3D Printer

Video Description: 3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is created by laying down successive layers of material. 3D printers are generally faster, more affordable and easier to use than other additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printers offer product developers the ability to print parts and assemblies made of several materials with different mechanical and physical properties in a single build process. Advanced 3D printing technologies yield models that can serve as product prototypes.

Serving the Community

Serving your community doesn’t always have to be some huge project. It can be something small, like a change of attitude. Serving doesn’t just pertain to just your community, it can be your school and home too. Serving your community also means inspiring your community to do better.

Well, how do we do that? Like I said earlier, changes and improvements don’t need to be a huge ordeal. In fact sometimes, the small improvements are just as a good or even more significant than the changes that are huge. Of course, I am not saying that big events are not good; it’s just that the smallest improvements can be just as important. Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy once said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”

Here are some things that you can do to improve the community that you are in. First, change your attitude or outlook on things. To do this, be positive. Take things you don't want to do and look at them in a way that's constructive and uplifting. Second, be aware of your behavior and how you come across. Don’t try to cause problems and make things difficult. This only causes tension in the community. That tension can crumble the community. Third, get to know other people that are outside of your close circle of friends. Getting to know more people connects more and different people and builds the community.

Just by doing something simple you can make a great impact on your community, school, or home.

More leadership and personal development articles like this at Leader: Me!

Flight Over Grand Canyon in Jet Suit

Last Saturday, Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy completed a flight over the Grand Canyon in his custom jet suit. Rossy was airborne for 8 minutes and was flying 200 feet over the canyon rim on the Hualapai Reservation after launching from a helicopter. His team said that Rossy flew at 190 mph before releasing his parachute and landing on the canyon floor. Rossy, also known as JetMan, has flown above the English Channel and the Swiss Alps in his custom jet suit as well.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) discussed what class this new flying vehicle should be in. The FAA has never had to assess this type of vehicle before. Eventually, the FAA classed Rossy’s jet suit in the class of airplanes.

His jet suit averages 124 mph and has a 6.5-foot wing span and Rossy wears it on his back. The engine is fed fuel by a slight roll of his hand. Dick Knapinski, spokesman for the Experimental Aircraft Association, says that "this one is a bit unusual." He adds, "It's such a unique design and a unique pursuit that it doesn't fall in the usual categories."

A short video of Rossy’s flight over the Grand Canyon:

Can You See The Great Wall of China From Space?

This has been a very popular myth that you can see the Great Wall of China from space with the naked eye and that it’s the only man-made structure that you can see from space and even from the moon. The truth is that you can’t and especially not from the moon. However, there are many made-made structures that you can see from space like the Egyptian pyramids. The only way you could get a glimpse of the wall is if you had the help of radar or high powered camera. Though, even if you tried to take a picture with a powerful camera, it would still be very hard to make out the wall. Leroy Chiao, commander and NASA ISS science officer of the 10th Station crew, tried doing this with a 180mm lens and a digital camera last Nov. 24. The picture he took was the first confirmed picture of the wall. Chiao and NASA believe that they can make out some parts of the wall. In the picture, the yellow arrow points to an estimated location of 42.5N 117.4E where the wall is visible. The red arrows point to other visible sections of the wall. Still, the wall is not easily seen because of it small width from that height and because it blends in with its surroundings. Even though seeing or taking a photograph is still hard to see it in low Earth orbit, parts of the wall can be seen quite well using radar imagery (below).

So really, this claim is false. You cannot see the Great Wall of China from space with the naked eye without some sort of equipment and it’s not the only man-made structure you can see from space nor the moon.

Sources:

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/workinginspace/great_wall.html

http://www.snopes.com/science/greatwall.asp

http://www.universetoday.com/25364/can-you-see-the-great-wall-of-china-from-space/

http://www.factmonster.com/askeds/great-wall-visible-space.html

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/visible_from_space_031006.html

Why Do Leaves Fall?

Most of the time people think when leaves start to fall it’s because of the wind and winter frost. Well, it’s not that! In fact, every single leaf on a deciduous tree has a thing called "abscission" cells, which acts just like scissors. How does this work?

Roughly around this time of year—Fall—in the Northern Hemisphere, changes in the weather trigger a hormone in the trees. The hormone sends a chemical message which tells the leaves that it’s about time to leave the tree. After the message is received, cells called “abscission” cells materialize where the leaf is attached to the stem. After a few days, each leaf receives a thin coat of bumpy lined cells. These cells push the leaf away from the stem. The tree then gives the leaf a push which leaves the leaf, in other words, hanging on a thread. The wind then carries off the leaf and essentially finishes of the “job”.

What’s the point of leaves falling off trees?

I really like the kitchen staff analogy to explain the role of leaves on a tree from Robert Krulwich.

“…leaves are basically the kitchen staff of a tree. During the spring, summer and early fall they make the food that helps the tree grow and thrive and reproduce. When the days get short and cold, food production slows down, giving the tree an option: It can keep the kitchen staff or it can let it go.
If trees kept their leaves permanently they wouldn't have to grow new ones, but leaves are not the brightest of bulbs (sorry!). Every so often, when the winter weather has a break and the days turn warm, Raven says leaves will start photosynthesizing. "They get some water up and they start operating and making food and then it freezes again."
When the cold snap's back on, the leaves will be caught with water in their veins, freeze and die. So instead of a food staff that's resting, the tree is stuck with a food staff that's dead. And when spring comes, the permanent help will be no help. The tree will die.”

List of Deciduous Trees

Deciduous trees are leaf-dropping trees. Here are some examples of deciduous trees:

Oak


















Maple




















Cherry














For a more extensive list go here: List

Other source: http://www.npr.org

Graffiti Art

I have been recently learning how to draw graffiti letters. Here are some of the pieces I've done. Note: I'm still learning how to color them so that the color schemes complement the piece plus cool designs.

Positive Quotes

I have just started a new blog post series (logo made by me)! I hope to bring five quotes about different problems, emotions, or most anything else! Here is the subject for this post: Perseverance

"Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.”
- Author: Unknown

“Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.”
- Douglas MacArthur

“Edison failed 10, 000 times before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times.”
- Napoleon Hill

“Try and fail, but don't fail to try.”
- Stephen Kaggwa

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
- Benjamin Franklin


Do you have any quotes or topics? Send your ideas to me (markdmckinney@gmail.com).