KenMankoff

Microscope

I was inspired by a New York Times article and the Nikon Small World Competition to break out my digital microscope and take some pictures.

Help Us Win a Photo Contest

National Geographic Magazine is holding a photo contest. We are going to submit some of our photos. Help us pick the best ones. You can anonymously vote on them. Browse around and click the stars of each image that you like. If you click on an image, you’ll get a larger view, a brief description, the ability to vote there, and links to the previous and next images.

If you have suggestions or questions about any pictures, you can leave comments here, or below each photo. Comments won’t show up right away because I filter them to make sure they are not spam.

New Domain Name

Apologies for changing the domain name so soon after launch. I see where this blog is heading and I’ve decided to host it on a domain name I bought several years ago, http://kenmankoff.com. I chose that name because it is two things I like: Space (space) and computers (bits). Either you are reading this on that domain or this site will exist there shortly. Redirects will remain in place for a while, and then this site (fiftyfour) will be taken down, and your RSS feeds will stop working.

Civil Disobedience

My source at the Clinton Global Initiative spent the morning in a room with Clinton, Gore, Bush Sr., Bono, and a bunch of other interesting people. Apparently Gore called for civil disobedience, specifically by young people, to stop construction of new coal plants. An impressive request from a respected figure, but I’m not sure why he made it a generational issue. I think a disobedient grandmother would be more impressive than a disobedient teenager.

I’ve heeded the Gore call to action (pics) in the past. As I write this I’m debating if I’m willing to chain myself to something and get arrested for this cause. I am aware that any future astronaut applications would be disqualified by this action.

A bat in the shower

Yesterday we found a bat (status: deceased) hanging from the shower head in the bathroom. The bathroom door and window were closed. The bathroom is in the house. Most of the time the house door is closed too. No, I don’t know how or why either…

Astronaut Rejection Part I of II

I previously wrote about applying to NASA to be a astronaut. I haven’t heard back from them yet, but I’m highly confident about what the reply will say.

I didn’t mention it here but I also applied to ESA. I got accepted (OMG!!), went to DLR in Hamburg, Germany for the first round of psychological testing, and even qualified for the second round in Cologne. But that is as far as I made it…

The NASA selection process is fairly secretive. I haven’t found much about it online. ESA is too, and I cannot discuss any details as I signed an NDA, but they still post a lot online. At the ESA Astronaut Selection Site you can view the full schedule, learn about what they are looking for, and even take a bunch of tests that are similar to what I took as part of the Psych I evaluation.

Oh well. It was fun while it lasted. I guess I won’t be an astronaut… for now. I haven’t given up hope entirely yet. I know what I need to do to strengthen my application for the next time I can apply. Hopefully it is within a decade or I might not pass the age limit requirements. And of course, I’m still counting on Tim…

Me imitating Penguin

From Antarctica

Bye-bye Nexus of the Universe

Bye-bye wonderful home at 1st and 1st!

I've rented out my home for a year (bye-bye neighbors, bye-bye evil restuarant, hello tenant). I've canceled all the snail mail I can possibly cancel, set up e-bills where possible, and forwarded the rest (thank you Mom and Dad). I've canceled my phone (bye-bye evil phone company). I've moved out.

Now I need to pack…

Aeroplanes and Buildings

See? Aeroplanes and buildings can have a peaceful co-existence.

Its the day after September 11th, or perhaps more accurately, six years and a day after September 11th. I spent last night on my roof watching the memorial lights shoot up into the sky, lighting up the clouds. Today a friend sent this to me.

This is just downtown from me, perhaps 30 blocks or so. I'd love to see it in person and Google Earth shows that next door is a taller building, but I'm not sure I'll have time what with my hectic schedule between now and this Sunday when I move out and am no longer living in Manhattan.