Have things really changed? – Social Networking

Posted on February 25, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

Recently someone I know said they did not understand why people post topics on places like Twitter & Facebook like “Having dinner at Red Lobster”, or “Driving to the mall”.

At first I agreed, then as I thought about, most of us including me do this. Some more often than others. But if you think about it, this type of social communication has always been in place. The only thing different is new methods to communicate. Think about it, before Facebook or Twitter, how many of you, or people you know, would call up your mom, sister, or your best buddy and the just of the conversation on the phone was “What did you do last night?”. Back in the early 1900’s, most if not all newspapers had a social column dedicated to stuff like “Mr. & Mrs. Jacobson entertained his brother and family for dinner and a game of cards”. The only thing that has changed is, now we just know when it happens, not a day or a week later. I have seen people write an entire blog that only talks about what they did for the day or what they did for dinner. Is it really any different? I do not believe so.

Today’s social networks are also a bit different in that they tend to mix business and social agendas. Some look at them as a way to generate income by advertising or driving a focus on themselves or their business. Chances are, most people on the networks do not care or like that. They are they to interact with friends. At least that was the initial purpose.

We need to remember that it is called Social Networking for a reason. What might be of interest to one, may not be to another. Just move on if you have no interest. If you are a person that does not care about what your friends on these networks are doing, or have done, then maybe your network is too large or not the right people for you (friends?). Maybe your reason for being on these networks is for a different purpose. If so, don’t criticize others for doing what people have done throughout history. We are social animals, always have been, always will be. Case in point, todays’ news broadcasts are 95% about last night’s fashions at the Academy Awards. Is that news, or important? Maybe to some it is.

Posted in Family & Friends, Social | Leave a comment

Lets Go Meteorite Hunting

Posted on February 15, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

Anyone ever watch the short series that was on the science channel called Meteorite Men? They are two guys that travel around the world searching for meteorites. Today’s news story about the meteor that burned up over Russia made me think about that series. I enjoyed watching it and I could see where it would be an interesting hobby. The only problem is, the known locations where people can go hunt for meteorites is fairly widespread across the globe. It is not like one can go do this in your back yard.

Why hunt for meteorites? They are worth a good deal of money. Some very rare types can be worth more than diamonds. It is no wonder people search for them. The value of a particular meteorite depends on its mineral content and structure. The values can range from about per $0.50 /gram to $40.00/ gram. Simply put, the more rare the rock, the more valuable it is. On average, a small sized meteorite like the one in the picture below would be worth about $108.

This 3cm Millbillillie Meteorite is valued around $108

This 3cm Millbillillie Meteorite is valued around $108

The tools needed to search for meteorites is not sophisticated. A good metal detector that can single out iron, some maps, a GPS,  and small digging tools are good to start with One should make a meteorite stick. Some earth rocks, especially those near ancient volcanic fields, will look similar to meteorites. Because meteorites are so heavy in iron, they will be attracted to a rare earth magnet. If a rock does not stick to it, it is a meteor wrong, not a meteorite. You can make your own by simply purchasing a rare earth magnet and attach it to a long pole.

Some research is also recommended before you just go out anywhere to look. You need to locate what is called a strewn field. When a meteor falls through the atmosphere and burns up, pieces of the meteor break off and fall to the ground and become meteorites. As the meteor travels, smaller pieces fall off first, with the larger one at the end of its journey. Some strewn fields are already documented and searched often. One can research reports of sightings like the one yesterday over Russia. Reviewing the path of the meteor based on the sighting allows one to map out where it’s strewn field may be located.  The American southwest, in places like Arizona have several known strewn fields where people can go hunt for meteorites.

After yesterday’s sighting, there will be lots of people out hunting in Russia. Anyone want to buy me a plane ticket?

Posted in Astronomy & Space, Science & Technology, THe outdoors | Leave a comment

Winter, Spring, Summer, and RVing

Posted on February 12, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

It is time to start thinking about spring and summer. I do this by surrounding myself with nice weather themes. One of things I do is watch golf on the weekends. Most PGA events this time of year are all in sunny warm places. Sometimes I’ll watch a movie with a warm weather theme. For example, the other day I got real crazy and watched Elvis’ “Blue Hawaii”. Not only did it present warm thoughts, but it was nostalgic as well. Whether you like Elvis or not, it still brings back memories of a fun time in my life, the 60’s.

Some people will try to beat the winter blahs and visit the annual boat show that will be going on this weekend in Grand Rapids. The only issue with me going there is that it makes me want to buy a boat. There is a reason they hold those in February.

A few weeks back there was the Grand Rapids Camping and RV Show. I have gone to these, but I’d rather see it in late February. January is still too early to think spring. I have on occasion attended the Strictly Sail show in Chicago for an early shot of spring fever however.

Some of you know that Berni and I own a motor home, and for a little less than 2 years, we lived in that motor home and traveled around parts of the US in it. We were what they call fulltime RVer’s. We sold or gave away everything we had in our apartment that we could not store or take with us and moved into our 37’ Winnebago Adventurer. We spent the first few summer months living in the motor home located in Elkhart, Indiana.  From there I commuted back and forth to Benton Harbor while I still worked at Whirlpool Corporation. I had already obtained my RV Service Technician Certification at this point, but the sole purpose for living in the RV while still working at Whirlpool was to make sure Berni & I would be comfortable living in a confined space. Not everyone can do that. Once we knew we could, I said my goodbyes to my Whirlpool family and we hit the road.

On Route 66 near Needles, CA, 2007

On Route 66 near Needles, CA, 2007

 

Travel 2000's style Vs. 1950's

Travel 2000′s style Vs. 1950′s.   At Wigwam Motel in San Bernardino, CA

While we were traveling, I worked as a mobile RV service tech in my own business and sales work for a company called NORD-LOCK, Inc.. Berni was a licensed massage therapist and she would do massages at RV rallies. Those activities helped fund our new lifestyle. In the long run we finally decided to get off the road and move back to Muskegon, Michigan. We loved being on the road, but as an only child, I needed to come back and spend more time with my parents. A personal decision that turned out to be the right one, and one we will not regret. We do still miss the adventure, and we would like to get back to it again, but not as full timers.

One advantage that traveling in a motor home offers is an easier way to get off the beaten path to see sites most people do not take the time to see. Ther are no worries about finding a hotel nearby and normally you can always find a place to pull off for the night to sleep when in an RV.  We stayed in Mojave, CA a few weeks and had the opportunity to visit some interesting ghost towns for example.

Ghost mining town in Garlock, CA

Ghost mining town in Garlock, CA

When you live the full time RV lifestyle, one learns there is a difference between “Campers” and “RVers”. Michigan is a camping state. Places like Texas and Arizona are RVing states. I will never forget one of our first nights in Elkhart and Berni was waiting for everyone to sit around the fire at night and sign “Kumbaya”. RV’s don’t do that LOL. I’ll say no more, but she still gets teased about it. We still have the Winnebago, and I keep it up north a bit and use it mostly as a hunting camp and occasionally hit the road for some Michigan camping <grin>.

Whether you are a camper or an RVer, there are still a lot of similarities. The key being the freedom from everyday life. It does not matter if it is for a weekend or a lifetime. If you enjoy this lifestyle, or even visiting places by car for vacations, I encourage you to check out the “Gypsy Journal”. This is a travel adventure publication published by Berni’s cousin Nick Russell and his wife Miss Terry. He also maintains a website, publishes several books on travel, and runs a daily blog about their full time travels. Nick & Miss Terry are celebrities in this industry having thought many travel seminars. Berni & I would never have succeeded in our RV adventures without their help.

Get your subscription to the "Gypsy Journal" today.

Get your subscription to the “Gypsy Journal” today.

A subscription to the “Gypsy Journal” newspaper is great arm chair traveling. I highly recommend it. It is not expensive, published monthly and loaded with reviews of many places to visit or take a vacation. Often there are reviews of many interesting places you may never have heard about before.

You can visit the Gypsy Journal website to get more information at:

http://gypsyjournalrv.com/

Nick’s daily blog can be found at:

http://gypsyjournalrv.com/category/nicksblog/

Just think, February is half over, soon to be March, then April Showers to follow.  Spring and Summer are not that far away.

Don't have an RV? Try your hand at a bus conversion. Lots available.

Don’t have an RV? Try your hand at a bus conversion. Lots available.

 

 

Posted in RV Travel, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

“E.T. Phone Home”

Posted on February 11, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

There are probably not very many people who do not know the phrase “E.T. Phone Home”. One of the more popular movies that Steven Spielberg directed. Chances are none of us will ever see a real Extraterrestrial Intelligent (E. T.) being. Even though the movie was science fiction, the search for E.T. is ever ongoing, and you can be a part of a search team! It be exciting to go down in history as someone who found the real E.T. More about that at the end of my article.

The search for E.T. today is normally called SETI, which stands for Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence. SETI actually began in early 1960 by Frank Drake, an astronomer and astrophysicist with project OZMA. Many have been involved in the search for the signs of intelligence in our universe over the years. They ranged from amateur radio astronomers to NASA. Today only armatures and private organizations are doing it as congress stopped all funding to NASA for such work. So far no real results.

The belief that other intelligence exists in the universe varies by everyone. Some say that God only created us here on Earth, while others say with the know size of the universe it is silly to believe we are the only forms of intelligent life. I will not debate the issue, but there are two ways to look at it. Keep in mind we are talking about intelligent life. Life that is able to communicate, not just small forms of bacteria or the like.

One could argue that with the billions of stars, galaxies, and planetary systems (known to exist), the conditions for life has to be the same as here on earth. Carl Sagon was a worldly recognized professional in the field of astronomy and astrophysics and designer of Pioneer 10. He believed other intelligence existed, but as a true scientist, he looked at it from a practical viewpoint. On one of his famous Cosmos series, he describes in layman terms, the Drake formula (created by Frank Drake in 1961) mathematical approach to the possibility of E.T. I encourage you to view this video below:

Because of the very minute possibility of detecting intelligence, (life capable of sending radio signals into space), it requires a massive amount of computer time to analysis the data we are listening to in the universe. Remember, we can only look at one small spot in space at one time and gather as much data on each spot as we can. To help analyze the huge amount of data, a group called SETI@home was developed. The idea behind SETI@home is to load a small program on individual personal computers and let that program perform the data analysis and report back on it. There are millions of personal computers in the world that have enough CPU time available when not in use for other things like email and Facebook time. SETI program only runs in the background whenever there is enough CPU time free. Therefore it never impacts anything you are doing when you are using your computer.

SETI@home screenshot

SETI@home screenshot

So, put your idle computer time to good use and if you are interested in participating here is the link for SETI@home from the University of California, Berkeley:

http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

IF you have problems downloading/running the program, feel free to contact me and I’ll lend a hand. I have been running SETI@home on my laptop off and on for years with no issues at all. It is safe and virus free, so no worries there. I think it is a bit exciting that maybe my laptop might just be the one to find E.T.!

Posted in Astronomy & Space, Science & Technology | Leave a comment

Family History Challenges

Posted on February 10, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

It has been a while since I have done any genealogy. I need to be careful when I start one of my search projects. It can take time and I get so wrapped up in the project that I tend to ignore everything else. Working on family research can be as exciting as reading a mystery novel. The difference being I am the one doing the research and trying to find someone. I can spend hours just looking for one small bit of information.

Even a small bit of data can be like opening up a present. It may be as simple as a date and location where someone lived or a new name of a sibling. Each new piece will lead to additional direction of search. Then it is off I go on another project for the next few hours. Poor Berni, she has gone to bed at night while I’m still pouring over some documents or lists. I do not want to give up until I either found what I was looking for, or exhausted all I can think of in the search for that bit of info.

Even though I have not done much lately, all it takes is an email, a Facebook posting about a family member, or something to get me started again.  A few weeks ago, my cousin contacted me on Facebook about one of ancestors. Her son was doing a family history piece for a school project. I was not able to provide the initial bit of information he was looking for on that particular ancestor, but instead I provided more in depth data regarding a different ancestor, hopefully giving him what he needed for his project. This ancestor was my 3rd great grandfather on my mother’s side of the family, Fredrick Gorenflo. Fredrick migrated to America in 1852, settled in Marion, Ohio. He came here from Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany and he was a descendant of French Huguenots.  The Gorenflo family originated in Gorenflo, France, and were originally knows as de Gorenflos until their migration into Germany in the mid 1600s.

 

Fredrick Gorenflo, Frees, Gorenflo Geneaology

Fredrick Gorenflo, My 3rd Great Grandfather

When I gave the information to my cousin, it dawned on me that data I do not have anything on is actually when and where several of my ancestors arrived in America. I have attempted to locate some of this in the past, but this in itself is a huge undertaking. There are many publications on Passenger lists available. The issue in locating a particular ancestor is that sometimes there are many, many passengers with the same names, about the same ages on the list. Trying to figure out which one is actually my ancestor takes a lot of detective work. I just need to set it up as a new project.

I will be updating my  Genealogy page, with some of my family tree research in the future for those interested. In the meantime, if you are a member of ancestry.com, I am user Captn_frog there and you can view my trees.

Posted in Family & Friends, Genealogy | 1 Comment

Look to the Skies in March & November

Posted on February 9, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

There will be two interesting events in the skies above this year. Comet ISON will be passing by with it’s closest encounter to Earth on November 28th.  It is expected to have a magnitude of –16. That will be bright enough to see on a clear night with the naked eye, and even more spectacular with binoculars.  This will be the brightest passing of a comet in 2013, but if you do not want to wait until November to see one, there is one coming this next month.  Comet Pan-STARRS will pass by on March 9th. While not as bright as ISON, it too should be visible to the naked eye.

ScienceCast Video of how to view Pan-STARRS

Astronomy is another one of the things I enjoy but not real active in it. No excuse really other than I have so many interests, I can not devote time to them all. We here in Muskegon even have a great viewing place. The Muskegon Astronomical Society (M.A.S.) has an observatory at the Muskegon Wastewater in the east part of the county. I have been a member off and on for a few years and it is a great place to view the night skies. They have some fairly large telescopes that belong to the society, and several members  have very nice setups in dog houses. Dog Houses are enclosed shelters to keep the equipment covered when not in use.  The members are not shy about letting people view some fantastic sights through their telescopes.

I would love to stay more involved with that group and do some fun observing if I had time and were not so lazy about getting up in the wee hours of the mornings for some viewing. That always seems to be the time when the best stuff to see is out there.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Geek Within Me

Posted on February 8, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

Yesterday I made a comment about free energy from gamma rays in my blog post. That concept actually comes from work that Nikola Tesla did back in 1901 in a patent for “Apparatus for the Utilization of Radiant Energy”. A fairly simple concept really. It is a device that operates on the same concept of everyday use capacitors. In basic terms, a capacitor stores energy. Tesla’s device just captures, stores and amplifies that energy from various forms coming it the earth.

U.S. Patent 0,685,956 - “Apparatus for the Utilization of Radiant Energy”

U.S. Patent 0,685,956 – “Apparatus for the Utilization of Radiant Energy”, 1901

The materials Tesla had available to him were not very sophisticated. With the technology we have today, this could have some merit. The biggest drawback is that our atmosphere filters out the energy producing rays that bombard the earth. Gamma rays, which come from many sources in the universe are the highest energy forms of light. If we can find a way to tap that energy, it would eliminate many of the sources we use up today. WE need to find either a way to capture the small amount that filters thru, or capture it about our atmosphere and find a way to transport it to the surface of earth.

If you think this concept is farfetched, others like NASA do not. Their GLAST project is designed to go into space and search for the sources of gamma rays. Too bad President Kennedy is not still alive today. I doubt he would cut spending on America’s future. (sorry had to put in a small dig). It is a good think other astrophysicists are also working on this.

I believe this is doable if the Geeks Within Us put their heads together. With that statement in mind, I have always wanted to establish a think tank. A place where we can put out minds together, share our thoughts and ideas, and see what we can make of it. Our everyday lives are so busy, many of those I have talked about this with do not have the same schedules. Therefore, I am working on a concept I’ll call the “Virtual Think Thank”, that will take advantage of the web and today’s social environments. Stay tuned

Posted in Electronics, Science & Technology | Leave a comment

Wondering Minds, Cancer, and Real News

Posted on February 7, 2013 by rockyfreesadmin

As my wife Berni will attest to, my mind is always working. Wondering might be a better word for it really. One day I might be thinking about flying or sailing, Other days I may be pondering on how I can capture free energy from gamma rays that filter in through our atmosphere.  After watching some news on the Today show this morning about a woman with breast cancer, my mind started thinking about cancer. Why does it seem it is taking so long to find a good cure for it? I know that the survival rate has improved immensely, but still too many people die from it. My wondering mind started thinking, “…if we know so much about DNA, why can’t we just simply changed cancer’s DNA for good?”

Off I went on a  web search about cancer. What makes a cancer cell different than normal cell? Is the DNA different? What is it actually that makes cancer kill? These are things I never thought about before. Do most people know the answer to these and other questions and I do not?

What I learned:

Once we reach adult life, normal cells stop reproducing other than to just replace dead ones. Cancer cells never stop reproducing.

Both normal cells and cancer cells have DNA, and they are different.

The reason cancer kills is it interferes with other normal body functions after it has grown to a certain amount. All depending on where it is located. For example, stomach cancer will interfere with the normal digestive functions. If left untreated, the body gives up on it’s normal functions and we can die.

So, on the surface it seams way too simple, just stop the cancer cells from reproducing. And there in lies the issue. Todate we have struggled with how to do this. In comes DNA. Our knowledge of DNA is growing at leaps and bounds. I believe that our understanding of DNA is going to be key in solving many things, one being cancer. To that concept, I found an article recent published (see link below) about the discovery of a completely new DNA structure that we did not know about.  The initial DNA discoveries saw DNA as a double helix structure. Recently they found a quadruple helix structure, but only in the lab. But now, they have found this new quadruple helix structure in cancer cells! Never before known to exist in nature until now, and it is in cancer cells, not normal cells.  We also now know how to manipulate DNA.  The potential impact this has on curing cancer is huge!

So in closing, why do we not hear about breakthroughs like this on the news more? As a nation, we need to stop being obsessed  with things like the color and style of the dresses being worn at the Grammy’s, and learn to report more about significant things. I have seen an entire 2 hours talking about tat over and over again. I’m not saying stop reporting on the trivial,  but reduce the amount time on it. Show things that are important.

How about news that might just cause the wondering mind of a listening 10 year old to grow up and make a REAL difference in this world.

To see the full story on the article I read go to:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2265768/Discovery-elusive-quadruple-helix-DNA-lead-new-drugs-fight-cancer.html

Posted in Medicine, News, Science & Technology | 2 Comments