Last July I started my Engineering Blog Quest (original post and it's six updates). My goal was to identify blogs run by individuals which focused upon technology … without trying to sell you anything. In other words … folks like myself who were participating in the world of Web 2.0 with the simple goal of furthering knowledge. I have posted my results / links to the Engineering Learning Wiki.
My goal with this post is to demonstrate that corporations can have engineering / technology blogs that are "soft sell" and provide useful information. Here are two excellent examples:
Pond Hockey … I grew up visiting the neighborhood skating rink in the Winter, and bicycling over to a sandlot for pick-up baseball games every Summer afternoon. This freedom allowed me to have fun and learn how to try things I would never had done in a formal practice. We need to give our kids this kind of freedom again. Here in America, we over-schedule children. Watch this excerpt from the Pond Hockey documentary … you will learn what I mean. Minnesota is home to the U.S. Pond Hockey Championship.
Thomas Friedman says " The World Is Flat". I say, Not! It is a hodge podge world. Interpretations of where we are heading is not easy … thus whether you are in Bethesda or Bangalore, watch my short video (4 minutes). Using population and natural resource data from the University of Sheffield's WorldMapper combined with music from the Renaissance, I try to raise some issues. It is "Western" viewpoint that the Age of the Renaissance was an "Age of Enlightenment". At that same time, "Eastern Thought" regarded the West as Barbarians! My thanks to the Virtual Byrd Choir.
High-Res Powerpoint Version With Links: PPT | MP3 (download both files) (files must be in the same folder … the slide show is automated )
Here are three screenshots from my Presentation (click upon to view full sized) … .
And my video … obtain a higher resolution view by clicking upon the four small arrows next to the word "vimeo" in the player found below.
As some of you know, I have a ski injury (broken thumb and torn ligament). This past weekend, quite by chance, I met Dr. Ralph Bovard who is the Chief Medical Officer of Exos Corporation … a small medical start-up company. Dr. Bovard was a fellow competitor at a recent cross-country ski race. He saw my problem and offered to help. As it turns out his company has a new product line, moldable casts, which are about to be introduced to the American marketplace. Quite simply, the foam cast is heated to 200 degrees and then cools to fit and protect the person's injury. However, this technology allows one much more freedom … and in my case … the ability to ski with not one, but two poles! Better yet, given the Northstar Nerd lives in Minnesota, I can fit this cast UNDER a glove. Warm hands are happy hands!
In the interests of full disclosure, EXOS has provided me two casts at no charge. I have agreed to provide their company feedback during my training and the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race. I have received no compensation, and have no investment position in EXOS. I am just an injured skier who still wants to compete this year. Thank you, Exos and Dr. Bovard!
Post Updates:
Jan. 2010: Bad fall re-injures thumb .. back in an EXOS cast .. more later
Dec. 2009: Check out MinnSki (Nordic Skiing in Minnesota)
If you do software development, you owe yourself a trip to Stack Overflow … both for the blog and the podcast. After all, any blog that introduces me Bug Bash Cartoons definitely understands this domain. Make certain you click upon the cartoon to view it full sized! I have added Stack Overflow to the Engineering Learning Wiki.