Diary of a science nerd

Sorting through my emails recently i came across one from The Planetary Society encouraging recipients to send a list of "personal milestones" in their interest in space travel and research.
That got me to thinking; How far back in my life could i trace my interest in science and space and what were the milestones and who were the people responsible for making me a science buff?

Looking back through the years the earliest thing i could remember was the TV show "Watch Mr Wizard". I probably first encountered the show sometime around 1956 at the age of 6. As i recall our first TV was an Emerson with about a 10" black and white (actually more like shades of snowy grey) screen. My earliest memory of Mr Wizard is filtered through this modest exposure. A tiny, not very distinct image of a man showing children how to do interesting experiments in basic science. 

I was instantly, it seems, smitten with the idea of doing science experiments on my own! It wasn't long before i was mixing water and baking powder to make "volcanoes" and "submarines". Then i found out about the reaction between acids and alkalies and turned to baking soda and vinegar concoctions. Mr Wizard got me interested in microscopic animals (protozoans) and soon i was pestering my mom for a microscope (which she happily indulged me in). I looked at everything through it; grains of sugar and salt, household items (cloth, paper and food), blades of grass (you could see chloroplasts!) and then i began looking at water sampled from local ponds and streams. I think my first protozoan was a rotifer. How amazing that something so small could actually be alive!

As i got more into science, there came a series of Gilbert chemistry sets followed by a program my mom subscribed to in which i was sent lab equipment and a list of experiments to perform every month. I'd spend endless hours in a spot reserved for me in the back of my mother's kitchen building steam reaction motors and learning about oxidation and other chemical reactions. I think i tested virtually every conceivable liquid with litmus paper! A considerable amount of time was spent looking at nutrient agar cultures under the microscope. I learned atomic theory and was building atoms and molecules out of coloured snap-together beads by about the age of ten. As a sort of shy and awkward child, this was just geek heaven to me! Mom also bought me youth science books. I had the entire series of "All About" books which gave me an introduction to everything from dogs to dinosaurs to nuclear energy. I searched for fossils (and found some!) in my own back yard. I began taking science books out at the school library. One of my favourites was "Animals Without Backbones", a wonderful book full of annelids and protozoans!

At some point during all of this, i became aware of space....Planets and stars and rockets.....and that the Moon was actually a place you could go to and stand on if you had the right equipment! My first real memory of space science came from a book (the name of which i can't recall) by Willie Ley. In it were pictures of rockets and space stations; Proper space stations that rotated like wheels causing the illusion of gravity! There were artist's concept pictures of the surfaces of the Moon and Mars and other planets ....and beautiful galaxies full of stars and nebulae! The whole thing was almost a religious experience! I began reading about space and then became aware of science fiction which further opened up the door to my imagination. Could we actually travel to the stars in my lifetime?!

I began building my own primitive rockets. The first were fueled by match heads. I'd roll up aluminum foil around a pencil to form a tube....fold over and crimp one end and then stuff it full of clipped match heads. Then i'd stick a match in the open end and squeeze it shut to keep the "fuel" in. Ignition was achieved by heating the tube with a match or alcohol lamp until the contents lit off. I was able to achieve only about a couple of yards of flight in this manner. Later i found out that you could make black powder using certain chemicals (oxidants) mixed with charcoal and sulfur. The charcoal came from ground up barbecue briquettes and the sulfur from powdered sulfur my mom kept in the medicine chest. The oxidant was a bit more problematic as i couldn't think of any household item that would do the job. I ended up asking my mom to pick up some chemicals for me at the drug store near where she worked. I gave her little jars with labels on them for the druggist to fill. Potassium Chlorate was my choice for the rocket fuel because i'd read somewhere that it was a good oxidant. She returned one night with my supplies, handed them to me and said, "Are you making bombs?". She said the druggist told her that Potassium Chlorate could be used to make bombs. I assured her that i wasn't (i was making rockets!) and that seemed to satisfy her. The rocket business was somewhat curtailed by the lack of suitable rocket tubes (i was still using aluminum foil tubes) and i soon tired of it and moved on to experimenting with small model airplane engines (mostly the Cox .049). I built air-frames out of balsa wood and experimented with different fuels with varying results (mostly crashed planes and seized engines).

In the sixth grade our class took a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York city (dinosaurs!) and The Hayden Planetarium where i actually got to touch the Willamette meteorite! The AMNH was another one of those science epiphanies in my life. I'd never seen so much awesome stuff! Everything was there! Space, nature, paleontology, archaeology, ancient history....It was like being in my own special church!

As the 1960s continued i was becoming aware of things like the X-15 and Sputnik...and that got me interested in NASA...and then we sent men into Earth orbit, and finally to the Moon! 

By middle school i didn't even have to study science at school because i'd already done all of that. But the teachers didn't like to call on pupils during class that already knew the answers so very little encouragement came from them. At any rate, by the time i got to high school i'd become bitten by Beatlemania and had transferred all my energy to playing drums in rock bands and science went by the wayside. By the time i graduated, with somewhat less than college entry level grades, i'd lost interest in all but the forthcoming series of Moon landings.

Although i remained a fan of science fiction, it seemed like my interest in science and space had waned to almost the point of disinterest for about ten years....and then i had another epiphany! Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" series tuned me back in to the wonders of the Universe and reignited my interest in space. I began buying books and magazines (Discover) and actually became a member of The Planetary Society for a couple of years. Sagan was a joy to listen to and i bought a number of his books. I discovered Isaac Asimov and his prodigious number of science and science fiction stories and books. To this day, Sagan and Asimov remain my biggest inspirations in science and science fiction.
When our first daughter came, i delighted in visiting museums and dinosaur exhibits with her and explaining about ancient and extinct life forms. We became regulars at the Catskill Game Farm which she enjoyed so much that we actually had to wait for her to fall asleep so we could leave! I'd passed along the science bug to my kid, who went on to become a paleontologist and science educator.

Today i still like to keep up with current science...and especially space science. I watch every SpaceX launch and enjoy all the revelations that come from the various probes and rovers. People like Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Carolyn Porco (Cassini imaging) are recent inspirations. I am, however, somewhat disappointed that we didn't follow through with manned space flight for the last 40+ years. I always thought by now we'd have colonies on the Moon and people on Mars. Maybe the next generation will get it done?

                                         https://youtu.be/moa-ies4bPw

The ending of G+

By now we all know that G+ will come to a screeching halt on April 2, 2019. Many Plussers are scrambling to save content (not a problem for me...i have nothing worth saving there) and searching for the next soc-med platform on which to continue their rants and ruminations and build up their "following" (another problem i don't have).

For me social media isn't a pressing need. It's there and i use it, but most of the time it's just a magnet for controversy. I usually show up at G+ almost daily to find a handful of acquaintances and an army of blue-head trolls and angst-ridden conspiracy theorists (Left and Right wing inspired) ready to confront literally any rational statement. I don't think this is uncommon in any social media, so i don't blame G+ specifically...it just seems to be human nature. I don't expect that whatever (if anything) replaces it will any better or worse.

I didn't come to G+ to establish a following or create a cult of personality....In fact i don't even know what made me use it to begin with. I don't care if i have one "follower" or 3k. I didn't know anyone there when i came. It was just sort of an amusement that took the place of Twitter when i left there. I can't say i'm sorry to be off Twitter either. Twitter, once a great place for debate and sharing, has become a wasteland of unfiltered hogwash and combative acrimony....a place where the absolute worst elements of society get to have their 140 words of fame.
...Needless to say, i won't be returning there.

I've been frequenting Facebook for some time. The difference there being that i know personally just about all of the people i interact with. I have to admit it can become pretty tense when you have to deal with friends and family who are prone to prejudice, misinformation and Trumpism....but such is the world we live in. The  2016 election and the vindication of extreme Right-wing ideology that came with it has brought all of the bigots, racists, fascists, conspiracy theorists and so-called "Libertarians" out of the closet. It was somewhat of a rude awakening for me....but also a pleasant surprise in some instances. The people i knew in the past to be bigots still hadn't gained any more understanding of their fellow man over the years, but some people i thought were likely to lean Right actually turned out to be Progressives!

I will neither celebrate nor mourn the going of G+.....I don't believe it ever really lived up to its potential anyway. The few people there who i've interacted with positively can look me up on Facebook or Youtube if they like...or not. I know Facebook is supposed to be one of the great Liberal Satans (along with Amazon, McDs, Starbucks and literally any corporate or financial entity larger than a lemonade stand), but internet access comes at a price, and any social media is going to have its flaws.

Posting and defending your opinions publicly as yourself (not using an assumed name or handle) has its drawbacks. Confronting people you know personally will cause tension and often resentment. It won't likely make you popular with everyone. But if your convictions are genuine, you'll retain them no matter where you go. No one said it would be easy....

Another Rant...

Ok.  I guess i'm headed for another rant.
This one is (again) on speaking up and making choices.

In today's political climate and ethical crises, there are going to be people who you disagree with vehemently. Most disagreements are subjective in nature. That is, they are a matter of personal taste or predisposition. So there are bound to be a lot of them (opinions are like noses, everybody has one). But there are situations when an opinion is incorrect at its very core, when it causes damage to others, and/or when it denies the proof that is evident in reality. As the old saying goes; "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts".

When you are faced with a situation on Facebook, in other social media or perhaps in personal contact where a friend or family member deviates from what you would consider to be a sensible opinion, you are given a choice; If the subject of the opinion is frivolous and causes no harm (like who their favourite band is or how to properly cook a burger or whether there should be a stop sign down on the corner) then i'd suppose the best thing is to have a lighthearted discussion and, if necessary, agree to disagree.

But what if that opinion will affect peoples' lives? What if it would cause death or injury to someone....or some group of people? Suppose the opinion denies what we observe of the world around us? Suppose it's based upon lies or ignorance? Is it then not important to dispute it? What if it were to go unchallenged and became the general consensus?  Wouldn't injustice and dangerous delusion be the result? So, aren't some opinions so inherently wrong that the argument cannot end with "we agree to disagree"?
What then?

Well, i suppose one could just walk away from the confrontation and hope it will resolve itself....or occupy oneself with other distractions so as to ignore it. That certainly is the path of least resistance. It causes less stress initially. But wouldn't we be just kicking the snowball down the road? Sooner or later these ideas will gain mass and momentum as a result of that lack of resistance. As they do they become more difficult to displace until the lies and ignorance are so entrenched that they cannot be disputed effectively. If these misconceptions are sufficiently harmful they will cause loss and destruction and set humanity back to the days when ignorance ruled the world.....when science and the demand for human rights were punished as crimes and abominations.

So lets assume you become a party in one of these discussions. Let's pick white supremacy as an example: Your buddy Joe is a white nationalist. He's constantly posting stuff in social media and commenting about the supremacy of white Europeans and openly denounces all nonwhites and Jews. You may have confronted him about this and it makes no difference...he persists in his delusions no matter....maybe even becomes abusive in his argument. What now? You could just ignore it as if it's not happening. You could hope he sees the light and reforms over time. You could continue to  confront him about it......Or you could just call it quits and cut him off from contact as a friend.

Since these people tend to fall in with others who believe as they do, reformation is not likely. There is constant reinforcement within the group. Joe will most likely be a racist 'til he dies. So you can either accept him and the racism along with him or decide to take a stand and hope your dissatisfaction will leave an impression. This last option, if done often enough, sends the message that society will not tolerate lies, hatred and willful ignorance. If a person wants to be generally accepted, they will need to be sensible and ethical.....or they will lose the people they care about as friends and associates. This is a tough thing to do, i know. It often ends up in hard feelings and you may lose a person who has been important to you in your life. But the only other option is to give positive reinforcement to bad behaviour and, in so doing, ensure its persistence.

Have you noticed all of the fruitcakes who have come out since Trump was elected? The climate change denialists, religious fanatics, racists, homophobes, misogynists, antisemites....the people intolerant of the poor, the gun nuts with their armory of death? Why do you suppose this is? It's because it appears to them that society has vindicated their erroneous and harmful beliefs and opinions. It has become socially acceptable to be anti-social, anti-science and anti-reality. Is this really something we wish to encourage and perpetuate? I'd say the logical options are to openly oppose and, if necessary, make the ultimate statement by cutting off emotional support for those who continue in their harmful ways. It's not a matter of intentionally hurting them. It's saying "no" to behaviour that will ultimately do harm to them and others.

The latter is a big step and won't be suitable in all cases. It's a judgement call. Sometimes debate is really the best recourse. It's hard to influence someone you don't interact with and there are times  when the association is something you don't want to (or are unable to) terminate for good reasons.  But occasionally, when all else fails, drastic measures are all that's left.
Hopefully, one won't find this necessary in most situations.

Why?

I've been asked; Why do i argue against the Trump presidency? What's the point? What good does it do?
Well...
The reason why is because this Republican administration is attempting to destroy all we've accomplished over the last hundred years. Workers' rights to collective bargaining, civil rights, women's rights, environmental regulations, public schools, ending unnecessary wars...even science, are under attack by these people. 
There are also ethical reasons to oppose the Trump regime; The lies, the racism and misogyny; The crass disregard for basic humanity.....literally snatching babies and toddlers from families who are seeking asylum. This dystopian government has become the darling of fascists, racists and religious fanatics who want to further disenfranchise minorities and women. 
Look at the organizations who support it; the KKK, American Nazis and the white supremacists of the Alt Right. I know Trump has made some lame efforts to distance himself from these groups, but his actions don't reflect his words. This is a dysfunctional...one might even say evil, administration which will drag us back to the bad old days of Jim Crow, the robber barons and science denial. They antagonize our adversaries and alienate our allies. They lie and cheat and tell you that what you see with your own eyes isn't true.
What's the point? The point is that people fought, died and were beaten and arrested to achieve the freedoms and the advances we have gained over the last century. This didn't all happen so some fascist oligarchy led by a game show host could undo it with a scribble of his pen. Something needs to be said or this will become the new norm in the USA. Freedom requires participation and participation includes speaking up.
The good it does is that by speaking out, be it in person or on social media, we add our voices to the cause of reason, justice and good social ethics. Staying silent is what Trump and Republicans want you to do. While they spread their lies, hatred and vitriol, they'd like for us to remain quiet. That's why you'll be told over and over to shut up. You'll be cursed out, ridiculed and told that you don't matter. You'll be encouraged not to vote because it makes no difference since "both parties are the same".
....but this isn't what they're doing. Republicans are speaking out in their groups, plotting their next moves and voting in elections even as they tell you not to. 

     So, keep up the pressure. Hold people accountable for their actions and words and don't back down from criticism and bullying. Equality, reason and social justice in America didn't evolve at the point of a gun.....they came as a result of people speaking out and demanding them. 

What are we doing?

......So it's the year of the Congressional mid term elections. What have Democrats been doing?

I don't think it's a secret to anyone that if "we" don't reform this Congress, we'll be at the mercy of every racist, homophobe, warmonger and misogynist in the country for at least two (and maybe six) more years. Barring some kind of political miracle where both Donald Trump and Mike Pence are impeached for eating babies, we're in this until we vote our way out. 

So what will that take?
It will take solidarity from Democrats. They'll have to find some common ground and pick candidates that will at least suit most of their basic ideology. So we might not get Medicare for all or a $15 minimum wage this year, but we can build towards that goal. That's what we were doing during the Obama administration...and then Democrats lost Congress in the mid terms. See how that went? Six years of a Progressive President who couldn't accomplish anything except by executive orders which are now being easily overturned with a stroke of Donald Trump's pen.

Look, i understand that some people hayyyyyted Hillary and that Bernie looks like an old white guy, but look at where we are now. Every day more civil rights are lost, more environmental protections are done away with, more social programs are discontinued. Global warming is being denied at the highest levels, religion is becoming law. Racism and intolerance are increasingly being accepted. How much longer can we allow this to go on?

Is it worth it to hang on to the acrimonious, mostly Russian and Republican inspired attitudes that prevailed among Democrats in the last election? DC has been reduced to a festering rat hole of fascists and morons. Shouldn't we get down to throwing the bad guys out of town and worry about the details later?

I'm going to make a plea....
If you're any kind of Progressive, PLEASE get out and vote for whoever it takes to end this. Maybe they won't be your first choice, but it WILL make a major difference in your life and the lives of those you care about. This might be the most important mid term election you will ever vote in......make it count!

Happy Holidays!

Yes, Happy Holidays to Everyone!
        It's that time of year again when we all wish each other happiness, joy and prosperity. Why leave anyone out? Last time i looked i had friends and family that were Christian (various denominations), Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Atheist and i think there's even a Hindu. Why would i snub them at this most peaceful and important time of the year? Why would anyone want to do that?
Donald Trump says that, "we can finally say 'Merry Christmas' again"...but haven't we always been able to say that?  Why would i wish someone a Merry Christmas when i know they celebrate Kwanzaa? Isn't that rude and insensitive? I hope Americans will get to the point one day where we accept that we're all equal but different. 
Until then....

The Trump Collusion Conundrum

People are very angry....
As the media continue to speculate and Trump continues to chant, "no colloosian, no colloosian", one thing seems likely; Trump himself will probably never be found guilty of anything. Flynns may rock and cronies may roll, but we are most likely stuck with "President" Trump for the next 3 years.

First of all, The Donald didn't win the election because of Russia. He won because 63m people bought into his bullshit. He won because Democrats would rather have a pissing match with each other than unite around a common cause....and he won because damn near half of American voters were too lazy to walk away from their couches and TVs long enough to cast a ballot.

So now, after the fact, they want to fix things. They tried contesting the vote count, invoking the Emolument Clause, crying sexual misconduct, Russian collusion and impeachment...But none of this is going to amount to a hill of beans. We own this loser for at least the next three years.

My email is filled every day with pleas to "sign this petition to impeach Trump (and please give us $5)". Where does all this money go? It likely goes to people who plan new ways to ask for more money! Since when do we have to pay for our democracy? You want to defeat Trump? VOTE! Vote against him...Tell everyone you know to vote against him. We're stuck with Orange Mussolini for three more years...let's try not to make it seven.