The History of the Human Powered Helicopter Project

The History of the Human Powered Helicopter Project

A human powered helicopter...yeah, right.

But yes! Again, this is very interesting stuff.

Didn't the Wright Bros. start out in a bicycle shop?

Colchester School District in Colchester, Vermont (U.S.A.) - Home Page

For those interested in the various calendars, events, and news regarding the various schools in the Colchester, VT school district, please follow the link below.

Colchester School District in Colchester, Vermont (U.S.A.) - Home Page

Colchester High School Open House : Quite impressive...

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Colchester High School (CHS) Open House. I was quite impressed by the administration and faculty efforts to create a supportive, adaptive learning environment which intends to treat the students as responsible participants in the educational process.

During the presenetation, Principal Joyce Stone mentioned that CHS was receiving both regional and national recognition for their progess over the past five years. Of course, this was great news especially when combined with the the improved test results and second lowest drop-out rate in the State of Vermont.

It was a great evening. I left encouraged, informed & excited by my daughter's high school education.

(On a related note, here is a link to the Vermont 2002-2003 High School Completion Report)

Is Microsoft the next Enron? A Financial Fraud Update

Is Microsoft the next Enron? Probably not, however, this dated report makes interesting reading especially when it cites a leading publication like "The Economist" as supporting their assertion.

Microsoft Financial Fraud Update

2004 Kempo Camp Literary Reference : Suzette Elgin's "Native Tongue"

During a lunch table conversation during 2004 MWSDC Kempo Camp, the topic was SF feministic science fiction, linguistics theories & martial arts.

Suzette Elgin’s book, “Native Tongue”, came to mind.

Amazon Link to Elgin's "Native Tongue"

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis :

According to a theory developed by the linguists Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf, language closely governs our experience of reality. Sapir writes in “The status of linguistics as a science”, (Language 1929.)

Human beings do not live in the objective world alone, nor alone in the world of social activity as ordinarily understood, but are very much at the mercy of the particular language which has become the medium of expression for their society. It is quite an illusion to imagine that one adjusts to reality essentially without the use of language and that language is merely an incidental means of solving specific problems of communication or reflection. The fact of the matter is that the “real world" is to a large extent unconsciously built up on the language habits of the group.

I was introduced to this linguistic theory by my study of the theories behind the construction of computer programming languages and the papers by Hoare.

…then…my Lovely Wife said I should read this book…. Anyway, I found the book quite compelling and thought-provoking. Apparently, the book is the first of a series. I had read the first two, “Native Tongue” and “The Judas Rose”. Apparently, the third in the series has been published.

What would these topics come up at a martial arts summer camp? That is an interesting question... :-)

We Are Not in Lake Wobegon Anymore

We are Not in Lake Wobegon Anymore by Garrison Keillor is a yet great piece of writing. Agree, Disagree, it is still good writing worthy of recognition. I would be happy to read good writing from both sides of the aisle but there seems to be a dearth of good, clever, amusing, or thought-provoking writers and satirists in support of the GOP. But ... I would love to learn otherwise.

Good writing educates, challenges, amuses, or inspires. The best writings do all of those things.

I am hopeful to find examples from all perspectives.

--jmc.

Have eBooks arrived?

A good friend of mine recently reintroduced me to the Baen Free Library which is a great site if you are interested in a potential future direction of publishing in our internet age.

Eric Flint's essay, "Introducing the Baen Free Library", is an excellent manifesto on why publishing houses should make their books freely available on-line. Baen, not only makes makes its newest editions available on-line for modest prices (i.e. many of their electronic format books are $4 versus $8 for the paperback edition if available), it makes the complete text of most of their earily holidings available for free. Amazing, you say. Impossible, you cry. Why do they do it, you should ask. Read Eric Flint's piece, be prepared to slap your forehead and utter a resounding , "Well, of course, Duh!"

--jmc.