I just uploaded final changes to the MSU latex thesis/dissertation style guide. I took my dissertation to DGE and found no formatting issues. I have made some minor changes in the pdf bookmarks and the layout of the file. It is now up to date and posted.
I just checked the FCC's universal licensing system webpage to see if they have received my application and designated me a call sign yet. My call sign is KE7SJR. I can't wait to get on the air!
I have been studying to take the Ham radio license exam. I attended a class put on by the local ham club over the course of the last few weeks. I studied and did many practice tests on QRZ. I passed the Technician test today with flying colors and proceded to take the General exam. I also passed that but not by nearly as wide a margin. When I get my call sign I can talk on HF frequencies as well as UHF and VHF. I am very excited about this! Many great thanks to the local ham club and the VEC's!
My oldest daughter, 7, is also excited and now even wants to try and take the test for herself...that may be a year or two but the FCC has no minimum age limit.
I passed my PhD comprehensive exam today!!!!!!! This is very excited news! One step closer to being graduated. I owe much thanks to my advisor!! Also much thanks for to my PhD committee.
I think I will start today keeping track of a few news items that might interest others.
I have been thinking for some time now about the amount of power wasted in our homes. One of the biggest wastes I believe is the fact that each and every electronic device has to convert power from 60 Hz standard power to a DC power source. Each of these rectifiers is heavy, difficult to assemble and most important is inefficient. Also, in part how well each device functions is a function of how well the power is rectified. There can be a lot of noise, for example in a stereo system if connecting different devices there may be a ground loop which will cause a hum. This hum is caused by the 60Hz signal on the power source.
A possible solution is to have both AC and DC power wired in our houses. I mean that if each house had one rectifier to convert AC to DC power then there would be one source of heat and power loss. We could easily plug our devices into some standardized socket without all the big converters and wasted power.
While having this thought in my mind, I attended a seminar in which the speaker, from Japan, talked about placing small fuel cells in homes for individual power. The idea is to then have an inverter to convert the DC created power to AC. This usually has an efficiency of less than 70 percent. What a waste, especially if most of our devices just have to convert it back to DC with another 30 percent loss. That is about 51 percent of the power lost just in conversions. We need DC power available in our homes!!
The same issues exists if you happen to have solar panels that produce your power.
I often see parents in stores, on campus or in other locations interact with their children. Most of the time I cringe at the behavior of the parents. For open disclosure, I have some wonderful children that at times have a bad moment, like most of us. I often want to record the interactions that I see and then play it back to them. I hope that this is simply a misunderstanding that the interaction I see are fleeting and not the standard behavior.
I have some simple thoughts that can help. I call these the "3-Cs". Calm, Consistent, and Choice. The most important thing is to be calm in all our interactions with children and in fact with other people in general. If we have some rule that we think is appropriate for our circumstances and children then that rule MUST be applied consistantly. We become like a fence that a bull will beat against testing its stength. Once the fence is tested and successfully withstands the blast it is then rarely tested again. The same goes for children's behavior with us. The third C is also very important. Often we feel we can manipulate children into doing what we want like this: "You can put your shoes away or go to bed". This is a form of manipulation. a better choice for a small child would be: "You can put your shoes away acting like a monkey or you can put your shoes away acting like a giraffe. Which is better for you?" Then be consistant.
Children are very important and it is a shame we do not realize how important they are and how important it is that we teach them well. I hope my three-C's helps someone.