Happy Holidays!

Wishing "Happy Holidays" to our EdgeMakers, the Kildonan community (faculty, staff, administration, trustees, and students), our readers, and other friends of Edge!

Nelson: An Interview on the Middle Ages

A scene from a medieval university.
Image located by Nelson at letralia.com.

A few weeks ago we sat down with Nelson, a junior new to Edge (and Kildonan!) this year.  In his short time with us he has not only displayed a kind heart and an outrageous sense of humor but also proven a veritable encyclopedia on innumerable topics.  We therefore asked him whether we might create a blog post together in the style of an interview.  His response?

"I never did a blog before.  I always made fun of my sister for it."

Onward and upward! Ms. Charlap, one of our advisors, posed the questions (marked in green).  Nelson, in turn, responded (answers marked in purple).

- - -

1. Tell me about the Middle Ages.

Well, did you know that the medieval period is anti-science? Everything was symbolic to them.  Like an antelope has two horns, like a gazelle.  They were saying that a gazelle was a metaphor for the two gospels (the horns) and was used to nourish the land with its death.  And the mountain lion? It was meant to represent Jesus, whose only predator was the dragon (the devil).  So the people were symbolic, but they were also very practical.  They came up with things that the Romans never did (like farming techniques).  The Romans had this powerful empire, but they never figured out to how to put a wheel on a plow, how to rotate crops.  Their systems worked for them, but the Middle Ages came up with advancements.  They came up with architectural innovations (like the flying buttress). 

Like in Charlemagne's palace? He had a bath rebuilt.  They said when he was swimming in his Roman bath, he listened to works of St. Augustine.  Swimming around and having servants reading to him.  That's what you can do when you are the emperor! Get some random guy to read to you while you're in the bath.

2. Were there extremes in poverty?

A serf who was bound to the land.  People didn't value money as much; they valued status.  They didn't even value freedom; they valued safety.  You could be a freeman and go wherever you want.  If you couldn't provide for yourself, though, you were nothing.  You could have rights, but you could lose them for any reason..

3. How did the plague start? Was the plague pervasive in other places of the world?

They say that the plague came from Asia.  It was from the trade routes.  Yeah, the Europeans got the bad deal from that one.  It came to the point where death was very common, where people were like, "He's with Jesus now."  Life was nothing more than a journey.  It's like seeking worldly attachments.  They didn't care so much.  They cared enough to continue their lives and live.  They didn't care so much to believe "This is it."  They wanted to live and wanted to prosper, and they didn't want to do too little and so hinder themselves.  Like on pilgrimages:  the worse the road, the better it was. Hardship was something to look forward to.  You wanted to live a hard life; you didn't want an easy one.

Annabel: I'm Back!

Friend walks up to a girl while she is studying on the couch.  The Friend puts a stapled pile of papers in front of her and asks, “Annabel, did you print this out?”

(The view at right is the cover page) Annabel studies the page for a bit.  She stares at her Friend and says, “Yes. Thank you.”

The Friend is about to leave, and then they ask another question, “What are you studying, or what is it about? I skimmed through and found a couple of edits and errors within your piece.  I did not understand one thing about what it said.”

“It's cool.  I am still editing the essay.  Currently it's in the planning stages.  The essay that I'm writing will be on symbolism.”

“Ok then.  Can you be more descriptive?”

Annabel takes a long sigh and then speaks, “I am writing an essay about symbols for the Edge blog.  You know that right?”

The Friend nods their head.  Annabel continues, “As you know I am a senior preparing for college.  So, since I am not the strongest with completing tasks, I thought of writing an essay, having no idea how long it will be and then posting it.  I will be reading two books for the essay in the meanwhile.”

The Friend says, “Oh is that what's on your lap?  The book, what is it called?”

Annabel says, “Yes, this book is The Man and His Symbols, by Carl Jung.  I have only read a little bit, but I really like it.  I don't have the other book I am reading with me, but it will be The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown.”

“Cool.  Is that what you mainly do on your laptop? Is it research?”

“Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

Annabel glares, annoyed and suspicious, at the Friend, “What's your name again?  It doesn't make sense that you're just standing here for...how long? 20 minutes?”

The Friend says, “One:  it is sad that you cannot recognize me, but I am keeping myself anonymous.  This is because my work will come later.  Anyway, besides researching, what else?”

“Besides school work for Kildonan, I listen to music, watch short videos on YouTube to regain my sanity, research for the essay, and play around on Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.  Sometimes I just get bored of all of that, and I write.”

“Oh, cool.  Want to talk about something else?”

“Sure.”

“Are you staying for once this weekend?”

“I'm sorry.  I'm not.”

The Friend crosses their arms and cocks their head, “Why not?”

“I thought I told you.  I have a class on the weekend in the city at FIT?”

“Oh, right.  I forgot.  Sorry about that.  What classes are you taking again?”

“It's fine.  I'm taking two classes in the city.  My first one is an introduction to Adobe Illustrator.  The second one is a styling class.”

“OK."

A voice comes from the peanut gallery and says, “Hey, Annabel we need to go to our next class.”

Annabel starts to pack up her stuff in her nice black backpack.  She says, “See ya next time, Friend-whose-name-I've-forgotten.  I need to go to my Social Problems class.  You can ask me more about it at dinner.”

Here's Maddie!

The stages of development after birth.
Image located by Maddie.

Over the course of Quarter 1 I learned about how children develop and how premature children develop. I started out with the broad topic of Medical Science. Then I went on to pick 3 topics I wanted to look at. That was child development and premature babies, mental health, and cancer. I then picked one of those topics to study.

I was 5 weeks premature. I was born at 3:23pm on March 31, 2000. I was 5 pounds and 18 inches long. I had a heart defect that was fixed at 18 months. That is why I wanted to pick this topic. I am doing a project in another class on school systems, and I am planning on tying the two together. Being Dyslexic, development in school is also something I relate to.

Mental development.
Image located by Maddie.

James: Engineering

Blackwater Creek Koi Farms in Eustis, FL.

Image taken by Mr. Pendergast.

Hello readers,

My name is James. This is my first year in Edge, and I'm hoping to accomplish a lot. There are a few topics that I am extremely interested in:  engineering, construction, and design. I'm trying to keep it in touch with engineering mainly. I’ve always liked the idea of group projects, so some of the contraptions that I may make throughout the year will hopefully help others within the community.

So far this year I’ve done a lot of research on Koi ponds and the fish with Ian (we are basically spearheading the project). In doing so we’ve done a lot of presenting to our school's Admin and to the whole school on Parents’ Day. The project relies on donations, so we asked for help from the community and came up with the idea to auction off the fish during the Fall Ball. In total we’ve raised over $1550. That is much more than we were expecting.  The money will allow us to get better equipment and materials. We can also expand the pond's size.

Breeding barrels at Blackwater.

Image taken by James.

As we look forward in the year, I'd like to do several projects, including building a snow-gun to help Ben with his project and (hypothetically, at least) redesigning the NYC subway. There are many things wrong with the subway and NYC’s infrastructure. From bridges to tunnels, there are a lot of problems. I have been consumed by research about them. Let's take a lot at NYC’s transit:

Map of the NYC subway system.

Image located at nextcity.org.

How many people have taken the subway? Many of you, I'm sure. What if I told you that the system could be nice, instead of grimy, cold, dark and dirty? What if we could start over and reinvent it so that it could be nice and reliable? The bridges and tunnels also need some work. Can anyone think of a traffic jam or a closed tunnel? I sure can, and I don’t even live in NYC. Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to deal with the chaos? What I want to do is redesign everything, but before this I need to learn some more trade skills (and get some short-term internship with an outside builder). The best way that I learn is with hands-on experience, so I am looking for some type of off-campus learning and to establish a relationship with future job partners.

This year is going to be great!

- James

Ben: Terrain Park Design

Model of the project site (material:  plasticine).  Image and object created by Ben.

Hello! My name is Ben Baird, and I’m a junior at Kildonan. This is my first year in Edge. My plan is to push my education as much as possible and to make a really impressive project with the time I have. My project is based on terrain park design and mountain bike trail-building. For those of you who don't know what that is, at almost all ski mountains there is some kind of terrain park with jumps, rails (hand railings), and jibs (anything to jump on or tap) to ride. Mountain bike trail-building involves clearing wooded areas, building features (like jumps), and moving obstacles (rocks and roots) to create trails for different riders skill levels. This is a career I want to pursue after school.

The first thing I did was research. I started reading articles like crazy. I also watched a bunch of snowboard videos trying to find new features I could add to my park. I realize that I'm a hands-on learner, so I decided I wanted to build something.  Also its an opportunity for me to do something really fun and cool that will make me stick out when I'm looking for a job or college.

A schematic of Ben's tail-tap feature.
Original design created by Ben.

I wanted this park to be challenging but also fun: the amount of manpower I have (just me)...and the time limit I have (winter isn't long and is unpredictable)...factored into this decision. I've learned a lot already, more than I thought I would. Since snowboarding is my passion, I thought I would already know most of it.  I thought I would be just checking my information.   

Anyway, I came up with a plan to draw the park, make a model of the park, make the features, and, finally, shape the snow and complete the park. I talked to Ms. Charlap, Mr Rivera, and Mr. Bisson about my plan, and they were able to get me plasticine: a type of modeling clay that doesn’t require firing. I made a model base at home, and when I showed it to Ms. Charlap she told me it would be really cool if I could add feet to it to make it the exact angle of the hill. So I decided to measure the hill in a few spots. I dug into the hill with a trowel, making a 90 degree angle. Then, I double checked with a level to make sure it was 90 degrees. Then, I took a protractor and measured the angle of the hill. The first time I did this I made a really, really, really silly math error and measured with the protractor incorrectly. However, after I fixed that I found out that the steepest part was 30 degrees and the flattest part was 10 degrees. It worked out perfectly because the base of the model was perfectly 10 degrees (which was the steepest angle possible).

Then, I thought realistically: what can I build? I wanted something fun but challenging. I designed the park to have rollers (snowy bumps to catch speed on), berms (banked turns), rails (hand rails), jumps, and jibs (anything to jump on).  However, things changed after that. For instance, I changed my mind on the type of rails I was making. I also changed my mind on the type of jib. Instead of having an old barrel as the jib, I wanted to make a wind chime so that, when you tail tap, it makes a noise. This was a idea me and my father came to on the phone.

Ben's project site:  the hill (a.k.a. "Big Bertha") at The Kildonan School. 
Image taken by Ben.

After making some changes, I started to lay out the base. Because of the limited space on the model, I designed it so that the most important features would have the most room. I did this because I know this won't be a problem on the hill because it has plenty of room. Then, I added the clay in the spaces at the angle they’re supposed to be, added the jumps and landings, bent paper clips to make rails, and made a mini-wind chime.

Ben at work on his tail-tap.  Image taken by Ms. Charlap.

I started to design a wind chime. I knew it needed to be tall because, if it's too short, it would have to be next to the landing (which you would be coming at too fast). It had to be tall enough to be at the highest point of the jump where you're going the slowest (because you're transitioning from arcing up to arcing down). This is so nobody gets hurt. I wanted it to have legs so that it could be as tall as possible. When you put it in the ground, you lose height overall. I chose steel and copper pipes as the materials of the actual wind chime (tail tap). After I finished the design, I had one big problem: I needed wood, and it had to be scrap wood. One of the goals of my project was to make this whole park by repurposing stuff. I lucked out because Mrs. Charlap had a 9 foot piece of cedar wood that was 5 inches by 6 inches. It even had a notch (“mortise”) in the top for me to attach the arm to the pole. Then, when I came home a little later, my father, my friend, Owen, and I went and got scrap wood. We cut a “tenon” to about the size of the other notch (“mortise”) and brought it back to school to join together.

Currently I am working on assembling my wind chime stand. I have the arm and eye hook fully attached, so all that's left are the legs. I'm also finishing up a proposal for a possible summer job building mountain bike trails for the Village of Lake George (spoiler!). Soon I will be fixing and preparing some old hand rails for the park. Also, Mrs. Charlap and I are going to get some art students to paint some big cardboard cylinders as tail taps. Then, it is just a waiting game for the first big storm!

Ian: The Beginning

A Honda Recon 250cc.
Image located at http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2197780.

Hello, my name is Ian and I am part of this program called Edge.  In Edge you work on an independent project, and so my topic of choice is Engineering / Automotive Mechanics.

What I have done so far is I have been working with a Tecumseh lawnmower engine and currently a Honda Recon 250cc.  What I have done for the Tecumseh is I have taken it apart, inspected all the parts, and learned how it works.  For the ATV, I have taken the carburetor out, cleaned it, and will be re-installing it into the ATV (and hopefully have it running).  Also in this school year, I have participated in gutting out and repurposing a Mobile Command Center.  Our school owns a retired police vehicle/RV, which we are going to fix up and make into a mobile classroom.

I am also waiting for a boat engine from Twin Lakes in CT, which I will hopefully be picking up soon.  And I am also talking to one of the faculty who has a car on-campus that is not working.  We  will hopefully work with this faculty member and restore this car.

I've been doing a lot of research on all types of automotive and engineering topics.  I am really obsessed with motorcycles, and I am hoping to come up with a relationship or possibly an internship.  If anyone has any automotive equipment (especially a motorcycle), please get in-touch with me via the Comments box below this post.

Have a nice day!

Our First Week!

Graphic design by Annabel (Edge, 2017).

Ice cream, anyone?
Ice cream, everyone.

Our first week with the 2016-2017 Edge community embraced the idea:  "ice cream, everyone."  To familiarize ourselves with the program and begin to develop our own processes, every member (students and advisors) researched ice cream three periods per day/five days per week.  We began with a field trip to Fudgy's (a must!) and ended with presentations.

Here are some highlights from the week:

A comparison of sugar's and cocaine's effects on the brain.
Image located at mic.com.

- Some people say that ice cream is addicting.  Did you know that we need sugar and shouldn't be afraid of it? (That said, on an MRI, a brain hyped up on sugar looks pretty similar to one on cocaine.)

- Did you know that chocolate ice cream is existentially disappointing (and stains)?

- Did you know that Ben and Jerry's has a graveyard for its "retired" flavors?

- Have you heard of a pretzel cone?

- Want to try sauerkraut-flavored ice cream? Lobster? Wasabi? Sriracha?

“Delicious unimaginable" = the ice cream that never melts!
Concocted by Ms. Charlap.

- Did you know that a majority of Edge members prefer cookie dough ice cream? flavor-order

- Is it true that someone who orders the same ice cream flavor is afraid to take chances?

- Did you know that you can make an ice cream cone that will never melt? 

- Think that Ben and Jerry's is an independent company? Wrong! It's part of Nestle! 

Annabel: My Year in Edge

Upon approaching the end of the school year, Annabel elected to conclude her work as she began it:  with a blog post meditating upon her work and time in Edge.  Presented in its original wording, this piece speaks not only to Annabel's experience but also to the environment of Edge more generally.  Thank you, Annabel, for sharing your wise words.  You are braver than all of us.

- & -

Annabel's conception of fractals, The Golden Ratio, and the Fibonacci Sequence, above.
Image shared with the permission of Annabel.

The definition of a pattern is a repeated, decorative design.  The first thing that you normally think of is paisleys, optical illusions, jagged lines, a lot of circles in circles that are in circles, etc.  I joined a program, and for a full year I looked at the idea of patterns beyond the obvious.  This is what I have learned.  I am going to electrocute you with knowledge.  This is my last and final Edge blog post for the year, and I want to make it special.  So I thought of a couple of things, which will tie everything together.  Everything here does connect. 

Conspiracies are big.  They can go from a well-known president being shot to who caused 9/11 (or who took down the World Trade Center).  Conspirators are people who look up information and go more in-depth with the knowledge they seek.  They find certain spots that seem to connect everything together and say, “This is it! Here is my point of view on the story.”  One of the conspiracies I want to debunk right now - because my peers and I have been told and asked about this many times - is this belief that Edge students do not do any work.  Edge kids do actual work.  We do more work than what is expected from typical classroom habits.

One of the many qualities of human nature is neophobia, or the fear of trying new things.  People think that children must be sat down in front of a teacher and learn everything only according to that hierarchy, not allowing the child to go and figure out the information for themselves.  This idea of a child being free can seem like the end of the world.  The apocalypse.  This must seem like doomsday to most teachers, parents, and traditionalists.  Well, we Edge students do sit and think.  But we don’t do just that.  We talk to our three advisors and tell them what we have learned.  In Edge we also collaborate with our peers.  If you don’t believe me by the end of what I wrote, then I have no clue what to say. It is all just your opinion.

We have passed down knowledge to the next generation in a similar formation to hunting and gathering.  I am still digging deeper into this idea, but the gist of it is that we as humans - if you believe in the idea of evolution - started to hunt and gather knowledge and pass it down to the next generation.  We kept on doing this until we settled down into farmland and started to invent things like domestication and duplicating crops.  After about 5,000 years or so, we sat down and created optional schools for children at a young age.  This went into the factory system, which was invented in the 1800s.  We started changing this idea in the 2000s and 2010s.  But...this idea is not stopping.

Annabel's calculations using the Fibonacci Sequence, above.
Image shared with the permission of Annabel.

Another thing, which I scratched the surface of, is fractals.  This is a pattern where you see something and it keeps on repeating the more and more you get into it.  Like, irrational numbers whose origins come from the Greeks.  Like the commonly used Pi or phi.  Wait! You never heard of Phi? (Gasps from the nonexistent crowd) Well, phi is 1.181639887498948 … this could go on forever because it is an irrational number.  But the main reason why it is important is because it is used in the idea of the golden spiral.  This is a spiral where the pattern starts at 0.  Then you add 0 to 1 (0+1=1), and add 1 to 1 (1+1=2), and add 1 to 2 (1+2=3), and 2 to 3, and then 3 to 5, and so on.  If you don’t get that pattern, here it is in simplified form:  add the number before to the answer that you got before.  To the left is an example of what I am talking about.  The pattern is 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, etc..  This is just one of the many examples I have found in my learning about fractals. 

Learning about certain topics is a big pattern too.  I am going to give an example. Say you want to become an English major.  “English” is a very broad topic.  You look at certain books, and you notice that you are very into science fiction.  In a manner of speaking, you just hit about ten birds with one stone.  Deadpool-style.  With two guns, while we’re at it.  But you are still stuck because this is still a big topic.  So you say you want to look at Apocalypses.  Good, you just killed 10 more birds.  But here is the problem: what do you want to write about apocalypses? Another 10 birds after research.  Editing part of the process? 10 birds. But then you ‘finish’ or summarize what you learned. That would be the end of a hundred of birds you just killed.  (By the way, no birds were harmed in the creating of this description).

But what is the point of me joining Edge?  Well, for one reason.  To learn about something which I would otherwise never have had the opportunity for.  I started out in a normal public school and stayed there for about 10 years.  Never really knowing how to read like others, like the teacher’s “factory” way, or to do anything that is considered “normal” (which was go into a classroom and stare at a page for a long time thinking ‘what is this?’).   I had some very bad times in that school district, but there was a new opportunity presented to me.  That was, transferring to a new school.  There I was slowly able to grow.  I felt something going on.  Like, there is a part of a pattern that we are all missing. For me, something very important was missing.  So, I joined Edge thinking that creative writing was my passion, my main pattern. Patterns, on the other hand, would be something I did for art.  Then I looked more into patterns. One day one of my advisors, Ms. Charlap, told me about this thing called Fractals.  I worked my butt off trying to figure them out.  I became a very complex, modern pattern master.  Even though I am still trying to learn it, I am picking it up slowly.

I also had an opportunity to help fix a pattern.  If you do not know, I am dyslexic.  So, I am trying to learn how to read. It is a slow and super hair-raising, tedious process, but I am making strides.  I was able to read a paper about my life story to convince senators to sign a form that would help the next generation.  This bill would make teachers know about dyslexia in school and is called the A9116.  I compared my learning and how I was trying to learn to using a scythe, a trowel, and a shovel. I need to find which tool let me dig effectively for my treasure of knowledge.  I really did hope for the best.  I then realized:  a couple months later, this was a part of a pattern that helped fix the world.

If you have not noticed, I have been italicizing certain words throughout this piece. These are the words that I have been italicizing:  conspiracy, qualities, knowledge, fractals, learning, opportunity and fix.  These all do connect into one big project.  Everything that I have written about is just the beginning to a big pattern that I am up against.  And I will still be up against it.  It is a never-ending fight to learn something new.  

There is one word to describe all of those words, and that is realization.  One of my greatest inspirations through my learning is Leonardo Da Vinci.  He is dyslexic just like me.  He founded this quote that helps connect this entire essay and my morals for my Edge project together: “Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else."

Emily: Meringues & Nanaimo Bars

Meringues, ready to serve.
Image located at www.recipeshubs.com.

Meringues
Yum! How can you not love them? Just sugar and egg whites whipped up to perfection. I had quite a bit of fun with this recipe. It was nice to try out my piping skills, and the students and faculty loved them. From the website attached below, I followed the directions exactly.  However, I suggest you leave the vanilla extract out. It gave my meringues a cream color rather than white. If you want a little more flavor, I’d say add some almond extract or some sort of colorless flavoring. Also, when piping, use a big tip to achieve a nice size meringue.  When nearing the hour and a half mark, test one of your meringues to see if it has dried because cook times may vary depending on size and shape. Finally, I served my meringues with berries with sugar; the faculty and students went crazy for that.  http://mobile.eatingwell.com/recipes/meringues.html

A recipe for Nanaimo Bars.
Image provided by Emily.

Mouthwatering Nanaimo Bars.
Image located at thatwinsomegirl.blogspot.com.

 

Nanaimo Bars
This great Canadian treat tastes sooooo good. I used a recipe I got from my mom and aunt. I have attached screenshots of them to the left. Nanaimo bars are easy to make and they are no bake. I have no suggestions for this recipe. They’re that good. They are a must try!

Max: Theater (& Edge as Performance)

Max has spent much of his Edge time interviewing - and reflecting upon the words of - Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane, Bonnie Comley, and Sharon Carr as well as Playbill.com founder and editor Robert Viagas.  For his thoughts on the experience, please read below.

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Max, pictured at right, interviews Broadway producer Sharon Carr.
Image taken by Max.

"A play is like a corporation.  It's got a lot of different people all doing different jobs.  When people see a Broadway show, they think it is just one larger thing.  But it's not.  It's got a lot of moving parts.  You've got people picking the venue, picking the costumes, the director, the actors.  It's all that coming together to put the show on.  I mean, I didn't know all of that before the interviews.  I had to learn there are people they like to work with and teams that they like to pick.  Like, when they do a show, is there a certain person that they like to be with before they pick everyone else?

"Directors have people that they mesh well with.  If they need help, they can give them suggestions.  If they need help, they give suggestions on how to do things in a different, better way.  You know, how to make clearer a scene or the understanding of what is happening at that moment in the play.  Producers are like the CEO.  They help everyone do their part.  Directors ask, 'Are you doing your part?' The producers are kind of like what the Edge team does every week.  They say, 'Have you worked on this? Work on this more.  Go into more depth into your character.  Have you found this costume yet? Are you almost done?'

"The thing is - at the end of the school year - we do a performance of what we have learned.  We show what we've learned and show how Edge has helped us to pursue that and go more in-depth.  I think the depth of it is what helps everyone get as much as they want out of their searching and their project.  They're thinking about what they want to do.  It's kind of like them not having a schedule, but they can make their schedule in the structure that they're doing it.  They're making their own school in a way that works for them.

Posters of Broadway shows The Elephant Man and The Scottsboro Boys.
Image taken by Max.

"I [did] a show recently.  We listed things that are important to us.  We saw what could connect:  social art and music, social media (because you can share it), etc.  We whittled it down to three things that connected with each other, and then we made three different plays.  I'm in the first play, which is showing how social media enhances my life.  I am an actor.  I am the boyfriend in the play.

"In college, you create your own schedule:  what classes you want to take and when they are.  Edge helps kids with that because you're not going to have a schedule that someone hands you at the beginning of the year.  You have to make that.  You have to see when the classes are, what the classes are.  You have to build that schedule toward what you want to do.  That approach makes it set in the people.  It makes us more susceptible to what is going to happen in the future.  It helps us know what is going to happen.

"Edge makes me get more in-depth with what I want to do.  So I understand more about where my life is going and how I can make that happen, or how it will affect my life.  When I choose what I want to do and what I want to study, I can automatically have a sense of where my life is going to go if I choose it.  I think it's just easier to know how you're going to function in a setting like that.  Some of the Edge setting is like that.  It's better to know how to act in a setting than to get in the setting and not know how to respond to it."

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Have a thought on Max's work? Please post in the comments section below! (If you do not see that section, please click on this post's title to be brought to its individual page.  Once there, scroll all the way down to see the comments feature).

Tim: On Building a Z80 Computer

This build will consist of a breadboard, Z80 processor, 8K ROM, 56K RAM, and a display hooked up via VGA. The computer will run Microsoft BASIC. The goal of this project is to get a better understanding of how different parts of computers are connected, get experience with hardware and software work, and create a controller for the robotic arm. The breadboard is essentially the mother board; thus, all of the chips will be attached in their respective places. The computer's memory will only exist as RAM (Random Access Memory) and thus will not be active once the computer is shut off. The OS (Operating System) is stored on the ROM (Read-Only Memory). This allows for the memory chip to be read even after the power has gone out; however, you cannot edit the information on the chip. In other words, it is a read-only chip. Overall, this build will work as a basic computer to control the robot and for the purpose of experimentation.

On the left is a complete build and on the right is a reference for building.

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References:
- https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-read-a-schematic (Helpful website for reading electronic schematics)
- http://landley.net/history/mirror/cpm/z80.html (More information on z80 processor)
- http://searle.hostei.com/grant/z80/SimpleZ80.html

Emily: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars & Sweet Strawberry Jam Cupcakes

A couple weeks ago I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars, and they were delicious. I found the idea on Pinterest as usual.  However I didn’t use the exact recipe from the site. I used the Nestle Toll House Original Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe and a Cheesecake recipe from a website I found on Google. The ratio of cookie-to-cheesecake is one batch of cookie dough to two batches of  cheesecake. For the cookies I suggest using mini semi-sweet chocolate chips because it makes it easy to press into the pan. If you do decide to use the mini chips, you can add at least half a cup more. I just eye-balled it. For this recipe I have no suggestions because they were simply perfect.

I also made Sweet Strawberry Jam Cupcakes. It’s a vanilla cupcake with a homemade strawberry jam filling and a vanilla buttercream with strawberry jam mixed into it. I suggest using your favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. If you don’t have one, I’ve attached the one I used. To fill the cupcake just take a small ice cream scoop or a teaspoon and scoop out as much of the cupcake as you want to fill. Add as much of the strawberry jam to the buttercream to taste. You can also put any topping you would like to garnish the cupcake. I put a slice of strawberry on top, but a drizzle of chocolate would make it look pretty good.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars.
Image shared by Emily &
located at divascancook.com.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars:

1) Once you have made the cookie dough, take about half the dough and press a thin, even layer into a greased 13x9 pan.
2) Then double the cheesecake recipe and spread the cheesecake mixture evenly across the bottom layer of cookie dough.
3) Then take the remaining cookie dough and put pieces of it on top of the unbaked cheesecake until it mostly covers the cheesecake.
4) Then place in oven heated to 325 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until cheesecake is set and cookie is a golden brown.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies:  https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/original-nestle-toll-house-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Cheesecake:  http://divascancook.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-cheesecake-barsrecipe-cookie-dough/

Vanilla Cupcake & Vanilla Buttercream:  http://www.browneyedbaker.com/vanillacupcakes-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/

Sweet Strawberry Jam Cupcakes.
Image located by Emily.

 

Clancy: Envisioning the Nanosuit

Some may believe that nanoparticles - let along their weaponized applications - are the stuff of crude science fiction.  However, as recent sources and TED Talks suggest, nanotechnology is an emergent reality that will bring massive innovations across various sectors of modern society.  Clancy shares thoughts on how he is tapping into the promise of the field below:

- - -

A nanosuit, as worn by a soldier from Crytek’s video game Crysis. 
Image located at crysis.wikia.com.

The idea of this particular [nano]suit is to fully enhance the user physically and mentally, making them 100% effective in a combat situation. The suit is specifically a type of hybrid nanosuit that weighs in at approximately one thousand pounds. The suit has four layers that all correspond with each other to keep the user functioning at physical capacity. The first layer actually acts as two; it is the contact layer. This means it is the layer that is responsible for reading the user's bio-electrical signals. The layer is crucial to the suit's design. It is comprised of, on the inside, a crystal compound that can speed up bio-electrical signals and ping them through the suit to a neural transmitter. The first layer on the outside acts as a foundation for the second layer. The first layer resembles a wetsuit. Once the user puts the first layer on, it is filled with a carbon-based gel. This serves as the sub-layer and a median for the active nanite life support system. The second layer is a titanium nano-composite material which is used to construct nano muscle packs. The muscle packs will act as a secondary choice to exo skeletons, having the same functions and properties as a traditional exo in a much more compact, natural-looking, and normal-feeling system. The second layer will have the capability to transfer power to the inner and outer layers. The third and outer most layer is titanium alloy plating, which is magnetically bolted to the second layer. The plates are between three and four inches thick. The third layer has a piezonucleic coating of gold and lithium-hydrate. This is woven into the third layer at 14 nano meters. This coating produces energy for the suit. My hypothesis is that it can also project energy, forming a shield around the suit.

Thoughts or questions for Clancy? Please post in the comments section below!

Marcus: Money & Happiness

A screenshot of Marcus's original survey.  Image shared by Marcus.

Hello my name is Marcus and I am in Edge. My project is business, and I am studying the many aspects of the topic. Lately I have been focusing on the science portion of my project. I have sent out a survey asking how much money would you need for your entire lifetime. Then I took 6 people from the list who filled it out, and I have been asking multiple questions about their answers. The hope of my whole science project is to get people really thinking about their future because we do not know what we want until we think about it. What I have been finding out from the survey is that people really don’t know the worth of money, how much they need, or their expenses for the future.

I would love any feedback relating to what I’m doing and the survey (ex:  questions you like and more good questions to ask).  Here are my questions:

1. What did you pick as your money amount? 
2. What is your definition of being happy with the money amount? 
3. What influenced your decision?
4. Are you expecting to have a family?
5. Did you take account of kids and schooling, dentists, doctors, bills and other expenses? 
6. Are you planning to support your spouse with the money? 
7. Why do you think this amount will keep you happy?
8. Are you expecting to go on family vacations?
9. Why do you think some people need less or more money to be happy?
10. Do you know the average American would make $1,400,000 in their whole lives? (The average kid till the age 18 the parent will usually spend $245,000.)

Tess on Her Internship at The Center for Attachment Research (CAR)

Over the past few weeks while working at the Center for Attachment Research (CAR) at The New School (@TheNewSchool) in New York, NY, I ascertained things that I never would have learned being confined to a rural setting. I have been introduced to complex psychological concepts, while simultaneously learning a tremendous amount about myself.

The New School for Social Research (NSSR):  "A Global Hub in NYC.”
Image located at www.newschool.edu/nssr/.

In the lab, clinicians implement an intervention known as GABI (Group Attachment Based Intervention).  “This project concerns family preservation and the prevention of child maltreatment. The families who participate in GABI are often very isolated, and have had multiple adverse childhood experiences and ongoing experiences of poverty” (lab memo regarding ongoing projects). My direct work with high risk families has been both enlightening and painful.

I have always been conscious of poverty, both in and outside America. From a young age I have felt a strong obligation to help those less fortunate than I. I have had the unique opportunity of traveling around the world with my family during our summer vacations. Every country we visit, we allocate time to volunteering in townships, orphanages, or building schools in remote villages. At the end of the trip we always return home and those experiences soon become powerful memories.

There is a big difference between volunteering in Africa, many thousands of miles away from my home, and interacting with affected families on a consistent basis (some of whom live less than thirty blocks away from me). Now, there is not a ten hour flight distancing me from the harsh truth that many Americans struggle to obtain their next meal every day. 

This past week, a new mother came into The New School to take part in the intervention.  When new mothers come in, they are given a series of surveys such as the AAI (Adult Attachment Interview) and ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences). These are designed to help get a well rounded idea of the patient and to gain insight into their lives and struggles. At the end of the session, the mother, 23-years-old with four children, asked the clinician administering the surveys if she had any extra diapers. She acknowledged that her government check was not going to come for three days and she had no money to buy diapers for her children; without them her four children would be wearing dirty diapers for the entire weekend.

The interventions conducted at The New School are strictly focused on mending the parent-child bond. They do amazing work and help countless families. Yet, it is an ongoing struggle for me to hear some of the devastating personal stories and not be able to do anything to improve the quality of life of the people I meet. Unfortunately, the anecdote above is on the less extreme end of the spectrum of some I have heard.

I find myself conflicted when trying to find the line between patient and struggling human being. I have realized that this internal struggle is good. It reaffirms the fact that I feel a strong obligation to help those who have had far more complicated lives with less resources than I. At work I have to compartmentalize these feelings, but they definitely do not have to disappear.

Logo for The Robin Hood Foundation.
Image located at http://2014.c4q.nyc/#/logoslide.

I have channeled my frustrations into positive actions. I have started volunteering at a homeless shelter where many of the GABI participles find refuge. In addition I have joined a teen council to fight poverty in America through the Robin Hood Foundation (@RobinHoodNYC). None of these would be possible if was still living in Amenia.

Before I started my internship at the CAR, my goal in life was to rise to the top of whatever field I decided to pursue, trusting that it could be lucrative. Now, my goal is to strive to help as many people as I can. I will still yearn to make a name for myself, but I hope to be known for fully focusing on being altruistic and not on how many zeros are at the end of my paycheck.

Luca: Blogging on PTSD

For information on Luca, we are proud to direct you to a blog that he has opened for another Kildonan class (Social Problems Lab).  He has demonstrated admirable digital citizenship by claiming his portal as a space to reflect upon his learning across courses.

Within the blog post linked below, Luca discusses his research into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), his choice to share his knowledge in the form of a panel, and his self-assessment on his process and the panel's discussion.

https://lucasplblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/edge-blog-post/

(Please follow Luca's blog for future updates on his learning.  Be sure to also leave a comment!)

Winston: On Researching Japan

A sampling of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese dishes. 
Image located by Winston.

I am doing an independent project in Kildonan’s Edge program.  I am studying and researching the aspects of the unique Japanese culture such as food, architecture, folklore, religion, and customs.  The end goal is to gain knowledge about Japan and learn everything under the Red Sun.  I wish I began researching Japan at the beginning of the year.  I had begun another topic, and it was not very interesting, so halfway through the first quarter of school I switched my topic to Japanese culture.  I feel as though I lost precious time in my research.  I am motivated each time I learn something new to delve further into the topic.  When I investigate my topic, I skim through the information and when I find something interesting, I research that material for the day.  Another goal of mine is to learn to read and speak Japanese, which will take time but will be worth it in the end. There is much knowledge to gain in my research. 

A variety of yokai (Japanese spirits). 
Image located by Winston.

For example, I am currently researching Japanese Yokai, which concerns strong spirits.  Also I am doing brilliantly on my Edge project.  It is a vast topic and there are many subjects I can research.  I will never get tired of Japanese studies because there is so much information.  When I began this journey, I did not have any goals, but as I continue gaining information about places to go to like restaurants, tourists spots, and shrines, I am excited about the prospect of visiting Japan.  The goal I have not accomplished is learning the Japanese language.  If I want to learn the language I will have to study.  If I learn some of the language in my IP, I will be satisfied.  As of today I understand much of the Japanese culture.

Chris Prepares to Interview Vietnam Veteran

American soldiers stationed in Vietnam. 
Image source:  faculty.polytechnic.org.
(public domain)

A stolid, poised young man, Chris arrived to Edge at the beginning of the year with a clear path:  to study the Vietnam War.  Per his characteristic determination, he has largely stuck to that plan.  He has analyzed the technologies employed by the Vietcong in defending North Vietnam, and he has read through accounts that critique Jane Fonda for her sympathies with the North Vietnamese (earning her the derisive name of "Hanoi Jane").  Chris also explored key terms/ideas such as "the Tet Offensive," "the Kent State Incident," and "the Fall of Saigon.

Early on, something cemented for Chris.  After expressing interest in joining the Marines on numerous occasions, he began to focus his studies towards understanding the experiences of the American soldiers themselves.  He examined countless soldier accounts (e.g., Ron Kovic's Born on the Fourth of July and Tim O'Brian's The Things They Carry), and he analyzed their feelings towards the draft while in college, their experiences clearing tunnels of rats while in Vietnam, and their traumatic experiences as P.O.W.s under the Vietcong.  He researched Agent Orange not only for an interest in the chemical make-up of the weapon but also for his earnest concern in how it altered the physiology of a soldier.  He also looked up Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, spoke with Tess and Luca, and analyzed the effectiveness of the VA Center in assisting struggling veterans.

U.S. soldiers taking a break while on patrol. 
Image source:  pinterest.com. 
(public domain)

Across those foci, two points remain consistent for Chris:  (1) his unwavering compassion and empathy for American veterans, and (2) his concern that contemporary American conflicts mimic the Vietnam War in its consequences for American soldiers.

So, how is Chris applying that compassion?

He has elected to devote his second semester in Edge to connect with American veterans so that he might learn their stories first-hand.  He has teamed up with the Edge Team to explore the Veteran's History Project, a volunteer-based program that connects individuals (even students) with veterans.  Recently, however, he has found an alternative via one of Kildonan's trustees.  Inspired by a conversation with Chris, a board member has reached out to a childhood friend who happened to serve in Vietnam.  That individual has agreed to speak with Chris, so the latter has been hard at work preparing a variety of interview questions.

Chris reflects on his learning experiences in Edge as follows:  

"I learn by starting at the big picture, then focusing on a few things, then going back out again, and focusing another time.  It's like a big accordion.  In ordinary classes, teachers are the spoiler alert.  They ruin the movie for you.  But in Edge, you don't have spoilers.  You get to experience the movie yourself."   

We at Edge are grateful to have you as an Edge Maker, Chris! (If you have a thought on Chris's journey or a resource for him, please post in the comments section below.)