Five Words from Mangosteen

Sword: the knife of war. Knives are basic tools; everybody should have one (or several). A sword is a large knife that is pretty much only useful in combat. If you have a large kitchen knife, that makes a great tool all year round, and when you need to defend your house, you pick it up and use it. If you need to adapt it for war, you secure it to a stick -- now you have a polearm. Machetes clear cane, scythes slice grass. But a sword is made for killing. "Fantasy" swords are a mockery.

Large: Me. Bigger than the other kids, bigger than the other adults, usually the biggest person in the room. The top of the fridge is a useful shelf. The world is small and full of fragile things.

Father: Gruff-safety-humor-comfort-competence; I learned that from my Dad and I'm trying to personify it for my kids.

Engineering (as opposed to Science): Every human endeavor is either learning or doing. The learning is science. The doing is engineering. I like both.

Tensegrity: the most elegant building method. Maximum strength for a given amount of material. A good goal to strive for.

Five Words from Mangosteen

Sword: the knife of war. Knives are basic tools; everybody should have one (or several). A sword is a large knife that is pretty much only useful in combat. If you have a large kitchen knife, that makes a great tool all year round, and when you need to defend your house, you pick it up and use it. If you need to adapt it for war, you secure it to a stick -- now you have a polearm. Machetes clear cane, scythes slice grass. But a sword is made for killing. "Fantasy" swords are a mockery.

Large: Me. Bigger than the other kids, bigger than the other adults, usually the biggest person in the room. The top of the fridge is a useful shelf. The world is small and full of fragile things.

Father: Gruff-safety-humor-comfort-competence; I learned that from my Dad and I'm trying to personify it for my kids.

Engineering (as opposed to Science): Every human endeavor is either learning or doing. The learning is science. The doing is engineering. I like both.

Tensegrity: the most elegant building method. Maximum strength for a given amount of material. A good goal to strive for.