Big Bang 2

What you see here is called the Compact Muon Solenoid. It is a massive particle detector, part of the Large Hadron Collider that is set to go online September 10th. This will be a day long remembered in the history of our planet.

When the LHC is turned on, it will recreate conditions that existed only once before in the universe, one-trillionth of a second following the big bang. While running, the LHC will run at 7 times greater energy than any other machine on the planet.

Where will you be September 10th? Since the LHC is located in France, I will be far away when this major event goes down. Considering the magnitude of scale we're talking about, maybe that's a good thing. It will be available to view on the web -for the initial event and those to follow through the end of the year.

See TRON in Seattle this Friday, 8/29

"He fights for the users."

It has lately come to my notice that Tron is an obscure film. A bare minimum of my friends have seen this seminal film. Only last month did my sister -my own flesh and blood!- see it for the first time. This cannot stand.

This Friday we are screening Tron at Zoo Station and everybody is welcome to join us. If you have not seen it, here is a chance to see the movie that inspired Pixar and The Matrix.

If you are in Seattle and need directions, please let me know in comments.

A Newer, Better Bus Stop

From the desk of Bruno Taylor, New York bus stop reconceptualizer:

“71% of adults used to play on the streets when they were young. 21% of children do so now. Are we designing children and play out of the public realm?

This project is a study into different ways of bringing play back into public space. It focuses on ways of incorporating incidental play in the public realm by not so much as having separate play equipment that dictates the users but by using existing furniture and architectural elements that indicate playful behavior for all.

It asks us to question the current framework for public space and whether it is sufficient while also giving permission for young people to play in public.

Play as you go…”

Elinor Grace Proctor 1937 - 2008

ELINOR GRACE PROCTOR March 5, 1937 - July 4, 2008

Following a courageous battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Elinor Grace Proctor passed into God's care early in the morning of July 4th this year. Ellie was born in Eugene, Oregon and grew up in Redwood City, California. Her great passion in life was playing the violin, piano and organ. Each Saturday for most of her life she could be found playing her favorite hymns on a keyboard.

Ellie loved to vacation each year at her beloved Silver Lake, enjoyed keeping busy the rest of the year, working well past her retirement with undeniable verve. A deep, active faith inspired all who encountered her, and she loved meeting new people. Her great affection for cats was no secret to anyone.

Ellie's children, Rachel Marie and Wayne Allen, live in Northern California and Washington State, respectively; her twin sister Carol lives on Lake Tahoe and her sister Jeanette resides in Bellingham, Washington; she was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and Thomas MacAdam.

An informal memorial gathering was held on August 2nd, a special time for friends, family and coworkers to share in memories of Ellie and to celebrate the joyful life of a beautiful soul.