All posts by johncohn

Thursday night – shofar

Shana Tova Happy New Year folks..   I had every intention of staying at home today and contemplate the coming year, but
work got in the way.. In fact I wasn’t the only one.. I ran int to (virtually at least) many (6)  of my Jewish friends at work. I know it’s not a big deal, but it got me thinking on the level of busy-ness and pressure we all live under now. Years ago I would never have even considered working on a holiday like this.. nor would any of my semi-observant friends.   We would have all gone to shul (synagogue) out of conviction.. or at the very leas tout of guilt.. Less observant folks like me might have used the time to take a contemplative walk in the woods. Instead I felt compelled to work…   what’s up with that ?
   Maybe there’s a new years resolution in that somewhere..

nite folks, nite sam
-me

Ps., On this holiday you’re supposed to hear the sound of the shofar, a ram’s horn.. played. for those of you who don’t get out much.. here it is…


Wednesday night – Shana tova !

Shana Tova.. Happy new year.. This evening is the start of Rosh Hashonah
the Jewish new year. Tonight starts 5771   . If you take that literally, 5771 years ago today was the 6th day of creation, the day that Ada and Eve were created.. As a sceintist, I take that metaphorically.. but whatever you believe.. tonight and tomorrow are important days for Jews everywhere. It’s the time you look back on the year just past and make your resolutions for the year that’ coming. We all wish to be inscribed in the book of life for the year.. and think of those that didn’t make it through the last.
There’s a part of the service where you those who are in mourning stay standing, while all others sit.. I remember thinking that one day I too would be standing.. I never thought it would come this soon in my life.
   My thoughts about organized religion have changed dramatically since Sam’s passing I’m now sure that any structure like organized religion that is created by humans…  can’t come close to describing the mysteries that make the world work.  At some level I’ve become much more spiritual.. at another..I’ve become much more of a pragmatist.. my g-d is behind the beauty of math and physics.   I have no quarrel with those who believe in more traditional religions.. .. It’s just different for me now.

Whatever you believe, I hope that this new year brings you health, happiness.. and brings more peace and understanding to the world..   we can still hope..   we must always hope.

shana tova everyone, shana tova sam
-me

ps. Tonight try eating  apples and honey for a sweet new year !

Tuesday evening – Location awareness

Since my day today involved lots of convoluted wok stuff I’m going to resort to showing stuff that didn’t happen today…

The first is a new video from IBM Social Media on the topic of location awareness. This new series has us looking at what’s going on in the world on topics related to our company’s Smarter Planet initiative. his one focus’s on work being done at MIT in the Sustainable Cities Lab under Prof. Assaf Biderman. Prof Biderman and his colleagues have managed to add location awareness to articles of trash.. and trace them once they leave our hands. The implications are very interesting e  Let me know what you think

The second thing that didn’t happen today was a commencement address I gave to the graduate school at Marlboro College a few weeks back. They recorded it.. so I’m putting it out there for comment. It was such a wonderful group of grads.. it was a memorable day…

OK.. that’s all that didn’t happen today.. hope your day was fun and uneventful

love you all.. love you Sam
-me

Sunday night – repetitive motion

I’m sitting right at the best spot in the Labor Day vacation.. far enough from last week that I’ve relxed from it.. and far enough from next week that I’m not yet stressing.. Maybe every weekend needs three days for that..

After Diane and I ran honey hollow, I spent the day puttering around the house.. .. well not so much puttering as working on a project. My buddy Scott and I are buildign a new Tesla coil for my traveling show. If all goes well this one ill be lighter, more powerful and more rugged for travel. I’ll also dance to misic. Scott came over this mornign to talk about the project. He’s helping me with the mechanical. It was great seeing himn.. He’s one of my best geek freinds.. yet I see him so seldom.. I would like to make more time for hanging out with other nerds and geekign out. In fact Scott and I have been talking about getting a local Maker Space going where nerds, geeks, artists can come together to work on high tech gizomos and tech assisted art.. Any interest out there readers ?

When Scott left I dug back into the electronics for the coils. I bought some plans,  circuit boards and components from a guy who designs this new bread of tesla coil. It’s a zillion tims more complex than the other 5 Ive built.. so it’ll take me a bit to work through it. I spent the day soldering components to the boards.. It’s a tedious process.. but somehow meditative as all repetitive things are.. It’s like chopping wood.. or running.. the rhythm of it actually quiets your mind.. something I always need.

One interesting effect of getting older is that the print on these components keeps getting smaller..  Even with trifocals I can’t read the @#$^$% specs.   I often have to resort to my blog camer on macro to figure out what I’m looking at.. This critter is a 1000pF mylar capacitor (if memory serves)

They come together like little cities .. btw.. this picture shows me that I need to reseat soem of those diodes in the back.

Around 4:30 I broke form the project and went in to pick up Gabe at Mexicali.. this is his second week there.. and he loves it..    I know the guys in the kitchen there and they tell me Gabe’s a really hard worker.. that I know. but, here’s a kid who’s never much demonstrated his love of dishwashing. enjoying the repetitive process of scrubbing..  We talked about it.. and it’s the same thing.. repetitive process == mental peace..    Pretty cool !……..Slide 2….

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I even found a picture of me over the grill !  We love the folks at Mexicali.. I’ so glad that Gabe has a chance to work with them.. and I’m proud of him for finding all this wrok.. Herhere and at chris’s.. he’s an amazing kid.

Blatant plug ==> If you haven’t been to Mexicali lately.. go there and check out their great food and  fine dish-washing  !

As Gabe and I drove home  we spotted the most vived rainbow over Camels hup.. It really is a nice vacation day..

(I was goign to say “double rainbow.. double rainbow”.. but I did that already a few weeks back .. )

OK.. all for now.. going to go  bug Diane..
nite all.. Nite Sam
-me