“We’d like to invite you to personally experience a ride aboard the Zeppelin at our upcoming Media Day at Moffett Field on Oct. 27.”

Monday morning I had an invitation to ride in the Zeppelin. I had cleared my calendar, but Mother Nature had forgotten to clear her sky. I worried would the weather be a factor and delay, or worse, cancel the event? As I approached Moffett Field and saw the big 246 foot long helium gas filled airship moored out near Hangar One, I felt confident that the ride would take place.

I made my way to the NASA building and signed in. I was issued a flight ticket and told to be ready for a 9 AM take off. On the airfield I talked shop with reporters from The Mercury News, KNTV - Ch. 11, and The New York Times, etc. Twelve of us were asked to gather for a safety briefing and instruction. Boarding is done with much care. The crew takes this very seriously. Once aboard the gondola I was allowed to take any seat that I wished. As the 62,500 pound mast truck made ready, we got settled and buckled in. The good-to-know about sign on my window? Life Vest Under Your Seat.

At 9:05 AM we were up! During the smoothly quiet ride we were allowed to walk around in the cabin, to take pictures, and talk with other passengers. I had to ask the question? “If we all move to one side will the ship start to roll?” I was assured that it would stay steady.

In spite of the fog, I enjoyed the fantastic bird’s-eye view down at Moffett Field - the three hangars, the NASA Ames wind tunnels, hi tech campuses, salt ponds, and 101. The cool little bathroom even comes with a window view!

Think of floating over the South Bay, San Francisco, the East Bay, or Sonoma on a clear day… Ah!

Airship Ventures

More photos on Flickr

1-650-969-8100

Jean Bartik with Linda O'Bryon at the Computer History Musem

Tonight, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View presented a conversation with Jean Jennings Bartik, one of the original programmers of ENIAC. Last night Bartik was named a Fellow of the Computer History Museum, along with Ethernet inventor Bob Metcalfe and Linux originator Linus Torvalds. Tonight’s program was presented in an interview format, hosted by Northern California Public Broadcasting (KQED & KTEH) chief content officer Linda O’Bryon.

ENIAC was “the first general-purpose electronic computer”, according to Wikipedia, although in truth it was built with one main project in mind: calculating firing tables for World War II artillery. In fact, Bartik was first hired to the job of “computer” herself, using a desktop calculator to compute shell trajectories at the rate of about one per week. When a position working on the secret ENIAC project opened up, she took it hoping to use her math skills for less repetitive jobs than the manual calculations she had been doing.

Bartik was responsible for converting ENIAC, which was originally programmed by physically turning switches and connecting wires between components, to a stored-program computer. Later she continued to work for ENIAC’s inventors at the Eckert & Mauchly Corporation, which she called a “technical Camelot”, and then at Remington-Rand which she described as a “job from hell”. Then, she left the field for 16 years to raise a family, but returned to work with minicomputers after her children were grown.

Bartik and the other five original ENIAC programmers received little attention when ENIAC was revealed to the public, with most honors going to the engineers who designed the electronic hardware. Only 30 years later did these pioneers start to gain notice as their story was uncovered by journalists interested in the important role women played in the early history of computers.

The presentation was an excellent opportunity to hear the reminiscences and observations of one of the world’s first computer programmers, who for most of a long career received little credit for her contributions to the earliest development of computing.

photo: woz.org

Steve Wozniak created the Apple I and Apple II computers in the mid-1970s with the Apple II becoming one of the best selling personal computers of the 1970s and early 1980s. He co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs.

He is also an author, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It.

Happy Birthday!

Forget Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. I just read this article on BusinessWeek about female executives in Silicon Valley.  

I think women who are technologically savvy and aren’t afraid to show it are hot.

My newest obsession lately is goofing around in Second Life. I’m still very much a newbie, but I’ve found some pretty spiffy places to kill time in and I’ve made a few random objects.

What I like to do is find any of the corporate-created sites. For example, Scion has some land - Scion City. You can drive around a Grand Theft Auto-Vice City-ish land. Or if you do a quick search, you can find yourself in Comcast’s themepark.

I already knew about San Jose State’s virtual campus (classes are held there, students create work, etc) and I have to admit, being able to sit on the chair that dangles from the Tower - that was kind of cool (in of course, a completely silly way.)

But I found another spot - The Tech!

When you visit The Tech in Second Life you can check out all sorts of exhibits and art. Even the IMAX works. Actually I’m not 100% sure on that one.. it says it’ll play a movie, but I have yet to get it to work. (Remember, still a newbie!)

Oh and for those that are super confused…

Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.

That’s not nearly enough to explain what Second Life is all about - check out the link to find out more.

Links:
Second Life
The Tech Museum SLurl: (this worked earlier, hopefully it’ll work for you - if it doesn’t, just search for “The Tech”)

One thing I love about going to Cinequest, especially to the premiers, is mingling with the cast and crew. They are often around before, and after the show. I was able to have a few words with Director Craig Saavedra and Cinematographer Joaquin Sedillo. I met Enrico (Rico) Colantoni. He plays D. J. (short for Dijon - like the mustard) The guy he was with liked my brown Nikes. (?)

Sherman’s Way was filmed, for the most part, in Northern California up in Lake County. I am already making plans for a spring road trip.

The town of Kelseyville, thanks to the beautiful work of Joaquin, is now a must see vacation destination.

I didn’t want Sherman’s Way to end. I kept hoping for one more scene - I wasn’t ready to say goodbye…

Screenings: Dates and Times

[AROUND THE BAY screenshot courtesy Alejandro Adams]

I like to consider the Academy Awards Show a nice little warm-up to our 12 days and nights of film excitement. One of the most influential film festivals of the year is happening in downtown San Jose. We will be presented with 250 screenings, 80+ films, with 40 U.S., North American, and World Premiers from which to choose.

This year’s Maverick Award recipients:
Danny Glover - (The Royal Tenebaums, Lethal Weapon)
Michael Keaton - (Batman, Night Shift, and one of my all time favorites - Mr. Mom)
Michael Arndt - (Little Miss Sunshine)
Bobby Moresco - (Million Dollar Baby)

I know I won’t be able to take it all in, so I am going over the film schedule trying to fit in as much as possible.

The Alejandro Adams film AROUND THE BAY featuring local talent Steve Voldseth, is one film I am making a point of screening.

As the title implies the film uses many locations, places we here in the South Bay see everyday. The film will open the doors of an upper-middle-class life. Will we see one of our neighbors or might it hit closer to home?
(more…)

It was the year my mom bought one of those shiny silver aluminum Christmas trees with a color wheel beneath it. When I asked her why we couldn’t have a regular fake tree with multicolored lights, she replied that she was tired of untangling the strings. That night I came up with a solution. How about a pre-lit tree? Of course the thoughts of a young girl never went further than our living room. Sometime in the 70s the pre-lit tree appeared on the market. I could have been rich! Where was the ‘Everyday Edisons’ program when I needed it?

‘Everyday Edisons’ is holding a casting call this Saturday at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center to discover a bright idea.

The idea can take any form, from a sketch on a napkin to the finished product.
Free educational seminars, too.

Everyday Edisons - Casting Call

San Jose McEnery Convention Center
150 W. San Carlos Street
San Jose, CA 95113
800-SAN-JOSE
408-277-3535

Date: 02/16/08
You must show up sometime from 7am - 1pm to have your idea seen.
Tickets: Free

FYI - Please do not dress up in a chicken suit. It’s not American Idol.

Is it just news mongering, the hearsay that hints at Google saving Yahoo?

GoogHoo would be fine with me.

It won’t change my life if in an attempt to play catch-up Microsoft buys Yahoo for $44.6 bazillion dollars.

That is as long as they don’t try to Micro-manage my flickr.