Liftoff

Today was the last scheduled US Space Shuttle launch. I wasn’t one of those kids who dreamt of becoming an astronaut, but I certainly developed the passion years later thanks to a few great books and people. Initially it was Michio Kaku, a celebrated physicist and futurist who described the universe in a way that I'd never heard before. Immediately catching my interest, I began losing myself for hours in his documentaries, lectures and videos. This opened doors to the likes of Carl Sagan, Richard Feynman and Steven Hawking. All of which who helped me discover what’s truly important to humanity. The laws governing our universe quickly became gospel to me, along with bits of wisdom that filtered through all that information I was absorbing.

Unfortunately the science community today is more grumpy than sentimental, since there’s no immediate successor to the Space Shuttle. Neil deGrasses Tyson, a popular astrophysicist, even says “Apollo in 1969. Shuttle in 1981. Nothing in 2011. Our space program would look awesome to anyone living backwards through time.” Humour aside, he makes a good point. What was once our crowning achievement in the space race has become a symbol that our drive for adventure and progress have dried up. Looking into this further, I discovered some startling facts about the Space Program. The most uncomfortable being that the entire budget of NASA equals the current two-year budget of the US military. Not only is that fact disgusting, it runs contrary to the message Sagan relayed over a decade ago.

All that aside I've never lost respect for just how ambitious this whole thing was. And despite reflecting on some of my adventures, like navigating the streets of India in a rickshaw and driving through the British countryside, I've never touched a star. For our crew entering orbit, here’s to a safe journey. Godspeed.

Hello, Again

I almost didn’t recognize this blog when I signed in. My last serious post was back in January, where I quietly expressed gratitude to my family. Since then, so much has happened.

March 9^th marked the end of the Space Shuttle Era. Space Shuttle Discovery touched down for the last time, bringing an end to America's space program for the foreseeable future. It'll be interesting to see where the space program goes from here. There are plans for a Mars mission, along with talks of creating a Moon base. I've also read that certain space rocks contain precious metals and mining them would be a good idea. Though, history has taught us that cultivating valuables has always led to conflict. War is always a possibility.

Also virtually every dictatorship was, and currently is, under harsh scrutiny by its people. Sparked by the ousting of Tunisian President Zine El Abindine Ben Ali, the people of the Middle East expressed their opinions against their repressive governments. They were no doubt were heard. Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, along with dictators form neighboring countries, reluctantly stepped down from rule. The Internet was a huge player in this, with giants like Twitter, Facebook and Google pushing the cause. They, along with mainstream media, kept the rest of the world informed about what was happening. They allowed us to witness history.

Another historical movement involving the Internet, “Anonymous” hackers infiltrated very influential corporations. If you follow any sort of news their moves have gotten a lot of attention, so I won’t explain the situation. However, what many aren’t aware of are their motives. Anonymous actively believes and openly states that they “do not accept that the government and the military have the right to be above the law.” They defend by questioning how voters can accurately vote while being unaware of what is done between some very influential people. Like Wikileaks, they believe in transparency. Though, they assert that they and Wikileaks are “distinct entities”. One doesn't support the other. They make a very clear point: “This is no longer your world, it is our world. The People’s world. We are Anonymous. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.”

Without question, a lot more has happened in the past few months. I just personally felt these three events resonated with me the most. Also, the consequences and implications of the three are barely realized. Experts have written volumes about them and I encourage anyone to read their works. With my exams done, I'm back to casual reading. Between that, hanging out with friends, and playing basketball, life’s been relatively good. Blogging here is just an added bonus. And for some reason, there's a different feel to blogging now. Still, it feels good to be back.

Hey,

Since my readers register as single digits, this is more rhetorical. The past few months have been extremely busy. An unfortunate mixture of my school and personal life have kept me from writing. This blogger's drought should blow over within the next few weeks. Rest assured, this is only temporary.

Personally

I think I'm smart enough to understand the fact that I don’t know anything. Although this may sound a bit facetious and arrogant to some, it resonates true to what I am about to write about.

People really need to understand to “think for themselves.” Please don’t get caught into the beliefs that others place on you, you’ll only face more conflict later on. This includes personal tastes in music, favourite subjects at school, political parties or it can even go as far as religion. See, the problem with unquestionably believing in something is it’s own potential to cloud the choices you make. Personally, I’ve come across people who were (and still are) so undoubtedly focused on their line of thought (and belief) that they become offended when other views are offered. What I observe is them compromising what they could be in tribute to they've been conditioned into. It's not that I frown upon people who wholeheartedly believe in something. What bothers me is when there is no concrete reason in that believe. It’s almost sad to see. When people with so much promise show so little versatility to questionable authority, something inside me doesn’t feel right.

That’s not to say that I wasn’t a person who was conditioned into my own identity. There was a time where everything I did was determined by the thinking of someone else. Back in those days, I truly suffered on every level: socially, academically and even with my family. In some cases I still do. But despite all of this, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of the greatest friends, family and teachers who would ultimately lead me to my genuine self. (Skeptics would argue that I was still conditioned into my current self. I would tell them that they are missing the point). The point is to create a harmonious, self sustaining culture that is free from illusion. Take a minute to think about the last 100 years. Those past 100 years have defined us as a people. They’ve determined cultural, religious and national enemies. They’ve made some of the worst enemies friends. Wars have come and gone, with new advances in technology as its footprints.

To give up all of that and surrendering our loved ones to the hands of terrorists, corrupt politics and (in some extreme circumstances) education systems is not an option. They simply don’t want the new age and are afraid of loosing their sphere of dominance in it. Their only agenda is to further their own believes through violence and fear.

Personally, I cannot even begin to make out where “we” are going to be in the next 200 years. It’s both frightening and exciting at the same time. In a way, it’s also tragic. The thing that has caused so much of my motivation is also the root of my depression.

Now, I ask you: How do you know what I just said was true? This is exactly why I wanted to talk about blindly following people and authorities.

Jobs of the Future

With the University Fair over, I decided to post up some jobs that are in our near future. Mind you, these jobs are not made up. I stumbled upon this on a website and thought I'd share. Enjoy

Job: Fly Shuttles to Space

Hiring: 2020

Trend: Virgin Galactic plans to launch the first commercial suborbital spaceflights by 2012 for about $200,000 a seat. With competition from other companies, that price could soon drop low enough for daily shuttle service to outer space, the moon and asteroids for tourism, mining and science. Commercial pilots will regain the mystique they had in the ’60s as thousands of them strap in for the stars.

Education: Aviation school or the Air Force. Also check out NASA’s underwater space-simulator laboratory.

Job: Make new habitats for les animaux

Hiring: 2030

Trend: Many habitats are now being destroyed faster than a species can evolve. But moving creatures to new homes could save them. After figuring out which species to put where (easier said than done), an “assisted migration” effort requires more care than just piling two of everything into an ark. For example, conservationists who currently relocate butterflies identify suitable sites with aerial photos and trim local plants to the insects’ exacting standards.

Education: Intern with a group like Operation Migration, which leads cranes to new watering holes.

Job: Cure health problems before birth

Hiring: 2020

Trend: Operating on a fetus was once unimaginable. Now docs fix twins’ abnormal placentas, surgery to correct spina bifida is in clinical trials, and scientists are testing stem-cell and gene therapies in pregnant mice. “We’re trying to cure disease before the baby is born, before it damages the fetus,” says Lori Howell, the executive director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s fetal-medicine program. Pediatric DNA banks may someday help cure cancer, autism and diabetes in the womb.

Education: Head to an emerging fetal-treatment center such as the Children’s Hospitals of Philadelphia or Boston.

Job: Analyze data and predict the future

Hiring: 2015

Trend: The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates that demand for statistics wonks will swell by 20 percent by 2018. As the barrage of data grows—tweets, insulin-meter uploads, facial-recognition billboards—we’ll need skilled people to choose what data to pull and how to make it useful. As businesses become more dependent on these analyses, the raw data itself will become a key commodity, creating its own industry. Expect openings for data brokers trading exclusive rights to data portfolios.

Education: Study computer science or stats, then enroll in a prediction-proficiency program such as DePaul University’s.

Job: Make organs from scratch

Hiring: 2020

Trend: Every 90 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies waiting for a transplant. With the senior population doubling by 2050, expect more internal plumbing problems. Medical company Tengion’s simple “neo-organs,” such as bladders, arrive as soon as next year. But we’ll still need to figure out how to fashion trickier organs like lungs, kidneys and hearts, all made using the patient’s own cells to reduce rejection. “If you’re adding a new fender,” says Tim Bertram, a senior vice president at Tengion, “it has to be the right make and model.”

Education: A bioengineering program, such as Wake Forest’s, which is working to grow more than 22 different organs and tissues in the lab

More of these interesting jobs will be posted up in the near future

Source: Articles from websites such as PopSci.com and Scienceblogs.com

Cool Careers

I came across some pretty cool people who do some pretty extraordinary things. I decided to make a quick blog about it. Enjoy!

Career: Rocket Scientist
Learn to: Makes things go very far, very fast.

Career: Safety Engineer

Learn to: Propel a sedan at over 100 km/h at a roadside planter.

Career: Space Architect

Learn to: Design things that land on worlds far far away.

Career: Rainforest Biologist

Learn to: Follow rare animals up 150-foot trees.

Career: Scientific Diver

Learn to: Tag Animals in coral reefs in Hawaii.

Career: Marine Biologist

Learn to: Dive with jellyfish.

Career: Industrial Demolition

Learn to: Blow things up extremely well.

Career: Geophysicist

Learn to: Measure lava flow in volcanoes.

Career: Genetic Engineer

Learn to: Clone a mule.

Career: Bomb Expert

Learn to: Create your own diamonds, using tons of explosives.

Source: An article from PopSci.com 

A Story Worth Living For

"15 billion years ago our universe began with the mightiest explosion of all time. The heavens laid witness to trillions of galaxies, themselves comprised of so many stars that (collectively) there are fewer grains of sand in all of Earth’s shores. Somewhere in the depths of space there is a corner, home to an ordinary galaxy made of 400 billion suns. In this, there is one point of light providing warmth and energy to a planet harboring the most extraordinary beings in the cosmos. A place we, ourselves, are privileged enough to call our home."

I find it surprising that so many of today’s scientific and religious ideas are at dangerous sides of one another. Many of us even go as far as to prophesize the end times, when we ourselves may very well self fulfill that prophesy. If it hadn’t been for our curious nature, we would not have reached to where we are now. Over time, we abandoned the old in place for the new. Astrology made way for astronomy, numerology for mathematics and alchemy was abandoned for chemistry. Religion helped us, once, to answer the many questions posed by our ancestors. Science has only put more meaning into those inquisitive discoveries. It has also given something that most of us take for granted.

Though, what these confused people can’t see is the overwhelming beauty that we, as a race, have built for ourselves. Colour and religion only further act as proof of this. We should not forget that we are all connected to the each other biologically; to the earth chemically; to the rest of the Universe atomically. To many, it serves as the driving force behind what they do.