Thanksgiving

January 25, 2016 by nickmooney 2 Comments

I don’t recall my first learning about Thanksgiving that well. I remember there being lots of fall colors oranges, browns, reds. We made turkey’s out of our hand prints that we had traced, then coloring them to look like a turkey. As a kid it was always all about coloring.

We learned about the trip on the Mayflower. I remember being taught about how the Native Americans had taught the pilgrims to grow food with dead fish as fertilizer. I always remember the feast that occurred out of school. The whole family would come together and give thanks for what had happened to them through the year.

Prownian analysis: Nick Mooney

January 22, 2016 by nickmooney 2 Comments

Description- Object is between 6-9 inches and roughly 1-2 inches in circumference. Made of a hard plastic material. One end has a flattened section measuring 1-1.5 inches with stiff bristles of varying colors and lengths. The other end has a rubber substance on the “bottom” of the item. Has no discernible temperature difference than the ambient air temperature.

Deduction- Item looks to be a tool of some sort. Possibly used for vanity. Could be used for very focused cleaning i.e. tile grout, in tight corners or inside of small necked bottles. Could also be used for hygiene purposes.

Speculation- I could see this item used by male and female people of all ages. Brushing small sections of hair like eyebrows. I could see these individuals using this item to clean possibly teeth or under fingernails. Based on the location of the item i could see this item being used to clean in very tight areas. Like getting in the grout between tiles in the shower or on the floor. Could also clean the very tight locations on a toilet.

Questions-

Is there more than one use for this item?

Does the item need to be replaced often?

Has time and technology changed the usefulness or effectiveness of the item?

Colgate. “History Of Toothbrushes And Toothpastes.” History Of Toothbrushes And Toothpastes. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.

This article talks about the history of the toothbrush. The first toothbrushes date back to 3000 BC using frayed sticks. The Chinese are thought to have invented the first natural bristle design, with a bone or bamboo as the handle. This basic design didn’t change much until Du Pont invented nylon. The truly modern toothbrush was invented in 1938.

Wiegand, Annette and Burkhard, John and Eggmann, Florin and Attin, Thomas, “Brushing force of manual and sonic toothbrushes affects dental hard tissue abrasion,” Clinical Oral Investigations. Apr2013, Vol. 17 Issue 3, p815-822. 8p.

In this peer reviewed article, it has been found that if you are looking to do the least amount of damage to the enamel of your teeth, then you should use a electric sonic toothbrush. During the testing it was found that the most abrasive form of brushing is manually.

Nick Mooney Bridges

January 15, 2016 by nickmooney 3 Comments

To compare the most iconic bridges in the USA is a daunting task. The Brooklyn bridge has been around for over 130 years old, that alone is to show the level of craftsmanship. I think the main reason it has not been changed is because of that fact alone. It is stated that Roebling built it 6 times stronger than required. He also revolutionized suspension bridge construction with the steel web supports on both sides of the bridge which increased stability. Because of his forethought to build something so strong it has become a mainstay of the New York landscape. Which i believe is why photographs of the bridge tend to include the whole landscape of Lower Manhattan. Having been build over a 100 years ago gives the bridge a very rustic look. With lots of stone it has a blocky appearance which shows the age of the bridge, but also shows how far New York has come since the 1800’s.

The Golden Gate bridge is 50 years younger than the Brooklyn bridge. It is also a suspension bridge, because of this it has a lot of the same revolutionary designs from the Brooklyn. Being newer there was no stone used in the construction, because of this it looks much more contemporary. Which works in to the progressive beliefs of the state and the city. I also believe that they left the Golden Gate as more of a blank slate, in that they have added an amazing idea. They added a movable center barrier, which increased safety so that were no head on crashes. Also because it is movable they can increase traffic flow in one direction over the other, helping with commute times. The way that the Golden Gate is photographed shows more of a serene type setting. Usually with lots of fog around to make it feel that it is reaching for the sky.