Dedicated to the study of TPEN phenomena.
Hey guys! Quick blog, just gonna update everyone with news: Just came back from Hawaii! Came back on Monday night, after an awesome 8 days with some of my best friends (save for 1) and another good friend! Joe, Will, Heshan, Vince, Kathleen, Jam, Jesiree, and the rest of ya, thanks for such a great time! Must go again. MUST! There are pics on my flickr, but you can access them on my website just by going to this page: Photos
One word: AWESOME.
Anyone ever see that “thriller” called Christine? I remember seeing this movie as a kid maybe around the age of 5. As a kid (and even now to some extent) I was never too big on horror/thriller genre of film. Something to do with being brainwashed by Disney and all. At the same time, however, I (and still do most definitely) loved cars (parents got me addicted to Hot Wheels and the rest is history). So it came as no surprise that despite the movie having a car that killed people, this 5 year old still came to really enjoy it. Imagine, a car that was alive, could heal itself - in all had a soul and interacted with its owner?
Apparently the folks at BMW were thinking along the same lines because their newest concept its a step in that mentality. BMW’s new concept is called the GINA Light Visionary model. GINA stands for “Geometry and Functions in ‘N’ Adaptations”. The concept uses a “textile fabric that’s pulled taut around a frame of metal and carbon fiber wires”. This gives the effect of “skin” that can be pulled and stretched in to create openings, such as the headlamps for example which can “blink” closed and a hood that opens much like a chest giving way to a heart. Its quite an amazing accomplishment and although it probably will not make it to market in its current form (or perhaps even any form) anytime soon - it definitely struck a chord with me. I’m sure other car enthusiasts looking to bring their cars closer to being “alive” think the same.
Hey everyone! Stephen is back, and is ready to blog! I’ve been so lazy over the past couple of months, and I’ve been busy trying to be the best at some great PS3 games (which reminds me, I forgot to pick up my MGS4 Special Edition! D’OH!), including GTA4, GT5 Prologue, and GRID (awesome Codemasters game). Which reminds me, I forgot to tell everyone that my family and I are officially moving from Southern California. I know…HOW COULD IT BE? Stephen and family leaving? How crazy is that?!?!?!? Well, I guess circumstances have presented themselves that make such a move the best option. Fortunately, I don’t hope to be a stranger to everyone, and I hope I can keep in contact with everyone via Facebook, this blog page, and other means (AIM, Cell, PSN, XBOX, Wii). Furthermore, I’ll be making a continued effort to visit California at least every month, and if not, at least once every two months. I could never leave the place that I have lived for over 22 years, let alone lose all the connections and dear friends that have shaped me to who I am today! I will never be too far away (besides, I’m only up the coast, so you can even make an excuse to visit me if you’re headed to Canada!). Anyways, life has been pretty mundane, but I have achieved a new appreciation for taking care of a whole house by myself….I finally understand what my parents have been going through for countless years; tending to the yard, cleaning the bathroom, washing dishes…boring stuff that must be done in order to maintain the cleanliness that is so desired.
Actually, I’m in the airport right now while I’m writing this blog…I’m in front of my gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac), 2 hours early since the shuttle couldn’t drop me off any later than 3:50 AM (grrrrr….) , so pardon my grammar if I tend to run on; I haven’t had sleep in 30+ hours. Hopefully i’ll be sleeping on the plane, but I always hope that there is a hot girl that sits next to me and happens to talk to me (love at first sight? hahaha who knows).
Lately, I’ve been catching up on new technologies, reading up on a guy finishing his surgical residency (Atul Gawande), reading about diseases, honing my skills on writing upside down, and mastering trigonometry & geometry (c/o Mathnasium). Speaking of work, it has been oddly satisfying; it’s great to know that people I have taught are no longer failing! They are earning Cs, and even Bs! Their improvement in their math scores has been VERY drastic, to say the least (given that I’ve only been working with them for a maximum of 3-4 months). It seems that these kids are now enjoying math, and it’s awesome to see the maturity of their work increase as well. I guess you could say that I’m starting to get the feeling of how teachers might feel when they finally reach one of those difficult students and help them understand.
I’ve been watching too much TV; seriously, I think it’s starting to rot my brain. However, there have been two interesting series of late that I must mention: The Human Body - Pushing the Limits, and NASA Missions - When We Left Earth. First, the Human Body series: I watched a special on brain power, and I was mesmerized (not just because I was a Neuroscience major) at the descriptions and comparisons that the show made to what the potential of the brain really is, and I think it’s something that everyone should see to realize how much ANYONE can actually learn, and what kind of abuse your body can really take! Secondly, the NASA Special really brought out an emotional side of me that I haven’t felt since studying time travel; I guess space travel has that effect on me, especially in HD. Definitely watch it (They’re both on Discovery Channel, with NASA Special airing on Sunday Night).
Otherwise, that’s it. On a closing note, I feel proud to call myself a Southern Californian, even if I no longer live there (for now…). This diverse place has taught me so much, and it has given me so much more. I hope that the future fulfills much of the promise that Southern California always gave me. Peace!
As you all know summer started some time ago and with that, no post to ring in the season! I guess I’ll take it on myself to make the first post in a long time. So what have I missed since the last post…Jebus, is that the price of gas?! *goes back into blog hibernation ’till the market catches up*. But in all seriousness this too is too pass as our fearless webmaster has pointed out to me here.
And not a moment too soon either, its been educational figuring out I can manage roughly 320 miles per tank cruising in the Z. To that end, last month the civic actually eclipsed the F-150 as the best selling car in America. A wake up call indeed. I’m sure Tpen is owning me when it comes to millage and not only with driving skills - I heard the brew in most states if not all of them is a touch better on the millage than that 87, 89, 91 w/ additives we get in Cali.
Alright alright, enough with the petrol schpeal. I’m hoping to toss up a few more posts in the days to come and get this blog back to regularity.
Tpenology is back in session.
Hey all! Note: I’M HOME IN OC, SO CALL ME! LET’S HANG! I can’t believe I’m 22 already…ridiculous. PS3 awesomeness, then awesome Sushi from my parents, it’s a great day. I’m still in my pajamas, and I’m going to change so I can make the most out of this day. Dromo, ANYONE? Hehehe. Take care everyone, and hope to see you this week!
There are times where a person experiences something so profoundly eye-opening that they can’t explain it in words. Fortunately, this is not of those times.
This video is from the TED2008 Conference (TED = Technology. Entertainment. Design)
I love to teach others about what neuroscience is all about, and I feel that this video gives a glimpse into a world that few have had a chance to really understand. I don’t claim to understand the entirety of the nervous system, but these “lesson” blog posts will provide a brief overview into the study of the brain, and perhaps you will come to love neuroscience as much as I have.
Indeed, the brain does come in two halves - the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. They are connected via the corpus callosum, and although their functions differ, they remain structurally identical (in terms of neuronal organization). Additional notes: The left hemisphere controls the right part of the body, while the right hemisphere controls the left part of the body. They cross in the spinal cord at a point called the pyramidal decussation, where the neurons leaving the brain stem for other parts of the body switch sides. This decussation occurs near C1/C2, at the beginning of the spinal cord.
Hey everyone, I know it’s been a while. I’ve been working and semi-busy with some other things (like studying for random stuff), but it has been altogether pleasant. I recently created a fileserver for the wireless network here, and it’s working out great! I’ve had a lot of fun figuring out networking, Linux (ubuntu), and programming. It’s been a lot of fun, and here is a picture of my recent bike rental:
It’s a Dahon Speed 7 that I rented from Montlake bicycle shop near UW. I only rented it for a day, but the people at the bike shop were super friendly and gave me some great advice on finding a folding bike for a commute to the city.
Here is my setup for the Samba Fileserver:
And I made some spinach ravioli, which takes forever to clean up (because of all of the cookware), but it was worth it. It doesn’t look very appetizing, but I can guarantee that it tasted GOOD.
Anyways, that’s all from my end. I promise my next post will be more entertaining and informative, so bear with me. Now, off to work! YAY!!
