Wikipedia is Awesome

Here's why:
1. It's useful. Although Wikipedia is perpetually a work in progress, Wikipedia contains vast amounts of information on many topics, including topics that are too obscure to have their own entry in most general encyclopedias.
2. It's multi-lingual. Wikipedia's goal is to compile all articles in every language.
3. It's free. And you don't need to sign up for anything to read (or even edit) Wikipedia.
4. It's interconnected. Articles connect to other articles within the site, articles on otherWikiMedia projects, and other places on the web.
5. You can make a difference. Anyone can edit almost any part of Wikipedia and their changes are immediately visible to all users.

What you need to start contributing to Wikipedia:
1. A computer with an internet connection.
2. Basic computing skills.
3. A little time to read the tutorial or look at the formatting of an existing article.
4. Some language and grammar skills. The ability to write moderately well.
5. Knowledge about something.

So, take a look around. Click on the Random Page or Recent Changes button and browse if you don't have anything specific to look for.

Surreal, with Many "Ownzed!" Moments

So, to update on my non-Wiki activities:

In ECS we've been experimenting with OpAmps, circuits that given power, produce an output that is proportional to (but much greater than) the difference between its two inputs. Apparently, this works somewhat like integration with saturation limits and a saturated flow rate, or, alternatively, like Forklift the (extremely muscular) construction worker who worked at Olin last year. Gill Pratt (our ECS teacher, the coolest guy ever, and the guy who left a tenured position at MIT to teach at Olin) is a bit... obsessed with Forklift. To illustrate Gill's attitude towards Forklift, I've lifted this quote from the Olin Quote Page (not all work-safe):

Gill Pratt, Olin professor (to Forklift, the construction worker): "Take it off! Take it off!"

... Yeah... That's Gill for you...

In Design Nature, we're designing our mechanical jumpers. We've finished our idea sketches and are moving on to sketch models (simple models made out of foam, paper clips, gaffers tape, and rubber bands).

In Math and Physics, we're beginning to develop our mathematical models for the bottle rockets.

The subject line describes this evening's FILM club movie, "The Triplets of Belleville," which is hard to describe, but fun to watch. The entire film is absurd and surreal, the artistic style is excellent and unusual, and... well... there's fishing with grenades! See it!

That's all for now, as I have work to do!