Do Penguins Have Knees? (52-265)

I have finished reading the book, Do Penguins Have Knees?, and have completely enjoyed this really interesting book, from cover to cover. The 265 page book is very interesting with little excerpts, about some questions that people have come across that they do not know the answer to. For an example of one of these questions is, "Why do hospital gowns tie at the back?" (132). Then after this question has been stated, they will provide a short answer to the question ranging from a short paragraph to a long 2 page explanation.

Below I have included an excerpt, about one of the question's answers that have really intrigued me to learn about. The question is about "Why you are never supposed to touch a halogen light bulb with your fingers?"(164).

Conventional light bulbs use soda-lime glass, which is perfectly functional. But tungsten-halogen bulbs are made of much more durable quartz glass because they must withstand much higher temperatures, a minimum of 250 degrees Centigrade.
Rubin Rivera, of Philips Lighting, told... that quartz halogen lamps must not be touched with fingers because the natural oils from the skin, in combination with the high temperatures reached by the bulbs when illuminated, will cause the crystalline structure of the bulb glass to change. Contact with human oils can cause the glass to crack and leak. Air can then get into the filament and , in extreme conditions, can cause the bulb not only to leak but to explode.

I think that this section is very interesting because, one would only know the answer to this question if they were to work with quartz light bulbs, and have a basic knowledge with glass, and human oils exposed to a high temperature. So much information is given to us, very quickly and easily, so that it makes us want to read more in depth about this specific topic. This book has hundreds and hundreds of questions like these, making the book really interesting to read.

Feldman, David. Do Penguins Have Knees? New York: Collins, 1992. Print.

Do Penguins Have Knees? (1-51)

I have just started a new book titled Do Penguins Have Knees, and have really enjoyed reading it so far. Its about a 260 page book filled with little excerpts about questions that we come across in our everyday lives and don't know the answer to. For an example of one of these questions, the title Do Penguins Have Knees? is one of the questions that is answered in the book. I think that it is very interesting as you can learn a lot from just reading this book.

Below is a short one that I really liked, about the question of "Why do florescent lights make a plinking noise when you turn them on"(47)? The short chapter gives us a detailed yet quick answer to the question that they have researched for us, and put in an easy way for anyone to understand.

We went to Peter Wulff again for our answer. Older fluorescent fixtures used a "preheat system," which featured a bimetallic starter (the small, round, sliver piece). Wulff told us that inside the started is a bimetallic swetch which "pings" when energized. newer flourescent systems, such as the "preheat" or "rapid start," are rendering the "ping" a relic of our nostalgic past. (33)

I think that this section is very interesting because one would rarely know that answer unless they have worked very much with fluorescent fixtures, and light bulbs. This gives us so much information, yet so quick and easy to understand, that it makes us want to read on and on about it and just find more information about that specific topic. This book has hundreds, and hundreds of these little interesting sections, on hugely varying topics. From Why are our fingers different lengths? to anything as What does "YKK" on a zipper mean?

Feldman, David. Do Penguins Have Knees? New York: Collins, 1992. Print.

Do Penguins Have Knees? (51)

I have just started a new book titled Do Penguins Have Knees, and have really enjoyed reading it so far. Its about a 260 page book filled with little excerpts about questions that we come across in our everyday lives and don't know the answer to. For an example of one of these questions, the title Do Penguins Have Knees? is one of the questions that is answered in the book. I think that it is very interesting as you can learn a lot from just reading this book.

Below is a short one that I really liked, about the question of "Why do florescent lights make a plinking noise when you turn them on"(47)? The short chapter gives us a detailed yet quick answer to the question that they have researched for us, and put in an easy way for anyone to understand.

We went to Peter Wulff again for our answer. Older fluorescent fixtures used a "preheat system," which featured a bimetallic starter (the small, round, sliver piece). Wulff told us that inside the started is a bimetallic swetch which "pings" when energized. newer flourescent systems, such as the "preheat" or "rapid start," are rendering the "ping" a relic of our nostalgic past. (33)

I think that this section is very interesting because one would rarely know that answer unless they have worked very much with fluorescent fixtures, and light bulbs. This gives us so much information, yet so quick and easy to understand, that it makes us want to read on and on about it and just find more information about that specific topic. This book has hundreds, and hundreds of these little interesting sections, on hugely varying topics. From Why are our fingers different lengths? to anything as What does "YKK" on a zipper mean?

Feldman, David. Do Penguins Have Knees? New York: Collins, 1992. Print.

The Lightning Thief (201 - 219)

I am still continuing to read this very interesting book, The Lightning Thief, about Percy's quest to save the world. I thoroughly enjoyed this short two chapters that I have read. Even though this section that I have read is rather short, there is a lot that can be learned from one of the main characters in this section.

Through chapter thirteen, titled "I Plunge To My Death," we learn a lot about one of the main characters, Annabeth, who is the daughter of Athena. Athena, wants all of her children to become great builders, but not destroyers, so she entourages all of them to create great marvels. Therefrom, we can see why Annabeth wants to become an architect, after the world has been saved. This quote below explains a little of the knowledge of Annabeth, and some of her skills with architecture.

The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. We threaded our way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling, but Annabeth kept telling us interesting facts about how the Arch was built, and Grover kept passing me jelly beans, so I was okay. (203)

This short passage explains much to us about three of the characters in the book. It indirectly suggests that Annabeth is very intelligent, and is knowing of much history and architecture. It also directly tells us that, the main character, Percy gets bored from history and likes to know and see interesting things. Additionally, it also shows to the reader that Percy likes jelly beans, as that was a cure to him being bored, so one could infer that Percy really likes to eat jelly beans.

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. Print.

The Lightning Thief (157-201)

I am still in the midst of reading The Lightning Thief, and am still thoroughly engrossed in the book. Currently in the book Percy is going on his quest to save the world. Fliers meanwhile, are being posted up all over New York City, in the search to find the missing Percy. Percy does not care for the quest to save the world but did accept it for a reason unknown to us, the readers.

One of the passages that struck me, is the one that I have listed below. I do not understand why one would not want to save the world if given the chance, because that person who could save everyone would let it pass by them and let everyone perish next to themselves. I myself could not do that, because I could never see any of my friends getting hurt near me, it would just be terrible for me to see.

I wondered if Grover could still read my emotions, mixed up as they were. I was glad he and Annabeth were with me, but i felt guilty that I hadn't been straight with them. I hadn't told them the real reason I'd said yes to this crazy quest. The truth was, I didn't care about retrieving Zeus's lightning bolt, or saving the world or helping my father out of trouble. The more I thought about it, I resented Poseidon for never visiting me, never helping my mom, never even sending a lousy child-support check. He'd only claimed me because he needed a job done. (159)

In this passage, Percy is almost rejecting his god father Poseidon. He does not seem to care for him anymore, but he does have a reason. His dad, though he is very busy god, does not try to make time or any effort towards his family. Additionally, when Poseidon calls to Percy in the need of help, Poseidon did nothing to help out Percy and his family. So, why should Percy help out his dad. It is a very difficult place that Percy is in, however I still think that he should go out and help his father, because the fate of the world rests upon his shoulders.

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. Print.

The Lightning Thief (1-157)

I am currently reading the book The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan, a very interesting read to those who love to read about mythology from a child's perspective. This book, though it is a very easy read, has a complex story line about this kid, named Percy Jackson, who is the son of a god and a human, making him a "demi-god."

The chapter titled "I Play Pinochle With A Horse," is one that peeked my interest. The name really intrigued me to read in further about it, just after a long, bland chapter preceded it. At first, when I looked that the title, I became very confused, and almost lost about where the story was going. This one quote though quickly made me even more lost:

I must've woken up several times, but what I heard and saw made no sense, so I just passed out again. I remember lying in a soft bed, being spoon-fed something that tasted like buttered popcorn, only it was pudding. The girl with curly blond hair hovered over me, smirking as she scraped drips off my chin with the spoon. (73)

After being more confused, I kept reading on to finally find out what the title meant. The horse that the title is referring to, is the god of horses, Poseidon. Who is also the father of Percy. Finally, Percy wakes up, and then begins to talk to hims mom. He then finds out from her that his father is Poseidon, the god of the sea and horses. Thus, finally explaining the meaning of the chapter title to me.

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York: Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. Print.

The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments (81-205)

I have just completed the book of The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. The book loved was incredible, though it is much different than that of a regular book that one would read. It is a book for one who has a love of science, because this book is about how and thoroughly explains how the experiment was carried out.

One of my favorite chapters is chapter seven, in which they try to explain the experiment about how James Joule, explains how the world works in his perspective. Joule, in 1847 creates the workings of an electrical motor, that resembles one that we use today.

Early On, Joule noticed that the strength of an electromagnet inceased as the square of the current. By doubling the number of batteries, you quadrupled the power. The possibility that the same my be true for an electric motor must have seemed as stunning as cold fusion did in the 1980's. "I can hardly doubt that electro-magnetism will ultimtally be substituted for steam to propel machinery," Joule declared with the enthusiasm of a twenty-year-old unused to the troubles posed by the material world. (96)

I found this section to be especially intriguing, because for some reason since I have been a little kid, have loved tinkering with electricity and the use of motors. The idea of how long ago more than 150 years ago when they were using electricity to work motors is amazing. The account of one of the first people, in detail of how he made an it, is just incredible. Then to go even further, he goes to the point of explaining that he thinks that the electric motor will replace the steam engines and will be made to be dominate in machinery. He was incredibly right even though it was such a long time ago. How could one predict the future based of of an invention of his own that he would not live to see put into every day use?

Johnson, George. The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments. New York City: Random House Incorporated, 2008.

The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments (1-80)

I have begun the intriguing book The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments, by George Johnson, a nonfiction text about how the ten most beautiful experiments of history were accomplished. The book is divided into ten chapters, with each chapter consisting of an explanation of how the experiment was done, what happened in the experiment, and the importance of these experiments that were conducted. My favorite chapter so far is the second chapter about how William Harvey conducts an experiment regarding the human heart's functions.

He compared the movement to a machine's: "One wheel gives motion to another, yet all the wheels seem to move simultaneously." He knew that some of his readers might be offended by this mechanical description. But that was not his intention. "Whether or not the heart, besides propelling the blood, giving it motion locally, and distributing it to the body, adds anything else to it-heat, spirit, perfection - must be inquired into the by-and-by, and decided on the other grounds."(25)

He, William Harvey in this quote, suspected that there was more to the body than just the physical processes, that the heart was "the sun of the microcosm" (Johnson 24) and blood a spiritual substance, an instrument of heaven. However that did not mean the hearts motions could not be studied systematically. Additionally, he points out that the heart does not just flow in one direction and go endlessly to another, but flows in more of a circle like "one wheel [giving} motion to another," letting the blood have to circulate around the whole of the body. Before this experiment people though blood was created then destroyed at the end, and did not circle the body. This book is an amazing work that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good read, who has interested in mathematics or science, or is just looking for a good read.

Johnson, George. The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments. New York City: Random House Incorporated, 2008.