All posts by Richard

Newspapers of the World

Uncategorized

Would you like to read today's newspaper front page from …

  • Vilnius, Lithuania
    (or)
  • Mumbai, India
    (or)
  • Duluth, Minnesota
    (or)
  • The Big Apple (New York City)

Well … you can via Newseum! Use an easy graphical user interface to browse by geography … zooming in and out to focus upon specific cities … and then click and voila!

  • Your front page loads
    (and)
  • You may download a hi-res pdf version via a top right corner link!

The cost to you? Nothing … it's free (and cool). You may also explore back issues. Click to expand the image given below to better understand the user interface. I've also included a sample of the hi-res version … today's paper from my home town of Duluth, Minnesota. Enjoy the photo and story of timber wolves on Lake Superior.

Vilnius

Who Owns the USA? Perhaps China?

Uncategorized

For my readers who are United States of America citizens, you need to read this interview (page 1 | page 2) conducted by the Financial Times with the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao. Our government is running the printing presses non stop to print money to cover our increased spending. Should China ever insist on repayment of all the US Treasuries they own, it would make America's present economic difficulties seem trivial.

Although this issue should be important to everyone, given my involvement in building schools in rural China, it hits home.

One-dollar

Rose-Hulman Engineers at Work!

College Search

I know there are great reasons why I am paying HUGE amounts of tuition to Rose-Hulman for my son to obtain his engineering degree … because…

  1. Rose-Hulman has maintained their top ranking from US News.
    .
  2. Like any good Minnesotan, I always wanted a Hoosier in the family.
    .
    but the real reason is …
    .
  3. The obvious engineering design skills he is learning!

(click to maximize any image of the engineers at work … and the finished product)

Rose-8
Rose-3
Rose-1

Legos … Young Engineers at Work!

Legos

I've been remiss in not posting upon one of my favorite subjects, Legos! After all … it all began with Legos. As the former six year veteran coach of Super Nerds In Pink, I understand just how important Legos have been and will be to the future of America (and the world). My boys (not just my own children, but the team) have spread out to some of this country's top schools; most of them are majoring in engineering!

I can remember the days when my own children were between the ages of three and five. Dad and children would be down in the floor playing with Duplos. My son Carl and I built some great ferry boats. Karen introduced me to Legos and Barbie. Erik as he moved on in elementary school introduced me to Lego Mindstorms.

This relationship is now reviewed by a MIT professor, Sherry Turkle. She has written the book, "Falling for Science" (download a sample chapter). In the book she reviews what caused many of her former MIT students to becoame interested in science. While Legos are not the only reason her students got interested in science, it is a common theme. Take just a couple of minutes and listen to the National Public Radio Falling for Science Discussion. It's a fun discussion and makes you realize how important is the subject of intelligent play.

Just so you don't think that this topic is only being discussed on one side of the Atlantic Ocean. In February, the top engineering society in the United Kingdom had a similar discussion. Here is a link to my favorite article.

What got you interested in science? Post a comment and let the other readers know. There is no wrong answer to this question. In my own case, it involved my Legos, a Marble Machine Computer which calculated in Base 2, and Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.

Gemini_6_7