My second semester at ASU

Apparently keeping an up-to-date blog is fairly difficult for me to do. Granted a lot of things have happened in the last few months. Kaiti and I moved yet again, this time to Mesa. Actually we moved twice, although one of those moves was only down a level in a house that we are living in thanks to some very generous family friends. Now we're in the basement and can afford to pay rent. So things are starting to look up. Kaiti found work, which was a relief, although if she starts grad school next year as she hopes money will be really tight once again.

As for me, I did very well last semester, somehow pulling off a 4.0. I took four courses, the Idea of Planning, Planning Theories and Practices, Planning Methods I, and Transportation Systems Professional Seminar. I also served as a TA for Introduction to Planning.

This semester I am once again taking 12 credit hours. I'm currently enrolled in Planning/Developmental Control Law, Transportation and the Environment, Global Health, Sustainability, and the Built Environment, and Transportation System Planning. I'm also serving my second semester as TA for a History of Planning course. Rest assured this should keep me rather busy.

However, I also hope to continue to garden. Kaiti and I recently planted a plethora of vegetables which will hopefully form the basis of our diet in a few months. We'll see how that turns out though. I may even try to blog more often...probably not though.

Birthday Wish

Cheers to being 25! Jeers to seeing the world I grew up in fall apart! How about this for a birthday wish; let's stop screaming and yelling and let's start working together on really fixing the enormous problems we face. We can't just keep ignoring them and we can't keep thinking that someone else will fix it for us. Divine intervention isn't the solution, we are. Put aside the petty differences and stop putting money above people. If you think things are fine the way they are you are blind or ignorant. Get behind those who stand for change because they are our only hope. Stop dismissing the President because you didn't vote for him, because he's a democrat, or because he's black. He is fighting for us and I stand behind him. This country is starting erode away. Let's not let it slip away during our lifetime.

Lake Powell 2009 Video

Richard the TA

Last night I received news that I have been selected for a TA position at ASU for a class focused on Zoning, Subdivision Regulations, and Building Codes. What's so great about that? Well aside from giving me some great experience to add to my resume it changes the whole dynamic of paying for my Masters degree. Instead of having to pay the outrageous out of state tuition I now only have to come up with enough to pay for half the in-state tuition rate. That's a difference of several thousand dollars. Even better than that though is that I actually receive a stipend of over $3000 as well. While I'll still look for a part time job somewhere I don't have to worry about money quite so much and things are starting to fall into place. Hopefully I can get an internship for the city of Avondale as well.

The Big Move

Well, we've finally moved and we are now Arizona residents. After what seems like a year of planning (but I guess it was only half a year) we are finally in the Phoenix area, Goodyear to be specific. Although the city is pretty far west of...well..just about everything, it's very nice. Kaiti's parents have been kind enough to let us stay with them until we get back on good financial ground. But I'm excited to eventually move closer to Tempe and Phoenix.
Our POD arrives tomorrow and then we'll finally feel like we live here. It's been difficult to get used to the idea of actually living here since most of our stuff hasn't arrived, but once our couch is here I think it'll finally feel like home.
We've already been to the DMV (twice) and have new Arizona plates and licenses. So, we're pretty damn official. Hopefully ASU thinks so too so I can get in-state residency next year.
So, that's pretty much it. I start school in a little over a month and until then I'll be looking for employment and getting used to 110 + degree weather.

My chat with Chad Ford

Well, I just finished chatting with Chad Ford, NBA draft specialist...okay, me and everyone else on ESPN's web page finished chatting with him. But at least he answered one of my questions. That's exciting right? I didn't ask him anything about the Jazz because frankly, that's sort of a mess. They're picking 20th in a really bad draft class. Plus, Sloan refuses to play rookies and half the roster may be gone next season. So trying to figure out what they're doing in the draft would be pointless given how different this team will be once free agency starts. So instead I asked Chad about the Phoenix Suns. I might as well start following them since Kaiti and I will soon be living there.

Rich (SLC, UT) : Is Flynn around for the Suns when they (most likely) pick?

Chad Ford: (4:51 PM ET ) He's a possibility. I think Earl Clark and Austin Daye would be too. And I hear Steve Kerr likes Blair .. a lot.

What? Blair? Do the Suns really need an undersized power forward? Unless (que dramatic music) they play on getting rid of either Shaq or Amare...
There are a lot of rumors out there saying that both of these guys are being shopped around. Even Steve Nash might be on his way out. Personally, I think this would be a huge mistake. Getting rid of any of these guys would be a disaster. Shaq has played well and his expiring contract is worth a lot. If they want to trade him wait until the deadline, you're likely to get more for him from a team looking to cut money. Amare is the best player on the Suns, period. He has been a little disgruntled, but it'd have to be a damn good trade to get rid of a guy with his talent. Maybe he'd be more likely to stay happy if the ownership and GM stopped making stupid mistakes and trading away draft picks and all-stars (Joe Johnson anyone?). Nash is past his prime, but he's the face of the franchise and there aren't a lot of point guards out there better than him even at this stage of his career. The bigger reason not to get rid of any of these players is the 2010 draft. The Suns don't have a pick in it. If any of the above mentioned players is traded, the Suns forfeit their lottery pick. They'd tank a season and wouldn't even have a chance at improving in the draft. Not a smart move.
If they keep all those guys why draft Blair? He wouldn't see much playing time behind Amare and doesn't really help in any real way. The guy would fit better in a slow offense, not with the run and gun suns. Johnny Flynn is a much better option. He's a smart point guard and could take the much needed back-up point guard role while Nash groomed him to be the future of the franchise.
Steve Kerr has really made a mess of the Suns. Before he showed up the Suns were the most exciting team to watch. They were one of the top teams in the west and had a great coach. What did he do? He got rid of the coach, changed the philosophy of the team and took the fun out of the game for the remaining players (goodbye Raja Bell and Boris Diaw). He needs to go before he makes another mistake by taking Blair in the draft.
Or maybe Chad Ford is wrong. After all, the last time he answered my question he didn't hesitate to say that the Jazz would win the Northwest division in a landslide against the Nuggets. How did that one turn out again Chad?

The Drake Equation

Well, that does it. I might as well come right out and say it. I'm a nerd, a huge nerd really. It's probably not a surprise to anyone, but the reasoning behind my declaration may surprise some of you. Yes, it's well documented that I'm a video game nerd, a history nerd, a comic book nerd, and a movie nerd. But, I've joined into the strongest bastion of nerdom, the space nerds.
For the last 6 months I've been following a space blog called "Universe Today" It's full of fascinating information on anything from the latest design for the moon rover to cosmic rays and asteroids.
I used to be very interested in space and space exploration. When I was younger my dad and I spent hours building an Apollo rocket model and launching other rockets out of a local high school football field. Then I discovered that math was essential to perusing this interest. I've never been much of a math guy. So it became more of a hobby. Now I want to share that hobby because I am finding out all kinds of interesting things that I'd love to talk about with people.
Today I learned about the Drake Equation. To put it as easily as I can it is an equation that tries to assign numerical values to relevant terms to determine the amount of intelligent life in our galaxy. Sounds neat right? It is, in fact, why you don’t check out the actual equation here.
The Universe Today discussed it in relation to a "new drake equation", one that ultimately leaves us with the probability that there may be only one intelligent civilization capable of communication in the entire Milky Way, if that. That doesn't mean there isn't a lot more life out there on planets, but probably not comparable life.
This raises all kinds of interesting questions. is the equation flawed since it's based solely on earth experiences? Can we really set values for unknowns like the average lifetime of a communicating civilization? Are we looking for life the wrong way? Could humans actually be the oldest and most technologically advanced life forms in the universe? Will contact with other life ever be made? Given how small a percentage there is of another communicating civilization existing will we ever coexist at the same time with one? I literally have thousands of questions and it is tremendous fun to just sit and ponder some of these things. So, I guess I'm suggesting you too become a nerd. Check out the article I am talking about and then the rest of the blog. They update it everyday, sometimes several times a day, so you'll always have something interesting to read. Join the nerds.