Archive for September, 2011

Dave Mosher = Month at the Museum 2 Finalist

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Want to hear something crazy? The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago is hosting a contest called Month at the Museum 2 for one lucky roommate to live, breathe and eat science within their walls for 30 days and 30 nights.

The winner would serve as the face of MSI Chicago during the day. At night, it’s nerd vs. museum: Submarines, spacesuits, Apollo 8, airplanes, a fairy castle, plastinates, tornadoes, a coal mine and even a little town. For their troubles? $10,000 and a pile of gadgets.

Two months ago I applied, and the craziness has now reached fever-pitch: I’m one of six of MATM2 finalists.

The museum whittled the competition down from about 1,000 talented, charismatic and very nerdy people who applied, but they now want your feedback.

If you think MSI needs a lot of Dave Mosher in its life, please vote once per day, now through Oct. 3, 2011 at MonthAtTheMuseum.org I’ll be at the museum the morning of Oct. 5, where they’ll announce the winner during a live event.

It literally takes seconds to cast a vote, but if you’re like me you may forget. So I’ve crafted these daily calendar reminder buttons to help you out — one click and you’re good to go:

  • Tuesday 9/27: 0
  • Wednesday 9/28: 0
  • Thursday 9/29: 0
  • Friday 9/30: 0
  • Saturday 10/1: 0
  • Sunday 10/2: 0
  • Monday: 10/3: 0

Note: User of other calendar software? Save this .ics file to your computer and open it.

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Why Are There Always So Many Over-Sized T-shirts?

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

At every footrace for charity, street promotion or anywhere else free clothing flies off card tables, you find them: Mountains of T-shirts multiple sizes too big for most people to wear.

Last week, for instance, I strolled into a room to collect my free Andrea Bocelli concert ticket and T-shirt. No mediums or smalls in sight. Just box upon box of large, XL and XXL. Being the scrawny lad I am, I left disappointed.

Why does this happen every single time?

I’m not here to poke fun at those struggling with a larger-than-desirable figure. Au contraire. I’m simply posing a question that has, apparently, stumped the brightest minds of this planet since the T-shirt screamed into popularity in the late 19th century (thanks, Europe).

The human race has done well up to this point. We’ve already solved the how-to-board-the-airplane-quickly problem, the my-table-is-wobbly problem and other civilization-crushing conundrums. Surely, then, some grand theorem exists that could save T-shirts from the waste bin?

Nope. I’ve searched the scientific literature far and wide, and nothing is to be found.

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