American Dynasty

  The Voice in Studio 1      Last Wednesday, 9:00 A.M. I found myself at the world headquarters of InfiniD Learning in Provo, Utah. It's a small four room office with bathroom tucked away at the back of a decorative business office plaza near the Cottonwood Comfort Inn. I guarantee you'll get lost if you try to find it using a sign. There are none, except for a printed 8.5 X 11 sheet of printer paper taped to the front door's glass.  Once inside you'll be impressed by the Spartan atmosphere accented by the "if it don't have a use then it don't get bought" philosophy of office feng shui.  As for office perks, I believe I noticed a box of granola bars sitting on a shelve. I'm sure they'd share if you asked nicely.         I was there to record my lines for the upcoming InfiniD simulations set to drop worldwide sometime in the near future, or when Austin finishes the polish up work.  Austin is the sound man, possibly the productio...

  Jade Hansen and James Porter discussing engineering things      The Christa McAuliffe Space Center has a new Engineering Department Chief, or Boss, or Director, or Guild Master, or Head.  Jade will be replacing Matt Ricks.  Matt did a real fine job but due to circumstances relating to life has had to step down.         Jade will continue his day job where he makes real American money (not that phony Canadian stuff) and run the Engineering Department during those few hours a week he sets aside for Space Center "fun" work (where he also makes American money but not that much - hey its good for a volunteer job right).  And let's not forget Jade's other Space Center responsibility - supervising in the Cassini.        The Engineering Department's primary responsibility is to build, create, and maintain the center's physical electrical props - like the dial and switch panels in the simulators.  Jade wi...

     On November 8, 1990 we celebrated the opening of The Christa McAuliffe Space Center.  Hundreds gathered at Central Elementary School that night to hear Senator Jake Garn speak and tour the USS Voyager simulator.  I spoke as well. In my speech celebrating a dream's fulfillment, I spoke of the importance of play in education and how immersive simulations use the power of play to teach.              Over the years I’ve come to realize that the word ‘play’ has been included in the four letter word category by many educational policy makers. Have we as a nation drifted so far off balance that play, the rich soil imagination springs from, has no educational value for those that make education policy? There are many in that community who believe play should be given a scarlet letter and put in the stocks for public scorn? The First Magellan       When I started teaching in 1983 America was reacting to a report...

  The American Heritage Space Center Flight Director Team      Bracken Funk and I were at American Heritage School in American Fork last week with Renaissance Academy's basketball team (I keep the game stats, Bracken is the coach). With several minutes to go before game time, I took the opportunity to go upstairs to the school's space center to visit with its director - Alex DeBirk.  I heard Alex's voice several yards down the hallway coming from the Galileo Room.  He was discussing the finer points of flight directing.      I found Alex at the mission control station training three flight directors.  "This is our first class of flight directors," Alex said as he introduced me to the trio.  I jotted down their names and have since lost the note so I apologize for not formally introducing them to you, but that will be corrected as time passes and The Troubadour highlights their work.  I do know that the gentleman beside Alex is ...