Popular Science picks worse jobs in science and engineering
Want to know some of the worst jobs in science/engineering? Popular Science magazine did just that and came up with the 18 ickiest jobs -- one of which is astronaut -- as well as talked to several folks who "fondly" remember some of their worse jobs.

Check it out at http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,12543,484153-1,00.html
- posted by Paula Porter @ 9:43 AM

 
Those crazy engineering kids at Berkeley...
...are keeping busy with some interesting life style inventions. Think about having a little device in your card that alerts you when a parking space is open (think the day after Thanksgiving shopping nightmare!), as well as lets you know where your car is when you head back loaded with packages. (How many silver Camrys can there be in one parking lot!!!!!). Or how about a credit-card device that can help firefighters find you in a burning building, an exercise machine giving you up-to-the second feedback (1 calorie burned, 2 calories burned, etc.). They also came up with smart bike lock like a little Lo-Jack or an electronic bulletin board that senses who you are and gives you personal messages -- like your wife called or your lunch with the boss has been cancelled.

Each semester, grad students in mechanical engineering design prototyping classes hold this little hallway show. One product demonstrated two years ago has already hit the streets. Check it out at the Oakland Trib website -

http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10671~1791608,00.html
- posted by Paula Porter @ 8:52 AM

 
Breaking down $280 million
That's what NASA is asking for to keep the shuttle program up and running...and that may not be all, as other areas are still under investigation by the space agency. Of that $280 million, $65 million is going to replace the external fuel tanks that have been blamed for the Columbia accident. Another $57 million is going to develop tools to inspect and patch up holes while the shuttle is in orbit, and $45 million will upgrade ground-based imagery systems so future launch defects can be detected sooner. NASA also anticipates another $45 million to set up a news safety and engineering organization at Langley Research Center. Space.com has more on the story...
- posted by Paula Porter @ 2:01 PM