with ornate hieroglyphs and vibrant color. I was in awe.

Our hotel in Luxor rested right along the Nile. I found it to be a beautiful river. It was interesting to fly from Cairo to Luxor and see how the Nile was the lone string of life twisting, turning, and gliding through the land. The rest seemed like complete wasteland, as far as the eye could see. We were able to travel up the river a ways and see people making their livelihood. From those catching the edible wildlife to those irrigating their crops; in Egypt, the Nile is life. Spending the end of our trip on the shores of that river was a great way to wrap up a long, busy, and fantastic vacation. There is something peaceful and soothing about a river. Back at the hotel in the evenings, I was lucky enough to eat my dinner along the banks, stare out across the pool and river and watch the sunset. It was a sight to behold.

Notice: This Blogger is Currently Under Construction

I have been a bit MIA for awhile. It has been due to the fact that I am currently reinventing myself. At this time, I do not know who I will end up being, but I am curious to find out.