120th Caltech Commencement

From 2014 06 13 Caltech Commencement

In his introductory remarks at the 120th annual commencement for the California Institute of Technology, David L. Lee, Chair of the Board of Trustees, told guests some of the things that members of the Caltech community have been up to in the past year. He highlighted three things: the collaboration on BICEP2, which claims to have found the first observational evidence of cosmic inflation during the first trillionth of a second after the Big Bang; the first determination of the age of an extraterrestrial rock performed extraterrestrially -- on Mars by the Mars rover Curiosity; and the fabrication of a new silicon laser with unparalleled spectral purity that has the potential to speed up the Internet by orders of magnitude.

This last highlight was the result of research by a Caltech Ph.D. candidate in Electrical Engineering, a graduate of the Richardson ISD, whose parents just happened to be in the audience. We couldn't have been prouder of our son's achievement or more appreciative of the educational foundation laid in Richardson schools.

More photos from Caltech commencement after the jump.

A Round of Applause for RISD Insurance

The Richardson ISD is not perfect (no one is), but it's willing to correct its mistakes when they are pointed out. That's worthy of notice and applause.

When I first looked at the issue of school districts leaving its student athletes on the hook for thousands of dollars in doctor and hospital bills for injuries suffered while playing sports for their schools, the RISD was one of five out of sixty five in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that did not provide catastrophic insurance for its student athletes. As I said then, "Richardson ISD?!? No coverage? Seriously?"

Now, the RISD has corrected that egregious oversight. According to The Dallas Morning News, the RISD added a catastrophic insurance policy that will take effect before the 2014-15 school year. Three cheers for the RISD!

So be true to your school now
Just like you would to your girl or guy
Be true to your school now
And let your colors fly
Be true to your school

Source: The Beach Boys.

Something in the Air (2012)

IMDB

Something in the Air (2012): Paris 1971. Rebellious teen drawn to revolution, art, love. Seeks purpose. Not my life story but I relate. A-

Review: A Short History of Nearly Everything

Amazon

From A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson:

That to me remained the greatest of all amazements -- how scientists work things out. How does anybody know how much the Earth weighs or how old its rocks are or what really is way down there in the center? How can they know how and when the universe started and what it was like when it did? How do they know what goes on inside an atom?"

After the jump, my review.

Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

IMDB

Much Ado About Nothing (2012): Shakespeare comedy shot in 12 days in B/W, set in director's house. Mostly works. It is still the Bard. C+

Mayor Maczka Shows Leadership on Palisades - ctd

Monday night (actually after midnight, so very early Tuesday morning), the Richardson City Council approved, 5-2, a rezoning request for Palisades Village, increasing the number of multi-family units from 600 to 1090. This was in response to the developer's request after acquiring 20 acres to add to the original 59 acres in the development. Once again, Mayor Laura Maczka displayed strength and resolve in leading the council to this decision despite vocal opposition from her neighbors in Canyon Creek.

I haven't had anything to say about this second round on this rezoning matter because I had my say during the first round. Rereading what I said then, I find it applies equally well now. So... follow the link and save me the time and trouble of rephrasing the same arguments.

But, after the jump, I do want to add a word about Paul Voelker.

Valley House Gallery

Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Garden: A hidden gem in North Dallas.

More photos after the jump.