Bio Dashboard

So turns out I was actually sick these past few days, and that was contributing to my lack of creativity. That got me thinking about biotech again and how it would have been nice to know that I was sick instead of afterwards. I am not sure anyone knows what I mean, but starting Tuesday I just felt off, wasn't too hungry, had a headache, muscle aches, and the like. At that time I thought I was just tired or ready for vacation or whatever. But I actually had a fever and wasn't feeling well at all.

So the point of this was biotech right? This is what I was thinking. If there was device constantly monitoring critical body functions it could have alerted me to the fact that I had a temperature. It could have asked me for some other symptoms, and proposed a diagnosis to me. It could have sent an alert to my doctor, or if I went to a walk in clinic the device could have downloaded the info to them while I was in the waiting room.

I think a lot of people fear this type of technology, but to me it just makes sense. You could have your own dashboard giving you information on critical things each day. It could track your weight, critical health measurements (things like cholesterol or amount of sleep). To me that information would be critical to have to ensure a proactive approach to health. Just my thoughts.

I will do some searching and see if I can find some companies that are looking into doing this or are already doing this and post what I find.

Calm after the storm

Last week was a great week for creativity. I came up with some great guitar riffs (all of which are posted on FB) and attended an three day event at work where I was able to showcase my coop program new ideas and best practices. Right now though, I feel the lull. The calm after the storm of creativity. This happens every once and a while. My brain needs a break. I can tell I am forcing things on guitar, trying to jam in certain chords, rather then feeling it and not really thinking about it. I think its important to recognize the lull, acknowledge it, and just wait it out. You can try and force some creativity, but forcing that never works. You can always tell its not authentic. The looseness of authenticity is missing. It feels contrived and thought out, which is not what I want. So it might be a while before a new riff is posted, and that is OK. Perhaps I will switch over to blogging this week, who knows. Either way I will enjoy the calm after the storm, because I know the next wave might be better then the last.

Perhaps I should name these creative storms. They can be Hurricanes. That gives me an idea...

The results so far...

So taking a look back at my short time on Facebook and Blog I have found the following:

Facebook - 22 videos
Blog - 8 posts

Interesting. When I started out I didn't expected the Blog to surpass the Facebook content, but the results speak for themselves and that is fine with me. When I get my new smartphone I expect my blog entries to increase. I will be able to capture ideas as when and where ever they occur. Thats the trouble with ideas, they come and go like the wind, so I am looking forward to having the tools to capture them immediately and act on them later.

I hope everyone likes the guitar stuff. I know I do. It makes me wonder why I didn't start doing this sooner. It seems like everytime I pick the guitar up I play something new, and I like being able to capture that idea as soon as it happens, without much thought, with mistakes, whatever. Its new. It hasn't really been thought about too much, and thats good.

I will check the stats in a few weeks again to see how its goin.

Safety Dance

For those keeping track, there have been 2 driver deaths and 1 spectator death at NHRA events this year. The most recent death happened last Sunday. By mid week the NHRA technical committee had made an announcement concerning safety items on the car. That statement is shown below:

GLENDORA, Calif. -- As part of its continuing efforts to enhance safety, NHRA announced today that rear carbon fiber brake rotors and pads will be mandatory for Top Fuel Dragsters, Funny Cars, Top Alcohol Dragsters and Top Alcohol Funny Cars effective July 21, 2010, and front carbon fiber brakes will be mandatory for Funny Cars and Top Alcohol Funny Cars by August 11, 2010. The vast majority of vehicles in these classes already use this equipment.

As an additional safety enhancement, NHRA is also working with manufacturers on a secondary tethering device for parachutes in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car classes. This is in addition to an enhanced specification for parachute mounting for the same four classes that was introduced earlier this year.

A radio frequency-activated shutoff device, which shuts off the fuel supply, cuts ignition and deploys the parachutes if the driver has not done so after passing the finish line, will be mandatory beginning in 2011 for the Top Alcohol classes. This device has been mandatory in Top Fuel and Funny Car since earlier this year. Top Alcohol drivers may install the receiving device on their vehicles and use it immediately at all of the national events remaining on the 2010 schedule.

NHRA's investigations continue into the tragedies that have struck the sport this year and NHRA and the entire racing community again extend deepest condolences to the families of those involved. NHRA continues to actively address safety issues and work to enhance safety in the sport.

All of today's announcements follow a series of safety enhancements for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car implemented this year. These include a burst-panel activated safety shutoff system, which releases parachutes automatically when the manifold burst panel breaks; the use of a cable around the main element of the rear wing to automatically deploy the chutes if the wing breaks; improved oil catch can systems; use of the Eject helmet removal system; and fireproof tubing around brake lines.

Personally I think they are going about this from the wrong way. How many of the items above address the integrity of the cockpit? None that I can see. It makes more sense to emphasize survivability of the cockpit in a worst case scenario. If it can survive that it can survive anything. Sure it will cost more, but when you compare it to the cost of a human life I think its a pretty simple decision.

Waiting

I came up with some dressing room design ideas while waiting for Kim on Friday night. I decided my goal was to give people an entirely new dressing room experience (both those in the room and those waiting outside) and sell that experience, instead of the clothes.

First off, the design off the dressing rooms itself should create excitement. For example, instead of just dropping the unwanted clothes in the room there would be a machine that would consume them in an inventive way. My first thought was using the old banking air tube system to suck them out of the room. Or something crazier. Something no one would believe.

The experience for those waiting should also be changed. The lounge area should be just that. A lounge area. Have 15 flatscreens playing movies, TV, news, whatever. Make it so the people waiting don't feel like they are waiting.

Lastly the men's dressing room should include a hang out. Like the last room on the left leads into a small lounge area, complete with drinks and pool tables and the like. There would be TVs there and one would be showing all the suckers in the ladies room waiting area, who were not aware of the secret hang out.

Again, the store should be selling the wiating experience and not the clothes themselves. Think about it. If someone told you about this cool waiting area, wouldn't you want to check it out for yourself?

Art all around

So I have often heard that artists create with the media that is available to them. So I wonder what Da Vinci would be doing on his blog, website, or twitter account. Think of all the ideas that he could capture immediately. I know most of us have experienced the loss of a great idea. I know I have, whether it was a guitar riff or an idea for an iPhone app, it was there and then 5 minutes later it was gone. The tools of today allow us to capture and share ideas so much faster then ever before, and the viral capability spreads these ideas at even faster speeds. Anyways, think about it - how many websites do you really love. Would you call those art? Do you classify art as a painting on the wall, a great song, a great poem? I think "art" has been expanded in realms that most people don't notice. Think about it. There is art all around.

Give it away

So I was wondering what would happen if BP decided to give away free gas to the coastal areas that have been affected by the oil spill. Sure it would "hurt" them financially in the short run, but in the long run it could pay off big time.

She had song

Tuesday night lessons are typically nothing special, but tonight was different. Tonight my student taught me a lesson. Tonight I witnessed raw emotion in the form of song. Tonight I saw true feelings being expressed. True anger. True frustration. Questions of why. My student was playing a one chord song and expressing frustration about a friendship gone wrong. She smiled, only slightly embarrassed, after the finishing the first first. I encouraged her to continue, to sing louder, to sing with the emotion she felt. And you know what? She did.

I know that true artists can transform feelings into tangible form. Forms like sculpture, art, spoken word, written word, and song. The expressive feeling can be felt while in the presence of such art. It is real. When it is authentic, we know it. It powerful. Its moving. Its inspiring. It makes us want to do more. I want to do more.

For what its worth my student is in grade school and arrived with a guitar that was out of tune and missing one string. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the production of things. We say its not good enough so I can't do it. Its night fast enough. It doesn't sound good. Its whatever. These are all just excuses. This grade schooler had no excuses, she had song.

So let it be written

I should have called this thing "So let it be written" as a tribute to Metallica, but I spaced that. I guess I got caught up in the moment. It is amazing how many tools are available online to this kind of stuff. In the past couple of weeks I have actively contributed to Facebook, YouTube, and created this Blog. The intent is to get the stuff I do out and available to everyone. So my goal is to post everyday about something, post a guitar riff everyday, post an idea everyday, just post something I am passionate about at least once a day.

The next great leap will involve a smart phone, and I am actually excited about that. I will be able to post my ideas as they come to me. I cannot tell you how many times an idea has come into my head only to be washed away by some distraction. For example, creating an iPhone app to pay for parking ramp bills, or even parking meters. How cool would that be, you park at the meter, use your phone to log into the meter, and go. Then when you get back you just pay what you owe right there. If there is some parking time limitation, then your phone could notify you when your time is almost up, and even better the cop writing the ticket could send you a notification as they are doing it. How fun would that be?

And so it begins...

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