get yourself a google+ profile and join me on the premier on october 4th, 2011 at 6:30 pm EST (10:30 pm GMT).
Friday, September 30, 2011
i'm going to appear on photohangouts
i'm going to be a guest on photohangouts!
get yourself a google+ profile and join me on the premier on october 4th, 2011 at 6:30 pm EST (10:30 pm GMT).
get yourself a google+ profile and join me on the premier on october 4th, 2011 at 6:30 pm EST (10:30 pm GMT).
Thursday, September 29, 2011
more stuff to love on google+
i'm loving my experience on google+, especially with my photography and atheist circles.
if you enjoy social networks and haven't joined, you really ought to try it.
if you're looking for atheists and freethinkers to follow, i've put together a list of profiles here. you can add your own profile and reshare it!
...and, if you want to have a look at my favorite images at the moment, check out my 'some of my faves' album.
btw, i've added a widget to my sidebar so you can add me! how easy is that?
the impact of nuclear accidents on the world
i was in high school when we received an assignment for a debate: nuclear power -- the arguments for and against.
this was the 1970s, mind you, in wilmington, delaware. my memory may be failing me, but i believe we were given the assignment in the wake of the accident at three mile island.
i was against it. i did whatever research i could at this internet-less time and presented my case. i wasn't sure about what i thought about it before the debate, but our work convinced me. nuclear power had too many foreseen and unforeseen consequences to use safely.
i'm very sorry to have had to say, too often, i told you so.
this was the 1970s, mind you, in wilmington, delaware. my memory may be failing me, but i believe we were given the assignment in the wake of the accident at three mile island.
i was against it. i did whatever research i could at this internet-less time and presented my case. i wasn't sure about what i thought about it before the debate, but our work convinced me. nuclear power had too many foreseen and unforeseen consequences to use safely.
i'm very sorry to have had to say, too often, i told you so.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
sunset from penteli station
like it? click it!
view in the dark
i shot this from the grounds of the penteli station at the national observatory of athens, just before heading in to hear a regular presentation for the public. we first heard a talk about the importance of the scientific method and, briefly, what we know about our cosmos, and then saw a short film depicting the basics on our solar system and the universe. afterwards, we broke up into smaller groups to see the newall refractor. then we headed outside to hear another talk about the positions of stars in the night sky. we were also able to see vega, a star cluster and jupiter through a smaller telescope.
i was very pleased to see the work that the members of the observatory are doing to educate the public. i was also stunned (negatively) by some the questions. for instance, one visitor asked if stars were .... suns? it seemed as if it was the first time she'd heard it. while we waited for jupiter to rise in the night sky, another asked if we were waiting for it to get closer to earth. still another asked if there was color in the universe.
sometimes i underestimate the extent of ignorance in the general public. i wonder, before these people visited, what they thought when they looked up at the night sky. it's clear that we must make science education very high in our priorities, especially for children and young adults. i'm glad that the good people at the NOA are doing their best.
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Saturday, September 24, 2011
a year of sunrises
i'm glad phil plait uploaded this video to youtube, as i saw it yesterday on the NASA earth observatory page. but was reluctant to do so.
'one of the most frequently misunderstood concepts in science is the reason for earth’s seasons. as we experience the september equinox today—anyone try to balance an egg yet?—we thought we’d offer a space-based view of what’s going on.
around 6 a.m. local time each day, the sun, earth, and any geosynchronous satellite form a right angle, affording a nadir (straight down) view of the terminator, the edge between the shadows of nightfall and the sunlight of dusk and dawn. the shape of this line between night and day varies with the seasons, which means different lengths of days and differing amounts of warming sunshine. (the line is actually a curve because the earth is round, but satellite images only show it in two-dimensions.)'
'one of the most frequently misunderstood concepts in science is the reason for earth’s seasons. as we experience the september equinox today—anyone try to balance an egg yet?—we thought we’d offer a space-based view of what’s going on.
around 6 a.m. local time each day, the sun, earth, and any geosynchronous satellite form a right angle, affording a nadir (straight down) view of the terminator, the edge between the shadows of nightfall and the sunlight of dusk and dawn. the shape of this line between night and day varies with the seasons, which means different lengths of days and differing amounts of warming sunshine. (the line is actually a curve because the earth is round, but satellite images only show it in two-dimensions.)'
Friday, September 23, 2011
equinox
like it? click it!
view in the dark
happy september equinox!
don't say autumn equinox -- that's hemispherist.
i actually shot this sunrise in august, but i think it's perfect for today. still, i hope to get out this evening to shoot a sunset -- sadly the lovely fluffy clouds we had over the past couple of days are now gone.
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
christopher hitchens debates barry brummett
i make no secret of my admiration for christopher hitchens -- just hit my christopher hitchens label on the sidebar to go through the numerous videos and links i've shared over the past 5 years. while i don't always agree with it, his work moves me both intellectually and emotionally and i can't calculate how much it's enriched my life.
in this debate, the first things i noticed was a relative weakness in his voice from the powerful one i'm used to hearing, but as i gradually became accustomed to his words and intonation, it reverted, in my mind's ear, to its usual captivating tone.
as for barry brummett, i sensed a nervousness, which i won't try to interpret except to state that it was there. he was quite interesting and thought provoking himself, a welcome change from hitchens' usual debating antagonists.
although, as i said above, i have embedded very many videos with hitchens over the years, it's been a while and i'm very glad to be able to share this playlist:
in 8 parts.
in this debate, the first things i noticed was a relative weakness in his voice from the powerful one i'm used to hearing, but as i gradually became accustomed to his words and intonation, it reverted, in my mind's ear, to its usual captivating tone.
as for barry brummett, i sensed a nervousness, which i won't try to interpret except to state that it was there. he was quite interesting and thought provoking himself, a welcome change from hitchens' usual debating antagonists.
although, as i said above, i have embedded very many videos with hitchens over the years, it's been a while and i'm very glad to be able to share this playlist:
in 8 parts.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
a declaration of interdependence
this film looks fascinating -- i look forward to seeing it... learning more about what it's saying.
connected the film
connected the film
Monday, September 19, 2011
spiderman jr.
like it? click it!
view in the dark
spiderman jr. was having lunch with his dad and sister at the table next to mine a few days ago. obviously accustomed to being photographed by his dad, he tried to avoid this paparazzi, yours truly, by hiding behind his chair.
but i got him! yay!
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
john underkoffler points to the future of UI
this is jeff han and his multi-touch screen in a video that i embedded on this blog in 2006 . it wowed TED then... and now we have this technology on our everyday devices.
now, in 2011, john underkoffler presents the future of UI, again on TED:
now, in 2011, john underkoffler presents the future of UI, again on TED:
Friday, September 16, 2011
παίζουμε οικολογικά
[pEzume ikologikA]
77 artists, 40 locations around attica -- the greater athens area -- greece, playing ecologically.
του κύκλου τα γυρίσματα που ανεβοκατεβαίνου
και του τροχού που ώρες ψηλά κι ώρες στα βάθη πηαίνου,
και των αρμάτω οι ταραχές, έχθρητες και τα βάρη,
του έρωτα η μπόρεση και της φιλιάς η χάρη,
ετούτα μ'εκινήσασι τη σήμερον ημέρα
ν'αναθιβαλω και να πω τα κάμαν και τα φέρα
τότες μια άγάπη μπιστική στον κόσμο έφανερώθη
κ'εγράφτη μέσα στην καρδιά κι ουδέ ποτέ τση έλειώθη.
και με τιμή ήταν (ήσαν) δυό κορμιά στου πόθου το καμίνι
και κάμωμα πολλά ακριβό σ' έτοιους καιρούς εγίνη
ήκουσες αρετούσα μου τα θλιβερά μαντάτα,
που ό κύρης σου μ' έξόρισε στης ξενιτιάς τη στράτα;
τέσσερεις μέρες μοναχάς μου'δωκε ν'ανιμένω
κι άπόκει να ξενίτευτώ,πολλά μακρά να πηαίνω
και πως να σ' άποχωριστώ και πως να σου μακρύνω
και πως να ζήσω δίχως σου στον ξορισμόν έκείνο;
κατέχω το κι ο κύρης σου γλήγορα σε παντρεύγει
ρηγόπουλο, αφεντόπουλο, σαν έισ' έσύ γυρεύει.
κι ο κύρης όντε βουληθεί και θε να με παντρέψη
και δω πως γάμο κτάσσεται και το γαμπρό γυρέψη,
καλλιά θανάτους εκατό την ώρα θέλω πάρει,
άλλος παρά ο ρωτόκριτος γυναίκα να με πάρη.
παρακαλώ, θυμού καλά, ό,τι σου λέγω τώρα
και γρήγορα μισεύγω σου, μακραίνω από τη χώρα
μα όπου κι αν πάγω, όπου βρεθώ και τον καιρό που ζήσω
τάσσω σου άλλη να μη δω μηδέ ν' ανατρανίσω
καλλιά 'χω εσέ με θάνατο παρ' άλλη με ζωή μου,
για σέναν εγεννήθηκε στον κόσμο το κορμί μου.
τούτο εδώθη σ'ολους μας: ότι κι αν πεθυμούμε,
μ'ολον οπού 'ναι δύσκολον, εύκολο το κρατούμε
κι εύκολα το πιστεύγομε κείνο που μας αρέσει
και κάθα είς σ' τούτο μπορεί να σφάλει και να φταίση.
tα πάθη πια δεν κιλαδεί το πρικαμένο αηδόνι,
αμέ πετά πασίχαρο, μ' άλλα πουλιά σιμώνει.
ετούτ' η αγάπη η μπιστική με τη χαρά ετελειώθη
και πλερωμή στα βάσανα μεγάλη τως εδόθη.
για τούτο οπού 'ναι φρόνιμος , μηδέ χαθή στα πάθη
το ρόδο κι όμορφος αθός γεννάται μες στ' αγκάθι.
και κάθα είς που εδιάβασεν εδά κι ας το κατέχη :
μη χάνεται στον κίνδυνο, μα πάντα ελπίδα άς έχη.
στάλα τη στάλα το νερό το μάρμαρο τρυπάτο
εκείνο που μισεί κανείς γυρίζει κι αγαπάτω.
τα μάτια δεν καλοθωρούν στο μάκρεμα του τόπου
μα πιο καλά και πιο μακριά θωρεί (βλέπει) η καρδιά του ανθρώπου.
απ'οτι κάλλη έχει ο άνθρωπος τα λόγια έχουν τη χάρη
και κάνουσι κάθε καρδιά παρηγοριά να πάρει
για μένα όλα σφάλουσι και πάσιν άνω-κάτω
για με ξαναγεννήθηκε η φύση των πραγμάτων.
για μένα όλα σφάλουσι και πάσιν άνω-κάτω
για με ξαναγεννήθηκε η φύση των πραγμάτων. thank you to my friend, panos, for mailing this to me.
77 artists, 40 locations around attica -- the greater athens area -- greece, playing ecologically.
του κύκλου τα γυρίσματα που ανεβοκατεβαίνου
και του τροχού που ώρες ψηλά κι ώρες στα βάθη πηαίνου,
και των αρμάτω οι ταραχές, έχθρητες και τα βάρη,
του έρωτα η μπόρεση και της φιλιάς η χάρη,
ετούτα μ'εκινήσασι τη σήμερον ημέρα
ν'αναθιβαλω και να πω τα κάμαν και τα φέρα
τότες μια άγάπη μπιστική στον κόσμο έφανερώθη
κ'εγράφτη μέσα στην καρδιά κι ουδέ ποτέ τση έλειώθη.
και με τιμή ήταν (ήσαν) δυό κορμιά στου πόθου το καμίνι
και κάμωμα πολλά ακριβό σ' έτοιους καιρούς εγίνη
ήκουσες αρετούσα μου τα θλιβερά μαντάτα,
που ό κύρης σου μ' έξόρισε στης ξενιτιάς τη στράτα;
τέσσερεις μέρες μοναχάς μου'δωκε ν'ανιμένω
κι άπόκει να ξενίτευτώ,πολλά μακρά να πηαίνω
και πως να σ' άποχωριστώ και πως να σου μακρύνω
και πως να ζήσω δίχως σου στον ξορισμόν έκείνο;
κατέχω το κι ο κύρης σου γλήγορα σε παντρεύγει
ρηγόπουλο, αφεντόπουλο, σαν έισ' έσύ γυρεύει.
κι ο κύρης όντε βουληθεί και θε να με παντρέψη
και δω πως γάμο κτάσσεται και το γαμπρό γυρέψη,
καλλιά θανάτους εκατό την ώρα θέλω πάρει,
άλλος παρά ο ρωτόκριτος γυναίκα να με πάρη.
παρακαλώ, θυμού καλά, ό,τι σου λέγω τώρα
και γρήγορα μισεύγω σου, μακραίνω από τη χώρα
μα όπου κι αν πάγω, όπου βρεθώ και τον καιρό που ζήσω
τάσσω σου άλλη να μη δω μηδέ ν' ανατρανίσω
καλλιά 'χω εσέ με θάνατο παρ' άλλη με ζωή μου,
για σέναν εγεννήθηκε στον κόσμο το κορμί μου.
τούτο εδώθη σ'ολους μας: ότι κι αν πεθυμούμε,
μ'ολον οπού 'ναι δύσκολον, εύκολο το κρατούμε
κι εύκολα το πιστεύγομε κείνο που μας αρέσει
και κάθα είς σ' τούτο μπορεί να σφάλει και να φταίση.
tα πάθη πια δεν κιλαδεί το πρικαμένο αηδόνι,
αμέ πετά πασίχαρο, μ' άλλα πουλιά σιμώνει.
ετούτ' η αγάπη η μπιστική με τη χαρά ετελειώθη
και πλερωμή στα βάσανα μεγάλη τως εδόθη.
για τούτο οπού 'ναι φρόνιμος , μηδέ χαθή στα πάθη
το ρόδο κι όμορφος αθός γεννάται μες στ' αγκάθι.
και κάθα είς που εδιάβασεν εδά κι ας το κατέχη :
μη χάνεται στον κίνδυνο, μα πάντα ελπίδα άς έχη.
στάλα τη στάλα το νερό το μάρμαρο τρυπάτο
εκείνο που μισεί κανείς γυρίζει κι αγαπάτω.
τα μάτια δεν καλοθωρούν στο μάκρεμα του τόπου
μα πιο καλά και πιο μακριά θωρεί (βλέπει) η καρδιά του ανθρώπου.
απ'οτι κάλλη έχει ο άνθρωπος τα λόγια έχουν τη χάρη
και κάνουσι κάθε καρδιά παρηγοριά να πάρει
για μένα όλα σφάλουσι και πάσιν άνω-κάτω
για με ξαναγεννήθηκε η φύση των πραγμάτων.
για μένα όλα σφάλουσι και πάσιν άνω-κάτω
για με ξαναγεννήθηκε η φύση των πραγμάτων. thank you to my friend, panos, for mailing this to me.
MORE atheists, etc., on google+
are you still not on google+? is it too lonely and quiet over there and you have no one to talk to?
well, i'm here to make it all better.
i've got 150 invitations for those of you without a google+ profile, just waiting to be snatched up, and an awesome list of atheists/agnostics/nonbelievers/freethinkers/etc. to follow!
after you've posted your picture on your profile, go ahead add yourself to the list. there are new people joining every day!
if you like my blog, you might consider adding me to your circles, too!
well, i'm here to make it all better.
i've got 150 invitations for those of you without a google+ profile, just waiting to be snatched up, and an awesome list of atheists/agnostics/nonbelievers/freethinkers/etc. to follow!
after you've posted your picture on your profile, go ahead add yourself to the list. there are new people joining every day!
if you like my blog, you might consider adding me to your circles, too!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
sam harris' silent crowd
overcoming your fear of public speaking.
i'm not often nervous at public speaking -- but that's because i teach moderate-sized classes almost daily and mostly know my stuff. i've had the opportunity to speak with larger audiences and a bit of slight nervousness passes quickly -- i mostly end up enjoying the experience.
still, i'm naturally shy and rarely talk when addressing more than 1 person in daily life.
i enjoy sam harris' talks. he seems to speak naturally and his words really do sink in. so i was surprised to read on the friendly atheist that he only recently overcame a lifetime fear of public speaking:
snip
... i am not a born performer. nor am i naturally comfortable standing in front of a group of friends or strangers to deliver a message. however, i have always been someone who had things he wanted to say. this marriage of fear and desire is an unhappy one—and many people are stuck in it.
at the end of my senior year in high school, i learned that i was to be the class valedictorian. i declined the honor. and i managed to get into my thirties without directly confronting my fear of public speaking. at the age of thirty-three, i enrolled in graduate school, where i gave a few scientific presentations while lurking in the shadows of powerpoint. still, it seemed that i might be able to skirt my problem with a little luck—until i began to feel as though a large pit had opened in the center of my life, and i was circling the edge. it was becoming professionally and psychologically impossible to turn away.
the reckoning finally came when i published my first book, the end of faith. suddenly, i was thirty-seven and faced with the prospect of a book tour. i briefly considered avoiding all public appearances and becoming a man of mystery. had i done so, i would still be fairly mysterious, and you probably wouldn’t be reading these words.
i cannot personally attest to most forms of self-overcoming: i don’t know what it is like to recover from addiction, lose a hundred pounds, or fight in a war. i can say from experience, however, that it is possible to change one’s relationship to public speaking.
/snip
i rewatched harris' talk at TED and detected no nervousness. his emotional moment when discussing honor killings was very human and added to the texture of the talk. he connected to the audience, with healthy doses of both poignancy and humor. whatever he had to do to overcome his fear obviously worked. read what he has to say here.
i'm not often nervous at public speaking -- but that's because i teach moderate-sized classes almost daily and mostly know my stuff. i've had the opportunity to speak with larger audiences and a bit of slight nervousness passes quickly -- i mostly end up enjoying the experience.
still, i'm naturally shy and rarely talk when addressing more than 1 person in daily life.
i enjoy sam harris' talks. he seems to speak naturally and his words really do sink in. so i was surprised to read on the friendly atheist that he only recently overcame a lifetime fear of public speaking:
snip
... i am not a born performer. nor am i naturally comfortable standing in front of a group of friends or strangers to deliver a message. however, i have always been someone who had things he wanted to say. this marriage of fear and desire is an unhappy one—and many people are stuck in it.
at the end of my senior year in high school, i learned that i was to be the class valedictorian. i declined the honor. and i managed to get into my thirties without directly confronting my fear of public speaking. at the age of thirty-three, i enrolled in graduate school, where i gave a few scientific presentations while lurking in the shadows of powerpoint. still, it seemed that i might be able to skirt my problem with a little luck—until i began to feel as though a large pit had opened in the center of my life, and i was circling the edge. it was becoming professionally and psychologically impossible to turn away.
the reckoning finally came when i published my first book, the end of faith. suddenly, i was thirty-seven and faced with the prospect of a book tour. i briefly considered avoiding all public appearances and becoming a man of mystery. had i done so, i would still be fairly mysterious, and you probably wouldn’t be reading these words.
i cannot personally attest to most forms of self-overcoming: i don’t know what it is like to recover from addiction, lose a hundred pounds, or fight in a war. i can say from experience, however, that it is possible to change one’s relationship to public speaking.
/snip
i rewatched harris' talk at TED and detected no nervousness. his emotional moment when discussing honor killings was very human and added to the texture of the talk. he connected to the audience, with healthy doses of both poignancy and humor. whatever he had to do to overcome his fear obviously worked. read what he has to say here.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Friday, September 09, 2011
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
breakfast, yesterday
like it? click it!
view in the dark.
for nix 'n' me.
we don't come by cupcakes very often.
these were from www.tonimartin.gr.
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Sunday, September 04, 2011
lingeringly
like it? click it!
view in the dark
i drove to the coast yesterday to try my hand again, but i'm not satisfied. i think i need to do more research for better spots.
i had to try it in BW too:
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Saturday, September 03, 2011
dramatic comedy
like it? click it!
view in the dark
nix at the mall.
the two expressions was mr.G's idea.
©2011 helen sotiriadis
Friday, September 02, 2011
Thursday, September 01, 2011
adventures at lake vouliagmeni
like it? click it!
view in the dark
nicky and i met up with cleopatra at 8:00 pm. (she'd started two hours earlier with mass transit to get to my part of athens.) we drove a couple of hours to get to lake vouliagmeni. we were disappointed to see so many lights around the lake (last time i'd been, years ago, it was much darker). still, we found a decently dark spot with a good view towards the north star, set up and started shooting. suddenly a very bright light turned on behind us and stayed on, ruining our shoot, so we gave up on the spot and doubled back for another. wound up on the primary beach, which was dark because everybody'd gone home, but didn't have a good view that included the north star. decided to go ahead with it anyway. shot from 12-2 or thereabouts. fully charged battery inexplicably died, requiring me to change batteries, creating an interruption in trails. continued. tried shooting some panoramas. afterwards they got silly and started taking pictures with a green laserlight. i liked it and joined in. drove back, took cleopatra to her house, then headed back to ours. arrived at 6:00 am. slept all morning. processed as best i could.
whew.
©2011 helen sotiriadis
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