Filed under: Uncategorized
Alrighty, fine, I’ll try to post more this year =) Might as well, but there’s also the chance that I’ll just use Facebook Notes or something. . .
[EDIT: I have moved to http://jabstaboops.wordpress.com/ and have decided to retire this blog. I'll leave it up, but I will no longer be posting to it.]
Filed under: Paco's Blog
Today is Good Friday. 1977 years ago today, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Maker, died a criminal’s death on a cross. Why? Because He loves us. The question is though, do we fully appreciate what He did; what it took to do that? Will we ever fully appreciate it? Or will we take it for granted, like so many other things? Mary’s simple Yes; our friends who are always there for us; our families – especially our parents – who take care of us, and feed us, and talk to us; and so many other things that God has given us. Do we take these things for granted? Maybe it’s time we took a step back from our lives and said a simple: Thank You.
Filed under: Classical Writing
Once there was a mouse and as he was scampering home, he saw a lion sleeping in a clearing, and so, for some odd reason, he decided it would be fun to run all over the lion and of course the lion soon awakened and trapped him under a mammoth paw. But just as he was about to snap up the mouse, the mouse pleaded, “Please King Lion, forgive me this once and I’ll never forget it; I might even be able to do you a good turn someday.” So the lion, deeply amused by the notion that a mouse could help him, let the mouse go. Soon after the incident, the lion was trapped by hunters and snagged in a net. The mouse, hearing the lion’s frightful roars, stopped to see what was the matter; when he saw what had happened he resolved to gnaw through the net and, after a while, freed the lion. The lion was very grateful, and the two remained lifelong friends.
STOP END STOP
Filed under: Classical Writing
A Fox once saw a Crow lifting off from a farm with a piece of cheese clamped in her beak, and flying off, land on a branch of an oak tree. “That’s for me!” Thought the Fox, as he padded up to the foot of the tree. “Good day Mistress Crow,” he exclaimed. “How wonderful you look; how bright your plumage; how your eyes sparkle. I am sure that none can surpass your voice, just as none can compare with your figure; let me but hear one song from you that I may hail you as the Queen of Birds.” The Crow, swelling with pride, began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth to sing, the piece of cheese fell from on high. . . only to land in the waiting jaws of Master Fox. “Thank you,” said he, “That was all I wanted. But in exchange for your piece of cheese I’ll give you a piece of advice:”
“Do not trust flatterers.”
Filed under: Classical Writing
A Fox once saw a Crow flying off with a piece of cheese clamped in her beak, and land on a branch of a tree. “That’s for me!” Thought the Fox, as he padded up to the foot of the tree. “Good day Mistress Crow,” he exclaimed. “How wonderful you look; how bright your plumage; how your eyes sparkle. I am sure that none can surpass your voice, just as none can even begin to compare with your figure; let me but hear on song that I may hail you as the Queen of Birds.” The Crow, swelling with pride, began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth, the piece of cheese fell from on high to land in the jaws of Master Fox. “Thank you,” said he, “That was all I wanted. In exchange for your piece of cheese I’ll give you a piece of advice:”
“Do not trust flatterers.”
3.3
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
Rating: 4.5 stars
Summary: Edmond Dantes returns home after a long trip. The captain assigns him a mission before his death. Edmond completes the mission and returns home to his father and his fiancee, however, his enemies discover his mission and tell the local authorities, he is arrested on the grounds of being a Bonapartisan on the day before his marriage. He is thrown in prison and left for years, during which Napoleon again becomes emperor. A friend gives him a treasure map leading to the island of Monte Cristo, and they plan a jailbreak. However, his friend dies before they can put the plan into action, Edmond, seeing an opportunity, sews himself into his friend’s body bag, and escapes. After making it to Monte Cristo with the help of pirates, he collects the treasure and becomes the Count of Monte Cristo, and seeks his revenge.
2.19
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas:
Chapter 1: When the Pharaon arrives at Marseilles we meet Edmond Dantes, the first mate, and Monsieur Morrel. After paying his first respects to Morrel, Edmond tells him how Captain LeClere died of brain-fever on the voyage. Danglars, the purser, tells Morrel of how Edmond stopped at the Isle of Elba for no apparent reason. Edmond justifies himself, saying how the captain’s dying wish had been for him to deliver a packet to the Marechal there. Morrel asks him if he saw the emperor (Napoleon), Edmond replies yes. Morrel invites Edmond to dinner, but he excuses himself saying he must first see his father and his betrothed. Morrel accepts this and hints that Edmond may become the next captain of the Pharaon. Edmond takes his leave.
Filed under: My lessons | Tags: CAT, Elements, Laser Surgery, MRI, PET, Physics
2.2
Physics In Your Life: Nuclear Matters
Things I learned:
- Water made with Oxygen-16 and water made with Oxygen-18 evaporate at different rates because their mass is different.
- Process of Fission – Uranium-235 hit by neutron, U-235 becomes U-236, U-236 vibrates, structure becomes elongated, eventually splits, sends neutrons everywhere, neutrons collide with more U-235, creates a chain reaction.
- Only U-235 readily fissions.
- U-235 only makes up about 0.7% of all natural Uranium.
- A half life is the time until half the nuclei decay.
|
Nucleus |
Halflife |
|---|---|
| Uranium-238 | 4.5 Billion years |
| Uranium-235 | 700 Million years |
| Strontium-90 | 29 years |
| Plutonium-239 | 24 Thousand years |
| Carbon-14 | 5,730 years |
| Oxygen-15 | 2 minutes |
| Radon-222 | 91.2 hours |
2.3
Physics In Your Life: Physics in your body
Things I learned:
- CAT = Computerized Axial Tomography.
- MRI= Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
- PET = Positron Emission Tomography.
- Laser eye surgery basically weld retina back onto the back of the eye.
- Laser surgery causes less bleeding versus a regular scalpel because the protein in the tissue instantly coagulates.
- Steady electric current and ultrasound can help heal broken bones.
Filed under: My lessons | Tags: Energy, GPS, Inertia, Physics, Polaris, Torque, Vega
1.7
Physics In Your Life: Lecture 30, Energy In Your Life
Things I learned:
- The power output of a typical human body is about 100 watts.
- For Americans living in the late 20th century, their average energy consumption is 10 kilowatts which is 100 times the energy you produce.
- The energy used in your name goes to 21% residential consumption, 18% commercial consumption, 33% industrial consumption, and 28% transportation consumption.
- The biggest U.S. energy sources are 23% coal, 40% oil, 24% gas, 8% nuclear, 3% hydro, 4% wood/waste,
0.5% other - Europe is nearing 30% electricity production by cogeneration.
1.8
Physics In Your Life: Lecture 31 Your Place On Earth
Things I learned:
- The first trial GPS satellites were launched between 1974 and 1977. GPS was actually first created for the military.
- In 1978-1985 the Block I first generation GPS satellites were launched.
- In 1989-1994 the Block II satellites were launched. Some of this series are still active.
- In 1994 the 24th satellite was launched; constellation complete.
- In 2000 “selective availability” was abolished; full GPS accuracy available for civilian use.
1.9
Physics In Your Life: Lecture 32, Dance and Spin
Things I learned:
- If your rotational inertia is larger, your wheel is harder to spin.
- Angular rotation has direction.
- Torque is a combination of force and how far the force applied is from the pivot point.
- Approximately 13,000 years from now, Vega will be our north star.
- But another 13,000 years from then, Polaris will again be our north star.
