Before and after

The lab I joined about a year ago is growing quite a bit.  Lots of new grad students, researchers, etc.  After a false start or two, the lab finally (thanks to Martin's hard work) underwent renovations.  This is more or less what it looked like before the renovation:

There are a few computers missing, since we put 'em away the week before for a construction false start.  Anyway, the wall on the left side of the lab was being knocked out.  So...

We had to move all our computers and other assorted stuff:

Finally, construction!

This Monday we moved back in!

Think Green

The Marshak science building at CCNY is getting a makeover:

Not quite sure that neon green is a great color for a building, but I suppose it'll be noticed.

Unrelated, the Doghouse Diaries ran a comic strip yesterday which beat me to a post I was going to do:
If, when GChatting me

1. the responses begin with lowercase letters, then you're chatting with me
2. the responses begin with uppercase letter, then you're chatting with Stacy on my account
3. the responses begin with nklsdfnglkj 890890fsghdj ,..d...f.., then you're chatting with one of our cats.

Campaigning

I wonder who he's voting for...

Dust Free

As part of my research, I'm going to need to do some work at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN).  Some long-time readers may recall my summer out there 4 years ago (and associated Facebook antics). That summer, I was, ostensibly, working on some particle physics project, although actually I was sitting in an office doing some pointless programming on an ancient Linux machine.  This time, however, I'll be working in the cleanroom at CFN fabricating some devices we've been working on designing for a while.

This past Tuesday we went out there for some safety training in the cleanroom:

It seems that I've inadvertently picked up yet another village idiot costume...

Twitter has style

Mirrors

Around two or three months ago I changed the position of the side mirrors on our car.

This is from an article in Car and Driver which was linked by lifehacker.  Check it out - it has completely changed my driving experience.  I drive in rush hour and in NYC traffic every day, and being able to see my (former) "blind spot" without twisting is an absolute joy.  If I look in the rearview mirror I see what's behind me, and when I look in the side mirrors I see what's next to me.  Once a passing car leaves the side mirror's view it's in full, normal, forward-facing view.

I suggest that if you try this, at the beginning continue to check your blind spot as you normally would until you get used to the new view.  You'll naturally gradually stop that check as you get comfortable.

One caveat, though, parking is more difficult, since you can't actually see the side of your car anymore.  You'll need to lean to get that view in the mirror.  But, in my opinion, it's well worth it for far safer driving the rest of the time.

And You Thought I Wasn't Going to Post

It may be a bit late, but here it is. As I said last week I would post a picture from my Graduation.

Of course i was joined by my parents, Eli and my Grandmother.

For more from my graduation check out my mother blog.

Triumphant Return

Well I am back. I should be blogging weekly once again. In fact next week post will be a follow up of this weeks post. Yesterday I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with Honors and as a J.J. Slade Scholar (which I will explain another week). Unfortunately because it was just yesterday I have not yet gotten the pictures from those people who had cameras. However, I can give you teasers, see if you can pick me out and of course my back as I receive an empty folder. Chag Shavuot Sameach.

Finals

Last week I proctored a physics lab final exam at YU.  YU does not allow students to have cellphones on them while they take exams:

Our exam didn't allow a calculator and apparently someone was so desperate they were praying, until someone made them leave their siddur up front.