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Nobel Prize in Physics

July 25, 2018

Two Americans Get Nobel Prize in Physics

The Nobel Prizes announced the week of October 2nd (Medicine or Physiology,…

Sci-Fi

June 25, 2018

Donnie Darko: Metaphysics Meet 1980s Suburbia in Deliciously Complex Film

Donnie Darko is an Indie film with grand aspirations. Covering everything from…

Finance

May 18, 2018

Funding A Property Development Project

Funding a Property Development Project There are many financial resources available to…

Two Americans Get Nobel Prize in Physics

July 25, 2018

The Nobel Prizes announced the week of October 2nd (Medicine or Physiology, Chemistry, and Physics) certainly covered 3 very wide (literally) areas of study. While the prizes in Medicine and Chemistry are much more likely to produce some benefit to humanity in the immediate or near future, the work that led to the Physics prize is another step toward an explanation of why I can be sitting at my computer writing this article and you are sitting at your computer reading it.

The Physics prize was awarded jointly on Tuesday to John Mather (NASA Goddard Space flight Center) and George Smoot (University of California) for their studies regarding what is known as Cosmic Microwave Radiation (CMR). The CMR represents the remnants of the energy released during the “Big Bang,” the explosive event that gave birth to our Universe. The Big Bang Theory is the mathematical model that predicts what may have happened in the very early Universe to cause it to appear as it does today.

Using data obtained with NASA’s COBE (COsmic Background Explorer) satellite the two scientists were able to study the precise current temperature of the CMR across the entire visible Universe. Their studies produced several findings that led to Mather and Smoot’s Nobel Prize:

1. As the early Universe expanded its temperature fell at a definite rate. The mathematical model of the Big Bang predicted that this temperature would now be ~ 3o Kelvin. The results obtained by NASA satellites indicated a temperature of ~ 2.73o Kelvin, which confirmed the predicted age of the universe (~ 13.7 billion years) was correct.

2. Data obtained using the COBE satellite and the subsequently-launched WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) confirmed that, although the background radiation was detected in every direction, there were “spots” detected that were a few millionths of a degree Kelvin cooler than their surroundings. These indicate that the early Universe was not completely homogenous and that the first stars and galaxies began to form at around 350,000 years after the Big Bang.

3. The Big Bang Theory is dependent on the Theory of General Relativity (which explains gravity’s effects on the very large scale in the same way that Newton’s Laws explain gravity on a smaller scale). According to General Relativity, the Universe may exist in only 1 of 3 possible states which are in turn dependent on the amount of matter present (and hence, gravity) in the Universe. If the amount of matter is less than a certain average (called the Cosmological Constant) the Universe is shaped like a saddle. If the average density of matter exceeds the Constant then the Universe is spherically shaped. If the average amount of matter is equal to the Cosmological Constant then the Universe is flat.

The COBE and WAMP missions were used to measure the size of the previously seen “cool spots” in the Cosmic Background Radiation and, based on those measurements (as well as some very intimidating mathematics) the Universe is now felt to be flat.

The above explanations are generalizations only and are in no way intended to be definitive. For further information on the Big Bang and the Cosmic Background Radiation, log into any of the following links.

The Swedish Academy of Sciences (the group that actually “recommends” the Nobel Prize winners) has released summaries of Mather and Smoot’s research. The summary for those with limited knowledge of the Big Bang Theory can be found at this URL. A more advanced summary (for those with a university-level introduction to astronomy or better) is located here.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) maintains several web pages devoted to the Big Bang Theory and Cosmic Background Radiation.

Donnie Darko: Metaphysics Meet 1980s Suburbia in Deliciously Complex Film

June 25, 2018July 7, 2019

Donnie Darko is an Indie film with grand aspirations. Covering everything from time travel to metaphysics, it certainly does what it sets out to accomplish. With a fantastic script, a labyrinthine plot that reveals itself more with every viewing, and a cast of memorable characters, Donnie Darko is a hair short of a full-fledged masterpiece.
Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a troubled teenager who starts to notice very odd happenings. After his life is saved by visions of a giant bunny rabbit, Donnie tries to put together the pieces of what’s really going on. As he finds himself increasingly powerless over his own destructive actions, he begins to wonder if he is in fact losing his mind. What he discovers is that higher forces are really at work and that nothing it what it seems.

Donnie realizes that he is the one who needs to set things right in the grand scheme of things in order to avert a catastrophe. But at what cost?

This is a movie you’re not likely to understand the first time around. So many subtle nuances are thrown out at the viewers that often don’t reveal their purpose until later in the film. It’s frustrating, yes, but the complexity is ultimately rewarding. Donnie Darko is truly unlike any other film in terms of its pacing and use of the actors as true “actors”, pawns in a greater game over which they exert little control.

The characters are strong and intricate, drawing solid performances from unlikely actors. Drew Barrymore plays a sardonic schoolteacher and Patrick Swayze is a smarmy, perpetually positive motivational speaker. The true gems here are Gyllenhaal and Jena Malone, who plays his tormented love interest. The chemistry is real in their relationship, as is the dynamic of Donnie’s family. On the whole, Donnie Darko crackles with a vivid realism amidst its elements of science fiction.

Donnie Darko is a period piece, even though that period was not too long ago. Director Richard Kelly’s close attention to detail helps to create a very convincing vision of the late 1980s. From Donnie’s “Hobie” t-shirt to the George Bush/Michael Dukakis debates, there’s a weird genuineness to it all. Oh, and the soundtrack kicks ass too. Songs by Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen add to the bizarre sense of whimsy pervading every corner of Donnie’s dark world.

Donnie Darko is not the kind of film that comes along very often. Complex without being pretentious, it is a movie that will yield new rewards with every viewing.

Funding A Property Development Project

May 18, 2018July 7, 2019

Funding a Property Development Project

There are many financial resources available to help start one’s new project. The market for lending can seem confusing and vast, however, even for those developers who are experienced. An expert from IBN Direct provides us some information on commercial property loans, as well as property development finance.

Commercial Property Loan

A commercial property loan is secured by liens on commercial property, not on residential property. A commercial property loan is for real estate that will be producing income and used exclusively for the purpose of business. Examples of these kinds of businesses are office complexes, apartments, hotels and retail centers. Usually, the one doing the investing buys the commercial property. At this point, they lease out the space and then collect the rent from the businesses that are performing business within that specific property. The financing for these kinds of acquisitions re accomplished through commercial property loans. Commercial loans range from five years to twenty years. For these kinds of loans, it is imperative that those involved think about the collateral of the loan, the entity’s creditworthiness, and financial ratios. Important ones to consider are the debt/service coverage ratio and the loan/value ratio.

Property Development Finance

Are you building something new? Are you involved in a property conversion, or maybe just a part-build? Property Development Finance is a good option. It can provide up to seventy percent of the cost of a certain project, including the value/purchase of the property. It can also cover the purchase costs. Example of these may be legal costs, stamp duty, or even introduction fees. Design team fees can be covered, such as building regulations, insurance, and warranty. Refurbishment can be covered as well as sales and marketing and interest and fees for the loan. The term can be four months or even three years. These kind of loans are considered short term loans for property developments that are considered residential. It covers construction or projects of refurbishments. It is usually based on the gross development value, or the worth of the project after it is completed. It is then paid back in stages. The lender sends a surveyor to inspect the works and make sure that everything is within regulations in order to release the money in stages.

One of the very first questions you have to ask yourself is this: How extension is this project going to be? This is important before one applies for renovations or any kind of refurbishments for the project. It’s best to break up the thought process into three general ideas, which are light refurbishment, renovation (or heavy refurbishment), and ground-up development. Light refurbishment has its focus more on the aesthetic importance rather than the structural importance. It may involve work with walls, floors, and ceilings, however. Renovations, or heavy refurbishments, do require aesthetics as well, but it also involve electrics, some plumbing, removals of walls, addition of room and extra walls, rebuilding and even some demolition. Ground-up Development is more involved. It begins with an empty piece of land, or even with a large project that begins with the initial stonework.

Depending on what kind of project you’re planning on embarking on, one may consider a refurbishment bridge, which funds about three to twenty four months of costs associated with the building. Sometimes, you can convert these into a mortgage at a later date. For heavier projects, development finance can cover costs for the purchasing of the land and costs of the building. Ultimately, the development of property and the associated costs and financing options can seem a bit daunting. First, find out the extensiveness of the project, then how much time it will take. Figure out how much the project will cost in best case scenarios and in worst case scenarios.

High School Biology Tutorial

April 25, 2018July 7, 2019

The study of biology is the study of life. Biology covers plants, including wild trees and flowers as well as crops. Biology also includes a myriad of creatures from the tiniest insects to the largest sea creatures. It also include the study of the human body including anatomy and body mechanics. Nothing is too small to escape the study of microbiology. Environmental science looks at how different organisms from plants, animals and even microscopic life work together. Tutorials can help students integrate biology concepts both at school and at home.
Curriculum

When choosing a biology tutorial, the first thing any parent or teacher should consider is the school’s curriculum. What the student learns in the tutorial should mesh with classroom information. Start by looking at the student’s textbook. Many school text companies offer free or low cost tutorial programs online. These programs follow the textbook. The tutorial may include expanded study, self-testing, additional online resources, or even chat rooms to help the student connect with other biology students.

Format

Students can learn math or literature largely from books. But biology is different. Students need hands-on activities to understand many biological concepts. This is where the online tutorials teach more than static textbooks. After all, pictures help students understand what an organism looks like, but videos show how the organism moves. Interactive applets go one step beyond, allowing students to virtually manipulate cell parts, plants and animals. Students can virtually dissect cells, animals and plants, seeing real organ structures without harming a live plant or animal.

Fun Factor

Biology shouldn’t be boring. After all, it’s the story of how humanity interacts with the world around us. Many online tutorial programs bring that excitement into the study of biology. There are a wide range of tutorial games students play to explore biological concepts. Games allow students to crossbreed a variety of plants and animals, exploring genetic adaptation and change. Other games put the student in charge of a virtual lab as they seek specific pathogen and develop and antidote. Games give students the chance to create and maintain a working universe. Still others follow the path of last night’s dinner as it makes its way through the body.

Accessibility

Consider how the student has access to the biology tutorial. Some schools offer additional textbooks or study manuals that the student can take home and review. Other schools and parents use online resources. If the school uses a paid tutorial resource, consider whether the student has access to program from a home computer. Students may sign directly onto the website with a unique ID and password. Some schools configure their internet to allow students to sign into the school system remotely. The school’s website becomes a gateway to a wide range of tutorial programs.

Two Americans Get Nobel Prize in Physics

Donnie Darko: Metaphysics Meet 1980s Suburbia in Deliciously Complex Film

Funding A Property Development Project

High School Biology Tutorial

A new volcano on Io? Juno data indicate ‘hot spot’ on Active Moon

Two Americans Get Nobel Prize in Physics

Scientists Learn to Repair Human Bones by Studying Coral Reefs

Einstein triumphs: General relativity and Gravitational waves

Cosmic mystery deepens with conflicting measurements of Hubble constant

A new volcano on Io? Juno data indicate ‘hot spot’ on Active Moon

Two Americans Get Nobel Prize in Physics

Donnie Darko: Metaphysics Meet 1980s Suburbia in Deliciously Complex Film

Funding A Property Development Project

High School Biology Tutorial

A new volcano on Io? Juno data indicate ‘hot spot’ on Active Moon