Istanbul Vacation Checklist

• Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque
  
• Hagia Sophia
• Topkapı Palace
• Spice Bazaar
• Grand Baazar
  
• Yerebatan Cistern
• Bogazici Universitiy
• Rumelihisarı Fortress
  
• Sakıp Sabancı Museum
• Büyükada Island

Wikipedia for the win. Details to follow -- this seems to always be the case...

Istanbul was Constantinople

I've spent the past week and a half in Istanbul on a family vacation. Istanbul, and Turkey as a whole, are really very interesting geopolitically, but that is a thought for another blog post. We just returned from biking around the island of Büyükada, and I am overdue for a shower. In preparation for the trip I purchased a new camera; below is a slideshow of selected photos I have taken so far.

Grad Student in Space!

I know that a large fraction of astronauts have graduate degrees, but this is still cool. Yi So-Yeon got her PhD from KAIST two months ago ("biotech systems" says Wikipedia), and just touched down, slightly off target, after ten days on board the International Space Station. Korea's first astronaut, Yi turns thirty later this year.

I doubt I'll get into space without paying the eight-figure tourist rate. That is, I doubt I'll get into space at all. But now, at least I can live vicariously through a young and promising scientist.

WWT: Day Two Report

Consumed: two Red Bulls
Written: 4.5 pages (double-spaced)
Musical Score: Stunna Glasses at Night (what, you don't wear yours?)

I'm actually reasonably satisfied with my progress. Page count is lower, but I got a skeleton down for some of the nastier sections. Thanks to Chris for very helpful and frequent feedback . Another 4 or 5 pages tomorrow would almost see the end of the main technical chapter. Out of redbull, and free lunch tomorrow. Looks like I'll be heading into Stata.

I leave for a two week vacation in Turkey on Sunday. Should have some fun things to write about when I get back. Hopefully life will be more interesting once thesis has been slain.

WWT: Day One Post Mortem

Consumed: two Red Bulls
Written: 8.5 pages (double-spaced)
Musical Score: Imperial March

Analysis: Must be better, harder, faster, more eloquent. Page rate reasonable assuming it holds up for the trickier parts. Two Red Bulls in eight hours turns out to be a mistake. Should wake up before noon on Thursday. Damn you, thesis! I'll see you in the morning -- there is no escape.

World War Thesis: Road to a Masters

When it comes to a Masters Degree, I'm going to have to agree with Juvenile -- I need it in my life, I want it in my life. What is between me and the object of my desire? One itty bitty thesis. So, in the spirit of Timo Maas, it's time to get down. I hereby declare preemptive war on my thesis, with tactical engagements to start tomorrow. I have prepared the battlefield!




I have also secured a fuel more precious than oil, treasured by thesis writers for millennia.




On April 16th, the final fight for freedom begins. Madness? THIS IS THESIS.

Much ado about a torch

Being from San Francisco, and generally up on current events, I have not missed the brouhaha over the Olympic torch relay. In case your head has been under the sand, here's the deal. The Summer Olympics are in China this year, and at the same time much of the (Western) world is concerned about China's record on human rights. Recent protests (riots?) in Tibet seem to have broken the camel's back. The international torch relay has become the flashpoint, with massive protests in London, Paris, and San Francisco. There is a lot of press about the issue, so I will simply summarize each viewpoint with a classic song:

• China - Playa Hata, Luniz
  
  


• West - Yakety Yak, The Coasters