A memory-shaping, time shifting medium
I’ve been hesitant to re-read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman for years. It was the first Gaiman book I’d ever read and it led to me to become a big fan of the author. My fear was that it would never live up to that initial reading, but I’m…
Natural Stupidity
A number of years ago I came across the phrase, “I’m much more worried about natural stupidity than about artificial intelligence.” At the time I thought it rang true, and I still do today even after the entry of ChatGPT into the world. ChatGPT is a powerful, transformational technology and someday may rival the smart…
Mapping Boston
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, maps are an effective storytelling medium! After moving to Boston the first book I bought was Mapping Boston which, as a cartographically inclined individual, was a spectacular decision. It gave me a topographic sense of how Boston has evolved over time that I don’t think I…
Not a conduit, but a place
While visiting family in Minneapolis a few weeks ago, we made an afternoon trip to the Minneapolis Sculpture Park. There was still a foot of snow on the ground in places but the iconic spoon and cherry and other sculptures were intriguing and we enjoyed getting some fresh air. Me being me, I couldn’t help…
Lake Tulare
I’ve been watching with intrigue as the long dormant Lake Tulare has been refilling itself following record rain and snow-fall in California. It was once the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi but was drained for farmland a couple generations ago. My initial response to the story has been to root for the…
Good enough
The James Webb Space Telescope was in the news a couple of months ago after the primary mirror sustained a bit of damage from a micro meteoroid hit. Not a big deal. The damage is small compared to the size of the mirror and the frequency of these hits can be probabilistically forecasted to ensure…
Exploration and Culture
Being in space exploration you’re never far from the question, “but is it worth it?” A typical answer normally references that technological spin offs from space exploration improve life on Earth, that NASA is only a very small portion of federal government spending, that space exploration supports many well-paying jobs across the country (although I…
Leonardo
Leonardo Da Vinci is the quintessential genius. Particularly in the engineering world, a clever idea might be described as a moment of Leonardo-esqe inspiration. Most people probably recognize the distinctive style of his sketches immediacy and even more quickly would identify the Mona Lisa or LAst Supper Paintings. I’ve often counted him as something of…
Maps and art
I’m constantly on the looking for new and interesting ways to use maps and here are a couple of very unique examples.
Out for a walk
I’m a very geographically inclined individual. I appreciate maps, particularly a good topographic one. Navigation is something of a hobby of mine and recognizing where I am relative to the local terrain is one of my favorite parts about hiking. As such, I tend to have good geospatial memory and often relate my memories to…