12-23-04:
Webster Lake, partially frozen
12-20-04:
Boston's new Silver Line consists of Advanced Technology Transit Buses (ATTB) like this one. Some are diesel fueled, and some are hybrid gas/electric versions. The ATTB contains PC32 motors from my company, DRS Electric Power Technologies.
12-20-04:
Go to www.GetFireFox.com to download the new release from Mozilla.org. It's an awesome, open-source, totally free browser.
12-13-04:
New Years Party!!
Ring in the new year with us on Webster Lake. As you can see, we're all stocked up, but donations are always accepted.
12-3-04:
The Buckminster Projection claims to be the most accurate flat map projection of the Earth.
12-01-04: The Cape Wind Energy Project has released a preliminary EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for the proposed wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod, in Nantucket Sound. Public hearings will be held in the next couple of weeks. The Union of Concerned Scientists forwarded along a statement to members in the New England area, inviting them to participate in the public hearing process. Click here for more information.
11-29-04: Have you ever wondered just how many media conglomerates there are, and what companies they own? Here's a list you may find interesting: http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners
11-24-04: So the Nutcracker was a success this past weekend. No major hitches, and everyone seemed to have fun. I have a couple of pictures that I took backstage that should make their way to my dance album in the next couple of days.
11-19-04: Two and a half months ago my sister's future sister-in-law was killed trying to escape an armed robbery in Altamonte Springs, FL. There is little physical evidence in the case, and the family is trying to spread the word to see if anyone will come forward with information. You can read a story on the Orlando Sentinel website here. It's a scary tale, to say the least.
11-18-04: The U.S. Secret Service will pay a recruitment bonus of 25% of your annual salary if you can speak a foreign language "with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics". The bonus is paid upcon graduation from the U.S. Secret Service School and the passing of a language proficiency test.
11-18-04: "It might be fun today to dress up like a little girl -- kids think it's cute and things like that. And you start playing around with it and, like drugs, you do a little here and there (and) eventually it gets you," Davies told reporters.
This is from a Reuters article about a Texas school that changed it's TWIRP day (The Womam Is Requested To Pay) in which men dress as women and vice versa, to Camouflage day after some parents complained that the event was promoting homosexuality.
11-15-04: The Snipe's Lament was written by an unknown engineer onboard the USS Higbee during World War II. The Higbee (DD-806) was a Gearing Class Destroyer (the largest American destroyers built during WWII). It was the first ship in the U.S. Navy to be named after a woman, Lenah S. Higbee, who was Superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps from 1911-1922. The lament is appropriate not only for the men and women currently serving in the bowels of our Navy ships, but it's also humbling for those of us developing the next generation of Integrated Propulsion Systems for the Navy.
11-15-04:
You can now use the power of Google to search your computer's files, emails, and web history all at once with Google Desktop. It's just a beta release, but it works well for me (especially at work where I have lots of files and emails to search through).
11-10-04: Did you know that in Russia you can drink beer in public, but pretty soon beer manufacturers won't be able to use people or animals in advertisements? What do they have against the Coors Twins?
11-8-04: Canada's website on immigration gets about 20,000 hits a day, on average. On the day after President Bush won re-election, there were over 115,000 visitors to that website. The link is www.cic.gc.ca.
11-8-04:
"This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things.
This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."
This warning appears on a sticker placed inside of Cobb County textbooks, a suburb of Atlanta. I like how the sticker's authors ommitted the phrase "scientific". Obviously, any theory (which is precisely what evolution is) should be carefully studied and scrutinized - as long as you also consider the scientific facts that are being used to support it.
11-7-04: So, if my memory serves me, last night started out at Cactus Pete's, then moved across town to Jillians for a couple of hours of pool. After that we made a pit stop in the Boynton (known simply as "the B"), but didn't stay long. Traveling back across town we opened Foobar, arriving with the place empty and leaving with the place bustling. A short walk later brought us to the Blarney Stone (also known as the Blarn-Dog), which we stayed at until closing. The final stop was to Park Chinese, which we also stayed at until closing (at 3am).
11-5-04:
11-5-04: Just days after George Bush won re-election in the U.S., President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced to the United Nations that he has signed a bill to officially ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The U.S. and Australia have rejected the protocol. It's believed it would slow down economic growth. In 1990, the U.S. accounted for 36% of world carbon dioxide emissions.
11-2-04: Well, today's the day that American's go to the polls to vote for the man who will become the most powerful person in the world. I used to use this argument against the Electoral College: that my vote in Massachusetts means less than my vote would in Texas. I just overheard a co-worker say, "Like most elections in Massachusetts, it's meaningless". I don't think that applies today. Many people predict a record voter turnout, and I agree with them. I think the polling has been skewed towards "likely voters", and I think the news makes the unfair assumption that the majority of Americans are dumb. Now, I don't know the majority of people in this country personally, and I haven't done enough traveling to get a feel for it - but I can't believe roughly half the population support Kerry and half support Bush. Some people are dumb, for sure, but not that many.
10-28-04:
Um, so what do we do now?
10-26-04:
10-26-04: I'm getting ready to finish my grad school applications for next fall. Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs is my first choice, as they offer a concentration in International Energy Management and Policy for their Master of International Affairs program. My second choice is Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government with their Science, Technology, and Public Policy concentration for their Master in Public Policy program. The third school I'm applying to is George Washington Univeristy's Elliot School of International Affairs. They offer a Master in Science, Technology, and Public Policy.
10-25-04:"I enjoy watching FOX NEWS and I think every country should have
their own Al-Jazeera."
- Jon Stewart on NOW with Bill Moyers (7/11/03)
Put your hands together for Jon Stewart, the host of the mock news program The Daily Show on Comedy Central. He recently went on Crossfire to berate the news industry for being too soft and not reporting the real issues. When they pointed out the lack of seriousness in his own show, he reminded them that his show follows a bunch of puppets making prank phone calls. And theirs is on CNN.
10-25-04: I saw The Grudge this weekend. I've never enjoyed watching a scary movie more. If you were a fan of The Ring, you will love this. Definitely try and see it in the theatre with a bunch of people. It makes a great date movie, too. You may have to pop Flight of the Navigator in afterwards just so you can sleep soundly.
10-21-04: The Performing Arts School of Worcester is performing the traditional Nutcracker on November 19 and 20 at Clark University in Worcester. Showtimes are 7:30 pm both evenings, with a 2pm matinee on Saturday. I will be performing the roles of Clara's Father (in the first act), and as the Russian soloist and Arabian Prince (in the second act). Tickets are $15, but you can save $1 by showing a Price Chopper Advantage Card. Although the show is at Atwood Hall, tickets are being sold through the Mechanics Hall box office.
10-21-04: Not much happened yesterday, except, I guess, for the Red Sox winning the ALCS!!! I offer this anectode that appears in an away message of a friend of mine:
The U.S. Postal Service issued stamps with pictures of the Yankees on them, however they were recalled. People didn't know which side to spit on.
10-19-04: Voters in Arkansas and West Virgiana were sent a mailing by the Republican National Committee claiming that a failure to vote would open the way for liberals to ban the Bible and allow same-sex marriage. I think the first amendment already bans the Bible from directing congretional legislation.
From the 1st book of Timothy: "everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." Maybe the RNC should just try and cancel Thanksgiving.
10-18-04: I went to my first same-sex marriage this weekend. It was held at the Harding Allen Estate in Barre. It was very pleasant, especially since Christine came with me. The brother of one of the brides officiated, and was thoughtful enough to thank Mit Romney by name for vesting him the power to marry the couple. A nice touch, I thought.
10-13-04:
View Christine's Pictures
I met a girl named Christine this weekend. Actually, we had met before, but this time we were both single at the same time - so that changed things a bit. So far we've played drinking games, went to church, carved pumpkins, saw the red sox lose, and giggled like junior high kids. So far I'd say we're off to a great start.
10-12-04: So, my website is now being hosted off of Internet2, thanks to the guys at WPI. I was without email or website again for about two weeks (pure torture, of course), but things are back and faster than ever.
9-22-04: The picture below was taken with an ultra-high speed digital camera, developed by DRS Technologies, whom I work for. I grabbed this image off of the corporate website. It's of a balloon bursting due to overinflation.
9-22-04:
This is a leaflet dropped by coalition forces at the start of the Iraq conflict. It has since been removed from Centcom's official gallery of leaflets.
9-21-04: Here is what is known. Wendy A. Morello's family last saw her Sept. 5. Her 19-year-old daughter, Amanda, reported her missing Sept. 13, the same day someone found Ms. Morello's body in a green plastic trash can in a residential area in York, Maine. . . The death of the 40-year-old mother of two has been deemed suspicious by Maine investigators. ["Maine police probe Morello's death", T&G]
The death of another Worcester woman known to work the streets has raised the eyebrows of local investigators. I'm glad that when Maine investigators find an out of state woman dead in a trashcan, they call it "suspicious".
9-20-04:
9-16-04:Happy Birthday Mom!!
9-15-04: According to this article in the Washington Post, the Navy is thinking of pushing back the building of their new Destroyer to 2007. And, why do I care about that? Well, my company is building the propulsion system for it, for starters. It's just a rhumor at the moment, but their also thinking of closing a shipyard or two. There are currently only six of them, but they pretty much constitute the largest employers in their respective states. The article talks about a lack of real competition in shipbuilding, citing the fact that the six shipyards are owned by only two companies. What it doesn't mention is that the majority of components that get installed on a ship come from subcontractors, and those contracts are very competitive.
9-13-04:
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
Brendan, Doug, and I are moving into a house on the lake pictured above. There will be more pictures, just as soon as we move in.
9-02-04:
The Sox and Yankees meet six more times. This time, the Red Sox are the hunters. And suddenly there's a new reason why New York is a city that doesn't sleep.
- Dan Shaughnessy, The Boston Globe
8-30-04: Okay, so the day I move into Brendan and Jon's apartment (Chuck's old room), the place gets struck by lightening (no coincidence there) and all the networking equipment gets blown. Which, for all my loyal fans and dear friends, is why my website and email have been down for the past week. But we're back up, for now, and there's only 2 weeks until I move again. More on that later.
8-19-04:
"If the bear gets sick he can go see one of the doctors or nurses and they will give him medicine to feel better," she wrote in bright green magic marker. "And it would look cool."
Ashlyn Howard, 9, of Winthrop, as quoted in the Boston Globe regarding the finding of a new home for the FAO Schwarz Bear. His suggestion was to place it near a hospital.
8-12-04:
High-energy, deep-space power is a critical enabling capability. Project Prometheus, named after the mythological Greek titan who gave humanity the gift of fire, is responsible for developing the nuclear fission power and propulsion systems necessary to enable these applications.
This is from the NASA website that describes their efforts in developing advanced space technologies. WPI has recently been selected to participate in Project Prometheus, where they will develop the lithium vaporizer thermal model for a nuclear-electric pulsed inductive thruster system.
I am suddenly reminded of the time freshman year at WPI when my professor said to the class "if you're finding this to be difficult reading, that's okay. It literally is rocket science."
8-11-04: So, are you an LOTR fan? The Museum of Science in Boston is hosting an exhibit with all sorts of things from the movies: memorabilia, interactive exhibits, armor and weapons, and lots more. Click here for more info, and to enter for a chance to win a trip to New Zealand.
8-10-04:
Grid expansion and modernization has not kept pace with demand because companies have little financial incentive to build new lines for long-distance transfers of power across their territory, utility representatives said. In addition, homeowners have objected to new lines near their back yards, complaining that they are unsightly.
I completely agree with Justin Blum's statement from his article "Bandaged power grid still vulnerable", that appeared in today's Washington Post. Proactive maintenance is not currently a financially viable option for distribution and transmission utilities. Until it is, our power grid will continue to decay faster than we can fix it, and more cascading failures will result.
8-09-04: I hate it when this happens:
8-08-04: I went camping on the Connecticut river this weekend. I met some cool new people and had a good time. A special thanks to the Coast Guard and State Police for finding our friend Brendan (who decided to go kayaking at midnight sans life preserver or sobriety). They found him over a mile away downriver in a Cumberland Farms without his pants.
8-06-04:
8-06-04:
8-05-04:
Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking our Democracy came out on Tuesday. It was written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (yes, the son of the former U.S. Attorney General of the same name) - who is now a prominent environmental lawyer.
8-05-04: MoveOn PAC just announced a concert tour called "Vote For Change" with an amazing lineup of artists doing 40 shows in 9 battleground states in October (including Pennsylvania). It's a coalition of musicians brought together by a single idea - the need to make a change in the direction of our country. Go to www.moveonpac.org/vfc for a chance at pre-sale tickets.
8-04-04: Check out Frank Morey and his Band on Wednesday nights at Vincent's on Suffolk Street in Worcester. Good beer, good music, and meatballs!!
8-03-04:
Quoted by John Bish Sr. at a remembrance ceremony yesterday for Molly Bish on what would have been her 21st birthday.
8-02-04: I spent Saturday night in Providence visiting with my Aunt Ann. She had organized a benefit for ¡CityArts!. Since it was held at RISD, we were able to just walk down to Water Fire afterwards. It was really nice; I even got to meet David Cicilline, the mayor of Providence.
7-29-04: I was back in NYC the weekend before last to attend a dance teacher's convention put on by Broadway Dance Center. The best part was that it reminded me how much I enjoy doing musical theatre. Thanks to Erica for letting me stay at her place.
7-21-04: And now, for some bi-partisan humor, watch this flash video. It's really well done.
7-13-04:
"And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
7-12-04:
Project Looking Glass from Sun Microsystems
3D desktops are coming, thanks to java innovation from Sun Microsystems.
You'll even be able to write notes on the backside of application windows!
How cool is that? Click on this link to find out more about Project
Looking Glass. There's cool screenshots and video.
7-12-04: I saw Movin Out in New York City this weekend. It was awesome! Twyla Tharp's Choreography set to Billy Joel's music is some of the best dancing I've ever seen on Broadway. Thanks to my students at Dance Techniques for the thoughtful gift. :>)
7-09-04: Everyone should watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central. It's on at 11pm every Monday through Thursday. It's funny, and frighteningly real. An example: Jon Stewart pointed out last night that among members of the Army about to be recalled are musicians. It turns out the reason the General gave for their recall is their need to perform at military funerals. Stewart suggested perhaps having less soldiers die would be another solution.
7-07-04: Get a Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker for free!
7-07-04: I've started pooling my energy-related content into a single site, which I've called my Documentary Website on Energy. I'm working on expanding the content, but I figured I'd mention it here.
7-06-04: I saw Spider Man 2 last night. I guess it was a good movie, but I just haven't been able to, as my Aunt Kathy would say, "check my brain at the door" for movies like this in quite some time. It's a little upsetting, especially since I paid $9 to get in and almost $5 for popcorn that I finished before the previews were over (I was hungry).
6-30-04: Over 55,000 people participated nation wide in the live teleconference with Michael Moore on Monday, sponsored by MoveOn.org's PAC. I had a good showing at my house party (over 25 people); thanks to everyone who attended. If you missed it, you can hear a playback of the teleconference by clicking here.
6-23-04: Come join a national town hall meeting to discuss Fahrenheit 9/11 at my Charlotte Street apartment on Monday (6/28). We'll even join an interactive conference call with Michael Moore!! Event starts at 8pmEDT - the conference call starts at 8:15.
Click here for more info.
6-21-04: Providence isn't that far away from Worcester, so if you're looking for something fun (and different) check out WaterFire.
5-26-04:
5-25-04: "Don't Elect Him In 2004 Either"
It doesn't take visitors to my site too long to realize I lean to the left politically. Check out the banners at the bottom of my page if you're looking to support Senator John F. Kerry for President.
5-19-04: I went to a pretty cool Halloween party last year, but next year I'm going to try and get invited to this one.
5-16-04: So on Friday I had this idea to go to today's Sox game in Toronto. Chuck, Ben, Brenden, and myself drove from Worcester to Niagra Falls, where some luck at the black jack table paid for the hotel room at SkyDome, overlooking the field. Pictures/Video to come.
5-4-04: Try this out: go to google and type "weapons of mass destruction" into the search field and press "I Feel Lucky".
4-26-04: MoveOn.org is making an impact on the national policital scene. Check out their website. If you haven't heard of them yet, you will soon.
4-23-04: My original plan for attending the March in DC this weekend fell thru, so I resorted to last minute, alternate plans. Here's how the madness was going to play out. After teaching six hours of dance on Saturday in Spencer, I was to drive to TF Green (in Providence) and fly to Baltimore. Then I'd pick up a rental car and drive to my Baltimore hotel where I'd spend the night. In the early AM I was to drive to DC and drop the rental off at Dulles. Then I would have needed to take a bus to the nearest metro station, and then take the metro to the March. After the March commenced, I never had any definite way of getting back, except maybe to hop on a bus full of Clark students. And alas, that would have brought me back to Worcester, with my car at the airport on Providence. For a total cost of about $150, this wasn't really that bad a deal, except for the high anxiety I was sure to face the entire time.
My new plan: pay $120 for greyhound bus tickets from Worcester to DC (rountrip). Sure, they're overnight bus rides, but I'll be a lot less anxious.
4-7-04: I'm moving to Linux. Check out my progress on my Linux Conversion Blog. Hopefully other people looking to make the plunge will read it and find it useful.
4-2-04: On Sunday, April 25th there will be a March For Women's Lives in Washington, DC. Check out www.marchforwomen.org for more information. Stacie and I will be in DC for Jake's birthday, and we're thinking of attending the march.
3-3-04: Stacie and I are in The Trial of the Catonsville Nine at the Worcester Artist Group on March 19, 26, and 27. Check out this link for details.
1-7-04: The partnering workshop at Steps has been cancelled/postponed due to lack of female participation. That's the first time I've ever heard of male dancers outnumbering the women.
1-5-04: Stacie and I's friends Tina E. Gaffney and "J" Kelly perform in the Worcester area. Check out their website and see them perform. They rock.
Webster Lake, partially frozen
12-20-04:
Boston's new Silver Line consists of Advanced Technology Transit Buses (ATTB) like this one. Some are diesel fueled, and some are hybrid gas/electric versions. The ATTB contains PC32 motors from my company, DRS Electric Power Technologies.
12-20-04:
Go to www.GetFireFox.com to download the new release from Mozilla.org. It's an awesome, open-source, totally free browser.
12-13-04:
New Years Party!!
Ring in the new year with us on Webster Lake. As you can see, we're all stocked up, but donations are always accepted.
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12-3-04:
The Buckminster Projection claims to be the most accurate flat map projection of the Earth.
12-01-04: The Cape Wind Energy Project has released a preliminary EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for the proposed wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod, in Nantucket Sound. Public hearings will be held in the next couple of weeks. The Union of Concerned Scientists forwarded along a statement to members in the New England area, inviting them to participate in the public hearing process. Click here for more information.
11-29-04: Have you ever wondered just how many media conglomerates there are, and what companies they own? Here's a list you may find interesting: http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners
11-24-04: So the Nutcracker was a success this past weekend. No major hitches, and everyone seemed to have fun. I have a couple of pictures that I took backstage that should make their way to my dance album in the next couple of days.
11-19-04: Two and a half months ago my sister's future sister-in-law was killed trying to escape an armed robbery in Altamonte Springs, FL. There is little physical evidence in the case, and the family is trying to spread the word to see if anyone will come forward with information. You can read a story on the Orlando Sentinel website here. It's a scary tale, to say the least.
11-18-04: The U.S. Secret Service will pay a recruitment bonus of 25% of your annual salary if you can speak a foreign language "with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics". The bonus is paid upcon graduation from the U.S. Secret Service School and the passing of a language proficiency test.
11-18-04: "It might be fun today to dress up like a little girl -- kids think it's cute and things like that. And you start playing around with it and, like drugs, you do a little here and there (and) eventually it gets you," Davies told reporters.
This is from a Reuters article about a Texas school that changed it's TWIRP day (The Womam Is Requested To Pay) in which men dress as women and vice versa, to Camouflage day after some parents complained that the event was promoting homosexuality.
11-15-04: The Snipe's Lament was written by an unknown engineer onboard the USS Higbee during World War II. The Higbee (DD-806) was a Gearing Class Destroyer (the largest American destroyers built during WWII). It was the first ship in the U.S. Navy to be named after a woman, Lenah S. Higbee, who was Superintendent of the Navy Nurse Corps from 1911-1922. The lament is appropriate not only for the men and women currently serving in the bowels of our Navy ships, but it's also humbling for those of us developing the next generation of Integrated Propulsion Systems for the Navy.
11-15-04:
You can now use the power of Google to search your computer's files, emails, and web history all at once with Google Desktop. It's just a beta release, but it works well for me (especially at work where I have lots of files and emails to search through).
11-10-04: Did you know that in Russia you can drink beer in public, but pretty soon beer manufacturers won't be able to use people or animals in advertisements? What do they have against the Coors Twins?
11-8-04: Canada's website on immigration gets about 20,000 hits a day, on average. On the day after President Bush won re-election, there were over 115,000 visitors to that website. The link is www.cic.gc.ca.
11-8-04:
This warning appears on a sticker placed inside of Cobb County textbooks, a suburb of Atlanta. I like how the sticker's authors ommitted the phrase "scientific". Obviously, any theory (which is precisely what evolution is) should be carefully studied and scrutinized - as long as you also consider the scientific facts that are being used to support it.
11-7-04: So, if my memory serves me, last night started out at Cactus Pete's, then moved across town to Jillians for a couple of hours of pool. After that we made a pit stop in the Boynton (known simply as "the B"), but didn't stay long. Traveling back across town we opened Foobar, arriving with the place empty and leaving with the place bustling. A short walk later brought us to the Blarney Stone (also known as the Blarn-Dog), which we stayed at until closing. The final stop was to Park Chinese, which we also stayed at until closing (at 3am).
11-5-04:
11-5-04: Just days after George Bush won re-election in the U.S., President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced to the United Nations that he has signed a bill to officially ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The U.S. and Australia have rejected the protocol. It's believed it would slow down economic growth. In 1990, the U.S. accounted for 36% of world carbon dioxide emissions.
11-2-04: Well, today's the day that American's go to the polls to vote for the man who will become the most powerful person in the world. I used to use this argument against the Electoral College: that my vote in Massachusetts means less than my vote would in Texas. I just overheard a co-worker say, "Like most elections in Massachusetts, it's meaningless". I don't think that applies today. Many people predict a record voter turnout, and I agree with them. I think the polling has been skewed towards "likely voters", and I think the news makes the unfair assumption that the majority of Americans are dumb. Now, I don't know the majority of people in this country personally, and I haven't done enough traveling to get a feel for it - but I can't believe roughly half the population support Kerry and half support Bush. Some people are dumb, for sure, but not that many.
10-28-04:
Um, so what do we do now?
10-26-04:
And with a voice that was full of glee,
He answered, "Erelong we will launch
A vessel as goodly, and strong, and stanch,
As ever weathered a wintry sea!""The Building of the Ship"
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
10-26-04: I'm getting ready to finish my grad school applications for next fall. Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs is my first choice, as they offer a concentration in International Energy Management and Policy for their Master of International Affairs program. My second choice is Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government with their Science, Technology, and Public Policy concentration for their Master in Public Policy program. The third school I'm applying to is George Washington Univeristy's Elliot School of International Affairs. They offer a Master in Science, Technology, and Public Policy.
10-25-04:
- Jon Stewart on NOW with Bill Moyers (7/11/03)
Put your hands together for Jon Stewart, the host of the mock news program The Daily Show on Comedy Central. He recently went on Crossfire to berate the news industry for being too soft and not reporting the real issues. When they pointed out the lack of seriousness in his own show, he reminded them that his show follows a bunch of puppets making prank phone calls. And theirs is on CNN.
10-25-04: I saw The Grudge this weekend. I've never enjoyed watching a scary movie more. If you were a fan of The Ring, you will love this. Definitely try and see it in the theatre with a bunch of people. It makes a great date movie, too. You may have to pop Flight of the Navigator in afterwards just so you can sleep soundly.
10-21-04: The Performing Arts School of Worcester is performing the traditional Nutcracker on November 19 and 20 at Clark University in Worcester. Showtimes are 7:30 pm both evenings, with a 2pm matinee on Saturday. I will be performing the roles of Clara's Father (in the first act), and as the Russian soloist and Arabian Prince (in the second act). Tickets are $15, but you can save $1 by showing a Price Chopper Advantage Card. Although the show is at Atwood Hall, tickets are being sold through the Mechanics Hall box office.
10-21-04: Not much happened yesterday, except, I guess, for the Red Sox winning the ALCS!!! I offer this anectode that appears in an away message of a friend of mine:
The U.S. Postal Service issued stamps with pictures of the Yankees on them, however they were recalled. People didn't know which side to spit on.
10-19-04: Voters in Arkansas and West Virgiana were sent a mailing by the Republican National Committee claiming that a failure to vote would open the way for liberals to ban the Bible and allow same-sex marriage. I think the first amendment already bans the Bible from directing congretional legislation.
From the 1st book of Timothy: "everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." Maybe the RNC should just try and cancel Thanksgiving.
10-18-04: I went to my first same-sex marriage this weekend. It was held at the Harding Allen Estate in Barre. It was very pleasant, especially since Christine came with me. The brother of one of the brides officiated, and was thoughtful enough to thank Mit Romney by name for vesting him the power to marry the couple. A nice touch, I thought.
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10-13-04:
View Christine's Pictures
I met a girl named Christine this weekend. Actually, we had met before, but this time we were both single at the same time - so that changed things a bit. So far we've played drinking games, went to church, carved pumpkins, saw the red sox lose, and giggled like junior high kids. So far I'd say we're off to a great start.
10-12-04: So, my website is now being hosted off of Internet2, thanks to the guys at WPI. I was without email or website again for about two weeks (pure torture, of course), but things are back and faster than ever.
9-22-04: The picture below was taken with an ultra-high speed digital camera, developed by DRS Technologies, whom I work for. I grabbed this image off of the corporate website. It's of a balloon bursting due to overinflation.
9-22-04:
This is a leaflet dropped by coalition forces at the start of the Iraq conflict. It has since been removed from Centcom's official gallery of leaflets.
9-21-04: Here is what is known. Wendy A. Morello's family last saw her Sept. 5. Her 19-year-old daughter, Amanda, reported her missing Sept. 13, the same day someone found Ms. Morello's body in a green plastic trash can in a residential area in York, Maine. . . The death of the 40-year-old mother of two has been deemed suspicious by Maine investigators. ["Maine police probe Morello's death", T&G]
The death of another Worcester woman known to work the streets has raised the eyebrows of local investigators. I'm glad that when Maine investigators find an out of state woman dead in a trashcan, they call it "suspicious".
9-20-04:
9-16-04:
9-15-04: According to this article in the Washington Post, the Navy is thinking of pushing back the building of their new Destroyer to 2007. And, why do I care about that? Well, my company is building the propulsion system for it, for starters. It's just a rhumor at the moment, but their also thinking of closing a shipyard or two. There are currently only six of them, but they pretty much constitute the largest employers in their respective states. The article talks about a lack of real competition in shipbuilding, citing the fact that the six shipyards are owned by only two companies. What it doesn't mention is that the majority of components that get installed on a ship come from subcontractors, and those contracts are very competitive.
9-13-04:
Brendan, Doug, and I are moving into a house on the lake pictured above. There will be more pictures, just as soon as we move in.
9-02-04:
The Sox and Yankees meet six more times. This time, the Red Sox are the hunters. And suddenly there's a new reason why New York is a city that doesn't sleep.
- Dan Shaughnessy, The Boston Globe
8-30-04: Okay, so the day I move into Brendan and Jon's apartment (Chuck's old room), the place gets struck by lightening (no coincidence there) and all the networking equipment gets blown. Which, for all my loyal fans and dear friends, is why my website and email have been down for the past week. But we're back up, for now, and there's only 2 weeks until I move again. More on that later.
8-19-04:
"If the bear gets sick he can go see one of the doctors or nurses and they will give him medicine to feel better," she wrote in bright green magic marker. "And it would look cool."
Ashlyn Howard, 9, of Winthrop, as quoted in the Boston Globe regarding the finding of a new home for the FAO Schwarz Bear. His suggestion was to place it near a hospital.
8-12-04:
High-energy, deep-space power is a critical enabling capability. Project Prometheus, named after the mythological Greek titan who gave humanity the gift of fire, is responsible for developing the nuclear fission power and propulsion systems necessary to enable these applications.
This is from the NASA website that describes their efforts in developing advanced space technologies. WPI has recently been selected to participate in Project Prometheus, where they will develop the lithium vaporizer thermal model for a nuclear-electric pulsed inductive thruster system.
I am suddenly reminded of the time freshman year at WPI when my professor said to the class "if you're finding this to be difficult reading, that's okay. It literally is rocket science."
8-11-04: So, are you an LOTR fan? The Museum of Science in Boston is hosting an exhibit with all sorts of things from the movies: memorabilia, interactive exhibits, armor and weapons, and lots more. Click here for more info, and to enter for a chance to win a trip to New Zealand.
8-10-04:
Grid expansion and modernization has not kept pace with demand because companies have little financial incentive to build new lines for long-distance transfers of power across their territory, utility representatives said. In addition, homeowners have objected to new lines near their back yards, complaining that they are unsightly.
I completely agree with Justin Blum's statement from his article "Bandaged power grid still vulnerable", that appeared in today's Washington Post. Proactive maintenance is not currently a financially viable option for distribution and transmission utilities. Until it is, our power grid will continue to decay faster than we can fix it, and more cascading failures will result.
8-09-04: I hate it when this happens:
8-08-04: I went camping on the Connecticut river this weekend. I met some cool new people and had a good time. A special thanks to the Coast Guard and State Police for finding our friend Brendan (who decided to go kayaking at midnight sans life preserver or sobriety). They found him over a mile away downriver in a Cumberland Farms without his pants.
8-06-04:
8-06-04:
8-05-04:
Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking our Democracy came out on Tuesday. It was written by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (yes, the son of the former U.S. Attorney General of the same name) - who is now a prominent environmental lawyer.
8-05-04: MoveOn PAC just announced a concert tour called "Vote For Change" with an amazing lineup of artists doing 40 shows in 9 battleground states in October (including Pennsylvania). It's a coalition of musicians brought together by a single idea - the need to make a change in the direction of our country. Go to www.moveonpac.org/vfc for a chance at pre-sale tickets.
8-04-04: Check out Frank Morey and his Band on Wednesday nights at Vincent's on Suffolk Street in Worcester. Good beer, good music, and meatballs!!
8-03-04:
""Christopher Robin?' whispered Pooh. "Yes, Pooh Bear?' "I'll never not remember you ... ever.'"
Quoted by John Bish Sr. at a remembrance ceremony yesterday for Molly Bish on what would have been her 21st birthday.
8-02-04: I spent Saturday night in Providence visiting with my Aunt Ann. She had organized a benefit for ¡CityArts!. Since it was held at RISD, we were able to just walk down to Water Fire afterwards. It was really nice; I even got to meet David Cicilline, the mayor of Providence.
7-29-04: I was back in NYC the weekend before last to attend a dance teacher's convention put on by Broadway Dance Center. The best part was that it reminded me how much I enjoy doing musical theatre. Thanks to Erica for letting me stay at her place.
7-21-04: And now, for some bi-partisan humor, watch this flash video. It's really well done.
7-13-04:
"And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
| -Isaiah 2:4 |
7-12-04:
7-12-04: I saw Movin Out in New York City this weekend. It was awesome! Twyla Tharp's Choreography set to Billy Joel's music is some of the best dancing I've ever seen on Broadway. Thanks to my students at Dance Techniques for the thoughtful gift. :>)
7-09-04: Everyone should watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central. It's on at 11pm every Monday through Thursday. It's funny, and frighteningly real. An example: Jon Stewart pointed out last night that among members of the Army about to be recalled are musicians. It turns out the reason the General gave for their recall is their need to perform at military funerals. Stewart suggested perhaps having less soldiers die would be another solution.
7-07-04: Get a Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker for free!
7-07-04: I've started pooling my energy-related content into a single site, which I've called my Documentary Website on Energy. I'm working on expanding the content, but I figured I'd mention it here.
7-06-04: I saw Spider Man 2 last night. I guess it was a good movie, but I just haven't been able to, as my Aunt Kathy would say, "check my brain at the door" for movies like this in quite some time. It's a little upsetting, especially since I paid $9 to get in and almost $5 for popcorn that I finished before the previews were over (I was hungry).
6-30-04: Over 55,000 people participated nation wide in the live teleconference with Michael Moore on Monday, sponsored by MoveOn.org's PAC. I had a good showing at my house party (over 25 people); thanks to everyone who attended. If you missed it, you can hear a playback of the teleconference by clicking here.
6-23-04: Come join a national town hall meeting to discuss Fahrenheit 9/11 at my Charlotte Street apartment on Monday (6/28). We'll even join an interactive conference call with Michael Moore!! Event starts at 8pmEDT - the conference call starts at 8:15.
6-21-04: Providence isn't that far away from Worcester, so if you're looking for something fun (and different) check out WaterFire.
5-26-04:
5-25-04: "Don't Elect Him In 2004 Either"
It doesn't take visitors to my site too long to realize I lean to the left politically. Check out the banners at the bottom of my page if you're looking to support Senator John F. Kerry for President.
5-19-04: I went to a pretty cool Halloween party last year, but next year I'm going to try and get invited to this one.
5-16-04: So on Friday I had this idea to go to today's Sox game in Toronto. Chuck, Ben, Brenden, and myself drove from Worcester to Niagra Falls, where some luck at the black jack table paid for the hotel room at SkyDome, overlooking the field. Pictures/Video to come.
5-4-04: Try this out: go to google and type "weapons of mass destruction" into the search field and press "I Feel Lucky".
4-26-04: MoveOn.org is making an impact on the national policital scene. Check out their website. If you haven't heard of them yet, you will soon.
4-23-04: My original plan for attending the March in DC this weekend fell thru, so I resorted to last minute, alternate plans. Here's how the madness was going to play out. After teaching six hours of dance on Saturday in Spencer, I was to drive to TF Green (in Providence) and fly to Baltimore. Then I'd pick up a rental car and drive to my Baltimore hotel where I'd spend the night. In the early AM I was to drive to DC and drop the rental off at Dulles. Then I would have needed to take a bus to the nearest metro station, and then take the metro to the March. After the March commenced, I never had any definite way of getting back, except maybe to hop on a bus full of Clark students. And alas, that would have brought me back to Worcester, with my car at the airport on Providence. For a total cost of about $150, this wasn't really that bad a deal, except for the high anxiety I was sure to face the entire time.
My new plan: pay $120 for greyhound bus tickets from Worcester to DC (rountrip). Sure, they're overnight bus rides, but I'll be a lot less anxious.
4-7-04: I'm moving to Linux. Check out my progress on my Linux Conversion Blog. Hopefully other people looking to make the plunge will read it and find it useful.
4-2-04: On Sunday, April 25th there will be a March For Women's Lives in Washington, DC. Check out www.marchforwomen.org for more information. Stacie and I will be in DC for Jake's birthday, and we're thinking of attending the march.
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3-3-04: Stacie and I are in The Trial of the Catonsville Nine at the Worcester Artist Group on March 19, 26, and 27. Check out this link for details.
1-7-04: The partnering workshop at Steps has been cancelled/postponed due to lack of female participation. That's the first time I've ever heard of male dancers outnumbering the women.
1-5-04: Stacie and I's friends Tina E. Gaffney and "J" Kelly perform in the Worcester area. Check out their website and see them perform. They rock.