Tales From The Lab

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I just want to let all my readers know that I haven't died or anything, I've just been on vacation at summer camp, and now Virginia with my grandparents. So my next post will probably be four days from now. But I'll try to use this vacation as an opportunity to get subject matter for my next post. Also, I hope all you readers are having a happy summer as well.

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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The World Wide Web

June 18th 2009 21:32

For awhile, I've been wanting to do a short article about the world wide web. But unfortunately, it would have been nearly impossible to write a short article that gave any readers a proper understanding of how the web works. Then I found this video by CommonCraft. I don't know if you'll care for this particular style of video, but it does a good job of explaining exactly how the web works. I hope you enjoy!

The World Wide Web in Plain English

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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Wait; Pet Rats?!

June 15th 2009 00:12

Yep, you read correctly. All over, there is a growing popularity of keeping rats as pets. These are not the wild rats that cause those nasty holes in your cereal boxes. These are domestic rats bred for companionship and longevity. But why rats, not some cuter rodent like a gerbil or hamster?

Well, unlike other small rodents, rats absolutely love being handled. And since they are so intelligent, they can be taught to come when called, fetch, etc. Sometimes rats will even litter train themselves. A rat will be content to sit on your shoulder and enjoy the view, or to explore the room or your sweater. They're smart enough to complete obstacle courses you set up, and loving enough to melt your heart.

Although these sweet little guys only live 2-4 years (occasionally five), in that time, (according to owners), they will nibble a little hole into your heart and bond with you in a way you would not expect from such a frowned-upon rodent.

If you're interested in getting a rat as a pet, there are many things you should know. So I would highly recommend visiting This Site.

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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Just a little update...

June 12th 2009 01:30

I know I haven't posted for a long time; I've been out of town for a few days, and since then quite busy. But I will try to do better. Unfortunately, since it's late, I don't have time for a proper post. But I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still alive

. And I would still really appreciate if my readers would comment about topics or questions they would like me to cover.

Thanks

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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Roller Coasters

June 6th 2009 00:30

Well, I've been promising to cover the topic of roller coasters for awhile, and now, here it is! First, a little history.

The first "Roller Coaster" type rides were descended from "Russian Mountains". "Russian Mountains" were custom-made hills of ice, reinforced with wood, on which the rider would sled down a 50-degree drop. These early coasters were constructed during the 17th century, especially around St. Petersburg

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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I Need Input!

May 31st 2009 20:47

Yes, I'm still planning on talking about roller coasters, but today, I decided to do something a little different. I need all my readers to let me know what topics they would like me to cover. I would love some comments on how I could improve my blog! I would also like you to tell me what things I've covered so far that you've specifically enjoyed. I want to see lots of comments, okay? The more input I get, the better the blog gets. Thanks in advance! I look forward to seeing what everyone thinks.

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Firework Displays

May 28th 2009 00:56

Like I promised, I visited Disney and decided what to post on. Since I love fire and explosions, the obvious choice is fireworks. This may not seem like typical "engineering", but once you think abut it, you can see that pulling off a display is quite an engineering marvel. But I will try to cover a more "common" engineering feat, such as a roller coaster, later. I have seen Disney's firework displays before, and they are quite impressive. But how do they work?

Let's start with the actual firework shell. A very basic, typical ariel shell is a container made of cardboard or the like, with a tube in the middle filled with black or flash powder. Around this is stars, pea or dime sized circles or cubes made of a sparkler-type material. Filling in the space between the stars is more black powder to help ignite them. In professional displays, these shells can be about the size of cantaloupes

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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Disney: Just Imaginative Characters, or some Science?

May 24th 2009 11:25

I know I haven't written for a while, but I was out of town for a couple of days. And today, I'm going to the Magic Kingdom with my friends who are visiting from Georgia. So I am going to investigate the engineering feats created by Disney's incredible cast. I'm quite sure that I will be able to find some good material for tomorrow's post. But since we are leaving at 8:00 AM, I have to go get ready soon. But I just wanted to let you know what's going on, and what to expect from my next post.

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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Looking for some good books?

May 19th 2009 11:45

I know, listing good books is not very scientific. However, I think it would be nice to post something a little different today, so here it is. Some of my favorite books (some of them I've listened to as audio books) separated into categories.

Historical Fiction

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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What's a Theremin?

May 15th 2009 23:36

If any of you watched the video of a pulse-jet bike I posted a link to yesterday, you also saw the video of a Theremin Orchestra which played before the jet bike video. And I'm sure that made you wonder: What in the world is a Theremin? How does it work?

For those who didn't see the video, a theremin is an electronic instrument played without contact. (You don't touch it.) It looks very weird. But how does it work

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Posted By: Michael Jensen - Category: No Category

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June 2009

5 Posts

May 2009

10 Posts

April 2009

4 Posts