• Log In
  • Log In
Science Leadership Academy @ Center City
Science Leadership Academy @ Center City Learn · Create · Lead
  • Students
    • Mission and Vision
  • Parents
  • Community
    • Mission and Vision
  • Calendar

Alexander Wroblewski Public Feed

Alex Wroblewski Capstone

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Capstone - Jonas - Wed on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 5:43 pm
​Abstract

Using openly available data provided by SEPTA, I developed a program in order to track buses and predict their arrival time at the next scheduled stop. This project was inspired by the lack of a solution to receive accurate data as to the actual headway (Time between arrivals) of the bus. How can SEPTA passengers receive more accurate information about their commute? How can they get a more dynamic schedule? In November 2016, an anonymous survey was put out, wherein the data gathered represented a need of tools for a more accessible commute. This inspired me to engineer a solution to improve commuting in Philadelphia Using provided discrete data points from the SEPTA TransitView API (Application Programming Interface), the average velocity of the vehicle over the tracked interval can be found and used to predict arrival time. A lack of 100% data coverage does not allow for this method to be completely accurate, an implementation of the Monte Carlo method for headways is discussed in order to potentially provide probability. The time difference between the arrival time and the actual time is calculated and a simulation from the data is run many times over in order to generate the probability for each possible arrival window. A simulation from the data is run many times over in order to generate the probability for each possible arrival window. Applications of this solution include a multi platform phone app, a prototype of which has been developed. While the final version of the program is not one hundred percent complete, the process to run such a simulation has been thoroughly researched and documented, and will be used to continue development through the coming summer.


Deliverables

Over the past year, I have learned how to develop multiplatform (iPhone, Android, and Web) compatible apps, as well as the basics of predictive data analytics. I have gained proficiency in the Python programming language, as well as its unique capacities for handling large amounts of data.

https://github.com/mediocrelogic/septa-dispatch - is where the code for my ever developing simulator, written in Python, lives. It is still non functional, because of ever evolving implementation ideas and research. The next actions for this project are to implement a system to load the SEPTA data with an SQL database, and to evolve the trip class to a point where it can track active trips (and disable those that are not active).

https://github.com/mediocrelogic/accusepta-app - This is a multiplatform app I developed at the ExCITe Center at Drexel University during an internship. The primary goal was to investigate how I could make the information gained during data analysis useful to regular commuters. Currently, it is barebones, but it taught me how to to present information, make a multi platform app, and focus on simple, accessible design. (page will be updated with screenshots)

https://goo.gl/photos/4j77SQFz89aGvPqH9  - This link shows documentation of the research and design I embarked on over the year.

`Cohen, G., and K. M. Crawford. "A Problem in Estimating Bus Stop Times." Applied Statistics 27.2 (1978): 139. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

This journal by The Royal Statistical Society demonstrates a linear regression for the time a bus spends at a stop, as dependent on the amount of passengers boarding and alighting. Other models provide algorithms to determine whether a boarding/alighting event is definite, improbable, or unlikely. The amount of time a bus would spend not actually moving isn’t something usually taken into account when models of tracking based on actual vehicle location are made, however the creation of such a linear regression based on typical SEPTA data, or gathered by users, would highly increase the accuracy of the tracking by adding another layer of adaptation to only getting new data every 3-5 minutes.


Forbes, M. A., J. N. Holt, P. J. Kilby, and A. M. Watts. "BUDI: A Software System for Bus Dispatching." J Oper Res Soc Journal of the Operational Research Society 45.5 (1994): 497-508. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

A software system known as BUDI is described for the dispatching of buses operated by a public transport organization in Austrailia. Organization of transit terminology is an early focus, defining routes and the difference between a route and a timetabled instance of one, for example. Definitions and rostering of the BCC depots mentioned will provide a theoretical model for database construction of similar data received from the aforecited SEPTA API. While BUDI’s focus is on sorting and dispatching, the concepts behind it’s design, especially in terms of the database it relies on, is universally applicable to any analysis of transit data.


Golshani, Forouzan. "System Regularity and Overtaking Rules in Bus Services." J Oper Res Soc Journal of the Operational Research Society 34.7 (1983): 591-97. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

To passengers, the most important part of a service is its reliability. The authors of this study analyzed average waiting time and under what circumstances would it be appropriate for one bus to overtake another. A simulation was run to determine the average headways and overtaking during a typical day of bus service. Though the original simulation is unavailable and outdated (written in fortran for a mainframe), the mathematics are available in this research journal. There are many different models used to simulate service, and each will have to be evaluated as to it’s potential accuracy. A theoretical application to Accusepta would be to create a new simulation for every time new data is received, allowing for more accurate estimates of headways over time.


Jansson, Jan Owen. "A Simple Bus Line Model for Optimisation of Service Frequency and Bus Size." Journal of Transport Economics and Policy 14.1 (1980): 53-80. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

This analysis of Swedish buses in the 1980’s shows a model of total trip time as dependent on the time taken to travel the distance plus the total time spent boarding and alighting. This algorithm was originally used for economical reasons, determining the most profitable optimized frequency of bus travel. However, this model is relevant as it can be used to provide a “larger picture” estimation of total travel time for a run of a SEPTA bus.


Jennings, Norman H., and Justin H. Dickins. "Computer Simulation of Peak Hour Operations in a Bus Terminal." Management Science 5.1 (1958): 106-20. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

The Monte Carlo method is a statistical simulation built upon the principle of thousands of random estimations within a set of constraints. This method is most often used to replace costly real world trial and error with a computer simulation. In 1958, Port Authority employees built a simulation to build a histogram of the distribution of the bus arrival times to be used when organizing dispatch for the day. This algorithm was used in the original Accusepta design, and is applicable to, say, estimating the probability of making a connection depending on the estimated travel time from the vehicle’s last known location.  


Mcleod, F. "Estimating Bus Passenger Waiting times from Incomplete Bus Arrivals Data." J Oper Res Soc Journal of the Operational Research Society 58.11 (2006): 1518-525. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Operations Researchers in Southhampton UK have built a model to determine average waiting time based on bus headways, the time between busses at a stop using an AVL, an automatic vehicle location system akin to that used and provided by SEPTA. The main problem with using an AVL is that missing data is almost a guarantee. SEPTA only provides locations every three to five minutes, for example. A lack of total data coverage creates gaps that have to be worked with. The authors main goal is to contribute to the theory of estimating headway variance, the difference between the frequency of busses, with incomplete data. Various methods are tested on different data sets. Previous research on AVL based models is hard to find, and adapting to the gaps, where the bus could potentially make multiple stops or travel a significant distance, is hard to manage while striving for accuracy.


Pratelli, A., and F. Schoen. "A Mathematical Programming Model for the Bus Deviation Route Problem." J Oper Res Soc Journal of the Operational Research Society 52.5 (2001): 494-502. JSTOR. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

Researchers at The University of Piza and the University of Firanze in Italy have contributed to the creation of a mathematical model of a deviated bus route. While SEPTA does not operate on a deviated bus route. Such a route supports the main route along a corridor, while collecting and distributing passengers from neighboring blocks. The increased route flexibility causes an increase in both travel time and wait time. Despite the fact that SEPTA does not possess a deviated bus route system, the modeling is applicable in terms of analyzing theoretical inconvenience to passengers as well as tracking busses that do not follow their schedules due to traffic or other factors. Thus, this discrepancy between the schedules and the effects of real life can be equivalent to a deviated stop in terms of analyzing inconvenience to passengers. Pratelli. A, has proposed a mixed integer linear programming problem that highlights “many-to-many”, where it takes into account that passengers alight and board at every stop on the route. Other elements it proposes include the concept of net inconvenience for passengers, based off of travel time, waiting time, and any increases to that, alongside delay.

Pratelli. A and F. Schoen both created analytical models of the feasibility of a transit system based on deviation, and a core notation is the usage of arcs between two points. Arcs are used as an efficient and inclusionary way in Italy to capture most every location the bus could have passed in the interim between the last location signaled to central command, deviated stop or not.


"Public Transport, Walking and Cycling Directions - Citymapper." Citymapper. Web. 04 Feb. 2016. <https://citymapper.com/philadelphia>.

Citymapper is a Web/iOS/Android app that implements transit data from cities all over the world, including Philadelphia and implements the SEPTA API, however does not provide real time tracking. Citymapper does provide a transit focused view that services such as, say, Google Maps, do not provide as clearly. This aggregation of all available transit services provides an interesting perspective on user interface. Citymapper also provides a directions and travel time interface capable of being used in one’s own applications.


"SEPTA API Documentation." SEPTA API. SEPTA DEV. Web. 03 Feb. 2016. <http://www3.septa.org/hackathon/>.

SEPTA provides documentation on their API (Application Programming Interface). SEPTA provides http links with the ability to make specific requests for data depending on route or location. Features include the TransitView API, a specific system to make requests as to the location of either a specific bus or all buses currently active in the SEPTA network. TransitView will be the crux of the ACCUSEPTA model, as it can provide active tracking of every bus on duty, sending data every 3-5 minutes. Other documentation focuses on interfacing with raw schedule data for other SEPTA services. This framework will be used to build custom route objects for every bus in Philadelphia.


"Septadev/SEPTA-Android." GitHub. SEPTA/Github. Web. 03 Feb. 2016. <https://github.com/septadev/SEPTA-Android>.

SEPTA makes all source code for both their iOS and Android apps available online on Github. This allows for a resource as to the implementation of access to the SEPTA database, alongside typical ways it is accessed. The official SEPTA app offers some features that are useful, however the transitview is lackluster and only provides a general location as was last received. Not much analysis is done, as is the goal with Accusepta. However, the base of real time tracking is there for both buses and regional rail, thus providing a theoretical base on which to build up important Accusepta features based on the official SEPTA implementation of their API.


Tags: 2016, Jonas, capstone
Be the first to comment.

Self and the Changing World Essay

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in English 3 - Pahomov - C on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm

Analytical Essay:

As circumstances change around someone, so does their role in the world, and with the people around them. For example, as a former student goes to war, such as in the case of Jimmy Cross from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, their role needs to change. Through the “obscenity and evil” of war, as the author O’Brien put it, Jimmy became the battle-hardened leader he was meant to be for his men.  As the world changes, the “self” changes and adapts to the world around itself, for example, creating strong leaders out of insecure dreamers like Jimmy Cross.


Jimmy Cross goes to war unprepared, he was still in the mindset of a college student who had fallen desperately in love. However, he was too weak with the leadership role he had been placed in, that one of his men died. “After Ted Lavender’s death [Jimmy Cross] reminded himself that his obligation was not to be loved, but to lead.” With the shock that comes from Lavender’s death, Lt. Cross takes the blame upon himself for what happened. He now sees what how he has to change himself, in order to handle the change around him. Up until that point, he wasn’t really the leader of Alpha Company, but a death was what made him “snap” and know what he had to do, and that he had to fulfill his obligations. He understood that his connection to Martha, among other things, made him too immature to fulfill his duty. He loved a far away woman who did not love him back far more than he cared for the men he was responsible for.


As Jimmy realizes that he has to forget about Martha, and fulfill his duty in Vietnam, he ponders about the many things he carries with him, from his love of Martha, to his good luck pebble. “It was very sad, he thought. The things men carried inside. The things men did or felt they had to do.” As the world changes around them, soldiers are often forced by circumstance to do things that in the end are caused by a mixture of pent up anger, sadness, and, most importantly, fear. War, especially, consists of situations where soldiers have to choose between doing the “wrong” thing and surviving, or losing a battle/life while staying true to their original morals.


In the beginning, when Tim O’Brien describes how soldiers carry things through war, he describes the emotional baggage carried by soldiers. “They carried the common secret of cowardice barely restrained, the instinct to run or freeze or hide, and in many respects this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down, it required perfect balance and perfect posture. They carried their reputations. They carried the soldier's greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing. Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to.” As the world changes around them, soldiers are often not really fit for this change. Basic training will teach you how to use a gun, but it won’t teach you how to deal with all the obscenity and death around you. Adapting to being forced to go to Vietnam, men altered themselves to be able to kill and die, if only out of cowardice and fear. They didn’t want to be next. Jimmy, for example, had to become a leader to make sure he and his company weren't next.


Tim O’Brien, the author himself, went through extensive changes in his life when he was drafted into the Vietnam War, as well as witnessing his comrades go through such changes  as well. “Storytelling preceded war for Mr. O'Brien, or at least some kind of writing did. He grew up in the southern Minnesota town of Worthington -''the Turkey Capital of the World'' -and was there, a month out of Macalester College in St. Paul, when his draft notice arrived. He had always liked fiction, and books, but he had majored in political science and certainly had no intention to be a writer. His reaction to the draft notice still surprises him... ...That horrible summer made me a writer. I don't know what I wrote. I've still got it, reams of it, but I'm not willing to look at it. It was just stuff - bitter, bitter stuff, and it's probably full of self-pity. But that was the beginning.'' The war forced O’Brien to change. O’Brien had to now understand what life really was, and he had to learn who he was. He had to adapt to the changing circumstances around him, going from being a Political Science major, to a soldier in Vietnam. He went from being a carefree student, to someone who now had to be a soldier in order to truly face the realities of war.

Change in the world around the self is the primary catalyst for change and evolution in the self. For example, as a former student goes to war, such as in the case of Jimmy Cross from The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, their role needs to change. Through the “obscenity and evil” of war, as the author O’Brien put it, Jimmy became the battle-hardened leader he was meant to be for his men.



Works Cited for Analytical Essay:

Bruckner, D.J. "A Storyteller For the War That Won't End." New York Times Online. The New York Times. April 3, 1990. Web. October 20, 2009.

O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway, 1998. Print.



Narrative Essay:

Willpower. Leadership. Adaptation. Duty. Obligation. These are the traits of not only many people throughout history, but also Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Jimmy stands for the people that have had no choice, but to change, stand up, and fulfill their duty. I personally identify with Jimmy Cross the most, because I have had to learn how to lead a group of people, and I had to change myself and the way I look at the world in order to do it effectively. We have to learn to adapt to our circumstances, in order to make the most of them.


Around May of last year, I was put in charge, made student leader, of an ambitious TFI youth program, where a group of SLA students design and build exhibit prototypes using new Virtual Reality technology. I personally chose most of them for the project. I was given my position due to extensive familiarity with necessary technologies, as well as the drive to communicate with those who could support us. I thought I could do this. I mean, if I had given them tasks, they should do them, like teachers do in school right?


I was always shy and meek, even in the beginning of high school. Me, a leader? Who would have thought? I was able to navigate the intricacies of the non-profit bureaucracy, granted I was able to keep my wits about me, but the actual implementation was the hard part. It’s really hard to get people to be committed to something. It’s hard to properly organize without things eventually devolving into barking orders, unless you know what you’re doing.

We weren’t really productive in the beginning. I had made a roadmap, and standard operation procedures. But really, who just wanted to follow tasks, unless it was for a grade? And all I could think was, why wasn’t this working? But those early days were valuable, if only for the experience provided.


I was then given the advice by my mentor, that Leadership was achieved by inspiring others to do things, not telling them to do things. I thought about it for a bit, and then everything made sense. People had to have a personal stake in what they were doing. They had to care about it. So I went back the next day, and I set to work inspiring morale. I used fun activities, and I focused on valuing everyone's opinion.


I was made a leader by the circumstances at hand, not because of innate natural ability. At the end of the day, this process is applied to many other roles, but the core lesson is this, you become what the world needs you to be as time goes on. And I have thus evolved from the technological savant to the “brilliant” and “charismatic” leader I supposedly am today. Hell, recently I was called a “real ball of fire” who’s “going to become a great corporate leader one day”.


1 Comment

2fer Revision: Ukrainian Linguistic Identity

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in English 3 - Pahomov - C on Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 7:57 pm

Ukrainian Linguistic Identity

Over the past year, there has been civil unrest in the former Soviet Republic country of Ukraine, which recently went through a semi-violent change in government. The coup was sparked by the governments move to work with Russia, rather than the European Union. As a result, a bloody civil war has began in the Russian speaking eastern regions, with Russian backed separatists taking control of the region. Ukraine is made of many nationalities, with ethnic Russians being the second largest population in the country, and Russian is still a very popular language, being the main language in most of east Ukraine. The ethnic population there would like to keep their ties to Russia and their language, which is threatened by the attempts to mandate Ukrainian in the country. Despite the current ceasefire and granting of special administrative status to said regions, ethnic tension, as well as the divide between Russian speakers and Ukrainian speakers, will remain, as they always have. The divided ethnolinguistic identity and the instability of Ukraine does not just involve the Ukrainian leadership wanting to combat Russian influence, but the unresolved tensions between Russia and the West from the cold war.


The population of Ukraine currently have Ukrainian as their main language, with Russian being an official regional language in the areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, and the Crimean peninsula, which was recently lost to Russia. The most recent statistics stand at Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian (regional language) 24%, other (includes small Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 9% [CIA]. Russian is a major minority language within Ukraine, and around 24 percent or more Ukrainians speak Russian as their main language. Meanwhile, 17.3 percent of Ukraine’s population identified as ethnic Russian in 2001. [CIA]. Said population is mostly centered around Donetsk and Crimea. Not surprisingly, they are the territories currently contested in the bloody conflict, and have a history of being Pro-Yanukovych and Pro-Russia.


Russia and Ukraine have a long, complicated history. During most of the past thousand years, most of the area that we call Ukraine today has been under Russian rule, either during tsarist times, or as a soviet socialist republic. Of course, the rulers attempted to russify the population. There is an example from Soviet times, where a man who moved to Ukraine from Russia as a child gives his experience: “I am also from Russia... Then we moved here with my parents [to Udy, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine,]... Our village, they were Ukrainians there, a Ukrainian speaking population.... But the school was in Russian... It was discrimination by the teachers, they always accused us of speaking Ukrainian outside the school...”[Borderlands into Bordered Lands] This example, of a village with a Russian School in a Ukrainian village, would attract settlers from Russia. The Russian-Soviet authorities would thus ensure that the village would be “Russified” and maintain a Russian identity. Thus, Russian authorities would homogenize the population of Ukraine, which they called “new russia”, and expand their own claims to it’s land in order to strengthen it’s borders. This strategy was rather common, the most famous example would be the “iron curtain” / “Soviet Bloc” of Europe, established to cushion Russia’s borders against the NATO powers.


One of the big questions when Ukraine finally regained independence was language. Would Ukrainian become the standard, or would the country stick with the ever popular Russian? Laada Bilaniuk, a Ukrainian-American researcher into the topic stated on the matter that: “When people name a language, and describe it as mixed or pure, language becomes the site of struggle over identity, social values, and.... a certain type of ‘cultural correctness’“ [Contested Tongues] We can see the struggle right now, in the form of the current civil war between two worlds, two cultures, that were united in the last moments of the dying empire that created them. Russian social values, which were pushed to expand influence, seem to be doing a good job of that by causing the chaos needed for Russia to expand; push it’s way west, even by a couple hundred miles; and restore it’s “importance” in international politics.


Russian influence, as a result of tensions with the west over the course of Ukraine’s history has caused an ethno-linguistic divide within the country that current events have ripped apart even more and turned said divide into an all out civil war. Although the Ukrainian civil war and ethnolinguistic divide may only seem important to Ukraine and possibly it's neighbors, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about the well being of the world's economy and stability. Both NATO and Russia have made moves to influence Ukraine, with Russia annexing part of the country, and sending proxy troops into other unstable parts. NATO and the European Union wish to have Ukraine join as a member, however Russia does not want either organization to get any closer to it's borders. As such, the conflict between Russia and the Western world can only intensify, thus effecting the entire world.


Works Cited

Bilaniuk, Laada. Contested Tongues: Language Politics and Cultural Correction in Ukraine. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 2005. Print.

"World Factbook Ukraine." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2014.

Zhurzhenko, Tatʹi︠a︡na. Borderlands into Bordered Lands: Geopolitics of Identity in Post-Soviet Ukraine. Stuttgart: Ibidem-Verlag, 2010. Print.
Be the first to comment.

G10 Science Mini Capstone

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Bio-Chem 10 - Sherif - D on Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 9:42 am
​Reflection: Q2 Aspirin Lab

Core Values: 
Inquiry: I wanted to know if I could synthesize a common drug in a high school laboratory.
Research: I gathered info by checking temperature and toxicity every step of the way.
Collaboration: Given that I was the one in the group who did most of the work, I learned what it's like to be the only one invested in a project. Then again, I already knew.
Presentation: The smoke spectacle was a rather interesting presentation of my project to the class.
Reflection: I would plan out more and prepare better
Be the first to comment.

World History Final Portfolio 2013-2014

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in World History - Block - B on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Word Art 3
Word Art 3
It was a cold January day. 29 people sitting in a circle, arguing with each other about parts of the French Revolution. Then one particular man, Robespierre, jumped up, had a complete meltdown, yelled some expletives our way, and stormed out of the class. Just a normal day in World History class.

Truly, this year has been... Interesting, to say the least.


Throughout the educational mixture of facts and emotions and a variety of activities, us students have been brought directly into the emotions and situations of the events we have looked at. We have fought intense trials and argued over petty details just to win. We have taken up the mantles of revolutionaries. We have written our own fictional “look into history” in the form of a play. We have truly thrown ourselves into history.


Throughout the year, we have looked upon many different perspectives of the world. One interesting implementation of this was our pipeline monologue project. Click here to see it. "Right now we have a golden opportunity. The door out of this place is standing right there, but you keep trying to barricade it.... Things aren’t always black and white like they are for you and so many others. There are so many other colors and shades. And this one isn’t all bad." (Pipeline Monologues)


We look at the past, we look at those that have had important roles to play, we know where they fit in. But who are we as people? Where do we fit in? A resounding theme this year has been social justice for the oppressed, but what about justice for the ones who don’t know who they are, who have been hurt beyond belief, who still carry their own scars with them for so many years. When we focus on the big picture, we can accomplish great things, but what about the individual behind the statistic? What about one man?...


As part of our Play project, I wrote about what it was like for one man and his friends during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, against Nazi occupation. Click here to see my play project. I looked at more than just the suffering of a people, I looked at the suffering of one man, and how that suffering is connected to the fight for the city, and for the nation.


“Klaus Adler: You’re a fool. If you die, your cause dies...

Jan: And so do you." (Play Project)

“Jan:

You monster. Hell hath no fury like that of a Pole.


(*Starts kicking Klaus*)


This is for my wife! This is for my friends! This is for Warsaw!


And this is for Poland!!! Give Lucifer my regards!


(*Shoots Klaus in head, blows smoke off barrel*)


Well, that’s over. “ (Play Project)


"Stop. What have we seen here? Utter desperation. But this isn’t the end of the story, though you may think it is." (Play Project)


We have focused on such diverse issues from the Keystone XL pipeline, to the role of religion in society. Several more links and quotes from my work are included below: I personally analyzed the relation between religion and war. Click here to see my wiki page about it.

"War is people fighting each other for some sort of cause. It can be for freedom, it can be for land, it can be for honor. Whatever the motivation, it is either our cause, or the cause of our masters." (Religion Wiki)

        Click here to look at 2 handpicked history journal entries.


Be the first to comment.

Revolution Guidebook Project

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in World History - Block - B on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 7:47 pm
​In this unit of study in our World History Class, we studied various revolutions. We learned about the causes and conflicts of the french revolution, the impact of social media on the Arab Spring, and a bit about the ongoing Ukrainian Revolution. We asked and answered questions, such as "How do revolutions begin?" and "What methods do they use to succeed?". For our final project this quarter, we had to make a digital storybook about a question we had about revolutions.

For my digital storybook, I talked about the series of events that lead up to revolutions, which may include other revolutions. I asked "Does the impact of revolutions cause more problems than it solves?" I found no clear answer other than that revolutions start a chain of events that cannot be undone, and may lead to other revolutions. I talked about how todays events in Ukraine are part of the aftershock of the events of the Russian Revolution. Cause and Effect is the greatest force for change in the world, especially today.

The Impact of Revolutions from Alexander Wroblewski on Vimeo.

Tags: Ukraine, revolution, digital story
3 Comments

Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in World History - Block - B on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 5:18 pm
​Part I: In this unit of study, we learned about the Keystone XL Pipeline. We learned about all the background info needed to understand the pipeline as well as arguments for and against it. We then learned how to write a good monologue. Now, as our project, we are making monologues about the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Part II: 

1: "On the one hand, the Obama administration is taking important steps forward with investments in renewable energy and the recent power plant regulations. On the other, they’re letting fracking go unregulated, still deliberating on the Keystone XL [crude oil] pipeline, and weakening key international climate policies" SOURCE: INTER PRESS SERVICE 2013-09-27 00:29:00

2: "The fact of the matter is that as the (U.S.) state department itself says, the environmental impacts of the Keystone pipeline are negligible ... In fact it will displace a crude that in many cases comes from not just higher-emitting sources of oil but frankly from places where the environmental standards of production are very poor" SOURCE: THE PROVINCE DAILY NEWS 2013-09-26 22:15:00

3. "Mr. President, please do not make a bilateral agreement approving the Keystone XL based on the government of Canada’s mitigation promises ... While this may seem like a generous offer, Canada simply cannot mitigate the carbon pollution from the pipeline; those emissions would simply be too big. Keystone XL would be directly responsible for the equivalent annual emissions of 51 coal-fired power plants or 37.7 million cars. As a point of comparison, Canada has about 26 million cars on the road" SOURCE: ECOEARTH NEWS 2013-09-24 04:25:00

4. 
"TransCanada keeps insisting the Keystone XL pipeline will be the safest pipeline ever built despite irrefutable evidence to the contrary. In fact they are building the southern portion of the Keystone XL to the lowest permissible standards, just as they have the Keystone 1 and the Bison Pipeline." SOURCE: DESMOGBLOG 2013-09-22 21:47:00
5.
"I don’t think it’s specifically Keystone XL, but I think the challenges that Keystone XL and other pipeline projects have had, and the delays that they have faced, are causing the industry to realize that we need alternatives".SOURCE: NATIONAL POST 2013-09-23 08:38:00
Part III:
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Monologue 1: John


[Enters through door] “Hey, Daddy’s home!” [Walks to living room] “Hey sweetie how are you? You look kinda sad today.... Something happened at school?.. Oh the pipeline, well what’s the problem with it?.. Your friends? Let them protest and stuff, nothing’s gonna change anyway... [Sits down on couch] Well, that’s the thing. This pipeline does a lot of good stuff for us... I mean... Look at this house, look at your TV, your iPhone, and all your other stuff... And look, so many other families will have the same chance. I mean, look at it... Yeah, I don’t need to treat you like a baby, I’m just, you know, worried.


“Let me tell you something, I was a board meeting today and we were talking about this stuff. The risks are worth the reward.... Well I don’t care about the ‘state department’ or the ‘President of the United States’... Well, ok. Yeah, it can leak, it can spill, it can do hundreds of things... The point is that it won’t... I don’t know, ok maybe I should...


“My point being, this pipeline is important! Not just for us but for an entire nation! Sweetie, listen to me... No, it doesn’t matter here. We won’t even see it.... Yes that’s the big oil spill... Yeah, but that was the gulf of mexico, Not here... Wow, is... is that what happened there.. [mutters] So much destruction... [speaks normally] Well in america... Well here in canada...


“Alright honey...  I admit it, it’s dangerous... But not for us... Yes, people can be hurt... Ok, I think it’s homework time for you... [Get’s up and exits]


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Monologue 2: Will


[Walks in door] Hey, man, how are you... Come on, lets sit down.... Actually I’m not sure about that, another protest?... I sympathise man, I really do, but we’re adults, not the free-riding teens we once were... [Waitress walks to table] What would I like to have... Get me a scone... or a muffin... Actually a berry muffin please... And some tea. What about you?.. [Waitress walks away after order]


So are you ready, I mean, we are in DC after all, every protest here is bound to be big. Why don’t I want to come... Well that’s the thing, call me crazy, call me a establishment shill, but I think Keystone XL is one of the keys to fixing our economy. We need to take risks right? And XL constitutes a risk. I know the environmental and health stuff, but damn this needs to go through.


[Waitress comes by and brings food] Thanks... Yeah, I do wish the best of luck to you though... Well, we are all in our own little hell right now, and an oil spill is nothing to the suffering of the poor and the middle class. Right now we have a golden opportunity. The door out of this place is standing right there, but you keep trying to barricade it.... Things aren’t always black and white like they are for you and so many others. There are so many other colors and shades. And this one isn’t all bad.


I have a job, but I’m barely getting by... I have meds to take and all that stuff... You know, when I came in, I was on the fence, but now, I’m more than certain this pipeline has to go through. [alarm beeps] Well... I have a doctors appointment in half an hour so, I’ll see you around...


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Monologue 3: Jack



[Jack is collapsed on couch, wife walks in] Hey honey... Well yeah, really I’m just tired... Look at me, I’m a mess. I have to clean up... But I’m too tired. God this job is killing me.


God, this couch is so comfy... Am I in heaven... Never mind. I need a cold drink, god, I’m thirsty... [Wife leaves and brings drink]


Have you seen the bullcrap safety at the place! Just today I saw Jim nearly get crushed by one of those huge pipes! I’m looking at the thing and I don’t see how it’s going to hold up for more than a year! If this goes through... I don’t even want to think about it.  I mean, what the hell is going on?


I remember when I got this job, I thought it was going to be good. I thought it would help us get back on track and you know... Help us save up for that house... Well I guess that’s all just a dream gone by...


This is supposed to be the thing that helps the economy... Helps us all get back on track. But at what cost? Welcome to hell, North america, you’re taking a page right out of the devil’s playbook.


Ok, that’s it! Tomorrow I’m turning in my two weeks. It’s time for all this to end. I’m going to start looking for an office job tomorrow. I can’t stand that place anymore.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



monologue from Alexander Wroblewski on Vimeo.

Be the first to comment.

Samarium

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Art - Freshman - Hull on Monday, June 10, 2013 at 8:50 pm
​Inquiry-
We had to inquire what our atom was. We also had to inquire about it's properties
Research - 
We had to research our el 
Collaboration - 
We collaborated on learning about our elements. We also collaborated on the cutting part.
Presentation - 
We had to invent a presentation on our element. We also had to choose between multiple presentation options.
Reflection -
We had to think about how this stuff worked and how our atoms were used. We also had to write this down.
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.11 PM
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.11 PM
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.09 PM
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.09 PM
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.10 PM
Photo on 6-10-13 at 12.10 PM
Be the first to comment.

La casa ideal para Jon Snow

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Esta casa está en las montañas en Iceland. Hay dos pisos. La casa es pequeña y moderna.  La casa es en una piscina en el medio de algunas montañas. Hay un barco para ayudar a llegar a la parte continental. La casa está construida en una roca.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.08.15 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.08.15 AM
La casa es para un hombre cuyo nombre es Jon Snow. Sús colores favoritos son gris, blanco y negro. Tiene un perro. No tiene carro o bici. Él vive solo. Le gusta esgrima en los fines de semana. 

images (1)
images (1)
La sala es muy grande. Está cinco sofás, tres mesas, una lámpara, dos pinturas, cuatro plantas, está trece ventanas, una tele, y una escalera.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.15.33 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.15.33 AM
El comedor es pequeño. Está ocho sillas y una mesa.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.10.27 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.10.27 AM
La cocina es pequeña. Está una mesa, un horno, una estufa, tres sillas, un lavamanos, un lavaplatos, un refrigerador, y dos microondas.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.14.15 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.14.15 AM
En él cuarto, es pequeña. Está una cama, tres pinturas, un plantas, y una mesa.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.17.41 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.17.41 AM
El patio está muy grande. Está dos camas, tres sillas, dos sofás, dos mesas, una piscina, un bañera de hidromasaje. También, está un barco. El barco es de color blanco y azul. Hay un pequeño muelle para el barco.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.18.28 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.18.28 AM
Está seis árboles alrededor de la casa. Esta es la casa ideal para Jon Snow. Por desgracia, no será capaz de pagar, ya que no es un multimillonario playboy.

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.08.15 AM
Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 10.08.15 AM
Información de contacto:

CEO:

Nombre: Alexander Wroblewski

Numero de telefono: 267-765-5453

E-mail: awroblewski@sharklasers.com


CIO:

Nombre: Eamon Kelly

Numero de telefono: 267-875-8795

Email: ekelly@sharklasers.com


Be the first to comment.

Space Exploration

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in English 1 - Kay on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 10:16 am
Be the first to comment.

Final Perspective Drawing

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Art - Freshman - Hull on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 7:31 pm
​a. What is one thing that your learned specifically that you did not know before.

One of the things I learned that I did not know before was how to draw perspective

b. How did leaning this thing make your drawings better.

Learning perspective let me make 3D room drawings such as this one and the other ones we made in your class.

c. If you did this assignment again, what would you do differently?

If I redid this assignment I would spend more time on the tables and the window

d. What is your advice to someone who has never drawn a one point perspective drawing before?

I would tell them to make sure that their orthogonal's are correct, otherwise you may have to redo your whole drawing if you don't catch the mistake early.

e. What resource helped you the most and why?


The resource that helped me the most was the slideshow because it showed me how to start my drawing.

Final art Drawing
Final art Drawing
Tags: blue, 2013, perspective
Be the first to comment.

BM Reflection

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Geometry - Thompson on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 8:37 pm

- How does this project relate to the real world?

This project relates to the real world via engineering. When you design a building you need to figure out the proper proportion for the height. Using the mirror, stick and shadow methods can help you find the proportion. Thus this project taught us that when dealing with buildings you need to know math like proportions and other mathy stuff like measuring and multiplication. And it also relates to the real world by telling us NOT to use the mirror method in engineering or construction or any other chosen field. And so that's how the project relates to the real world using math.

-       What was the most exciting portion of this project and why? What was the least exciting portion to this project and why?

The most exiting portion was Jian measuring the building and braking the tape measure, causing us to fix it and seeing him try to wind it up while walking down the street. The expression on his face when he realized he could have jammed it back in was priceless. Not kidding. The least exiting portion of this project was doing the calculations. I swear I thought I was making a mistake every step of the solving, I ended up checking Wolfram Alpha and seeing that I was right all along. Then I struggled getting the verifications to make sense. But I did it all and it was as right as I could possibly get it.

-       What did you learn from completing this project?

What I learned from completing this project was that the mirror method is horrible and the best way to measure a building would be to go to the top and drop a tape measure. Not kidding. At all. Technology is awesome. I think that the Mirror method is extremely unreliable. The measurements were way off the verification. I think that if we were to use some other method, like stick or something else it would be way more reliable. I also learned about how I learned about how you shouldn't pull a tape measure all the way out, see above to learn more.

I don't have access to the blueprint.


Screen Shot 2013-03-18 at 2.43.33 PM
Screen Shot 2013-03-18 at 2.43.33 PM
Be the first to comment.

And who am I?

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 6:55 pm
I think in english.
Yo Hablo en la clase de español en la clase de español
I feel in english
Yo estudio español, en la clase de español.
I laugh in english
Yo Echo bromas español en español
In english I feel the earth the earth beneath my feet
En español entiendo la srta manuel
Be the first to comment.

Nuestras actividades

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Mi nombre es Alexander Wroblewski. Yo Tengo 14 años. Soy no activo mucho, Es por eso que todos los dias juego videojuegos y leo en la computadora. Soy inteligente por lo tanto A veces Estudio en la escuela y veo la tele. Me encanta leer y sar computadora. Asi Que
Be the first to comment.

E1 U4 ¡Me gusta mi escuela!

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 6:36 pm

¡Hola! Me llamo Alejandro. Tengo catorce años, y soy estudiante de Science Leadership Academy, en Filadelfia. Está cerca de Franklin Institute. Science Leadership Academy es el proyecto basó la escuela. Hay cinco pisos, y viente cinco profesores, y quinientos estudiantes la escuela. La escuela es bastante divertida. Tenemos proyectos, no pruebas excepto para la clases de geometría y español. Participó en inglés porque él Señor Kay (profesor de inglés) es muy cómico. Tenemos teatro, español, geometría, y inglés. Tenemos clubes de poesía y robótica. No participó en clubes.


Yo tengo los clases de ingles, historia, bioquímica, español, geometría, arte, y ingeniero. Mis clases favoritos son ingeniero y ingles. Me gusta estas clases porque los profesores son increíblemente divertido. En la clase de ingeniero nosotros diseñamos máquinas y resolvemos los problemas. En la clase de ingles nosotros escribimos en inglés y leemos libros en inglés. No me gusta mucho la clase de bioquímica porque la clase es más o menos difícil. Los materiales necesarios para estas clases son; dos carpetas, unos lápices, plumas, y hojas de papel son requerido. Un Libro, y dos cuadernos son muchos importantes para todos las clases. Pero una computadora es mucha importante para todos clases.


La Srta. Manuel enseña la clase de español. Ella es trabajadora y muy cómica. La clase español es interesante y fácil. La Srta. Jonas enseña historia y es mi tutor. Le gusta Trader Joes y estudiantes. La clase historia es aburrida pero todavía un poquito interesante. El Señor Kay enseña la clase de inglés. Le gusta leer y jugar baloncesto. La clase de inglés es muy interesante y bastante diversión. Ellos son los buenos profesores.


Mucho gusto Science Leadership Academy. Me gusta mi amigos y mis profesores porque ellos son muy cómicos y divertidos. Lo que más me gusta de SLA es que nos obtener una computadora para escuela. No me gusta nada la clase de arte y la clase de historia porque las clases son muy aburridas.  SLA es muy divertido, súper cómico, y bastante asombroso!





Be the first to comment.

Los Seres Queridos En Mi Vida.

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski on Friday, January 11, 2013 at 7:27 am
Aqui mi proyecto

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By8VmFZKDP4LTmFuRVVJZGE0UkE/edit
Screen Shot 2013-01-06 at 5.35.47 PM
Screen Shot 2013-01-06 at 5.35.47 PM
Be the first to comment.

Quin es?

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Los Ojos es azul. El pelo es rubio.
Le gusta escuchar musica. 
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.37 PM
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.37 PM
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.37 PM #2
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.37 PM #2
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.38 PM
Photo on 12-11-12 at 1.38 PM
1 Comment

Alex's Slide

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Technology- Freshmen - Hull on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 10:28 am
TechSlide
How I created the slide.

I decided on a contrast theme. I happened to like Keynote’s blueprint theme and changed the text to green. I used the Project, Name, and Date forms creatively as a description of myself. I decided the pictures should do the rest for me and added a terminal (my second home) and a picture of Dr Who’s Tardis to make my slide look like a computer screen. For a finishing touch I added one of my favorite quotes. My slide isn't very minimal but it communicates me very well and is neat, clean, and eye-catching.


My new Slide
TechSlide
​I decided to get rid of unnecessary additions and just keep a terminal as the whole image. I also added shadowed text that blended in with the terminal
2 Comments

Una Carta para Ti

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at 11:52 am
Querid@ ______
¡Saludos desde Filadelphia!

¡Hola! !Buenos Dias! ¿Qué tal?


Me llamo Alex. Yo Soy estudiante Science Leadership Academy. Soy tengo trece años. Me cumpleaños es el 14 de diciembre. Soy de Nueva york y como si fuera poco pero vivo en Filadelphia. ¿Y tú? ¿Cuántos años tienes? ¿Cuando es tu cumpleaños?

Cuando tengo tiempo libre me gusta jugar videojuegos y leer. Yo también encanta pasar un rato con amigos. A veces me gusta ver la tele. No me gusta nada ayudar en casa y correr. ¿Y a ti? ¿Qué te gusta hacer? Soy muy increiblemente inteligente, siempre simpático y un poquito timido. Pero ademas soy de decendencia polaco. Depende del dia soy cómico. ¿Y tú? ¿Cómo eres?


Bueno, me voy porque tengo que comer con mi familia y estudiar con amigos es por eso qué me voy porque. ¡Adios! ¡Responde cuando puedas!


Con cariño, Alexander Wroblewski.
Photo on 11-28-12 at 11.54 AM
Photo on 11-28-12 at 11.54 AM
Be the first to comment.

¡​Mis favoritos!

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 11:57 am
¡​Mis favoritos!
Screen Shot 2012-11-27 at 12.55.30 PM
Screen Shot 2012-11-27 at 12.55.30 PM
Screen Shot 2012-11-27 at 12.56.07 PM
Screen Shot 2012-11-27 at 12.56.07 PM
3 Comments

Senorita Manuel

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Senorita Manuel es de San Francisco pero vive en Filadelphia. Ella tiene cuarenta y ocho años. Ella es morena. Ella le gusta leer y como si fuera poco le encanta trabajar. Es por eso que Senorita Manuel es súper inteligente y Depende del dia cómica. Ella es nunca aburrida. ¡Es un amor de gente!
400x400
400x400
5 Comments

ABC's En Español: For Beginners

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 8:49 pm
This lesson is for people who are being introduced to Spanish for the first time. To learn Spanish, you have to first know the alphabet and how to pronounce it. After you have familiarized yourself with it, you can then move on to the next step of learning Spanish.

1000x1000
1000x1000
Here's a video of a Spanish Spelling bee!
3 Comments

¿Què hora es? Telling time in spanish!

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 7:36 pm
​In Spanish the way you ask "what time is it" is by saying "què hora es".

Below are charts that state the Spanish words into English, and what time it is


 

Spanish

   English

De la mañana 

   In the morning (AM)

De la tarde

   In the afternoon ( PM)

De la noche

   In the evening (PM)

Y media

   Half past

Y mediodia 

   Noon

Y medianoche

   Midnight

Y cuarto

   Quarter after

Menos cuarto

   Quarter of

en punto 

   On the dot 


400x400
400x400
Here's a video of a guy asking 2 hobos what the time is!

4 Comments

¡Hola! Greetings in Spanish!

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Please enjoy the following lesson on Spanish greetings. 

Lesson 1

Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 12.45.24 PM
Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 12.45.24 PM
Here's a video of 2 kids meeting each other on the bus-
1 Comment

¡Hace Bastante Calor y sol! Spanish Weather Terms!

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Spanish 1 - Manuel on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Please enjoy this video lesson on spanish weather terms.

Link to Video

And here's a video of a spanish weather channel!


1 Comment

Wroblewski,Alexander Lucidchart Home Network

Posted by Alexander Wroblewski in Technology- Freshmen - Hull on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 11:34 am
My L.A.N uses a wifi connection and an ethernet connection. 3 Desktops, 1 of which is mine, are connected by ethernet. My printer is also connected by ethernet. We also have 2 tablets, an iPod touch, my phone and my wii connected to wireless. My macbook and my moms laptop are also on our wireless. The modem and router are also part of the network and manage it.

My OMG moment: My network is bigger then I imagined!


I would tell others that their network is bigger than they think. I would also tell them that a modem communicates with the cloud. Their router communicates with the modem to send your info between the cloud and your devices. I would also tell them that the cloud is huge and that there is a LOT of info out there. That would be all I would say.

AwroblewskiHomeNetwork
AwroblewskiHomeNetwork
Be the first to comment.
RSS
Science Leadership Academy @ Center City · Location: 1482 Green St · Shipping: 550 N. Broad St Suite 202 · Philadelphia, PA 19130 · (215) 400-7830 (phone)
×

Log In