The Idea Shop

This has been a topic that has been bugging me lately. There really hasn't been any good movies out lately (haven't seen Dark Knight yet). They're either some sort of sequel (Saw 5??? umm they're still going on??) or some sort of comedy that can't be really considered a GOOD movie. Because of this, I feel like I should try to create my own, creative storyline and submit it to like... I dunno George Lucas or someone.

I just want to finish my blurb by saying... I dunno about you guys but I'd like to see a MegaMan movie. That kid is straight up sick.

-a.kim

Hmm... Well my name Andrew Kim. All you need to know about me is... I know Mike Choe. I think that's a good enough introduction. Cuz he's freaking Mike Choe.

-a.kim

Hey everybody, on a more serious note than the $20 auction, does anybody have any ideas for entrepeneurship? There is something on the 15th at Northwestern University called Entrepreneur Idol where winner gets a 25k 10% investment to start up their idea...at UofI. So, if you come up with one, you will definitely be included in the project although possibly not in the presentation/pitch of the idea on the 15th. But we must also come up with well-rounded teams to show to the sponsors that their 10% commitment is worth it. So please just brainstorm and bounce ideas around. Here are a few of mine.

New Plane "Seats"-
Background:
Airplane seats are heavy, they give you not much leg room and they are terribly annoying to sleep in.
Invention:
A light weight board like structure that shapes itself to your body. It is vertical during the plane ride and you strap yourself in, so instead of sitting, you're standing but with not much weight on your legs. Instead, your weight will be supported by things both under your armpit and legs (need help on other ideas to support weight of standing/slightly reclined person). The "seats" or "stands" shall also be positioned back to back so that you have maximum room between you and the next person, although you will be looking at someone the whole ride. The extra people that can fit into the middle aisles mean that some of the sides can be left open. Here I propose things that will hold these stands horizontally, that are attached to the walls. Essentially, when you get tired, you will attach your board to the wall and climb up into your new bunk bed. Benefits are that you have more legroom during the ride and more comfy i think, because you won't feel really weak after your trip, and you can actually lay out in economy class.

Swimming Start Helper-
Background:
There are tens of thousands of swim teams all across the world. Add that up and there are easily a few million club (mostly pre-highschool), highschool and college swimmers along with the countless millions who swim recreationally. As a swim coach, the most time taking skill, yet a skill that is crucial for competitive swimming and just looking like you know how to swim...is the start. Learning to not belly-flop takes most swimmers about 3-4 years to develop and at least 100+ hours average. It also unfortunately often takes individual coaching to develop since most of the problems come from confidence and it is difficult to pause and think in the half second it takes to enter the water.
Invention:
So, I propose a pair of rails that will allow a person to be suspended (after they jump off the block) and moved forward (by ball bearings on the rail and a harness around the person) and into the water. The shape of the track guides the person through the path and feeling of a correct start. A biiig benefit is being able to feel the actual speed that a real start should feel like. Similar object can be created for divers who (if you add more friction) can go through their diving procedures in slow motion, and can learn the feel of their dives just by following of the track. (design idea thanks to jake)

Breathalyzer-Key (TAKEN ALREADY by SAAB)
Background:
No more drunk driving
Invention:
So basically, you have a key that's retracted in a little tube and cannot be used until you blow into the breathlyzer that's attached. So if you're drunk, your key will not be accessible.

Please criticize, comment and provide other creative ideas.

Ok, for all of you smarties out there, I'm gonna auction off $20. Rules are:

Bids have to go up by 50 cents at least...so no $1 and then $1.25
If after 12 hours no new bid has been placed, you win.
If you are the second highest bidder after the end of the bidding, you must pay me your bid.

This is for real! Please post bids in the comments.

Those at Duke will be paid by Kevin Tao

Enjoy! (even those who sit out should have a good time)

I heard an interesting thing in Economics a few days ago that when polled, 80-90% of the population think that they're "above average" drivers. Same results for looks. Supposedly, they look around and say hmm, "well i know i'm no brad pitt or sarah pallin"...but I'm pretty decent. Obviously 80% of people can't be above average.

Odd that our confidence levels seem to be so high according to these tests...almost doesn't seem to stick with what we know about people. Now, I think that these two things are hard for people to self-inspect because people rarely get people telling them how "beautiful/ugly" they are. For drivers, bad drivers just say that they're "aggressive" and not unsafe, while the unbearably slow drivers just claim to be "safe". There are also no ways of quantifying either of them (tickets/horn beeps might, but people justify more tickets with time saved on the commute...so not poor skills but a conscious trade).

Instead, what about intelligence? Would people generally say they're above average when they know they're a C or a B student? Would be interesting to have people comment anonymously with a number between 1-10 with how smart they think they are COMPARED TO THE WORLD. I think we have pretty high average, seeing how this is an "intellectual" blog haha...and it'll be interesting to compare that number to what happens in the next post.

Imagine now you're a runner at a competition. you run so hard and now just behind the second runner.........here's the question: when you overpass the second runner, your rank become...?

the way you might think:

1. because I outstripped the second, I became the first.
2. because I outstripped the second, then I replace the ranking of the second, I became the second runner

Clearly, we all know n0.2 is the right way to think.

then, how about this......

you 're also running in a competition and you overpass the last runner, your rank become...?

choose your answer:

1. the last one
2. the second last one

think carefully before you answer it....HA

I am not sure how many people read the previous article. But if you haven't i encourage you to read the previous one before visiting this website. Norton's letter also exemplifies the message.

However, many people believe that humanitarian efforts are a world apart from our careers. They see it as building homes in louisiana, wells in Africa and everything in between. In all honesty, I haven't heard one person claim that their dreams were of being a construction site worker.

Misconceptions...I like this idea called Transformasphere that encourages each of us to make a difference through our careers, not apart from them. These are professional spheres like education, healthcare, commerce...spheres in which we will all become involved (engineers, ur part of commerce =P). Please read the website to get the necessary information.

http://www.transformasphere.com/node/100

So what I would like is for everybody here to brainstorm and we will come up with something that will change the world. Here is truly our chance to use our real talents to make a lasting difference in the world and have the funding to do so. Lastly, because my small group was offered a lunch should our idea win, I am offering it right back. Whoever's idea is believed to be best on this website will be treated by me to a restaurant of his/her choosing...I don't care where you live (although I'll have to choose the date haha). So if you hear a good idea, please give a thumbs-up for it as a vote, as well as suggestions. We are trying to come up with a master plan...not a bunch of little ones.

Our generation looks up to the few titans that seemingly moved the world with their abilities and contributions to the world.

For technology we have: Bill Gates with Microsoft, Steve Wozniak of Apple, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google.
Science: Our very own Leon Lederman, whose discovery of the muon neutrino and bottom quark leaves a mark in every physics textbook, Stephen Hawkings, for achieving so much despite his numerous disabilities.
Politics: Bill Clinton
Sports: Michael Jordan

Mr. Rogers made sure that we knew we were all special, Barney told us we would be loved no matter what, and the teletubbies seemed just to promote tele-tubby custard. You pair that with our parents telling us that each of us can be "anything we want to be", and it seems like you're close to Utopia. WRONG! We have bred a spirit of mediocrity where the phrase becomes "Oh, I can do what Bill Gates did...I insert excuse here"

1.) just don't want to
2.) don't want to work that hard
3.) don't care though.

So here I am to tell you the truth. Take any one of us out the world right now, and the fact is that the world would not care. True there will be one more empty seat in Chem... but all you are is a butterfly...and I'm telling you your effect does not stir tornadoes in Jakarta. In essence, the world does not need you, it does not need me.

Some will say, wait..."if I become a good doctor, will I not save hundreds of lives, which changes the future?" Take a look around princess, there's a room-full of people who are capable of doing the same thing that you are making your highest goals, that you believe will set you above mediocrity. Remove you, and the hospital finds another like you. After all, it's not just your class that churns out pre-meds, but every campus in the thousands of schools across the world. So, I ask you now, have you broken mediocrity?

Instead, think about the teacher who goes in and truly makes a difference in her students. Somebody who inspires them to be a doctor rather than drop out of school. Not everybody has the patience, the ability to communicate, the leadership of becoming a good teacher. I would argue that this person has become something great. Turning back to the pre-meds, not all is lost. Think about the people in our generation who will cure cancer, remove the suffering of those with AIDS, and find the cause of diabetes. Hard-work and sacrifice makes us into these worthwhile servants of society. These are the people society recognizes and needs.

For those who are Christian, He gave us Talents, do not be the servant who simply buries it...or even the one that makes only one Talent for his Master. Each one of us ARE special, now realize your strengths and weaknesses and apply them. The keyword is "servants". Let us not let down the world.

For the many of us who are deciding on a career path, remember that how we end our lives in 50-60 years is just a sum of all of our everyday actions right now. With the goals that many of us have right now, even if we achieve them, if this article finally hits home at the age of 50, we will realize that we have been doing nothing worthwhile with our lives. Consider this: I'm an econ major. My job right now is to study and do the best I can to absorb the knowledge around me. Nothing special about that. There are millions of other econ students doing almost the same thing as me. What sets me apart to do something extraordinary lies in three places.

1.) The skill set to allow me to become a great economist
2.) The right goals with what I'm going to do as a "great economist"
3.) The passion for the work that it entails.

I will never be 6'7" and "be like Mike", nor will I be able to memorize what the parts of the body are and what to do when one hurts. My skill sets allow me to analyze human thoughts about money and react on it. Sure I can choose to be a doctor or basketball player, but there will be thousands with the potential to be better than I am. So instead of becoming the 1001st doctor, I will choose to go into a field where I know few have my potential.

Similarly, I have to have a goal that complements my potential. The person next to me may be studying econ just as hard as I am and have the same skill set. He's like many of us, studying to pass the next test and someday get a random job that will pay well. But, if I'm doing it so that my knowledge may one day benefit an impoverished nation that suffers from bad government economic policy, I'm the only one on the path to extraordinary deeds.

Finally is the passion. If I care nothing for helping people or the workings of the "Leviathan" which is our economic system, then both my goals and my job mean nothing. The work that my goals and occupation entails must be something I truly enjoy, or else I will never make the sacrifices necessary to reach my goal. Instead, it's passions combined with our skill-set that should determine our goals.

After all this downing thought, I would like to remind all of us that each of the Titans are also born into mediocrity. Bill Clinton came from an abusive single-parent home after his father, a salesperson, died in his childhood. His hardwork and motivated heart led him to become the able-leader that America needed for a decade of prosperity, positively influencing billions of people around the world. Most people would have given up in Stephen Hawking's shoes, but he ran the extra mile so that his mind could be a blessing to the world. So once again I'll ask you, can you and will you break out of mediocrity?

Each of us can do it.

We all use tapes to stick stuffs, how about take an X-ray picture!

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081022/full/news.2008.1185.html

Maybe next time we can use a home-made X-ray machine, saving our time from going to hospital....but still you have to buy the film.......haha =)

So here's the post that will make choe's seem like shakespeare...

I was driving today and saw a kid pulling one of those rolly-backpacks...you know the ones that don't look very cool, often gets turned on its side when you go too fast, is highly annoying up stairs and makes you feel like if you carried ur books in a garbage-bag you'd be cooler. But, it's supposedly good for your shoulders...

So, how about a backpack that is a rolly one, but...tadaaa...it has a small motor and a signal receiver. So, essentially you carry in your pocket a signal generator that is unique to your backpack and your backpack will roll around behind you like a little mechanized pet. If it gets picked up and it's not within a few feet of your signal generator, it starts *barking* loudly (Thanks to Jake "Snakesaywhat" for this improvement). Finally...stairs. Here is where I need engineers, I was thinking of somehow having a claw or something that would pull it onto each stair....but obviously this part needs work.

*Thanks to choe, we may have a solution to this...a cockroach like backpack for guys...and for the girls...hmm we'll offer it in pink



Benefits:
Cool kid obviously to be so lazy to not even pull his backpack.
Won't lose it...since it follows you.
No need for lockers anymore!! Carry everything with you and when you don't need your bag, just turn on a "leash" function where until your sensor is next to it, if it's moved, it will bark. So it'll wait for you outside of classes!

Problems:
Stairs
Maneuverability
Cost

Well there's the invention of a lifetime, invest now!

************************************************************************************

New Suggestions:
*John Seo pointed out that the problems with maneuverability in crowded places...and when you're going fast possibly.

*A big thanks to Sherwood "Camerlango" for his suggestion about tank-like treads. This would be a greeeat improvement on the legs because of the relative cheapness and feasability of this technology. The problem now is can anybody figure out how to make this an ATV (all-terrain-vehicle?) aimed at schools though. Also, he is the first international student to post!!!

So when you're sitting in chem lectures, your mind will often wander off into space. Not that chemistry is particularly boring...

As my attention span dwindled for the duration of the lecture, my eyes spotted the periodic table of contents, and then I realized...hmmm wouldn't it be nice to spell words with the elements? Yah, I know...stupid idea...but I gave it a try and I thought it was kinda of funny. Take this for example:

Phosphorous Peroxide.

What does the molecular formula spell? I know general chemistry was ages ago, but I encourage you to find out ^^. In addition, if you're feeling a stupid as I am, I'll also encourage you to make your own compound :)

So yeah, the media is definitely biased. Unbiased news is difficult to find. We all know that, right?

It seems to me, though, that there's more left-side spin then there is right-side. If you agree with me, then here's an interesting bit: http://www.ldsmag.com/ideas/081017light.html

See? Conservative journalists and lay down the bias too!

Hey everybody, many of you know or know of Matt Norton. He was one of 3 great roommates of mine back in highschool and is an extraordinary influence on everybody around him. For most, college is a time where selfishness reigns supreme: some people choose to just have fun and enjoy these college years while others study hard so that they might get themselves a good job in the future. Norton decided instead to take a year off and help those in need in Louisville, Kentucky. Before I share his first update, which can be found on his facebook account, here's some background info.

Louisville, Kentucky is home to over 550,000 people (2003) *thanks ttao for correction*, making it one of the 20 biggest cities in the United States. It's in the north-central area of Kentucky (see map) and is known for it's healthcare and medical sciences. Despite the many businesses in the city, the median household income is just $28,000 compared to the nationwide average of $50,000. This leaves an incredible 17.8% of the families under the poverty line as of 1999. It's here, in a place of the greatest need where Norton is working and living for a year with the homeless. If you would like to help, please go to the bottom of this post.

October 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

I have been here now for three weeks and I love it at Jefferson Street Baptist Center. There are two male members of the Hope team, Kerry, and myself. There is one female member, Lindsey. We work down in the Day Shelter serving the homeless five days a week. Mondays are considered our “Sabbath” which is set aside to relax, rejuvenate, and have some more contemplative time with God. Wednesdays are outreach days where Kerry and I get to be intentional about spending quality time with the residents here. This week we are hosted a coffee and game day in our apartment for any resident that wanted to come. Those are the basics of the week, but every day is unique and exciting because of the good community and conversation we have.
In these few weeks I can already say that this has been a transformative experience. I have met so many wonderful people who are now becoming the faces of the “homeless” for me. During the week, besides spending time in the Day Shelter, we spend time with the Transitional and Permanent housing residents. All residents are formerly homeless, have a mental illness, and have suffered from an alcohol or drug addiction. Kerry and I eat dinner with them nearly every night conversing and deepening our friendships. They are very open about their lives and what they have done, good or bad. One of my friends comes over at least four days a week and he tells me about his past and what he’s been up to. I quickly learned he plays board games so we play Chess and Stratego together. I am so blessed to be living in this community with so many wonderful guys.
God has also blessed me with a fabulous church community. The whole Hope team goes to a church called Sojourn. The congregation is very welcoming and loving. They receive with open arms everyone from a homeless man to a rich city dweller, all age groups, all races, whatever. This body of Christ welcomes all people as Jesus would. We are also blessed to have a teaching Pastor, Daniel, who is very passionate and Christ-centered. It is very obvious during worship that Jesus is the reason we meet every Sunday. The worship atmosphere reminds me of a giant family. It rejuvenates me and helps to keep walking down God’s path. I have already met numerous members and they are willing to help in any way possible. I’ll say it again I have been very blessed.
One thing that I had not expected when I came to serve at Jefferson Street was to be witnessed to by countless men and women in the Day Shelter. Now daily, many will come up to me out of nowhere and let me know about the presence of Christ in their lives. Every day I am humbled more and more by their words and their actions. As I learn from these Christ followers daily, it made me ask myself what does the Bible say about witnessing and testifying to God’s work in my life. I found that in three of the four gospels there is the story of Jesus telling the disciples about witnessing. He says in Matthew 10:18, “On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.” It goes on to say in verses 19 and 20 “ At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” From this I realize that as Jesus’ follower I am going to asked to testify for Him and I need to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead me. Jesus’ words and the example shown by these brothers and sisters in Christ encourage me to share the story of God’s steadfast and patient work in my life.
One particular instance of a Day Shelter guest witnessing to me happened to me a few days ago I was in the closet, which is a big room where our guests can store two bags of their personal belongings. I don’t usually work there, so I believe that it was one of those God things where He made sure I was in the right place at the right time in order for Him to teach me and encourage me in my faith. There were very few people coming into the closet and so I was about to close up when there came this middle aged looking man. He came up showed me his ID and I let him get his bag. I asked how he was and his response was more than a common reply.
He said something to the effect of I don’t always feel well with the discomforts of homelessness, but I have joy in the Lord, my provider. He went on to tell me about his life and how God has brought him through difficult times. He told me that for the majority of his life he has been homeless. He then told me that he is 62, only had a third grade education and that God has always been a faithful companion with him. At those comments I was astounded. This man has spent decades on the streets and he is still praising God for every day he has. Everything he said, he said with cheer and peace. He said things haven’t been easy but he has made it through with Jesus, his Savior at the center of his life.
When he got his suitcase out he opened the front pocket and took out a very old battered Bible. He had bookmarks and on the pages there were countless notes he had made. He turned to Isaiah 40:13 which says, “Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as counselor?” and then next to it he had a note that said, 1 Corinthians 2:16. He flipped there and read, “For who has the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” As Christ is our Lord, those who put their faith in Him may little by little gain understanding of God. He said “I can use that understanding and live for Jesus Christ or I can live for myself and follow the devil. When we let the Holy Spirit lead us it is the Lord working through us for the good.” He told me this all in love and with joy. He encouraged me as the Holy Spirit led him. He reminded me to keep focused on Christ, loving people, and showing them mercy and grace. He took what he needed from his bag, was on his way, and I haven’t seen him since.
This is just one of the many experiences that I have had since coming to Jeff St. I thank and praise God for every day I have here. It is a blessing to be here and all of you are blessings to me. I want to thank all of you who have supported me with your prayers, money, and encouragement through letters and phone calls. I truly appreciate it. God is doing wonders here in my teammates and I but it is not without struggles, so again, I thank you for your prayers. Please keep them coming! I love you all and thank God that you are a part of my life.

With Christ’s love,

Matt

Besides for just watching him however, we can help! Matt needs our support to make a greater difference upon the city of Louisville. To make a donation please read the following:

TO DONATE TO HOPE | Send your tax-deductible donation to
Jefferson Street Baptist Center | Attn: HOPE 733 East Jefferson Street l Louisville, KY 40202
Matt Norton Fund ID #: HOPE-0809-MN1 Make sure to include ID in the check’s memo line
Fundraising Goal: $6,600 I Raised to Date: $3,535
Visit the HOPE website at www.hopeforlouisville.com
Visit our online journal at www.hopeblog.wordpress.com

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html

It's a 20 minute talk, but I think it will be time well spent. The talk itself invokes stimulating thinking and forces you to analyze where your life is heading. Which path can we take that combines all three sorts of happiness?

Hope this is not old news...

So imagine the year is 2337, 1000 years after l337. We shall call this time period...the future. The world has not changed in a long time, since the world entered a big depression after 2008; the same year students around the world stopped studying, instead wondering how Northwestern's football team was 6-1. John McCain is still alive and is president.

Now, in this perfect world, it turns out that everybody who is pregnant gets to choose one trait that they believe will serve their baby the best. This can be anything, creativity, physical strength, good-looks. In everything else, they are like a normal person, mediocre, but in this trait, they are super-duper. What trait would you choose for your baby and why?
(What I chose and why is on the bottom along with why this is interesting...please think first though!)














Intelligence because it is the one that best complements other traits and is the most adaptable. With intelligence, one learns and mimics the strengths of others more easily, thus probably giving this person the best chance at being well-rounded. It also means that they can analyze what they will need to succeed in any environment the best. Say that the person looks around and sees that the land is rural and an agricultural society that requires strength. If he concludes that the most successful path (and this person's analysis should be the best out of anyone's) is to gain strength, then he will work out and hone his body. If it is a place of high-culture and arts, this person can learn to enhance his creativity by analyzing himself and comparing it to the way others think. In this way, the best traits in any situation can be almost traded for by his intelligence.

Please write what you think before continuing.









Why is this interesting? Because it shows you what characteristic you care about the most. Oftentimes it's the quality you value most in yourself.

Yup it's that time again, midterm season when students try extra hard to be good students and write long lists of what they want answered to teachers. Then, since we're so excited, we stay up all of test day eve, and in the mornings... there are the tests! One for each of us, and if we're lucky, two!

Well for those of you who are also celebrating test-mas hopefully this will bring a lil cheer to a busy week :).











Don't get too caught up in the spirit of the season and forget what life is really about.