Week 8

Double rainbow over King of Prussia, 2016. Taken from the parking lot in front of Acme. I miss the Acme.
Grow now.
Sing.
Fly.
Do what you're here for.

- from "The Magician Suspends the Children"
by Carole Oles

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GOODBYE SENIORS + LESSONS FOR THE WEEK + REAL OR FAKE PHOTO ANSWERS + PLAYLIST





GOODBYE SENIORS

Seniors, it's hard to believe that you're finishing up this week! I just wanted to say that it has been my pleasure to be your teacher this year. That goes for all - juniors and seniors, but I wanted to make sure I said it before the seniors left.

We definitely faced some challenges toward the end of the year but I can't think of a better group of students to have faced it with. Thank you all.

Seniors, I wish you good luck. Remember my story - no matter what happens out there, even when things don't work out, it might just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

I've enabled the 2019-2020 material on the alumni page at mrmont.com. Your gunkulator videos are there, the spinny ride pictures and some pictures from National Engineer's Week are there too. Plus the full playlist for the year is listed there.





CP & HONORS FINAL PROJECT

Choose ONE of the following projects!
Option 1: The Physics of...

Choose a sport, hobby, activity or game and analyze the physics of it.

Instructions
Option 2: Virtual Physics

Use Algodoo (a physics simulation program available from Managed Downloads on your laptop) to set up a simulation to demonstrate a concept from physics.

Note: This requires you to be independent and learn the program on your own.

Instructions

Algodoo Demo video

The Algodoo Website has tutorials and samples.
Option 3: Design Your Own Experiment

Choose an experimental question, take measurements and answer it.

Instructions



REAL OR FAKE PHOTO? - ANSWERS

THE UNLUCKY WORLD TRADE CENTER TOURIST

Soon after 9/11, this photo started making the rounds by email. The story was that a camera was found in the wreckage of the World Trade Center after September 11, and this photo was found on the camera. Seemingly taken moments before the first jet crashed into the building, the photo is dramatic... but is it real?

The most important thing to look for in photos like this is the shadows and glints of light. Notice that for the tourist, the sunlight is coming from the right. That leaves the left side of his face heavily in shadow.

The glint from the sun on the jet is along the top and front, indicating that the sun was directly overhead and foreward. Conclusion: the jet was pasted into the photo.

There are other bits that you can pick out as well. He looks to be dressed for winter, not for a relatively warm day in September. Also, the first tower to be hit was the north tower, which did not have an observation deck on the roof.

It turns out the person in the picture is a Hungarian guy who edited the photo as a joke for friends not realizing it would spread across the entire internet. Let that be a lesson to you. Here's more info.
BRAD AND SIENNA

I took a pic of this cover of Us Magazine while waiting in line at the food store. Brad Pitt's love life seems to occupy a large portion of many magazines. But did this picture really capture Brad and Sienna together?

If you try to look at the shadows and glints in this photo it's a bit harder to draw a conclusion. The light does look a little different for each of them, but not conclusively different.

But one thing that always captures the light is the eyes. In each of their eyes, there is a reflection of the light source. Click the picture to see a larger version and take a look in their eyes.

In Brad's eye's there is a single reflection - a single light source. In Sienna's eyes, you can see reflections of multiple light sources. Conclusion: these were two separate photos. In my anecdotal experience waiting in line at the food store, gossip magazines do this fairly often.
LIZ AND MARILYN

This picture was posted to Twitter a few years back. It shows two rival icons of the 1950s: Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor, together leaning against a tree.

Does this picture really capture a serene moment of their youth before what later became a contentious relationship?

Looking at the light and shadow in this photo leads you to a clear conclusion. For Liz, the light is coming from the right. For Marilyn, the light is coming from overhead. Conclusion: these were two separate photos that were pasted together.



THE PLAYLIST

Corona Week 8 Playlist Some exceptions (see below).

SongArtistYearComments
Love Reign O'er Me The Who 1973 One of the most passionately sung love songs I know. Well done, Roger Daltrey.
Little Willy Sweet 1972
Because The Night The Patti Smith Group 1978 Written by Patti and Bruce Springsteen. Bruce is not a bad song writer but I like it better when others sing his songs. I feel the same way about Bob Dylan.
Truth Kamasi Washington 2017 Like most jazz, it gets a little crazy toward the middle. I usually skip to the end.
Come on Eileen Dexy's Midnight Runners 1982
Five O'Clock World (Original Single Version) The Vogues 1965 Quittin' time!
If You Really Love Me Stevie Wonder 1971
Malaguena Ritchie Valens 1959 You only ever hear "La Bamba". He was quite the guitarist.
Island Letter Shuggie Otis 1974 Thanks again to UM grad Ross Reilly back in the early 2000s for turning me on to Shuggie.
What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1): Blue Sky Revisit / Transmission 3 DJ Shadow 1996 Another track from the amazing album Endtroducing..., supposedly the first album to be composed solely of samples.
Stand Back Stevie Nicks 1983 I, like so many others, was infatuated with Stevie back in the 80s. I still love her music, though.
Friday On My Mind The Easybeats 1967 End of the week!
Radio Ga Ga Queen 1984 I will never forget watching Live Aid on TV, and seeing that scene at Wembley Stadium with all the people clapping over their heads. It was quite a moment. For a long time, this was my favorite Queen song but I think I like "Flash" better now.
What's Going On Marvin Gaye 1971
People Are People Depeche Mode 1984 A good song containing a strong plea for tolerance.
You Can't Hurry Love The Supremes 1966
American Pie Don McLean 1971 One of the great sing-along songs. What makes a great sing-along song, I wonder?
Fresh-Garbage Spirit 1968 The world's a can
For your fresh garbage


Sad but true.
Some Days Are Better Than Others U2 1993 Isn't that the truth??
Were Not Gonna Take It Twisted Sister 1984 We thought we were so cool shouting this at whatever we thought authority was back then.
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want Dream Academy 1986 Beautiful version of the Smiths song that was used in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
My Adidas Run-DMC 1986
Save it for Later (from vinyl) The English Beat 1982
Embryonic Journey Jefferson Airplane 1967 Beautiful instrumental guitar piece. It reminds me of Michael Tierson who used to have a psychedelic radio show on Sunday nights on WMMR. He always played this song as his intro music.
Weather With You Crowded House 1991
Reach Out I'll Be There The Four Tops 1966
Just What I Needed The Cars 1978 I use this song as my ringtone for Ms. Newhart. :)
I Got A Line On You Spirit 1968
Lemon U2 1993 Man builds a city
With banks and cathedrals
Man melts the sand
So he can see the world outside
Man builds a car
Builds a road to run them on
Man dreams of leaving
But he always stays behind.


We are so good at creating structure and organization, and even better at getting caught up in them like spider webs.
Human Ceremony Sunflower Bean 2016
Into the Deep Kula Shaker 1996 One of the unknown songs that I heard on WCUR in the early 2000s that I eventually tracked down with the help of this new thing called google as people began posting lyrics online.
Love Will Tear Us Apart Joy Division 1980
All Apologies Nirvana 1993
Tijuana Lady Gomez 1998 Another one of the unknown songs from WCUR in the early 2000s. In the early days of the internet, this song came up on a website of songs with the worst lyrics. I love the music, but I can't say I disagree.
And So I Know Stone Temple Pilots 1996 Why do I find this song so beautiful? It's dreamy and summery to me.
Surfin' Away Vivian Girls 2009 I love the simplicity of the Vivian Girls music.
It's The Same Old Song The Four Tops 1965
Another One Bites the Dust Queen 1980
Go Moby 1991 Found this one on a compilation of this new thing called techno music back in the early 90s at Repo Records in Bryn Mawr (no longer there, sadly). Samples music from Twin Peaks.
It's A Shame About Ray The Lemonheads 1992
Bust a Move Young MC 1989
Walk On By The Stranglers 1988 I love this cover of the Dionne Warwick song.
Uncle Jack Spirit 1968
Mr. Blue Sky Electric Light Orchestra 1977 This might be the happiest song I know.
World New Order 1993