Comments on: JPL the new Disneyland? http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/ Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:40:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Location, Location, Location - Asymptotia http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-63649 Location, Location, Location - Asymptotia Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:26:36 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-63649 [...] Some interesting news in the outreach mission. From time to time, Asymptotia posts get picked up by some of the local blogs of note, such as LA Observed, and that’s just great, since many things I talk about here are right at the intersection of local interest and the arts and sciences, especially education (such as talking in a local school), events such as the Categorically Not! ones at Santa Monica Airport, and issues such as the environment, in addition to the pure fun stuff, and the tasty stuff. For example, Kevin Roderick at LA Observed was kind enough to mention the posts about the Griffith Observatory (the new relaunch, and the controversy about the use of actors in the planetarium show), judging at the Science Fair at the California Science Center, as well as the post on the open day at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , and the post about cycling in the city in combination with public transportation, as an alternative to blindly using your car/SUV for most journeys. [...] [...] Some interesting news in the outreach mission. From time to time, Asymptotia posts get picked up by some of the local blogs of note, such as LA Observed, and that’s just great, since many things I talk about here are right at the intersection of local interest and the arts and sciences, especially education (such as talking in a local school), events such as the Categorically Not! ones at Santa Monica Airport, and issues such as the environment, in addition to the pure fun stuff, and the tasty stuff. For example, Kevin Roderick at LA Observed was kind enough to mention the posts about the Griffith Observatory (the new relaunch, and the controversy about the use of actors in the planetarium show), judging at the Science Fair at the California Science Center, as well as the post on the open day at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , and the post about cycling in the city in combination with public transportation, as an alternative to blindly using your car/SUV for most journeys. [...]

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-47723 Clifford Thu, 24 May 2007 21:27:15 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-47723 Hi Ned! (<a href="http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46705" rel="nofollow">Comment #7</a> which had been lost in the spam purgatory) I can't believe I missed you at the WISE display! I'm very sorry. I think I may have been distracted or something. Actually I sort of think I remember doing a double take at someone (probably you) while I was in line but then second guessing myself and thinking that maybe they were not familiar after all... then before I could re-check, they'd started answering some questions of a couple of people and I thought I would not disturb them... I'm very sorry. I think you looked right at me too. I hope you don't think I was being rude... I was merely distracted. Yes, I thought the WISE-in-a-box handout was a good idea. Unfortunately, I lost mine soon after I took that snap of it.... Cheers, -cvj Hi Ned! (Comment #7 which had been lost in the spam purgatory)

I can’t believe I missed you at the WISE display! I’m very sorry. I think I may have been distracted or something. Actually I sort of think I remember doing a double take at someone (probably you) while I was in line but then second guessing myself and thinking that maybe they were not familiar after all… then before I could re-check, they’d started answering some questions of a couple of people and I thought I would not disturb them…

I’m very sorry. I think you looked right at me too. I hope you don’t think I was being rude… I was merely distracted.

Yes, I thought the WISE-in-a-box handout was a good idea. Unfortunately, I lost mine soon after I took that snap of it….

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: mollishka http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46926 mollishka Tue, 22 May 2007 14:06:45 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46926 <blockquote>You should try it some time.</blockquote> I have! I guess I wasn't clear... on the east coast we just hear about how smoggy LA is, so my first time in the area, I was surprised that there was both smog <i>and</i> nature ;-) But the air is quite nice in the mountains up north of Pasadena.

You should try it some time.

I have! I guess I wasn’t clear… on the east coast we just hear about how smoggy LA is, so my first time in the area, I was surprised that there was both smog and nature ;-) But the air is quite nice in the mountains up north of Pasadena.

]]> By: Quasar9 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46837 Quasar9 Tue, 22 May 2007 07:02:21 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46837 Could be, would be, should bee! Could be, would be, should bee!

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46768 Clifford Mon, 21 May 2007 21:00:18 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46768 While LA county has a long way to go in improving its air quality (yes, it is still one of the worst metropolitan areas), I have to say that you sound very much like the people I've heard before on this subject who lived in LA a while back (native angelenos and non-natives alike)... their memories of the truly terrible smog days that are behind us are polluting their perception of the reality of what it is like now, and they reach for the (with all due respect) frankly tiresome cliché that there's all this smog to be found all year around. (Then the myth gets perpetuated, like so many otherrs....) We are at that time of year that there is a huge bank of moisture that accumulates overnight, making it overcast (and nicely moist for the benefit of lots of native plants) for a while, and then burns off by the afternoon... this should be well-known to you. Sometimes it lingers well into the afternoon, and never burns off entirely. There are remnants of it in the lower parts of the mountains, such as the direction I am looking in in the photograph. It has <em>nothing </em> to do with smog. (You get the same phenomenon all along the coast along here.. I remember it from my Santa Barbara days, for example). Later in the year -certainly not May- the same body of air can get tinged with particulates, yes... and then it looks somewhat brown, as this does <em>not</em>. Then there is a serious smog component. Please try to look at this photograph as what it is... a rather beautiful scene from Nature that would look much the same as it would have 1000s of years ago before we made any significant impact on the air. It this were a picture taken in foggy hills in Scotland or New Zealand, I bet you would not have reached for the smog cliché. Cheers, -cvj While LA county has a long way to go in improving its air quality (yes, it is still one of the worst metropolitan areas), I have to say that you sound very much like the people I’ve heard before on this subject who lived in LA a while back (native angelenos and non-natives alike)… their memories of the truly terrible smog days that are behind us are polluting their perception of the reality of what it is like now, and they reach for the (with all due respect) frankly tiresome cliché that there’s all this smog to be found all year around. (Then the myth gets perpetuated, like so many otherrs….)

We are at that time of year that there is a huge bank of moisture that accumulates overnight, making it overcast (and nicely moist for the benefit of lots of native plants) for a while, and then burns off by the afternoon… this should be well-known to you. Sometimes it lingers well into the afternoon, and never burns off entirely. There are remnants of it in the lower parts of the mountains, such as the direction I am looking in in the photograph. It has nothing to do with smog. (You get the same phenomenon all along the coast along here.. I remember it from my Santa Barbara days, for example). Later in the year -certainly not May- the same body of air can get tinged with particulates, yes… and then it looks somewhat brown, as this does not. Then there is a serious smog component.

Please try to look at this photograph as what it is… a rather beautiful scene from Nature that would look much the same as it would have 1000s of years ago before we made any significant impact on the air. It this were a picture taken in foggy hills in Scotland or New Zealand, I bet you would not have reached for the smog cliché.

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46743 spyder Mon, 21 May 2007 18:56:56 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46743 <i>The smog thing is too exaggerated in people’s minds these days,</i> Well as a native angelino i have some experience with smog (and what we at the beach used to call "pog"--polluted fog) and i find it difficult to discern water vapor as a solo constituent part of the haze (http://lungaction.org/reports/sota07_table2a.html). You rightly suggested though that i wasn't there that day to be an accurate judge, and may be exaggerating the possibility that all that watervapor is free from the particulates that comprise the three most dangerous chemicals. And as i pointed out, you could see down the canyon and across to the other ridge; on a real smoggy day, you would hardly be able to see the trees in the background of the Dawn display board image. However just the other day here in the Northwest, i was jogging along and realized i was tasting that particularly odious and most detectable flavor. Indeed the local haze was not water vapor, as it often is, but wonderful pure smog. I know that experience, that taste, the cough flavor, from years of trying to function in LA in the smog. The smog thing is too exaggerated in people’s minds these days,

Well as a native angelino i have some experience with smog (and what we at the beach used to call “pog”–polluted fog) and i find it difficult to discern water vapor as a solo constituent part of the haze (http://lungaction.org/reports/sota07_table2a.html). You rightly suggested though that i wasn’t there that day to be an accurate judge, and may be exaggerating the possibility that all that watervapor is free from the particulates that comprise the three most dangerous chemicals. And as i pointed out, you could see down the canyon and across to the other ridge; on a real smoggy day, you would hardly be able to see the trees in the background of the Dawn display board image.

However just the other day here in the Northwest, i was jogging along and realized i was tasting that particularly odious and most detectable flavor. Indeed the local haze was not water vapor, as it often is, but wonderful pure smog. I know that experience, that taste, the cough flavor, from years of trying to function in LA in the smog.

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46716 Clifford Mon, 21 May 2007 15:17:55 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46716 "Well, surprising for me, since I didn’t realize that “nature” and “near LA” could be used in the same sentence without a negative." Wow. Not only is there hiking and "nature" near LA, you can hike in Nature right in the city. You should try it some time. -cvj “Well, surprising for me, since I didn’t realize that “nature” and “near LA” could be used in the same sentence without a negative.”

Wow. Not only is there hiking and “nature” near LA, you can hike in Nature right in the city. You should try it some time.

-cvj

]]> By: Ned Wright http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46705 Ned Wright Mon, 21 May 2007 14:17:26 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46705 Clifford, When did you visit the WISE display? I thought I saw you walk by while I was there 1-3 PM on Saturday but you didn't stop then. I see you got a "WISE In a Box". It seemed like a bigger crowd this year than last. The Girl Scouts were out in force as usual, and very enthusiastic. Clifford,

When did you visit the WISE display? I thought I saw you walk by while I was there 1-3 PM on Saturday but you didn’t stop then. I see you got a “WISE In a Box”.

It seemed like a bigger crowd this year than last. The Girl Scouts were out in force as usual, and very enthusiastic.

]]> By: mollishka http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46698 mollishka Mon, 21 May 2007 13:32:59 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46698 Definitely surprisingly good hiking near JPL. (Well, surprising for me, since I didn't realize that "nature" and "near LA" could be used in the same sentence without a negative.) Too bad JPL doesn't have any of those fun machines to make you feel weightless, disoriented, or like you're in a centrifuge. Then it'd be like Disneyland for Nerds, complete with rides! Definitely surprisingly good hiking near JPL. (Well, surprising for me, since I didn’t realize that “nature” and “near LA” could be used in the same sentence without a negative.)

Too bad JPL doesn’t have any of those fun machines to make you feel weightless, disoriented, or like you’re in a centrifuge. Then it’d be like Disneyland for Nerds, complete with rides!

]]> By: Jeff http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46569 Jeff Mon, 21 May 2007 02:04:01 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46569 Sorry I missed you here in my neck of the woods Clifford! Argh. I do see that you've got at least one pic of the patio near my office where I'm often sitting, with a coffee, thinking hard about satellites to measure dark energy or galactic emissions or some such stuff. And of course a Switzers hike is mandatory, and #2 on my list of frequent trips (the Arroyo Seco itself, where you'd get too if you hike all the way down from Switzers, is #1 just because it's literally outside the back yard.) We went up to Sturtevant falls today in Big Santa Anita canyon today for a wonderful hike to the falls. Gorgeous weekend to be out. Till next time, Jeff Sorry I missed you here in my neck of the woods Clifford! Argh. I do see that you’ve got at least one pic of the patio near my office where I’m often sitting, with a coffee, thinking hard about satellites to measure dark energy or galactic emissions or some such stuff.

And of course a Switzers hike is mandatory, and #2 on my list of frequent trips (the Arroyo Seco itself, where you’d get too if you hike all the way down from Switzers, is #1 just because it’s literally outside the back yard.) We went up to Sturtevant falls today in Big Santa Anita canyon today for a wonderful hike to the falls. Gorgeous weekend to be out.

Till next time,
Jeff

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46536 Amara Sun, 20 May 2007 18:29:34 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46536 P.S. The engineers at Kennedy are doing a good job of documenting the preparation of Dawn for launch. Every time I check at their <a href="http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=173" rel="nofollow">archive</a>, I see new pictures. P.S. The engineers at Kennedy are doing a good job of documenting the preparation of Dawn for launch. Every time I check at their archive, I see new pictures.

]]> By: Amara http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46535 Amara Sun, 20 May 2007 18:22:31 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46535 Cool.. I see Dawn is advertised too. What a complicated road that was, after, not one, but _two_ cancelations :-/ It wil be hard to remove Dawn from the launch pad now. To go along with your JPL and Voyager words, I offer you this story of a <a href="http://www.amara.com/vgr2/snapshots.html" rel="nofollow">A Human's First Snapshots of Another World</a>. Hope you had a great hike! Enjoy! Cool.. I see Dawn is advertised too. What a complicated road that was, after, not one, but _two_ cancelations :-/ It wil be hard to remove Dawn from the launch pad now.

To go along with your JPL and Voyager words, I offer you this story of a A Human’s First Snapshots of Another World. Hope you had a great hike! Enjoy!

]]> By: Clifford http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46527 Clifford Sun, 20 May 2007 17:39:20 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46527 That's water vapour. And rather beautiful too... The smog thing is too exaggerated in people's minds these days, compared to what it is more likely to be on a give day. Yes.. more alternative Disneylands! That is indeed my point! Cheers, -cvj That’s water vapour. And rather beautiful too… The smog thing is too exaggerated in people’s minds these days, compared to what it is more likely to be on a give day.

Yes.. more alternative Disneylands! That is indeed my point!

Cheers,

-cvj

]]> By: spyder http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46524 spyder Sun, 20 May 2007 17:23:23 +0000 http://asymptotia.com/2007/05/20/jpl-the-new-disneyland/#comment-46524 The Great Smoky Mountains, or just another smoggy day in LA??? At least you could see down the canyon and across the ridge; there is something to be said for that. Wouldn't it be great if there were more alternative Disneylands like this? More opportunities for people to actively interact with the scientific and engineering achievements of humankind? For years i used to encourage public school teachers, who lived and worked near universities, to develop connections with former students who attend(ed) those universities. Then they could arrange tours and open houses for their students to experience those creative intellectual environments (particularly the arts and sciences) guided by university students who had matriculated out of the same environments. University and college campuses can be our alternative Disneylands; perhaps they could even charge admission and raise money to defer tuition hikes??? (cough cough) The Great Smoky Mountains, or just another smoggy day in LA??? At least you could see down the canyon and across the ridge; there is something to be said for that. Wouldn’t it be great if there were more alternative Disneylands like this? More opportunities for people to actively interact with the scientific and engineering achievements of humankind?

For years i used to encourage public school teachers, who lived and worked near universities, to develop connections with former students who attend(ed) those universities. Then they could arrange tours and open houses for their students to experience those creative intellectual environments (particularly the arts and sciences) guided by university students who had matriculated out of the same environments. University and college campuses can be our alternative Disneylands; perhaps they could even charge admission and raise money to defer tuition hikes??? (cough cough)

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