Our First Bus of the 2011/12 Field Trip Season

Hello Troops,
Well, ready or not, here they come. Today is the day the Space Center receives its first school bus full of over excited to the point of hyper exhausted school children. The simulators are dusted and scrubbed, the equipment seems to be working (pending my arrival this morning and the overwhelming dread that Fortuna may see this as the perfect day to strike) and the staff properly medicated.

There is one staff chair that won't be occupied this school year. Sheila Powell won't be returning. Our Saint Sheila is facing another battle with her health. She will truly be missed by our staff and visitors and we all wish her well. Remember her in your prayers.

And now, forward troops. The whistle has sounded. Leap from the trenches with swords drawn and attack the forces of inspirational darkness. You'll find me there out in front, except of course when I'm at my desk struggling with registrations, emails, phone calls and the never ending curse of accounting paperwork.....

Wish Us Luck!
Mr. W.

A Brief History on the Space Center's Simulators.

Hello Troops,
I'd like to thank Kyle Herring (David Kyle to many) for taking the time and writing this piece for The Troubadour outlining the early history of the Space Center's missions and simulators.

The Voyager's history is well documented from the year 2000 on. Unfortunately I wasn't writing a blog or posting things to the Internet during the years 1990 to 1999. I was too busy running a Space Center. The history must come from the memories of those who lived through those founding years.

Kyle was and is the Space Center's best friend. His contributions to the Center have made the Center what it is today. I rest easier at night knowing Kyle's 'got my back'.

Thanks Kyle!
Mr. W.

David Kyle
Sorry, its the only picture I have somewhat complimentary :)

And Now, the Early History
David Kyle Herring

I’d like to take a moment of your time and explain from my memory how the center got where it is, what actually makes the magic, and the traditions now taken for granted or discarded because it's the old way of doing things and/or takes a lot more work.

We all know the Space Center didn’t just appear out of thin air, and very few people know all the fun stories, sacrifice, stress, and hard work done by Victor, Lorraine Houston, Bill Schuller, Mark Daymont, Dave Wall and other staff members and volunteers who set a written and unwritten standard of what makes a bad, good or great simulation and overall experience.

It's time to write the Space Center’s early history so new staff and volunteers will understand that they are part of long line of succession and tradition that evolved over the past 21years.
I realize I can't tell everyone’s stories, but I can share an extremely abbreviated version of my experience over the past 21 years.

I really loved bringing back the long Overnight Missions the Center told during the 1990’s, now called "Super Overnight". It was in 2005 when I convinced Vic to let me do it. My goal was to recreate the magic I experienced back then for the younger Space Center fans of today.


When I was a kid. Overnight Missions were 18 hrs long - you even received 18 rank credits for attending. Kids arrived at the center at 5pm, picked our bunk and placed our gear on it, ate pizza in the briefing room, stood at attention every 5 minutes when Bill (Admiral Schuler) walked in the room, did push ups if we didn't take it seriously, went to bed at 12 midnight with threat of slime devil eggs in our sleeping bags and woke up to alarms at 6am. We ate breakfast on deck 2, while the mission was in progress and went home at 11. The only part I was not able to recreate was the $25 price tag.

I did not want to be 'just another volunteer' when I set out to work at the Space Center. It was to build, build, build. I wanted to build simulators because I wanted more students to experience what I was experiencing. For years the Space Center was very difficult to get into if you didn't live in Alpine School District - Getting in on a Overnight Missions was almost impossible.

I worked around the clock starting with the Galileo, once that was finished I turned my attention to the unfinished set “Magellan”. Vic asked me to help Mark get running it up and running. I installed the video, sound, and wired most of the control room just in time for summer camps in 1999. Then I was asked to work on the Voyager’s last major refit (Fall of 2000). The Voyager got new color computers and Principal Dan Adams and I built new desks. It took pulling Vic’s yellowing teeth to get him to put in a half way decent sound system and mixer in the Voyager (Vic was always preoccupied with the cost. It’s taken awhile but today I believe he understands that if you go cheap you get what you pay for).

After the Voyager, our attention shifted back to the Magellan to make a new Space Center Class room and hall way (transition) and experimental sliding door. At about the same time, the Space Center acquired a grant to buy two new star labs, one of them was destined to be the Falcon. That simulator was a huge pain my in side. I was glad to see it go and for the record I didn't design it but I had to help build it, wire it and equip it. I hated it.

A year later we remodeled the Odyssey for the 3rd time. Next was the expansion of the Magellan control room, that was no tea party. I had to come up with a compromise between Vic and Ryan over a door or wall to the hallway from the control room. The compromise is the Hatch you see there now. Then Vic went on vacation and left me with replacing the Voyager carpet in 2 weeks! I literally had to break the whole ship down, get carpet picked out, put in and all back together before summer camps started... Unfortunately 2 days prior to our drop dead finish date I was in the hospital on death’s door - literally. My dad and former principal Dan Adams came in for me to put things together the best they could. I lied about how I felt to the doctors, nurses and Mr. Williamson and got out of the Hospital early with just enough time to finish putting the video and sound system together before the first summer camp.

Next we rebuilt the Voyager’s Decon, and started plans for the Phoenix. The Phoenix was a fun ship to build, except for the endless 14 hour days. Keep in mind. the space center doesn't pay overtime, if they did I might not have had to start a business to keep a decent income. The Phoenix’s computer controls held up its opening. We had new OS10 machines that wouldn't run HyperCard .... Matt Long came through in the end.

I tried a lot of new ideas in the Phoenix, including using aluminum plating on the floors, rounded ceilings, shakers under the floor, FRP pannels, large wire conduits, indirect lighting, and lighting the floors with rope lighting. It was about this time I found space in the basement for a "workshop" and it was good timing because the Magellan needed a new look badly...I also had something new, a helper! Tyson Kaylor, the 14 year old son of a new teacher at Central, came in as my apprentice.

We worked with Lone Peak students to design the new Magellan. I thought it was a great educational opportunity for the students of Lone Peak and a chance to work with Mr. Sanderson, the person Vic had draw up the Voyager’s original deck plans. The folks at the District Maintenance fought me tooth and nail. They didn’t trust student designed plans. We just didn’t have the thousands of dollars to have professionally designed plans drawn up. I do want to point out that the plans were supervised and approved by Mr. Sanderson, the Lone Peak Drafting teacher. I spent nearly half my time during the 6 months of construction fighting for hallways, double sound walls, extra sound insulation, tunnels, hatches, the use of FRP, maintenance access, ceiling height and design, desk design and materials, special lighting, aluminum plating on the floors, I even had to fight to get the right electrical connections throughout the station. The whole thing was a nightmare for both Vic and I. Building a simulator while relying on donated labor was something the district maintenance struggled with.

Shortly after finishing the Magellan in June of 06 I again ended up in the hospital. The original Iworlds was underway. I was hired to help build their simulators in Murray. I guess it was good money at the time but looking back, I wish I hadn't been involved.

In ‘07 I believe we refitted the Odyssey again, gave the Voyager new kitchen cabinets, a sink and built in microwave. We started really focusing on improvements all around the Space Center. I had one big goal Alex DeBirk and I had been working on since 2004. I lobbied Vic for new Galileo. The original was slowly falling apart. Something had to be done. Vic hesitated to spend the money but there was really no choice. It took me several years working with engineers from BYU, Scenic Solutions - company that specializes in set design, donations from countless individuals, and a lot of extremely long unpaid hours to get the new Galileo built. In fact we wouldn't have Kyle Jones at the Space Center now if it wasn’t for us taking the new Galileo down to the Utah Co. Fair. That's where Stacy and I first met Kyle and introduced him to the Space Center. Thank heavens we found him, because life came calling and I had to move on and make real money (not that phony Canadian stuff they pay us with at the Space Center :)

I couldn’t be successful in a new career and maintain my hours at the Space Center.

I know that once a Space Center inductee always a Space Center inductee. I’m happy to help whenever time allows. Now that I think about it, we haven't even smacked a bottle on the side of the Galileo yet.

David Kyle Herring.

A Thought or Two on a Late Friday Evening at Camp.

Hello Troops, and you to Jon (Jon is waiting for this post as he chaperones on the Voyager's Bridge with Abram).

The picture above is funny in several ways. It shows our helpless condition as infants and reminds us of what lies ahead if we live long enough. I see myself standing near the stop light outside Orem's Costco a few decades from now, derelict, unshaven, unkempt, nearly toothless, still wearing my once blue Space Center shirt - heavily stained with large white blotches testifying to my frequent memory lapses concerning bleach and colors. In my shaking hands I hold a cardboard sign reading "Can't speak, can't walk, no teeth, no job, full diaper. God Bless".

I see you before you see me. Our eyes meet. You look confused, wondering if I'm really the person you think I am. You drive up and stop at the red light.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen," you mutter in disbelief to your firstborn beside you. "He was something else in his day. Now look at him."

"Gross," he replies and returns to his texting.

You roll down your window and wave me over. I struggle to my feet. You notice my black tennis shoes, split open at the toes. I approach as you search your wallet for spare change. You wonder if I'll spend the money on food or liquid comfort. You take out a $5, thinking its enough to purchase a candy bar, but not enough for something refreshing at the PG pool hall. Seeing the $5.00 bill in your hand adds pep to my step. I reach your window and smelling distance. Your firstborn pulls the collar of his t-shirt up over his nose to block the smell of damp rot.

"Mr. Williamson, how are you?" you hope my answer short, considering the light might change any moment. I look confused. I'm searching my memory.

"No ma'am. You got Tex," I reply. I take the money from your outstretched hand. "This is real American money?" I ask holding it up to the light to see the watermark and security band. "It ain't that phony Canadian stuff?"

"Can we go? I'm going to ralph!" your child inserts into the dialog. The light changes and we say our farewells. You to your life and me to the company of senility.

Yes, that's what crossed my mind when I saw that picture above. Life is one great cycle.

Speaking of old age......... How many times have you heard someone of advanced years say "Back in my day?" Well,





Something else from the Imaginarium, a triangle diagram worthy of a passing glance. I tried and tried to prove it more wrong than right but couldn't. Of course that means only one thing - emotional stability and beauty! Right?



I used to stststststst stutter as a child. Certain words sent me into a tongue spasm. The worst was "Victor". Yep, anytime I had to say my name I'd barely get through the first consonant.

They had me in speech therapy in first grade to help with the stuttering and helping me pronounce the letter "r". I spoke my "r" as "w".

And finally, a new sign for the Space Center. Please be kind enough to comply. Those of you who use the Force on those of us born lacking any connection to the supernatural is down right inconsiderate and, frankly rude.

Have a great night.

Mr. W.

Letting the Children Enter. The Simulators Open Today for Field Trips.

Hello Troops,
Today is the day we open the curtain and take down the "Keep Out" partitions. The Space Center opens for our first school year 2011-12 field trip missions. We start with Central Elementary School's fifth graders. They are very excited and have been peeking in on the simulators and asking questions for weeks now. Their patience will be rewarded. We are ready to go!

Yesterday Lorraine, Aleta and Megan spent the day teaching the science curriculum and briefing the students on their mission. I spent the day answering calls and emails and getting acquainted with the new Voyager Control Room lay out. Last month, Bracken spent several days changing things around - all of which takes some getting use to. He threw out my CD players forcing me to modernize and use iPods instead. That alone will be a bit of a challenge - but nothing I can't handle, after all, this will be my 21st year of flying missions in the Voyager. If I haven't got it down now, I never will :)

Today we will be telling "A Cry from the Dark". It will be a bit rough, considering I haven't sat in the Flight Director's seat for three months and missed it.

Yesterday we held our second Open Mission (read the top of the blog's right side bar) in the Phoenix, flight directed by Megan Warner. Brent Anderson and Matt Ricks taught the first lesson for this year's Revolution Programming Class in the school's computer lab. We had a good turn out; you can't beat a free class!

Let's get this day started with a couple items from the Imaginarium.

From the Space Center,
Mr. W.

Advice I'm taking to heart. I'm a bit worried about my first day back in the Flight Director's chair after three months.

I'm tempted to issue this as Space Center currency. Pretty cool.

One Epic Library!

Back to the Flight Director's Chair.

Hello Troops,
Nearly time to crank up the old Battlestar and head to the Space Center. Today will be spent answering emails, booking schools, researching where to put another simulator and registering students for Super Saturdays, Overnight Camps, Academy Classes, Computer Classes and Parties. Mrs. Houston, Megan Warner and Casey Voeks will work in Discovery on this year's Field Trips lessons and Starlab Planetarium presentation. I've also got to spend a little time in the Voyager reacquainting myself with the ship in preparation to fly at the end of this week. Yes, Mr. Williamson will be back in the Flight Director's Chair for another season of chills and thrills.

Before I lumber down the hill to school, I thought I'd share a few things from the Imaginarium to get your day either started or ended correctly (depending on when you read this).

See You in the Trenches,
Mr. W.

Behind every good Storm Trooper is a good woman

Every day is a challenge. Attitude determines the outcome.

Attitude determines whether failure defeats you or teaches a lesson. Failure just means you, like the rest of us, are human. We try, we fail, we learn and go on. Give yourself a break. Do you think the success we've had at the Space Center was the result of pure genius!? What you see is twenty years of trying, failing, succeeding, trying, failing, succeeding, frustration, victory, and then all over again.

Here are the results of the question. Sad isn't it.

The Perfect Book Sandwich

A Two Day Weekend, The Definition of Bliss for a Space Center Worker

Hello Troops,
For most people, a two day weekend is par for the course. A two day weekend is a treat unlike no other for many of us that work at the Space Education Center. We work six days a week with Saturday being the tail end of Friday's long overnight camp. At 5:30 P.M. on any given Saturday, a visitor to the Center would be amazed and bewildered by the odd assortment of pale skinned humans stumbling out of Central Elementary's darkened halls and into the sun kissed world of light and color. A visitor's inquiry about our ability to drive would be appropriate at that time.

Occasionally I'll saunter as far as the parking lot only to find my energy spent when I reach the Battlestar. The remedy is to pop the trunk and collapse onto my overnight kit of blanket and two pillows. Don't be alarmed if you drive by the school and see my open trunk with two appendages hanging over the side - one arm and leg. If you're in a weird Christian mood, feel free to stop and cover me with the blanket. I'm usually woken after dark by the wet nose of a passing dog. I always find my way home.

And Now, From Wonderland's Imaginarium to brighten your weekend.



A road sign in Denmark. I'm guessing it's a Danish thing. Cars are being signaled out from their lanes and ushered to the shoulder where several policemen and their sniffing dogs wait to inspect the car's interior atmosphere. The generators of noxious vapors deemed above and beyond Denmark's strict air pollutions standards are fined and sent on their way with a thank you and a bottle of Beano, compliments of the local Constabulary.

Once again in the lovely Kingdom of Denmark. You'll always get an interesting shot wherever you point your camera. This sign either points you to street or a village. Either way, I, for one, would be pleased as punch to live on either. How cool would it be to have Sore Badfart as your return address on every invitation or letter sent out?

"Are you coming to the party tonight?"
"Sure, where do you live?"
"Easy to find, just drive along the ring road until you get to a sign pointing to our neighborhood."
"What's your street?"
"Sore Badfart."
"Right....." spoken as the speaker slowly backs away while looking for the nearest exit.

As soon as you get your farting under control, you and your friends can gather at Denmark's famous Cafe Arsenik for good food, good drink and limited conversation (very limited once the meal has begun). It's known as that perfect place to have your last meal.


We travel halfway around the world to China for this next shot. Hummm??? Do you see what's wrong with this picture? I don't know who would be more offended, the Brits or the Germans?
Now you know why we are so concerned about the Chinese. They are the worlds next superpower. They hold most of America's debt. How did we ever let ourselves get into this position? What a sorry lot we are compared to America's previous generations.


How could I have lived as long as I have and never experienced the refreshing and rejuvenating Poo Water from springs deep under the streets of Bangkok, Thailand? Its said to have a strange mineral taste and loved by humans and animals alike. Dogs are particularly fond of PooWater so keep your bottles safely stored in your refrigerator.

I've read that PooWater is looking for people interested in franchise opportunities in the United States. Don't let this gem get by you if you've some money set aside for investing.


Speaking of dogs..... I met many a strange dog during my days as a missionary in England. I wish I would have been warned of their fondness for my leg before accepting many an invitation to "Come in and have a warm, you'll catch your death in the cold."
Perhaps it was the polyester. Who knows....


I've heard that with the Second Coming only months away (considering the Mayan Calendar predicting he end of the world on December 23, 2012) some cemeteries are putting up signs to stop the expected mass raisings of the dead.

"We're concerned with overcrowding," said the head grounds keeper at the Eternal Hope cemetery. "Seeing thousands of people poppin out of the ground will scare the snot out of the people that live around here; many of whom are elderly. The shock would be too much. Besides where are the dead suppose to go? My county handbook doesn't have a chapter on the dead raising. I say, "No thank you. Raise everyone else first, let others work out the logistics, then come back to Eternal Hope."

The solution, signs urging the angels to move along and not stop.


Dry cleaners for your clothes. Psychic Cleaners for your peace of mind, offering to help you work out your remaining issues with the dearly departed. You can't beat the price; $1.99 to iron out that final argument you had with a parent or grandparent gone on to their reward?

Welcome to the world of the future (already in practice at the Space Center). Let me state for the record how happy I am that I was born and spent my adventurous youth in a time and place far from the ever watchful eye. Being a kid is tough today. Sorry.....

A New Yorker's preparation for Hurricane Irene.

Do I hear an "Amen?" Life isn't about never making mistakes.
It's making them then learning from them.

Shall I order several of these and keep them in stock at the Space Center? I'm sure the staff would love them during our long cold winters at the Center where some of them can never stay warm enough.


And Finally, an Imaginative Approach to a few company's logos.

Have a Great two day weekend Space Center Staff! (Three days to your civilians).

Mr. W.

Live Code Free Programming Classes! Enroll now.

Hello Troops,
The Space Center is offering a free computer programming class. Our instructors will be teaching LiveCode (Revolution). The Magellan, Odyssey, Phoenix and Galileo are currently programmed in LiveCode. This weekly course will be held every Wednesday, 6:00 - 7:20 P.M. starting September 7, 2011. November 9th will be the last class.

The class is open primarily to Space Center volunteers and staff, but the general public is welcome to attend, again at no charge.

A course description is given below.

If you are interested in attending, please call Mr. Williamson at the Space Center, 801.785.8713.

Mr. Williamson


Each Class will consist of:

• Instruction
• In-class examples
• Practice Problems
• “Take five minutes, and try to make x, y, and z happen”
• A quiz
• A homework assignment

Overall Class Structure by week

• Cards, stacks, controls, commands (basic)
• Explain the Programming set up.
  
• Show how to create a controls and edit the script of a newly created control. Explain the dictionary as well as the message box.
  
• Explain what the inspector pane does. Objective: Make a stack with controls and a button that, when clicked on, says “Hello World”
• Vocabulary introduced
• Stack
• Card
• Control
• Command
• Parameter
• Basic Messages (MouseUp, MouseDown)
• Sample problems
• Using the dictionary, find out what “MouseUp” is
• Homework
• Learn what a variable is, and make a button that brings up an answer box. When you click an answer, it answers again telling you what you clicked.
• Variables, Properties, Control Structures
• Message Path, Commands, handlers, functions
• Variable types: Local/Global; arrays
• Media part 1: Images and quicktime movies
• Media part 2: Graphics and effects
• Files, URL get/puts, simple HTTP file downloads
• Socket-level networking crash course, callbacks
• Custom props, synthetic + virtual properties, behaviors/OOP
• Beyond LiveCode

A New Set Director and a Run on Precious Metals

Alex Abdicates. David is Crowned

We begin tonight's news by announcing the abdication of His Royal Highness and Prince of the Realm Alex I from the Phoenix Kingdom.

His rightful Heir Apparent, HRH David is seen receiving the Sacred Microphone, marking yet another peaceful transition in our most serene Space Center Kingdom.

We will miss Alex. He was an awesome Phoenix Set Director. Alex was our "go to guy". We called him when anything technical or computer related needing addressing. Alex is attending BYU and enjoys his new employment doing computer graphics for some BYU department. When given the chance Alex brags about his own office with a window and awesome view of campus :)

Dave takes over the Phoenix's reigns as Set Director. He is supported by a gifted staff of flight directors and volunteers. Congratulations Dave!

Last Saturday's Honors

I doubt anyone besides me noticed the spike in metal prices this past weekend on the world markets. Silver rose along with an impressive budge in world copper prices. The talking heads on the financial networks theorized as to the cause. Of course, those of us that work at the Space Education Center know the truth (spoken with my left index finger held firmly against the left side of my nose - the universal sign of "we know something you don't know").

Slide your chair up closer to your computer screen so you can read what really happened without anyone else in the vicinity of your monitor seeing. Ready?

The spike in world metal futures rose because of the number of award pins the Space Center bestowed on our humble and pliable volunteers and staff last Saturday.

Shhhhhh! Now, slowly and innocently scoot your chair back into a normal and comfortable reading position and maintain the appearance of knowing and seeing nothing.

So, where did these precious metals go you ask?

Several grams worth of the precious metals were given to Scott W. Rachel congratulated him on his dedication to the cause. Scott thanked Rachel for the Galileo Pin, then spoke at length about God and Country. He wrapped up his twenty minute remarks reciting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address from memory.

Jordan was awarded his Odyssey Pin by none other than the Odyssey's Set Director, Christine Grosland. You'll see me in the background watching the world's metal futures going up on the Discovery's computer as the pins were awarded.


Christine is happy because she got to give Logan P. his Odyssey pin. I wonder who Christine likes the most? Hummmmmm? The Thumbs Up gives it away.

Sorry Jordan, but there was something about Logan's fake bloody face that captured Christine's fancy. I think I heard from reliable sources that Christine is a big Twilight fan.

Dave jumped up after Christine to congratulate Logan on receiving his Phoenix pin. The lanyard around Logan's faced strained under the weight. I'm in the background calculating my sudden profit on the world copper market. I believe they call it insider trading. I know when our pins will be awarded. I take that knowledge and use it to buy and sell futures on the metals our pins are made from. My earnings keep me in Diet Coke and Space Center shirts.

This is Rachel. Rachel got to pin a Galileo pin on Logan's Lanyard.

I'm seen here congratulating Logan on his Year Pin. Notice our hands. Fake blood is not my cup of tea.

To summarize, last Saturday was "Let's all Worship Logan" day at the Space Center. We had carnival rides out on the playground, hot dogs and cotton candy in the gym and fireworks later in the evening to top off Logan's Perfect Day.


The room emptied after Logan's last pin was awarded, leaving Spencer Merryweather and I alone for the awarding of Spencer's Five Year Pin. Shame Shame Shame on the staff and volunteers for being more interested in the carnival and food. Logan wanted to stay but was called away to take an incoming call from President Obama. Spencer kept a brave face, holding back the tears. I did my best to boost his spirits and reminded him of his indispensability.

"What else?" he asked between sobs. "What else am I good at?"

I thought for a moment. "Well, you're pretty dang good at Warball!" I exclaimed. His face brightened and the picture was taken.

I first met Spencer when he darkened my classroom door in the 6th grade. He was put into my advanced math class. He did remarkably well, considering his handicap (extreme sarcasm mixed with a phobia of all thing bright and beautiful).

Congratulations Spencer!