Swingin'

Physics engaged in a lab investigation centered around factors that affect the period of a simple pendulum. The three suspects: amplitude, cord length, mass. The jury is out until tomorrow when the data can be graphically analyzed and conclusions drawn. I'll keep you posted.

Physical Science - due to losing the period today for the Internet safety assembly, we are pushing the exam to Thursday. Tomorrow will find the class working with standing waves and investigating how standing waves are generated and why they don't form at the drop of a hat. You'll find that it will take a bit of work to get a proper standing wave to form on your rope and if you remember back to Friday's discussion, you'll have an idea of why this is the case. I've glanced through your original experiments to test the relationship between light and heat absorption and there are some real winners in there! Nice job!

Honors Physics - C Block was taken up by the Internet safety assembly, but G block got to discuss physical features and descriptors of simple harmonic motion. C block will have this discussion tomorrow, in addition to the planned lecture on types of waves. The concepts we have been building for SHM will allow us to understand and describe both mechanical and electromagnetic waves.

On The Stupid Side - it was announced that the SciFi Channel will be changing its name. Here's the official press release and a "charming" comment from one of the network founders:

New York, NY - March 16, 2009 - Building upon sixteen years of water cooler programming and soaring ratings growth following its most-watched year ever, SCI FI Channel is evolving into Syfy on air and on-line beginning July 7th, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, SCI FI.

By changing the name to Syfy, which remains phonetically identical, the new brand broadens perceptions and embraces a wider and more diverse range of imagination-based entertainment including fantasy, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure, as well as science fiction. It also positions the brand for future growth by creating an ownable trademark that can travel easily with consumers across new media and non-linear digital platforms, new international channels and extend into new business ventures.

Imagine Greater will become the new brand message and tagline, inviting both consumers and advertisers into a new era of unlimited imagination, exceptional experiences and greater entertainment. Syfy more clearly captures the mainstream appeal of the world's biggest entertainment category, and reflects the network's ongoing strategy to create programming that's more accessible and relatable to new audiences. Syfy will continue to celebrate the traditional roots of the genre, while opening the brand aperture to accommodate a broader range of imagination-based entertainment.

"While continuing to embrace our legacy and our core audience, we needed to cultivate a distinct point of view with a name that we could own that invites more people in and reflects our broader range of programming," said Mr. Howe in making the announcement. "Syfy allows us to build on our 16 year heritage of success with a new brand built on the power that fuels our genre: the Imagination. Syfy ushers in a new era of unlimited imagination, exceptional experiences and greater entertainment that paves the way for us to truly become a global lifestyle brand."

Syfy -- unlike the generic entertainment category "sci-fi" - firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond, from Hulu to iTunes. Syfy also creates an umbrella brand name that can extend into new adjacent businesses under the Syfy Ventures banner, such as Syfy Games, Syfy Films and Syfy Kids.

Additionally, as the Channel's footprint expands rapidly around the globe, aiming to reach more than 50 international channels by the end of next year, Syfy meets the need of a globally relevant, trademarkable brand that stands for something unique to the brand in each territory.

The new brand evolution will launch on air and on-line July 7th, in tandem with the premiere of the new scripted drama, Warehouse 13, and the return of breakout summer series Eureka. An aggressive trade marketing campaign will kick off this spring. scifi.com will assume the URL syfy.com at that time.

SCI FI Channel is a television network that fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 95 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

and

“The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network.

I won't go into how derogatory is that last statement, nor how condescending is the entire tone of the press release. Suffice it to say - EPIC FAIL!