Scramjet-Powered --- Now That's Fast

NASA's X-43A project has the goal of flying an unmanned "scramjet-powered" experimental aircraft up to Mach 10.....that over 7,000 miles per hour.

The most recent record-setting flight by an X-43A was November 16, 2004. On this flight, the aircraft reached nearly Mach 9.8.

The website devoted to this NASA mission, and the development and testing of the X-43A, is available here.

You'll find a wide array of facts and figures along with video of the take-offs and flights. Cool.

Santa Needs This Web Page

ToySafety.net is a project of the National Association of State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs). Here you'll find resources about 1) consumer tips to help parents choose appropriate and safe toys; 2) lists of potentially unsafe toys; and 3) annual reports and findings of the group (this year's version: Trouble In Toyland: The 19th Annual Survey of Toy Safety -- fully downloadable as a .pdf)

Information every Santa (and Santa friend) should know!

Science -- Up To The Minute

If tracking the newest and best in Science keeps you on the edge of your seat, consider making ScienceDaily Magazine the homepage of your browser.

Here's a place that keeps track of the news in science (it's updated every 15 minutes) and provides you the links you need to stay on the cutting edge of scientific discoveries.

You'll be one of the first to know!

All You Ever Needed To Know About Christmas Trees

I know that by posting this today, I'm probably contributing to the seeming earlier and earlier onset of Christmas-related information, advertising, music, etc., etc., etc., before Turkey Day. But I thought this information might be helpful as the time nears when so many of us make the trek out to local lots or local mountain sides to pick out the family tree.

From the University of Illinois Extension comes a web site dedicated to "all you need to know about Christmas trees."

Try Christmas Tree Facts & More. 'Tis the Season!

Plimoth Plantation

Yes, that's apparently how it was originally spelled. Now known as Plymouth, Plimoth Plantation is a recreation of the settlement in Plymouth back in the days of the first colonists who braved the sea voyage and made their way to the new land.

You can visit a replica of the Mayflower and walk into a village that takes you back to 1627. People dressed in costumes of the period will great you and help you get a glimpse into the life of those early immigrants to our shores.

Plimoth Plantation also has some online activities that are interesting. With our own 2004 version of Thanksgiving right around the corner, go to the You Are The Historian site which will take you back to the first Thanksgiving and where you can meet some of the settlers and the Wampanoag people. Learn of the culture of both and even speculate about what food was eaten and what games the kids played.

The Narrows Bridge Came Tumbling Down

As someone who grew up in Tacoma, WA, the suspension bridge associated with my hometown -- The Narrows Bridge -- was something I held in awe. We traveled that bridge often. It seemed so huge, carrying us at such a height over the water below, and its towers and cables seemed so enormous. Like the Golden Gate (which we usually felt was somehow inferior to our own bridge), some people took their life by leaping off the bridge and into the chilly, fatal water.

The Narrows Bridge was also notorious, of course, because the original version, referred to at the time as "Galloping Gertie" because it tended to move when the wind rose, completely fell apart during a storm. The date was November 7, 1940. By 1950 the bridge I knew was finished and cars were once again able to cross the waterway.

Assembled by the University of Washington Library, there is an online exhibition that retells the story of that original bridge with pictures and historical information. You can see the rebuilding effort, too.

For a "blast" from the past, visit History of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Clinton Presidential Center and Library

Former President Clinton's Presidential Library and Center opens its doors to the public today with a dedication ceremony. In attendance, aside, of course, from Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton, were the current President Bush, the former President H.W. Bush, former President Carter, and the guest of honor, President Clinton.

I have not explored the online presence of Mr. Clinton's new facility, but the potential is there to access many items from his years as president. My understanding is that he has decided to make a number of documents from his administration public long before they are required to be made available.

Library of Congress -- An Important Slice Of Its History

From the American Memory project at the Library of Congress -- Freedom's Fortress: The Library of Congress 1939-1953

This site "tells the history of the Library of Congress during a particularly important period ...[when] the Library underwent a myriad of changes that established the institution as one of
America's foremost citadels of intellectual freedom." Search and browse thousands of images representing memoranda, letters, photographs, and other resources. Offers biographical sketches of key figures such as Archibald Macleish and Luther Harris Evans.

The Pen IS Mightier Than The Sword

The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights are documents from our past that are at the very core of what we are as a nation.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has online exhibits dedicated to each of these foundational documents that enshrine our values of freedom, respect, the "pursuit of happiness", and the rule of law.

Under the umbrella title of The Charters of Freedom -- A New World Is At Hand", there are separate exhibits for:

The Declaration of Independence
The Consitution of the United States
The Bill of Rights

Other historical information covering events leading up to and following the writing and signing of these national commitments is also included. In each case, there are many images available that allow you to view the original documents and see drawings and paintings of the figures who fought for these landmarks in our country's history.

Awe-inspring.

The National Toy Hall Of Fame

An online site sponsored by the Strong Museum in Rochester, N.Y., the National Toy Hall Of Fame is a delightful site where you can catch up on the toys that have made it to this elevated level.

You'll probably find one of your favorite toys here, along with information about them and when they gained their popularity. Barbie is here (of course) and so is the Hula Hoop. Etch-A-Sketch has its place along with PlayDoh. Mr. Potato Head, Teddy Bear, Frisbee, and Monopoly are members of this elite group, too.

Stop by.

SPAM? SPIM? SPIT? WHAT???

Just when you thought that the increasing nuisance of e-mail spam was the primary e-mail nuisance out there, comes along news of other things to waste our time.

Check out this article from NewScientist.com that spells out how we all may soon be dealing not only with e-mail spam, but version of the same kind of nuisance but popping up in Instant Messenging and online telephony.

Looks like we're in for a long haul.

Veterans' Day

One way to acknowledge our debt to the veterans who have fought for the United States is to never forget their dedication and sacrifice .

In that spirit I offer you the site: Veterans' History Project

Hear oral histories, read correspondence, and view video recording the unbelievable commitment made by generations of United States Veterans.

Meteor or Rock?

Housed in the American Museum of Natural History is a site dedicated to information about meteors and their impact on earth and our own moon.

Called the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites, much information -- including current theories as to how our moon was created -- is included here.

Shipwrecks In The Pacific Northwest

Graveyard Of The Pacific is a site dedicated to documenting the hazards of the sea. It documents some of the shipwrecks that have occured in the area around Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

The site includes:

• Tales of Hope and Courage
• The Wrecks
• The Hazards
• Saving the Wrecks
• ...and even the Wrecks Game!

The site also has a number of videos and other resources that talk both about shipwrecks of the past and changes that have been navigating these waters more safe.

I Can See Clearly Now......Not!

In case you believe seeing is always believing, I invite you to visit Michael Bach's Optical Illusions and Visual Phenonema.

It's fun to see these various visual "illusions" demonstrated and just as fascinating to read about the how's and why's.

Seeing isn't always believing! (Keep your mouse moving or those green eyes will catch up!)

NOISE-Y Science

From the NSDL Scout Report for the Physical Sciences (November 12, 2004):

The NOISE - Bringing Science to Life (New Outlooks in Science and Engineering) website "aims to raise awareness of science and engineering among young people by making these subjects more relevant and accessible."

Funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, this fun site offers entertaining articles describing how science benefits sports, fashion, entertainment, and individuals' everyday lives. Students considering becoming scientists can read the interests and activities of many young scientists involved in the project. In the Serious Science link, users can discover valuable information about physics, chemistry, materials, and other science fields. With the help of the many creative materials offered at this website, young people are sure to become engaged in science.

A great site.

Flu Season Redux

A while back I talked about the approaching flu season and pointed out some resources at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Now, although there does not yet seem to be much of an outbreak, we are in flu season. With al the concern about the lack of flu vaccine, I thought I'd add another resource to the ones I've already noted.

Housed by the Department of Health and Human Services, click here to visit a site that tries to keep you up-to-date about the current state of the flu outbreak and measure you can take to best protect yourself from getting sick.

Our Universe

Trying to get one's head around things like the vastness of space or what the heck is a black hole is not easy.

Take a look at NASA's Structure and Evolution of Space site called: Beyond Einstein, From the Big Bang to Black Holes.

Mindbloggling.

The World of Advertising

As is true of anyone who grows up in the US, we see many hundreds of advertisement every day and probably millions over our lifespan.

I have a certain fascination with the world of advertising and have come across a museum that is dedicated to craft (some would say art) of advertising. The place I've discovered is called the William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Much more readily accessible to me out here in Washington State is their online version. An impressive museum.

All Things Physics

I'm not much of a scientist although I do consider myself at least curious about the world out there -- bugs, critters, constellations, forces for good.

The American Institute for Physics has a rich site on the Internet. I was particularly intrigued with its Center for History of Physics.

It goes without saying that physics keeps our universe -- from the tiniest atom to the most gigantic galaxy -- operating in a predictable way that allows us to live our lives in a way that we can rely on.....from the gravity that keeps us grounded to the momentum that propels us along.