Jonzin' for science

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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I used to work at Edwards AFB. Chuck Yeager, X-planes, Nasa… I used to have the resources to fly; first in fixed-wing, and then in helicopters. Aerospace is full of interesting tech stuff.

I started a thread about model rocketry. Rockets! There were Apollos flying when I was a kid! I have The Right Stuff and Apollo 13 on DVD. I have Lost Moon on VHS, as well as a tape about the X-15 programme. On the wall above my bed is the complete set of Apollo mission patches, framed. On another wall is a lithograph of an X-15 being launched from the B-52 mothership. (I’ve touched that plane!)

Earth sciences. When I was a kid I wanted to be an oceanographer, amongh other things. I’ve been watching shows on archaeology today. When I’ve driven from L.A. to Las Vegas, I’m not bored. Look at the geological structures! Look at the biological organisms! Meteorology. I’ve always loved that.

And astronomy. I never ‘got into’ it, but I have some books and a star finder. I should take a class. I saw Ann Druyan on the telly the other day. Made me want to watch Contact. Yeah, I think radio astronomy is neat too.

How about languages? Is that a science? It’s not techy, but I did get some programmes on CD-ROM on German (which I’ve taken classes in), Japanese (which I spoke as a child), French, and Italian.

I ride a Japanese motorcycle. Modern and techy! I’m a little fascinated by new automotive technology.

The environment is going to hell. National Geographic has an article this month (which I haven’t read yet) about the pollution in Chesepeake Bay. The Amazon is being slashed and burned as we speak. Man, I’d like to hear about nw technologies that will help to reduce pollution and that will make it ‘unnecessary’ for poor farmers to damage the land.

My new PowerBook is techy. So’s the iPod. I want to leard how to use them! Make them smoke with my prowess!

In other words, I’m interested in more science/techy things than can be fully incorporated into a single lifespan. I want to learn everything! I want to live in a technological environment.

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So then Mr. Smart Arse, how do they get those little people inside the television then huh?

:smiley:

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Well, there’s thermal depolymerization, which I read about in Discovery a couple of years ago. That’s some pretty damn cool stuff. But where is it?

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Indeed it is. In fact, its better than neat, it rocks. Um, sorry, that’s geology. :wink:

I did my undergrad in a radio astronomy department, and loved every minute of it. So much so that my PhD is a lot of radio astronomy.

And now, radio astronomers get to travel to observatories too. I’m going to the GMRT in India next week for 19 days to do some radio observing. :smiley: