New Blog:

From now on, please visit my new blog: AviationChatter.com

A return to blogger...

Now that I have a Mac, I can use a nifty little widget to post here on blogger.
Speaking of my Mac, I am currently installing my copy of Windows XP on it. I've already tried dual-booting through Boot Camp, but I just have no need (nor desire) to boot directly into Windows when I have OSX at my fingertips. Since Parallels sets up a virtual machine, I should be able to run Windows (and therefore, Windows applications) side-by-side with OSX and its myriad applications.

Tornadoes Over Tennessee, an Airborne Perspective

We had some bad weather last week. The storm system that hit Tennessee last Friday spawned several Tornadoes and destroyed portions of many mid-state cities. With eight dead in the upscale Woodhaven subdivision, the city of Gallatin was hardest hit.

Since I had already planned on flying the following Sunday, a friend and I chose to survey the damage. Fortunately, the destruction in Gallatin was not as bad as the media had reported it.

I have seen tornado damage from the air before, and it was a humbling experience. This time, however, I was quite relieved for the people of Gallatin. From the air, it was evident that the tornado had only grazed them, trailing through some empty fields before carving a small path through the upscale Woodhaven subdivision. Its path suggested a collision-course for a nearby power-plant, but the twister evidently dissipated. According to a report in the Tennesseean, the Gallatin tornado was an F3 on the Fujita scale.

For the pilots reading this, exercise extreme caution if you choose to examine any disaster damage. During the ten minutes I spent circling the area, there were four airplanes in the vicintity doing the same. As a pilot, your first obligation is to fly the airplane, and that includes collision avoidance. Also, be sure to check for TFR's prior to departure, as traffic may interfere with relief efforts in your area.

South Korean Air Force Seeks Cyber-Athletes

South Korea's Air Force is searching for professional gamers to aide in the development of war-simulation games, said officials.

According to a report by Stars and Stripes, five pro-gamers have already been selected, and they will work in the air force headquarters after completing a military training course.

The goal is to expand military capability by harnessing skilled human resources, and to meet the demand of online gamers who have asked for alternate forms of military service to maintain their skill.

Selected gamers will act as game testers for flight and war-game simulations. They can also compete in e-sports tournaments, but will not be allowed to receive prize money during their terms.

"Generally, professional gamers are very skilled in dealing with computer-related things. We're sure their capabilities will produce a substantial synergy effect for the military's online programs," said public affairs officer First Lieutenant Park Seung-yup.

Andrew Seong, a spokesman for the Korea e-Sports Association said, "We're very appreciative of that decision. It's a great opportunity for pro-gamers to contribute their special abilities to the country."

Many South Korean gamers give up competitive play due to the country's compulsory military service law, which requires all able-bodied men over 20 to serve in the military for two years.

Links:
Stars and Stripes
The Korea Times

Breaking the Speed of Light

The e-mail arrived today. I am going to be invited to be a research assistant at MTSU this summer. The goal: break the speed of light through sound pulses. As long as the Einstein police don't pull me over, this will be great.

Hopefully, my research won't interfere with the classes I am planning to enroll in this semester. Expect more info as this story develops, stay tuned!

How is Mathematics Learned?

Practice vs. understanding: which is more important? Should students seek understanding early in the education game, or is it better to apply mathematical tools under the assumption that understanding will come with experience? According to Keith Devlin, NPR's The Math Guy, simple methodical practice is best. In a recent article published on the Mathematical Association of America's website, he suggests that practice is the natural method by which we learn any skill:

"When we learn a new skill, initially we simply follow the rules in a mechanical fashion. Then, with practice, we gradually become better, and as our performance improves, our understanding grows. Think, for example, of the progression involved in learning to play chess, to play tennis, to ski, to drive a car, to play a musical instrument, to play a video game, etc. We start by following rules in a fairly mechanical fashion. Then, after a while, we are able to follow the rules proficiently. Then, some time later, we are able to apply the rules automatically and fluently. And eventually we achieve mastery and understanding. The same progression works for mathematics, only in this case, as mathematics is constructed and carried out using our language capacity, the initial rule-following stuff is primarily cognitive-linguistic."

This approach is contradictory to my current method for studying mathematics (or any skill). Instead of seeking to fully understand a topic, perhaps it is more efficient to work problems in a mechanical fashion, slowly building understanding with time and practice.

Links:
Keith Devlin's article, "How do we learn math?"

Fibonacci Abounds in Tool's Lateralus

Based on the findings of a Kentucky blogger, the Fibonacci sequence manifests itself in Tool's current album, Lateralus. In the first instance, Maynard James Keenan sings the title track by keeping each line's syllables in step with the sequence. For example:

black [1]
then [1]
white are [2]
all I see [3]
in my infancy [5]
red and yellow then came to be [8]
reaching out to me [5]
lets me see [3]
there is [2]
so [1]
much [1]
more and [2]
beckons me [3]
to look through to these [5]
infinite possibilities [8]
as below so above and beyond I imagine [13]
drawn outside the lines of reason [8]
push the envelope [5]
watch it bend [3]

Maynard's mathematical musings don't end there. Drummer Danny Carey also plays the sequence ranging from one to thirteen throughout the song.

The article also suggests that there is some alternate order to the songs on the album, based on clues offered by Fibonacci and Maynard's lyrics.