jewel November 1st, 2009
W00t! Our weekend is 1 hour longer this weekend! I’m so happy that Daylight Saving Time is over. Not a fan. Now if only they would do away with it altogether.
Anyway, my clocks are all reset (most do so automagicly, thank goodness) and I am contemplating what to do for my extra hour of awakeness today. Hmmm…. Continue Reading »
jewel October 31st, 2009
Unfortunately, the fun pics of the Big Bad Wolf making scary gestures toward Little Red Riding Hood are on someone else’s camera, for now, so you’re stuck with this one. Still, it was fun!
Happy Halloween Everyone!
jewel October 6th, 2009
I’m probably the last person on the interwebs to see this, but I really enjoyed it and wanted to share. Carl Sagan is one of my heroes and this tribute is fitting and quite beautiful. I hope you enjoy it.
jewel September 29th, 2009
This past weekend, I traveled to Minneapolis, MN and I got to spend some much overdue time with my mom and all my siblings. It was a fantastic time and I cannot express just how glad I am that all of us finally worked seeing one another into our busy schedules (all at the same time!). We talked and ate and ate and ate and played some pool and some Rock Band and even some Wii Bowling (which our mom kicked our collective butts in, I might add – Go Mom!).
We found that even though we are pretty different from one another and have been apart for many many years, we have many similarities with each other. For instance, our sense of humor – we are all absolute smart asses. Also, we are all basically introverts and tend to be shy in unfamiliar situations. Continue Reading »
jewel September 6th, 2009
I’ve had my new Palm Pre for almost a week so I thought I would write up my thoughts on this phone. My last phone was a Samsung Instinct, which I liked well enough, but as soon as I heard about the Palm Pre, I wanted one. And, I love it! Love it! Love it!
In my internet meanderings, I’ve often seen rabid Mac fanboys and fangirls bashing the Pre as an iPhone wannabe. I doubt most of them have even seen a Pre, much less used one. I’ve got one thing to say to them — get over it. The iPhone, while a cool device, isn’t the only game in town anymore. And frankly, I’m glad – competition does everyone good. I don’t have anything against the iPhone, it’s actually a very cool device and was an innovative gadget. But, unfortunately, it’s exclusive to AT&T, I’m really not fond of them. Honestly, though, after spending 5 minutes with an iPhone and then 5 minutes with the Pre, I like the look, the feel and the usability of the Pre better anyway. You may not and that’s fine with me. It all comes down to what you like. Continue Reading »
jewel July 20th, 2009
Is it 20 July 2009 already?!? Where does the time go?
I took my first breath 10 months after Apollo 11 touched down on the moon, so I obviously do not remember that momentous event. Still, when I learned about it in school my imagination soared. We had already been to the moon — where would we go next? Well, sadly, humans haven’t ventured that far again – yet anyway – but with machines we’ve built, we’ve reached so much further and learned so much more and there is no end in sight.
Thank you Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, Jr., and everyone who made Apollo 11 possible and inspiring generations of children. Whether you believe it or not, you are heroes.
jewel July 18th, 2009
Last night a I and a group of friends were having a conversation (sometimes argument or debate) about what science is and what constitutes proof. It kind of went in circles for a while, but I enjoyed the process none the less. One of the group, who is actually pretty scientifically literate, made a statement that I knew to be false, but I couldn’t really explain the difference at the time. He said that in science a theory, once proven, became a law. I knew that was not right.
Today, I decided to do some Googling and find the answer and commit it to memory for next time. In short, scientific laws are a description of an observation. Laws don’t tell you why or how something happens, though. That is where theories come in. A theory is the real meat of science, explaining the observed phenomena. If anything, a theory actually holds more weight than a law because the theory actually explains what is happening. And a theory never becomes a law.
Here are a few websites that go into a bit more detail on this:
Scientific Laws, Hypotheses, and Theories – The Scientific Method
Scientific Laws and Theories
Scientific Law Wiki
Not Just a Theory
jewel July 11th, 2009
Last night, we went to see Video Games Live at Wolf Trap. It was a really cool show! It featured the National Symphony Orchestra who gave a flawless performance.
We got tickets on the lawn so that we could bring our cooler and snacks and beer. Took some camping chairs so we wouldn’t have to sit on the ground. We got there about 90 minutes prior to the show and we had our picnic and a beer and then sat back to enjoy the show. And good stuff it was. Continue Reading »
jewel June 26th, 2009
At least I hope not. Actually, I hope nothing important happens in the next few weeks because it will be completely overshadowed by the death of Michael Jackson. Maybe this sounds callus, but I’m not really sad that he died. I’m not dancing with joy or anything, but I’m not sad. I have no desire to listen to his music non-stop or watch the – no doubt – endless tributes on the television or even read very much on the internet. Except the autopsy report when that’s complete. That I’ll read. It’ll at least be new. Continue Reading »
I’m Jewel. Welcome to my little corner of the intertubes. Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to take a look around, say hi, or whatever.
