 |
| I try to keep this blog politically neutral, but have become so disgusted and angry by the gassing of men, women and over 400 children in Syria that I've decided to let this photograph speak for me |
Hello Troops,
This post begins with a few questions sent to The Troubadour.
"Mr. Williamson did you program the original Voyager controls? And what language were the original controls in?"
Why yes, I programmed the Voyager's first set of controls. Apple flew me to Cupertino for a crash weekend course in their user friendly Hypercard language. I came back knowing just enough to get us open (and I mean only 'just'). People who've seen those original controls usually burst out laughing. They stop long enough to see if they're hurting my feelings. Once they see I'm not offended, they laugh even louder. That pretty much sums it up.
Oh the stories I could tell of those first few years of Space Center history.....
Mr. Williamson, will far point have after school missions?
Farpoint will run after school missions once we open either this year or next. Finding a suitable piece of land for both Farpoint and Renaissance Academy's middle school is proving to be difficult. The two open lots near Renaissance Academy are either too expensive or the owners won't sell. Renaissance's administration is exploring the possibility of opening with one simulator in the school if we can't get a good plot of land this school year and our full Farpoint Station will have to be pushed back to the 2014-2015 school year. News updates will always be posted on The Troubadour.
Mr. Williamson, will far point be hiring new flight directors?
We will be hiring new flight directors. We will find them in our Farpoint Voyager's Cadet Club.
Discovery Space Center at Stone Gate's Director Moves to Discovery Space Center Lake View.
BJ Warner announced his new position as director of the new Discovery Space Center at Lake View Academy in Saratoga Shores in a Facebook post two day ago. The announcement came in a lengthy post to the DSC's staff, interns and fans. The text of his posting is below. As you read it, think of the caliber of people the Space Centers attract. Our staff, interns and volunteers are outstanding, creative, honest and hard working people who look at their work at the Centers as more than a job. We see our work as more of a calling. I said Space Centers because there are now two operational centers with another two either in construction or development: the CMSEC, my original Space Center at Central School, the Discovery Space Center at Stone Gate in Pleasant Grove, the soon to open Discovery Space Center at Lake View Academy and finally Farpoint, my new center at Renaissance Academy in Lehi.
BJ is an outstanding young man who've I known for several years. He grew up under my feet and in the shadow of his big sister Megan at the CMSEC. He did a fine job as director of the DSC at Stone Gate and will be outstanding as director at DSC Lake View.
Mr. Williamson
Good afternoon everyone, I must inform you now that my time as the director of Discovery Space Center PG has come to an unfortunate end. This is not bad news, it actually is fantastic news! With the new addition to the fleet up and coming in Saratoga Springs my talents and time are needed there to serve the beloved cadets of Lake View. The idea of the Space Center is truly an amazing concept so why should we keep it to ourselves? I've done a lot of things in my life, I've served an LDS mission, I've worked in a cubical, I've counted to 100, I've loved and I've lost. One of the more challenging things has been my work as the director of Discovery Space Center PG. My personality is not one to yell or to scold or to reprimand or correct and perhaps I would have done better in my life had that been the case. But I have learned much and my personality has changed as a result of my work with each of you. And isn't that the point? Life is meant to be experienced! And if we do not change as a result of our experiences we are fools! During my time here I've felt alone, lost and abandoned. Because of it I have learned to love, lift and strengthen. My ingenuity has increased 100 fold! I have also felt loved, accepted and admired. As a result of that I have learned confidence, respect and wonderment. I have enjoyed my time with each of you and your services are appreciated. Your friendship, even more so is treasured. As I leave, a new director will come in my place. It is the way it is meant to be. We cannot expect as we learn and grow together that we will be able to maintain what we have forever. We must allow our circumstances to learn and to grow with us or else we deny ourselves the benefits of breaching the bounds of impossible! My expectations for each of you is high. The Space Center needs loving and constant care. You have done an exceptional job. You have been given the charge to "try harder" and you have lived up to that charge. Continue forward and make this experience as good as it should be. Children are watching. Parents are learning. People are changing. With each mission you fly the world is a better more adventurous place! DON'T LIMIT YOURSELVES!! Realize your possibility. I have seen it in each of you. No, I am not dying and yes, this is probably a little over dramatic but I wanted you all to know how much I care for and how deeply in my heart each and every one of you are. You are loved. And you are amazing. I see so much potential in you! Don't let yourselves loose sight of that. Impossible is not in my vocabulary. It shouldn't be in yours either. Trust that with the magic of the Space Center, your life will change. I have here a video clip from one of my favorite movies, "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium". This DOES contain spoilers but, it puts my point across. The young woman in the clip has been working for the older gentleman for quite a long time and has a difficult time believing in herself. She finds out rather suddenly that he is 'leaving' and just before this scene gives him the best day of his life in an attempt to get him to stay. In this scene Mr. Magorium, the older man, teaches to her the concept I wish to leave with you all. Enjoy:
As I clean out my desk and close my laptop and a chapter in my life yes, I am sad. But we must all continue forward and turn our pages to continue writing a story of our own. Know that you all have changed my life. I am a better man today because I knew you. I'm around so, no tears. I want to hear your stories and be in your lives from now until forever. Trust in yourself. Believe in your dreams. Find your nitch and make it yours. The universe awaits!
Your friend,
BJ WarnerDirector: DSC Saratoga Springs
Space and Science News
NASA Data Reveals Mega-Canyon Under Greenland's Ice Sheet.
Data from a NASA airborne science mission reveals evidence of a large
and previously unknown canyon hidden under a mile of Greenland ice.
The canyon has the characteristics of a winding river channel and is
at least 460 miles (750 kilometers) long, making it longer than the
Grand Canyon. In some places, it is as deep as 2,600 feet (800 meters),
on scale with segments of the Grand Canyon. This immense feature is
thought to predate the ice sheet that has covered Greenland for the last
few million years.
"One might assume that the landscape of the Earth has been fully
explored and mapped," said Jonathan Bamber, professor of physical
geography at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and lead
author of the study. "Our research shows there's still a lot left to
discover."
Read More
NASA's Hubble Sees a Cosmic Caterpiller
The caterpillar-shaped knot, called IRAS 20324+4057, is a protostar
in a very early evolutionary stage. It is still in the process of
collecting material from an envelope of gas surrounding it. However,
that envelope is being eroded by the radiation from Cygnus OB2.
Protostars in this region should eventually become young stars with
final masses about one to ten times that of our sun, but if the eroding
radiation from the nearby bright stars destroys the gas envelope before
the protostars finish collecting mass, their final masses may be
reduced.
Spectroscopic observations of the central star within IRAS 20324+4057
show that it is still collecting material quite heavily from its outer
envelope, hoping to bulk up in mass. Only time will tell if the formed
star will be a "heavy-weight" or a "light-weight" with respect to its
mass.
Read More
Puntastic Puns
