So, as we previously discussed, I’ve been to Antarctica. In my time there I got to visit two of the American stations, McMurdo and Amundsen-Scott South Pole (where I wintered over), and New Zealand’s station right over the hill on Ross Island from McMurdo, Scott Base. I want to take a moment so that I …
Category Archives: Adventure & Radiation
I Went Here: Exploration, Toilet By Toilet
At last, the long promised “Bathrooms of Antarctica” post. Once upon a time, in the dawn of the new millennium when Geocities and Angelfire sites still littered the internet, I came across a brilliant website, now lost to the ages, entirely dedicated to one man’s exploration of the world via it’s bathrooms. Now, you might …
Continue reading “I Went Here: Exploration, Toilet By Toilet”
This Is How Marie Curie Died
…unlike her husband who said hello to the bottom of a cart wheel. No, instead I share a cautionary tale where I speak of poor lab hygiene and the danger of long hair. But first, a definition: Satori (n): sudden enlightenment and a state of consciousness attained by intuitive illumination representing the spiritual goal of …
Planting The Seeds Of DOMINATION
As a complete non-sequitur, let us begin with this: I want to applaud the brilliance that came up with this magnificent weapon. A German with an armament oriented dedication to More Awesome nearly 500 years ago created this beauty. When I saw it in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, all I could think of was …
In Memoriam: Erik Allen Fitzpatrick (1975-2010)
This was originally written on May 20th, 2010, the day after Erik died beneath the wheels of an Alameda County Transit bus. The original post evaporated between many server migrations, in addition to many of the original links disappearing, so I have recreated it here as best as I can as it something than can …
Continue reading “In Memoriam: Erik Allen Fitzpatrick (1975-2010)”
Playing Cops & Robots and Touching Faults, Part 2
The other half of last week’s fun was responding to a request from UC and Berkeley Police Departments to assist them with some training for their bomb squad unit. While they’re quite familiar with what to do with explosives, they wanted to get some practice in with radioactive sources just to work on potential “dirty …
Continue reading “Playing Cops & Robots and Touching Faults, Part 2”
SCIENTIFIC DRINKING TOUR 2011 (Updates)
Tickets are officially purchased for upcoming the May and June parts of the 2011 Scientific Drinking Tour plus a new addition in September! This is your opportunity to get direct hand off of either Steins of Science or BBotE while we’re on the road. They more detailed itinerary looks like this: May 12th-17th: Fairbanks, AK We …
Playing Cops & Robots and Touching Faults, Pt. 1
There’s nothing quite like the end of the month, which is always paperwork crunch time, for new and interesting opportunities to crop up. Despite knowing the certain long hours they will demand in make up time, you just can’t…say…no. Two of those happened this week, I got to enter into UC Berkeley’s Lawson Adit (definition: …
Continue reading “Playing Cops & Robots and Touching Faults, Pt. 1”
Corporate Culture vs. The Frozen Frontier
Right out the gate, I must highly recommend the work of Mr. Nicholas Johnson writer of Big Dead Place and curator of the website of the same name. I started giggling at his tales while I was still in Antarctica and it now helps me maintain a connection to a continent I never expect to …
Continue reading “Corporate Culture vs. The Frozen Frontier”
Cryogenic Cocktails – An Antarctic Tale
In addition to being South Pole Station’s bartender, my actual job (the reason I was sent to the bottom of the Earth) was as the science/cryogenics technician. It was my job to take care of all the liquid helium and liquid nitrogen and make sure all the cryogenic equipment on the telescopes stayed in good …
Post-Tsunami Japanese Reactor Problems
While I like to keep my discussions here coffee, beer, and historical science related some things just can’t be ignored especially when people keep poking me for answers. So, I have some thoughts that are quite lacking in insobriety. First, I am not a nuclear engineer, contrary to how more than a few people have …
Goiania
Herr Direktor Funranium shares a brief history of the Goiania Radiological Accident and some thoughts about hazard communication.
The Resurrected “Origins of Funranium”
The long absent “Origins of Funranium” post from the Iteration I website returns.
Antarctic Lifestyle Challenge
Herr Direktor Funranium issues a challenge for you to assess what is important in your life.
Drinking To Columbia – An Antarctic Tale
Herr Direktor Funranium shares another Antarctic moment and salutes the astronauts who made for a very special, though sad, memory.