Today I was very sorry to hear my physics teacher from High School passed away. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-f-hall&pid=132218206
We had so much fun with him. We used to call him coach. One day a substitute came to class and we asked, "where's coach?"
Answer: What does he coach?
Us:Physics!!!
I still remember snorkeling at Golden Gardens with him. Obviously it was freezing (Puget Sound is not quite as warm as Venice Beach) but we warmed up with some fish and chips. Thom Hall was a very thoughtful teacher and friend who taught physics and life.He started my interest in physics and my father later supplemented it. May he Rest in Peace.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Highs and the Lows
This summer as I strove to reach some high ground in my environs in the DC area, I had a discussion with my son about the humiliation of his resident state, Florida. The highest point in Florida is 345 feet above sea level based on my source http://geology.com/state-high-points.shtml. I told my son that I had been there and of course did not suffer nose bleed. I did try to comfort my son by pointing out that Florida might come in last in elevation, but it competes for first place on beaches. Florida beaches are amazing. My first introduction to Florida Beaches was Panama City, FL. There I was 4 hours away in Columbus, GA and my mind wandered there as the sergeants at Ft Benning, GA used to talk about their trips there. I remember taking my wife and daughter there and having a great time. There was an amusement park, Petticoat Junction (now defunct) that was fun. Of course, the beach was a great place to catch waves and I would jog along the beach while the family would catch rays. We would enjoy a good restaurant and it was enjoyable to listen to some good Country music(it wasn't my first choice growing up in Seattle) and the Casey Kasem counting down the top hits. The week did not seem like such a grind.
Back to the heights after that digression--In Seattle I looked most of the time up to Mt Rainier a 14,000 foot mountain (unless the fog obscured it which unfortunately it did many a day) I could see the Cascades rising to 10,000 feet to the east and the Olympics to the west also rising to 8,000 feet. Well naturally I got used to the mountains and I yearn for them.
There I was jogging in New Jersey in the late 70s on Arney's Mountain Road. I looked around, no longer on the mountain road and I was perplexed how I missed the mountain. I discovered that I had indeed reached the summit of Arney's mountain at about 285 feet. (Later on our all night road marches wherein we would lead the new troops in Basic Training we would summit Taylor's Mountain at 300 feet)
Anyway with this background, I needed to go at least to Shenandoah National Park this summer to get some elevation. I noted that the highest point on the road (which I passed over) and the highest point in the park (which I climbed in the past) are only about 4000 feet.
I have been to better high points than that, such as the highest point in West Virginia and Tennessee which is humorous since walking up a trail on Mt Charleston, NV takes you higher than these high points (10 grand feet). I ascended these high points with my last wife and unfortunately things went downhill after that.
Ironically, one discussion of mountains was with my daughter on the way the sea level this summer at Ocean City. My daughter is very fond of Miley Cyrus song about mountains and I tried to explain that climbing a mountain has a double meaning--to overcome obstacles.
Thankfully my daughter has not made the life journey that I have had that has taken me figuratively to the heights of Mount Everest (hard to breathe with no oxygen or excitement)actually flying a helicopter or plane looking down below and the lows of the Dead Sea--my dad and I did travel along the lowest point in the US-Death Valley (see the Last Ride)
So I have settled back home to near sea level so I will strive to elevate myself in the near future!!
Back to the heights after that digression--In Seattle I looked most of the time up to Mt Rainier a 14,000 foot mountain (unless the fog obscured it which unfortunately it did many a day) I could see the Cascades rising to 10,000 feet to the east and the Olympics to the west also rising to 8,000 feet. Well naturally I got used to the mountains and I yearn for them.
There I was jogging in New Jersey in the late 70s on Arney's Mountain Road. I looked around, no longer on the mountain road and I was perplexed how I missed the mountain. I discovered that I had indeed reached the summit of Arney's mountain at about 285 feet. (Later on our all night road marches wherein we would lead the new troops in Basic Training we would summit Taylor's Mountain at 300 feet)
Anyway with this background, I needed to go at least to Shenandoah National Park this summer to get some elevation. I noted that the highest point on the road (which I passed over) and the highest point in the park (which I climbed in the past) are only about 4000 feet.
I have been to better high points than that, such as the highest point in West Virginia and Tennessee which is humorous since walking up a trail on Mt Charleston, NV takes you higher than these high points (10 grand feet). I ascended these high points with my last wife and unfortunately things went downhill after that.
Ironically, one discussion of mountains was with my daughter on the way the sea level this summer at Ocean City. My daughter is very fond of Miley Cyrus song about mountains and I tried to explain that climbing a mountain has a double meaning--to overcome obstacles.
Thankfully my daughter has not made the life journey that I have had that has taken me figuratively to the heights of Mount Everest (hard to breathe with no oxygen or excitement)actually flying a helicopter or plane looking down below and the lows of the Dead Sea--my dad and I did travel along the lowest point in the US-Death Valley (see the Last Ride)
So I have settled back home to near sea level so I will strive to elevate myself in the near future!!
Monday, July 20, 2009
RELIGIOUS GREETINGS
Catholic: Pax Vobiscum
Muslim: Salam Alleichum
Buddhist and Hindu: Namaste
Jewish: Shalom Alleichum
Bahai:
Bahai, how are you?
Muslim: Salam Alleichum
Buddhist and Hindu: Namaste
Jewish: Shalom Alleichum
Bahai:
Bahai, how are you?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Last Ride
In January 2000, I took the last ride with my dad.
Here is a link to a map. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
We left Las Vegas fueling up at a service station and my dad began driving us in his big Lincoln Continental. We drove until we got to Scotty's Castle.
Here is a link to a map. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
We left Las Vegas fueling up at a service station and my dad began driving us in his big Lincoln Continental. We drove until we got to Scotty's Castle.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotty
We walked around the Castle having a good time to talk and interact with some of the actors who portray some of the characters who used to frequent Scotty's Castle.
This wasn't like a lot of last ride's with one's dad because I never met my dad till I was 25 years old, so I owed nothing to his influence or development up to that time except DNA.
We had stayed in touch after the first meeting and for a time, I lived at his house.
Maybe he sensed that there was something final about this ride. As we cruised through the majesty and breadth of the Death Valley, he gave his approval to the course of my life.
http://www.nps.gov/deva
http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-l2172-Death_Valley_photos.html
My father had chosen the way of science. He chose to get a PHD in Physics at Stanford. Myself, I had given myself to the humanities, history, language, military, music (singing, guitar, piano, harmonika), athletics (running, basketball, biking, weightlifting, etc)
So there we were having taken divergent paths but now together after all these years. I think he appreciated that without having mastered scientific theory, that I had enough understanding along with my other studies to have a good understanding of our life and the universe. Whenever I would refer to the Greek Classics and our Classical heritage, he would always talk about his Greek Tailor who he said had told him, "Euripides, Eumenides."
I didn't know that this would be the last time I would see him, nor did I know that the last time I would speak to him would be when soldiers under my command in Baghdad would take care of their leader and hand me a Satellite phone so I could call home.
It does comfort me to know that I had my father's approval. Our parents play an important place in our lives. I hope my children know that they have my approval. I love them as they are and they will have my support in what ever they do.
http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotty
We walked around the Castle having a good time to talk and interact with some of the actors who portray some of the characters who used to frequent Scotty's Castle.
This wasn't like a lot of last ride's with one's dad because I never met my dad till I was 25 years old, so I owed nothing to his influence or development up to that time except DNA.
We had stayed in touch after the first meeting and for a time, I lived at his house.
Maybe he sensed that there was something final about this ride. As we cruised through the majesty and breadth of the Death Valley, he gave his approval to the course of my life.
http://www.nps.gov/deva
http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-l2172-Death_Valley_photos.html
My father had chosen the way of science. He chose to get a PHD in Physics at Stanford. Myself, I had given myself to the humanities, history, language, military, music (singing, guitar, piano, harmonika), athletics (running, basketball, biking, weightlifting, etc)
So there we were having taken divergent paths but now together after all these years. I think he appreciated that without having mastered scientific theory, that I had enough understanding along with my other studies to have a good understanding of our life and the universe. Whenever I would refer to the Greek Classics and our Classical heritage, he would always talk about his Greek Tailor who he said had told him, "Euripides, Eumenides."
I didn't know that this would be the last time I would see him, nor did I know that the last time I would speak to him would be when soldiers under my command in Baghdad would take care of their leader and hand me a Satellite phone so I could call home.
It does comfort me to know that I had my father's approval. Our parents play an important place in our lives. I hope my children know that they have my approval. I love them as they are and they will have my support in what ever they do.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Jim Owens, Rest In Peace
Jim Owens, former coach of the University of Washington Huskies has passed away.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Owens. He is a Hall of Fame coach and deservedly. I met him when I was a child. I remember how in awe of him I was. He was on the practice field next to Husky Stadium and my grandfather brought me to him for an introduction. I had just timed myself in the 100 on the field and I blurted out, "I can run the 100 in 18 seconds." He was kind and said, "that's great." I have a life long memory of that moment. I assume that he gave many others some life long good memories. The world has lost something very important. Someone who could brighten the life of a child.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Owens. He is a Hall of Fame coach and deservedly. I met him when I was a child. I remember how in awe of him I was. He was on the practice field next to Husky Stadium and my grandfather brought me to him for an introduction. I had just timed myself in the 100 on the field and I blurted out, "I can run the 100 in 18 seconds." He was kind and said, "that's great." I have a life long memory of that moment. I assume that he gave many others some life long good memories. The world has lost something very important. Someone who could brighten the life of a child.
Friday, June 26, 2009
You can go to a home again
They say you can’t go home again, but you can go back to a home. When you move around a lot, you end up having many homes.
I find it fascinating to talk to a cousin in France who is in the same house that my great-great- grandfather lived in after his birth in 1807 until his death many years later with his descendents maintaining residence in the home.
But me and others, we haven’t experienced that. Sometimes, when you go back to a former house, the owner will see you looking around and take pity on you and let you look around the house.
(I think of the movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors wherein a main character is invited into his former home and old characters have old discussions and then invite him to participate. I mention the movie since it is an amazing blend of deep philosophical contemplation juxtapositioned with wackiness.)
I looked around my ex-wife’s former home. She remembered the rooms bigger since her perspective was the memory of a 5 year old. I showed the nice fellow who let me walk around inside my grandparent’s house the cause of some dents in his wall (the results of the wooden shaft of rubber tipped arrows hitting the wall and denting the soft part of the wood). Recently, as I looked at the house that I lived in for three years (and left 25 years ago) after parking in front of it and standing there taking pictures of it, I saw the garage door open and out came the present owner. I disarmed him by introducing myself and we discussed all the owners from first construction to the present. I noted his 30 foot tree that wasn’t there when I left, the fence, the hedges and the bars on the windows and doors. (cost me $2500 he said!) We shook hands and I told him I appreciated the conversation and tried to find one of my favorite restaurants but it was gone so I tried another place. It must have been good since I ate too much!!!
I find it fascinating to talk to a cousin in France who is in the same house that my great-great- grandfather lived in after his birth in 1807 until his death many years later with his descendents maintaining residence in the home.
But me and others, we haven’t experienced that. Sometimes, when you go back to a former house, the owner will see you looking around and take pity on you and let you look around the house.
(I think of the movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors wherein a main character is invited into his former home and old characters have old discussions and then invite him to participate. I mention the movie since it is an amazing blend of deep philosophical contemplation juxtapositioned with wackiness.)
I looked around my ex-wife’s former home. She remembered the rooms bigger since her perspective was the memory of a 5 year old. I showed the nice fellow who let me walk around inside my grandparent’s house the cause of some dents in his wall (the results of the wooden shaft of rubber tipped arrows hitting the wall and denting the soft part of the wood). Recently, as I looked at the house that I lived in for three years (and left 25 years ago) after parking in front of it and standing there taking pictures of it, I saw the garage door open and out came the present owner. I disarmed him by introducing myself and we discussed all the owners from first construction to the present. I noted his 30 foot tree that wasn’t there when I left, the fence, the hedges and the bars on the windows and doors. (cost me $2500 he said!) We shook hands and I told him I appreciated the conversation and tried to find one of my favorite restaurants but it was gone so I tried another place. It must have been good since I ate too much!!!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma Training is meant to enhance efficiency. Based on my observations and discussions, we are living in a world where the profit motive is pushing for inefficiencies.
Let me discuss the business model of a certain airport shuttle.
1. The shuttle has a bunch of vans.
2. People call in and make a reservation for a shuttle van pick-up.
3. It is not profitable to just pick up one person (more later).
4. They hope that during the week that there will be at least two or three people from an area so the pick-up will be profitable.
5. They make the reservation about 3 hours early. They don't tell you why. The reason is so that they can cancel if need be. If they cancel, to assuage the customer, they will pay the differential between cab fare and the shuttle fare, let's say up to $10.
6. Here is how this business model worked for me.
1. I had a pick-up scheduled for 130 pm. That was earlier than I would have wanted because I wanted to be there at 4Pm for a 5pm flight, but I accepted it.
2. At 145, I called up and asked where the van was, they said it was on the way, expect within 30 minutes.
3. At 215 I called up and was told it was on the way and would be there in 10 minutes.
4. At 230, I was told it was around the corner.
5. At 245, I was told a mistake had been made, the van had been cancelled for the day since there were not enough people. They asked if I wanted them to call a cab. I said yes. (Driving was not a good option since this was to be a two week trip (9 times 15 = $135 vs $35 for cab fare). The smartest thing I did on this whole thing was make my own reservation.
6. At 400pm, the cab that I made a reservation for came (the other cab never came, I checked!) It was exciting now since if there was a rush hour traffic snarl, no way would I make it. It worked out that traffic was perfect. I was let out at the airport curb, checked my bags there at the corner and fought my way through security to get on the flight with 7 minutes to spare.
Summary- Their business model makes money, but where the rubber meets the road, it really causes problems. Someone asks, "well, why don't you just get a cab? I did reserve a cab for 4am so I could get to the airport at 5am. At 415am the cab company called and said it was cancelled. Ever try to get a cab within 30 minutes at 415 am. Luckily, I got a ride. My business model should have been t0 reserve 2 or 3 cabs and apologize to the ones that show up after I leave!!!
Let me discuss the business model of a certain airport shuttle.
1. The shuttle has a bunch of vans.
2. People call in and make a reservation for a shuttle van pick-up.
3. It is not profitable to just pick up one person (more later).
4. They hope that during the week that there will be at least two or three people from an area so the pick-up will be profitable.
5. They make the reservation about 3 hours early. They don't tell you why. The reason is so that they can cancel if need be. If they cancel, to assuage the customer, they will pay the differential between cab fare and the shuttle fare, let's say up to $10.
6. Here is how this business model worked for me.
1. I had a pick-up scheduled for 130 pm. That was earlier than I would have wanted because I wanted to be there at 4Pm for a 5pm flight, but I accepted it.
2. At 145, I called up and asked where the van was, they said it was on the way, expect within 30 minutes.
3. At 215 I called up and was told it was on the way and would be there in 10 minutes.
4. At 230, I was told it was around the corner.
5. At 245, I was told a mistake had been made, the van had been cancelled for the day since there were not enough people. They asked if I wanted them to call a cab. I said yes. (Driving was not a good option since this was to be a two week trip (9 times 15 = $135 vs $35 for cab fare). The smartest thing I did on this whole thing was make my own reservation.
6. At 400pm, the cab that I made a reservation for came (the other cab never came, I checked!) It was exciting now since if there was a rush hour traffic snarl, no way would I make it. It worked out that traffic was perfect. I was let out at the airport curb, checked my bags there at the corner and fought my way through security to get on the flight with 7 minutes to spare.
Summary- Their business model makes money, but where the rubber meets the road, it really causes problems. Someone asks, "well, why don't you just get a cab? I did reserve a cab for 4am so I could get to the airport at 5am. At 415am the cab company called and said it was cancelled. Ever try to get a cab within 30 minutes at 415 am. Luckily, I got a ride. My business model should have been t0 reserve 2 or 3 cabs and apologize to the ones that show up after I leave!!!
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