Concrete

Concrete. What is it? It's a useful building material that has been used in buildings as early as Ancient Rome's 600 BC days. It's durable, and can be molded into any shape. I had the privilege to be able to use some high quality concrete powder, and using my first hand experience I will now attempt to describe that. The first thing I noticed is how easy it was to actually make. Water and powder with a small amount of light gravel was all that was required to get a durable finished product. However, the quality is directly intertwined with the amount of time it has to rest. I got the recommendation to let it rest for at least three days before testing it, and I should probably let it rest for around two weeks as a baseline. I left it sit for around 10 months, but I have to assume that it capped at an earlier date then that. The textures itself changed dramatically based on the local environment. The parts that were directly touching the container were smooth and glossy, while the part that was touching air became rough and sandlike. All in all, I found new experience in the subject that I did not have before, and gained active, hands on experience from using it.

Both glossy and sandy sides.

Adventure Van, bricking out.

The Big Short

Hey guys, Adventure Van here with a blog about the Big Short by Michael Lewis. The 'Big Short' is a book about the housing bubble and the people who predicted it popping in 2008. The book is well researched, with a multitude of direct interviews. The book in and of itself has been made a successful movie as well, which I have also watched and gets across the same information and points. It is very eloquent, giving the reader or watcher a good grasp and understanding of the topics that were brought up, bringing complicated economic structures and details down into a highly comprehensible.

Adventure Van, studying economics.