Star Wars Production Art

Keep Lucas away from these before they get "revised".

A talented conceptual artist with a vivid imagination, Ralph McQuarrie served as one of the major creative forces behind all three Star Was Films. McQuarrie's visionary paintings and concept drawings brought to life characters and locations that had previously existed only in the mind of George Lucas.

Star Wars Production Art

Keep Lucas away from these before they get "revised".

A talented conceptual artist with a vivid imagination, Ralph McQuarrie served as one of the major creative forces behind all three Star Was Films. McQuarrie's visionary paintings and concept drawings brought to life characters and locations that had previously existed only in the mind of George Lucas.

Huh

Anyone know what this is about?
(Thanks Jabberwocky)

UPDATE:
Thanks to reader Mikail for pointing out that there is also a blog for this site at http://ilovebees.blogspot.com/. Gauging from the comments, it seems that this site is just an advertisement for Halo 2. Funny that I just posted the other day about undercover marketing and then posted a site using it.

Huh

Anyone know what this is about?
(Thanks Jabberwocky)

UPDATE:
Thanks to reader Mikail for pointing out that there is also a blog for this site at http://ilovebees.blogspot.com/. Gauging from the comments, it seems that this site is just an advertisement for Halo 2. Funny that I just posted the other day about undercover marketing and then posted a site using it.

Dinner at Bill Gates' House

I had seen this around the blogosphere but I finally got around to reading it. It is an interesting read about an intern that had dinner at Bill's house.

Dinner at Bill Gates' House

I had seen this around the blogosphere but I finally got around to reading it. It is an interesting read about an intern that had dinner at Bill's house.

Finally

It wasn't easy getting this kind of recognition. For starters, you have to go here.
(via The Presurfer)

Finally

It wasn't easy getting this kind of recognition. For starters, you have to go here.
(via The Presurfer)

Return of the Jedi's New Ending

Waxy has the video and it doesn't appear to be a joke. Could someone please get Lucas away from the editing room. Why does he feel this constant need to muck around with the holy trilogy. They were pretty damn successful in their original form. And why does Anakin get to be his young self again. Why doesn't Obi-Wan revert to young Obi-Wan? Is anyone still reading this?

Return of the Jedi's New Ending

Waxy has the video and it doesn't appear to be a joke. Could someone please get Lucas away from the editing room. Why does he feel this constant need to muck around with the holy trilogy. They were pretty damn successful in their original form. And why does Anakin get to be his young self again. Why doesn't Obi-Wan revert to young Obi-Wan? Is anyone still reading this?

Subway Rider Arrested for Eating

From CNN.com:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A government scientist finishing a candy bar on her way into a subway station where eating is prohibited was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours by transit police.

Stephanie Willett said she was eating a PayDay bar on an escalator descending into a station July 16 when an officer warned her to finish it before entering the station. Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.

Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.

She is obviously a terrorist. Burn her!!!

Subway Rider Arrested for Eating

From CNN.com:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A government scientist finishing a candy bar on her way into a subway station where eating is prohibited was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours by transit police.

Stephanie Willett said she was eating a PayDay bar on an escalator descending into a station July 16 when an officer warned her to finish it before entering the station. Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.

Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.

She is obviously a terrorist. Burn her!!!

Female or Shemale

By far the scariest quiz I have posted. I don't even want to tell you my results but in case you are wondering I got a 7 out of 16. I didn't think any of the men were women but thought that 9 women were men. Better to be safe than sorry.
(Thanks Rada from My2SecondShelfLife for the link)

Female or Shemale

By far the scariest quiz I have posted. I don't even want to tell you my results but in case you are wondering I got a 7 out of 16. I didn't think any of the men were women but thought that 9 women were men. Better to be safe than sorry.
(Thanks Rada from My2SecondShelfLife for the link)

Paint Job of the Week.

Found here.

Paint Job of the Week.

Found here.

Urban Asshole Identification Cards

Bwahaha.

Now you can confront those who wrong you, in a way that won't result in your getting your ass beat up. Let the Urban Asshole cards do the talking for you, and put urban assholes in their place.

Each card is scored but not folded so you can present them as is or fold them up so that the recipient only sees "Congrats!" before they get "You're An Asshole" and the hard truth on the other side.

Urban Asshole Identification Cards

Bwahaha.

Now you can confront those who wrong you, in a way that won't result in your getting your ass beat up. Let the Urban Asshole cards do the talking for you, and put urban assholes in their place.

Each card is scored but not folded so you can present them as is or fold them up so that the recipient only sees "Congrats!" before they get "You're An Asshole" and the hard truth on the other side.

Treasures of the World

Stories behind the Mona Lisa, the Taj Mahal, the Hope Diamond and others.

It was the art theft of the century... On August 21st, 1911, someone stole the most famous painting in the world from the Louvre. According to author Seymour Reit, "Someone walked into the Salon Carré, lifted it off the wall and went out with it! The painting was stolen Monday morning, but the interesting thing about it was that it wasn't 'til Tuesday at noon that they first realized it was gone."

Treasures of the World

Stories behind the Mona Lisa, the Taj Mahal, the Hope Diamond and others.

It was the art theft of the century... On August 21st, 1911, someone stole the most famous painting in the world from the Louvre. According to author Seymour Reit, "Someone walked into the Salon Carré, lifted it off the wall and went out with it! The painting was stolen Monday morning, but the interesting thing about it was that it wasn't 'til Tuesday at noon that they first realized it was gone."

Phonebashing

This looks fake. Or illegal.
(via MonkeyFilter)

Phonebashing

This looks fake. Or illegal.
(via MonkeyFilter)

Space Suits

A really cool gallery of space suits. Pictured is:

The KKO-3 was the first mass-produced Soviet partial pressure suit. It was very similar to the US MC-3 of the same period.

(via Incoming Signals)

Space Suits

A really cool gallery of space suits. Pictured is:

The KKO-3 was the first mass-produced Soviet partial pressure suit. It was very similar to the US MC-3 of the same period.

(via Incoming Signals)

President Bush's Commercial Outtakes

Ok so it is actually Will Ferrell playing W. Pretty funny.

President Bush's Commercial Outtakes

Ok so it is actually Will Ferrell playing W. Pretty funny.

Sandals & Socks

Finally, a website dedicated to people who wear socks with sandals.
(Thanks Rada)

Sandals & Socks

Finally, a website dedicated to people who wear socks with sandals.
(Thanks Rada)

Squirrels in Black and White

Radmila from My2SecondShelfLife mentioned to me that Americans are always freaked out when they see black squirrels while visiting Canada. Count me in with the other Americans because I had no idea that squirrels came in any color other than gray. I guess it is one of those weird Canadian things like Mounties, saying "Eh" at the end of a sentence, and Bryan Adams. You can go to scary squirrel world for more info.

Squirrels in Black and White

Radmila from My2SecondShelfLife mentioned to me that Americans are always freaked out when they see black squirrels while visiting Canada. Count me in with the other Americans because I had no idea that squirrels came in any color other than gray. I guess it is one of those weird Canadian things like Mounties, saying "Eh" at the end of a sentence, and Bryan Adams. You can go to scary squirrel world for more info.

Monster Segway

For off roading?
(via Mookie)

Monster Segway

For off roading?
(via Mookie)

The Europe Quiz

This quiz was tricky. It gives you a country name and you have to point it out on a map of Europe. My score was 62 out of 111. In my defense, eastern Europe is difficult because it changes too often. That's my story and I am sticking with it. I am curious to what Europeans are scoring on this quiz.
(via J-Walk)

The Europe Quiz

This quiz was tricky. It gives you a country name and you have to point it out on a map of Europe. My score was 62 out of 111. In my defense, eastern Europe is difficult because it changes too often. That's my story and I am sticking with it. I am curious to what Europeans are scoring on this quiz.
(via J-Walk)

Lick-n-Span

Looks very sanitary. More products here.

Lick-n-Span

Looks very sanitary. More products here.

Subliminal Advertising

While googling "undercover advertising" I came across this site. I had almost forgotten about this story.

On September 12, 1957, a market researcher named James M. Vicary called a press conference to announce the formation of the a new corporation, the Subliminal Projection Company, formed to exploit what Vicary called a major breakthrough in advertising: subliminal stimuli. Vicary described the results of a six-week test conducted in a New Jersey movie theater, in which a high speed projector was used to flash the slogans "drink Coke" and "eat popcorn" over the film for 1/3,000 of a second at five-second intervals. According to Vicary, popcorn sales went up 57.5 percent over the six weeks; Cokes sales were up 18.1 percent.

Vicary's announcement immediately touched something like a national hysteria. Outraged editorials appeared in major magazines and newspapers; outraged congressmen drafted laws and made themselves available for outraged interviews. This was the year of Vance Packard's best-selling expose of the advertising industry, The Hidden Persuaders, and the public was apparently willing to believe anything about Madison Avenue--1984 was just around the corner.

Overlooked in all the hullaballoo were Vicary's own relatively modest claims for his invention. It was useful only as a reminder, he said, and couldn't persuade anyone to do what they didn't want to do in the first place. But even he was probably overstating the case. While Vicary steadfastly refused to release any of his data (or even the location of the theater where the tests were conducted), psychologists who had performed similar experiments gleefully contradicted his results. A weak stimulus, they said, produced a weak impression; the subliminal "message" was no more hypnotic than a slogan on a billboard glimpsed out of the corner of the eye.

Subliminal Advertising

While googling "undercover advertising" I came across this site. I had almost forgotten about this story.

On September 12, 1957, a market researcher named James M. Vicary called a press conference to announce the formation of the a new corporation, the Subliminal Projection Company, formed to exploit what Vicary called a major breakthrough in advertising: subliminal stimuli. Vicary described the results of a six-week test conducted in a New Jersey movie theater, in which a high speed projector was used to flash the slogans "drink Coke" and "eat popcorn" over the film for 1/3,000 of a second at five-second intervals. According to Vicary, popcorn sales went up 57.5 percent over the six weeks; Cokes sales were up 18.1 percent.

Vicary's announcement immediately touched something like a national hysteria. Outraged editorials appeared in major magazines and newspapers; outraged congressmen drafted laws and made themselves available for outraged interviews. This was the year of Vance Packard's best-selling expose of the advertising industry, The Hidden Persuaders, and the public was apparently willing to believe anything about Madison Avenue--1984 was just around the corner.

Overlooked in all the hullaballoo were Vicary's own relatively modest claims for his invention. It was useful only as a reminder, he said, and couldn't persuade anyone to do what they didn't want to do in the first place. But even he was probably overstating the case. While Vicary steadfastly refused to release any of his data (or even the location of the theater where the tests were conducted), psychologists who had performed similar experiments gleefully contradicted his results. A weak stimulus, they said, produced a weak impression; the subliminal "message" was no more hypnotic than a slogan on a billboard glimpsed out of the corner of the eye.

Undercover Marketing

Here is another reason not to talk to strangers. They might actually be paid by companies to push their products.

Undercover marketing is a subset of guerrilla marketing where the consumer doesn't realize they're being marketed to. For example, a marketing company might pay an actor or socially adept person to use a certain product visibly and convincingly in locations where target consumers congregate. While there, the actor will also talk up their product to people they befriend in that location, even handing out samples if it is economically feasible. The actor will often be able to sell consumers on their product without those consumers even noticing it.

60 Minutes had a piece about Undercover Marketing last week. It seems that product placement in movies and television shows aren't working as well as they would like. This has to be risky business for companies to cross this line. Won't there be consequences from people who have found out that they were manipulated by undercover marketers?

Undercover Marketing

Here is another reason not to talk to strangers. They might actually be paid by companies to push their products.

Undercover marketing is a subset of guerrilla marketing where the consumer doesn't realize they're being marketed to. For example, a marketing company might pay an actor or socially adept person to use a certain product visibly and convincingly in locations where target consumers congregate. While there, the actor will also talk up their product to people they befriend in that location, even handing out samples if it is economically feasible. The actor will often be able to sell consumers on their product without those consumers even noticing it.

60 Minutes had a piece about Undercover Marketing last week. It seems that product placement in movies and television shows aren't working as well as they would like. This has to be risky business for companies to cross this line. Won't there be consequences from people who have found out that they were manipulated by undercover marketers?

Top 50 Worst Guitar Solos of the Millenium

And another list.
(via Waxy)

Top 50 Worst Guitar Solos of the Millenium

And another list.
(via Waxy)

My Afternoon in the Cage

Being a beneficiary of Alan Greenspan's 'New Economy', I was free yesterday afternoon and decided to spend it in downtown Boston looking for freaks drawn to the DNC.

Little luck on the Commons - they were taken up by Scientologists and Falun Gong-ers, the latter sitting handcuffed in small cages wearing bloody gowns, apparently showing what the Red Chinese are doing to them (there are people here who pay good money for similar treatment, but that's beside the point.)

Well, I was interested in another cage, so I walked down to the Fleet Center. To tell the truth, I didn't see more *overt* security than you'd see at a major sporting event thought likely to turn rowdy. Streets were blocked off to vehicles from about 5 blocks away, giving the sorely put-upon Boston pedestrians a real break. Lots of ordinary cops, on foot and horse mounted, and people were talking to them right friendly like. Got to Canal Street about 2:30pm and it was almost deserted - a few people hanging out in the open air beer joints and the like. So I went ahead and walked into the cage.

Bunch of cops hanging out at the entrances, but they didn't search me (or anyone else I saw) or act menacing or anything. When I got inside, I saw why. There were only about 20 people there, and that's the way it was for a couple of hours - they'd come and go but stayed at about that number. Reason was the speaker's platform (about 10 ft. square stuck up against some supporting beams for the overhead expressway) had been commendeered by evangalists. They were a mostly uninspired lot and people looked bored. Every now and then some dweeby looking college student would go up and say how everyone respected their religion, but didn't anyone have anything political to say? Well, there was one, talking about New World Order stuff like you can get off the WWW. He showed us how to see the WTC in a folded $20 bill, outgassed a little about the purported Bush/Bin-Laden connection, the whole smack. After a while I got bored too and went back outside and played solitare on my PDA waiting for something to happen.

Reason for that was the ambiance of the cage is atrocious. Reports comparing it to a concentration camp are I think a little overblown - yeah, it's all ugly concrete and steel and wire fences and razor wire, but really, a lot of Boston looks like that. Not much worse than a playground in one of our rougher neighborhoods. But I have 2 gripes. One, no place to sit except leaning against concrete barriers. I ain't as young as I used to be so my legs get tired of that after awhile. Two, the sound system stank. They had the gain way too high and the sound was fuzzy and distorted and was paining my ears. Other people seemed to agree, signs were hung all over the fences - half pro-Palestine and half bitching about the cage.

Well, about 4:30, I went back in, watched the preachers for a bit and was thinking about going home, when a dozen people marched in carrying signs like "God Hates America", "Demo Fags", "Boston = Sodomy". It was the Rev. Phelps and his merry crew from the Westboro Baptist Church.

They proceeded to commandeer the platform and started singing charming little ditties like "God Hates America" and blasting the Democrats as "Fags, Dykes and Fag Enablers." Well, you can imagine the reaction. The crowd swelled to about 100 (a third of them media) and they were screaming at Phelps to go home. I must say, they handled the hecklers pretty well - usually by launching into an appropriate song (the ladies sang pretty well, given the lousy sound system.)

While all this was going on, buses were pulling up outside and unloading delegates and other convention goers - some of which came up to the cage to see what all the racket was about. Then Phelps would point at them and scream "You're a fag (or dyke) and you're going straight to hell!"

Well, you couldn't pay money for entertainment like this, but after about an hour it got repetitious. The only useful thing any of the hecklers did is that one of them asked 'how long is this going to go on?' and they answered they had a permit until 7pm. My legs and ears were giving out, so I took it as a cue to go home.

A lovely time was had by all. But I didn't get to see any anarchists. I feel cheated.

My Afternoon in the Cage

Being a beneficiary of Alan Greenspan's 'New Economy', I was free yesterday afternoon and decided to spend it in downtown Boston looking for freaks drawn to the DNC. Little luck on the Commons - they were taken up by Scientologists and Falun Gong-ers, the latter sitting handcuffed in small cages wearing bloody gowns, apparently showing what the Red Chinese are doing to them (there are people here who pay good money for similar treatment, but that's beside the point.) Well, I was interested in another cage, so I walked down to the Fleet Center. To tell the truth, I didn't see more *overt* security than you'd see at a major sporting event thought likely to turn rowdy. Streets were blocked off to vehicles from about 5 blocks away, giving the sorely put-upon Boston pedestrians a real break. Lots of ordinary cops, on foot and horse mounted, and people were talking to them right friendly like. Got to Canal Street about 2:30pm and it was almost deserted - a few people hanging out in the open air beer joints and the like. So I went ahead and walked into the cage. Bunch of cops hanging out at the entrances, but they didn't search me (or anyone else I saw) or act menacing or anything. When I got inside, I saw why. There were only about 20 people there, and that's the way it was for a couple of hours - they'd come and go but stayed at about that number. Reason was the speaker's platform (about 10 ft. square stuck up against some supporting beams for the overhead expressway) had been commendeered by evangalists. They were a mostly uninspired lot and people looked bored. Every now and then some dweeby looking college student would go up and say how everyone respected their religion, but didn't anyone have anything political to say? Well, there was one, talking about New World Order stuff like you can get off the WWW. He showed us how to see the WTC in a folded $20 bill, outgassed a little about the purported Bush/Bin-Laden connection, the whole smack. After a while I got bored too and went back outside and played solitare on my PDA waiting for something to happen. Reason for that was the ambiance of the cage is atrocious. Reports comparing it to a concentration camp are I think a little overblown - yeah, it's all ugly concrete and steel and wire fences and razor wire, but really, a lot of Boston looks like that. Not much worse than a playground in one of our rougher neighborhoods. But I have 2 gripes. One, no place to sit except leaning against concrete barriers. I ain't as young as I used to be so my legs get tired of that after awhile. Two, the sound system stank. They had the gain way too high and the sound was fuzzy and distorted and was paining my ears. Other people seemed to agree, signs were hung all over the fences - half pro-Palestine and half bitching about the cage. Well, about 4:30, I went back in, watched the preachers for a bit and was thinking about going home, when a dozen people marched in carrying signs like "God Hates America", "Demo Fags", "Boston = Sodomy". It was the Rev. Phelps and his merry crew from the Westboro Baptist Church. They proceeded to commandeer the platform and started singing charming little ditties like "God Hates America" and blasting the Democrats as "Fags, Dykes and Fag Enablers." Well, you can imagine the reaction. The crowd swelled to about 100 (a third of them media) and they were screaming at Phelps to go home. I must say, they handled the hecklers pretty well - usually by launching into an appropriate song (the ladies sang pretty well, given the lousy sound system.) While all this was going on, buses were pulling up outside and unloading delegates and other convention goers - some of which came up to the cage to see what all the racket was about. Then Phelps would point at them and scream "You're a fag (or dyke) and you're going straight to hell!" Well, you couldn't pay money for entertainment like this, but after about an hour it got repetitious. The only useful thing any of the hecklers did is that one of them asked 'how long is this going to go on?' and they answered they had a permit until 7pm. My legs and ears were giving out, so I took it as a cue to go home. A lovely time was had by all. But I didn't get to see any anarchists. I feel cheated.

Segway Polo

No pictures of it but a good video.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Segway Polo

No pictures of it but a good video.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Things Other People Accomplished When They Were Your Age

Enter your age and take a look. Here are some examples for my age (30)

• Mark Twain published his first short story, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog."
• Nat Turner led a slave rebellion.
• Donald Trump persuaded bankers to lend him $80 million so he could buy the Commodore Hotel.
• Bill Gates was the first person ever to become a billionaire by age 30.

Things Other People Accomplished When They Were Your Age

Enter your age and take a look. Here are some examples for my age (30)

• Mark Twain published his first short story, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog."
• Nat Turner led a slave rebellion.
• Donald Trump persuaded bankers to lend him $80 million so he could buy the Commodore Hotel.
• Bill Gates was the first person ever to become a billionaire by age 30.

Total A##hole Compression

Revolutionary!!

TAC* is the best compression format available for the web today! By using revolutionary scientific methods, research teams at RSG and the Beige Programming ensemble were able to a compose a complex software tool that expels many of the myths that surround modern file compression techniques. The secret of TAC compression is not that it makes files smaller, but that it makes files bigger, much bigger.** This provides the end user with a compression tool to meet almost any need in today's bandwidth and gig overloaded computing world.

Total A##hole Compression

Revolutionary!!

TAC* is the best compression format available for the web today! By using revolutionary scientific methods, research teams at RSG and the Beige Programming ensemble were able to a compose a complex software tool that expels many of the myths that surround modern file compression techniques. The secret of TAC compression is not that it makes files smaller, but that it makes files bigger, much bigger.** This provides the end user with a compression tool to meet almost any need in today's bandwidth and gig overloaded computing world.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About

This seems like a healthy relationship.

Nothing keeps a relationship on its toes so much as lively debate. Fortunate, then, that my girlfriend and I agree on absolutely nothing. At all.

Combine utter, polar disagreement on everything, ever, with the fact that I am a text-book Only Child, and she is a violent psychopath, and we're warming up. Then factor in my being English while she is German, which not only makes each one of us personally and absolutely responsible for the history, and the social and cultural mores of our respective countries, but also opens up a whole field of sub-arguments grounded in grammatical and semantic disputes and, well, just try saying anything and walking away.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About

This seems like a healthy relationship.

Nothing keeps a relationship on its toes so much as lively debate. Fortunate, then, that my girlfriend and I agree on absolutely nothing. At all.

Combine utter, polar disagreement on everything, ever, with the fact that I am a text-book Only Child, and she is a violent psychopath, and we're warming up. Then factor in my being English while she is German, which not only makes each one of us personally and absolutely responsible for the history, and the social and cultural mores of our respective countries, but also opens up a whole field of sub-arguments grounded in grammatical and semantic disputes and, well, just try saying anything and walking away.

1:20th Scale Battleship Model

Imagine you are out fishing in a canoe and you look to see this coming right at you.

1:20th Scale Battleship Model

Imagine you are out fishing in a canoe and you look to see this coming right at you.

NASA Finds the Death Star

Oops no wait. It is Saturn's moon Mimas.

NASA Finds the Death Star

Oops no wait. It is Saturn's moon Mimas.

Build Your Own Electroscope and Radiation Detector

For those of us who are too cheap to buy a Geiger Counter, you can make your own.

An electroscope is a device that is used to demonstrate properties of static electricty. Static electricity is a phenomenom that takes many forms. It can be an electric shock you can get after walking over a carpet, or it can be a lightning bolt from the sky. The electroscope demonstrates the repulsive force that is exerted between two nearby objects with the same electric charge. This page tells how you can make your own electroscope from materials commonly found in your house.

(Thanks pvc)

Build Your Own Electroscope and Radiation Detector

For those of us who are too cheap to buy a Geiger Counter, you can make your own.

An electroscope is a device that is used to demonstrate properties of static electricty. Static electricity is a phenomenom that takes many forms. It can be an electric shock you can get after walking over a carpet, or it can be a lightning bolt from the sky. The electroscope demonstrates the repulsive force that is exerted between two nearby objects with the same electric charge. This page tells how you can make your own electroscope from materials commonly found in your house.

(Thanks pvc)

Clinton Sighting in Harvard Square

My boss came back from lunch and said that Clinton was buying a watch in Alpha Omega which is right next to Out of Town News in Harvard Square.(A block away from my office) So I went over to check it out.

There was a crowd of a few hundred outside the store and I was across the street. He was in there for about 15 minutes. There were 2 big black SUVs parked outside with an army of police outside and Secret Service on the roof of the store.

The police started to line up in front of the door to Alpha Omega. The crowd started to chant "We want Bill". The door opened and from my vantage point I could just see the top of his head. He shook hands and signed some books for a few minutes as he made his way to the SUV. When he got to it, he opened the door and stepped up so he could see over the truck and waved to us on the other side. The crowd went wild like it was a rock star.

And I didn't have my camera... GRRRRRR

Clinton Sighting in Harvard Square

My boss came back from lunch and said that Clinton was buying a watch in Alpha Omega which is right next to Out of Town News in Harvard Square.(A block away from my office) So I went over to check it out.

There was a crowd of a few hundred outside the store and I was across the street. He was in there for about 15 minutes. There were 2 big black SUVs parked outside with an army of police outside and Secret Service on the roof of the store.

The police started to line up in front of the door to Alpha Omega. The crowd started to chant "We want Bill". The door opened and from my vantage point I could just see the top of his head. He shook hands and signed some books for a few minutes as he made his way to the SUV. When he got to it, he opened the door and stepped up so he could see over the truck and waved to us on the other side. The crowd went wild like it was a rock star.

And I didn't have my camera... GRRRRRR

Pictures of the Free Speech Zone

Here are some good photos of the surreal "Free Speech Zone" at the DNC. America, Land of the Free (in certain designated areas)

Pictures of the Free Speech Zone

Here are some good photos of the surreal "Free Speech Zone" at the DNC. America, Land of the Free (in certain designated areas)

How Fast Do You Read

Start the timer and read the text. When the minute is up it will flash a dialog box to tell you time expired and you then click on the word you were reading when time expired. It will then tell you how many words you read a minute. My results were in the 350 - 400 range. (Avg is about 250).
(via Mookie)

How Fast Do You Read

Start the timer and read the text. When the minute is up it will flash a dialog box to tell you time expired and you then click on the word you were reading when time expired. It will then tell you how many words you read a minute. My results were in the 350 - 400 range. (Avg is about 250).
(via Mookie)

Spy Numbers

Any Hams ever hear about this before? More about it here.

"59372 98324 19043 78903 95320...". The mechanized female voice drones on and on... What have you stumbled on to? Instructions to spies? Messages exchanged between drug dealers? Deliberate attempts at deception and mis-information?

Chances are, all of the above! What you've tuned in to is called a "Spy Numbers Station". They've been on the air for several decades, and only recently have the mysteries started to unfold. But there's still much we don't know about these mysterious stations. With the information on these pages, you'll discover the little that we do know about these stations, what we're still trying to learn, and how you too can tune in to the spies.

Spy Numbers

Any Hams ever hear about this before? More about it here.

"59372 98324 19043 78903 95320...". The mechanized female voice drones on and on... What have you stumbled on to? Instructions to spies? Messages exchanged between drug dealers? Deliberate attempts at deception and mis-information?

Chances are, all of the above! What you've tuned in to is called a "Spy Numbers Station". They've been on the air for several decades, and only recently have the mysteries started to unfold. But there's still much we don't know about these mysterious stations. With the information on these pages, you'll discover the little that we do know about these stations, what we're still trying to learn, and how you too can tune in to the spies.

Coffee Mug Heaven

A gallery of all types of coffee mugs.
(via The Presurfer)

Coffee Mug Heaven

A gallery of all types of coffee mugs.
(via The Presurfer)

Nukalert Keychain

Carried everywhere your keys go, with NukAlert's 24/7 constant monitoring, you'll always be promptly alerted to the unseen, but acutely dangerous, levels of radiation if/when present.

A benefit of the NukAlert™, not to be overlooked, is that it will also confirm when and where those higher levels of radiation are not present, too.

Nukalert Keychain

Carried everywhere your keys go, with NukAlert's 24/7 constant monitoring, you'll always be promptly alerted to the unseen, but acutely dangerous, levels of radiation if/when present.

A benefit of the NukAlert™, not to be overlooked, is that it will also confirm when and where those higher levels of radiation are not present, too.

The Wooden Mirror

Speechless.

The Wooden Mirror project is an art installation, and as such the goals leading to its creation are a bit vague. The piece explores the line between analog and digital. In the essence of the piece is the notion of inflicting digital order on a material that is as analog as it gets Ò wood. I was hoping to take the computational power of a computer and video camera , and seamlessly integrate them into the physicality warmth and beauty of a wooden mirror. The piece reflects any object or person in front of it by organizing the wooden pieces. It moves fast enough to create live animation.

The Wooden Mirror

Speechless.

The Wooden Mirror project is an art installation, and as such the goals leading to its creation are a bit vague. The piece explores the line between analog and digital. In the essence of the piece is the notion of inflicting digital order on a material that is as analog as it gets Ò wood. I was hoping to take the computational power of a computer and video camera , and seamlessly integrate them into the physicality warmth and beauty of a wooden mirror. The piece reflects any object or person in front of it by organizing the wooden pieces. It moves fast enough to create live animation.

LEGO Guitar

This is one of the better LEGO projects I have seen. Kudos for using the Les Paul style shape too. I would have thought that the shape had too many curves for that style but it looks pretty good.

LEGO Guitar

This is one of the better LEGO projects I have seen. Kudos for using the Les Paul style shape too. I would have thought that the shape had too many curves for that style but it looks pretty good.

The Eunicycle

Not sure if a unicycle was screaming for a motor but...

In theory, operation is very simple: just sit on it and lean to change speed and twist to change direction. In practice, it takes a while to learn to ride it competently.

The Eunicycle balances itself using a simple feedback loop between a solid-state gyroscope and the wheel motor. When it detects itself tilting forward, it runs the wheel forward to keep it under the center of gravity. When it detects itself tilting backwards it runs the wheel backwards. It does this so rapidly, about 200 updates per second, that it feels perfectly smooth.

The Eunicycle

Not sure if a unicycle was screaming for a motor but...

In theory, operation is very simple: just sit on it and lean to change speed and twist to change direction. In practice, it takes a while to learn to ride it competently.

The Eunicycle balances itself using a simple feedback loop between a solid-state gyroscope and the wheel motor. When it detects itself tilting forward, it runs the wheel forward to keep it under the center of gravity. When it detects itself tilting backwards it runs the wheel backwards. It does this so rapidly, about 200 updates per second, that it feels perfectly smooth.

GPS Coke Can X-Rayed

Engadget has a post about the GPS Coke cans that were causing a fuss a few weeks ago. Somebody obtained one and x-rayed it.

GPS Coke Can X-Rayed

Engadget has a post about the GPS Coke cans that were causing a fuss a few weeks ago. Somebody obtained one and x-rayed it.

Retro Video Game Commercials

I don't remember most of these. Hmmm.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Retro Video Game Commercials

I don't remember most of these. Hmmm.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Copyscape

Hmmmm.

Find copies of your content on the Web.

Copyscape

Hmmmm.

Find copies of your content on the Web.

Blogging the DNC

I work in Cambridge, MA, and have to commute through Boston to get to work so I will be headed into Fortess Boston all week. I am really not sure what to expect in terms of security on the subway or in the train stations. From the sounds of things, it seems that I have a pretty tedious commute ahead of me this week.

If you are interested about bloggers from Boston and their experiences living near the convention, Adam from Boston Common goes through Boston blogs and posts some of the more relevant posts. For the DNC week he has a special section devoted to the Convention. Be sure to check it out. The only interest I really have in the DNC is how do I get home before midnight through all the checkpoints.

Blogging the DNC

I work in Cambridge, MA, and have to commute through Boston to get to work so I will be headed into Fortess Boston all week. I am really not sure what to expect in terms of security on the subway or in the train stations. From the sounds of things, it seems that I have a pretty tedious commute ahead of me this week.

If you are interested about bloggers from Boston and their experiences living near the convention, Adam from Boston Common goes through Boston blogs and posts some of the more relevant posts. For the DNC week he has a special section devoted to the Convention. Be sure to check it out. The only interest I really have in the DNC is how do I get home before midnight through all the checkpoints.

Knight Rider Dashboard Project

If you can't get the Knight Rider car on Ebay, perhaps you can try to recreate one yourself. Or at least recreate the dashboard.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Knight Rider Dashboard Project

If you can't get the Knight Rider car on Ebay, perhaps you can try to recreate one yourself. Or at least recreate the dashboard.
(via Eyebeam reBlog)

Star Trek Apartment on EBay

I bet the gals just love this bachelor pad.

Star Trek Apartment on EBay

I bet the gals just love this bachelor pad.

William Shatner in the Sky

Some of Capt. Kirk's music finally in video form.
(Thanks Jabberwocky)

William Shatner in the Sky

Some of Capt. Kirk's music finally in video form.
(Thanks Jabberwocky)

Suggest a Link

Some people send me emails with weird or funny links that make an interesting post. I love getting suggestions because it makes my work easier and I am happy to get readers involved. The only problem is that I get lots of spam at my email account where people send the links to and it is difficult sometimes to see which are legitimate emails. To make submitting a link easier, I have put a link on the side called Suggest a Link. You may still email me with a link if you wish or use the link now.

Suggest a Link

Some people send me emails with weird or funny links that make an interesting post. I love getting suggestions because it makes my work easier and I am happy to get readers involved. The only problem is that I get lots of spam at my email account where people send the links to and it is difficult sometimes to see which are legitimate emails. To make submitting a link easier, I have put a link on the side called Suggest a Link. You may still email me with a link if you wish or use the link now.

TV Intros

Want to watch the intro to one of your old favorite tv shows. This site might have it. It took me about an hour to work my way through these video clips. I had forgotten about some of these shows.

If you are looking for theme song mp3s I suggest this site. Tons of theme songs for tv shows.

TV Intros

Want to watch the intro to one of your old favorite tv shows. This site might have it. It took me about an hour to work my way through these video clips. I had forgotten about some of these shows.

If you are looking for theme song mp3s I suggest this site. Tons of theme songs for tv shows.

Old Dinosaur Books

Oh man. I had forgotten about how many Dinosaur books I had when I was younger. This site brought back memories.
(via Exclamation Mark)

Old Dinosaur Books

Oh man. I had forgotten about how many Dinosaur books I had when I was younger. This site brought back memories.
(via Exclamation Mark)

A Behind the Scene's Look at Scoring the Tour De France

Engadget has a great article about the technology behind the timing and scoring of the Tour de France. It is a little trickier than someone using a stopwatch at the finish line.

A Behind the Scene's Look at Scoring the Tour De France

Engadget has a great article about the technology behind the timing and scoring of the Tour de France. It is a little trickier than someone using a stopwatch at the finish line.

Google back in 1960

Hehe.

Google back in 1960

Hehe.

Banana Guard

Finally.

Are you fed up with bringing bananas to work or school only to find them bruised and squashed? Our unique, patented device allows for the safe transport and storage of individual bananas letting you enjoy perfect bananas anytime, anywhere.

Banana Guard

Finally.

Are you fed up with bringing bananas to work or school only to find them bruised and squashed? Our unique, patented device allows for the safe transport and storage of individual bananas letting you enjoy perfect bananas anytime, anywhere.

Bobby Fischer's Radio Interviews

A few days ago I posted an article from The Atlantic which mentioned several radio interviews from the Philipines where Fischer blames Sept 11 on the Americans and Jews. If you want to hear the broadcast it is here. The site also has some of his other 20 broadcasts in mp3 format. It is about halfway down the page (no direct link) and you have to wade through a lot of anti-semitic ravings. Some people seem to think this is his real website.

Bobby Fischer's Radio Interviews

A few days ago I posted an article from The Atlantic which mentioned several radio interviews from the Philipines where Fischer blames Sept 11 on the Americans and Jews. If you want to hear the broadcast it is here. The site also has some of his other 20 broadcasts in mp3 format. It is about halfway down the page (no direct link) and you have to wade through a lot of anti-semitic ravings. Some people seem to think this is his real website.

You Have Bad Taste in Music

Isn't this basically a Tom Green impression?
(via Waxy)

You Have Bad Taste in Music

Isn't this basically a Tom Green impression?
(via Waxy)

Lists of Sites with a Page Rank of 10

Wonder what sites are ranked highest in Google?
(via Eyebeam ReBlog)

Lists of Sites with a Page Rank of 10

Wonder what sites are ranked highest in Google?
(via Eyebeam ReBlog)

The Complete Works of HP Lovecraft

Unfortunately the background is black and the font is white which kills my eyes. There is a good reason why books are always black text on white paper.

The Complete Works of HP Lovecraft

Unfortunately the background is black and the font is white which kills my eyes. There is a good reason why books are always black text on white paper.

Apollo Image Gallery

Tons of pictures from the Apollo missions here. I had problems loading the images though and only got the thumbnails. Not sure if it is my network here at work though.

Apollo Image Gallery

Tons of pictures from the Apollo missions here. I had problems loading the images though and only got the thumbnails. Not sure if it is my network here at work though.

Trolls

Everything you wanted to know about trolls.

Before we begin, it's worth noting that the term "troll" is one of the most frequently cited insults in the online environment. It is often used to brand, silence or scapegoat a member with a dissenting or unpopular opinion. The purpose of this article is to assist those in online communities in determining what a true troll is and what actions can be taken to prevent their creation, welcome, and ability to inflict any harm

Trolls

Everything you wanted to know about trolls.

Before we begin, it's worth noting that the term "troll" is one of the most frequently cited insults in the online environment. It is often used to brand, silence or scapegoat a member with a dissenting or unpopular opinion. The purpose of this article is to assist those in online communities in determining what a true troll is and what actions can be taken to prevent their creation, welcome, and ability to inflict any harm

Canadians AGAINST the Re-Election of George Bush

I wish I was Canadian so I could sign this.

Our mission is simple: to provide a forum for Canadians to show their support for the election of a new United States government.

Show your southern neighbours how you feel! Canadians stand united against the re-election of George Bush. Make a difference - have your voice be heard!

Canadians AGAINST the Re-Election of George Bush

I wish I was Canadian so I could sign this.

Our mission is simple: to provide a forum for Canadians to show their support for the election of a new United States government.

Show your southern neighbours how you feel! Canadians stand united against the re-election of George Bush. Make a difference - have your voice be heard!

Recreating Stonehenge

The pictures take a bit to load (some don't show up at all unfortunately)

"I am a retired carpenter with 35 years experience in construction ... I have began to build a replica of Stonehenge with eight 10 ton blocks on end and 2 ton blocks on top. One man, no wheels, no rollers, no ropes, no hoist or power equipment, using only sticks and stones."

Recreating Stonehenge

The pictures take a bit to load (some don't show up at all unfortunately)

"I am a retired carpenter with 35 years experience in construction ... I have began to build a replica of Stonehenge with eight 10 ton blocks on end and 2 ton blocks on top. One man, no wheels, no rollers, no ropes, no hoist or power equipment, using only sticks and stones."

Create your own Tombstone

Here.

Create your own Tombstone

Here.

Summer Surveillance Campaign

Well worth the minute to watch this.

The government and corporations are aggressively collecting information about your personal life and your habits. They want to track your purchases, your medical records, and even your relationships. The Bush Administration's policies, coupled with invasive new technologies, could eliminate your right to privacy completely. Please help us protect our privacy rights and prevent the Total Surveillance Society.

Summer Surveillance Campaign

Well worth the minute to watch this.

The government and corporations are aggressively collecting information about your personal life and your habits. They want to track your purchases, your medical records, and even your relationships. The Bush Administration's policies, coupled with invasive new technologies, could eliminate your right to privacy completely. Please help us protect our privacy rights and prevent the Total Surveillance Society.

Pyramid Shaped Watermelons

It is in French but I think the pictures speak for themselves.
(Although 89 euros seems to be a bit expensive for a watermelon just because it is in the shape of a pyramid. Perhaps if it was in the shape of a mobius strip.)

Pyramid Shaped Watermelons

It is in French but I think the pictures speak for themselves.
(Although 89 euros seems to be a bit expensive for a watermelon just because it is in the shape of a pyramid. Perhaps if it was in the shape of a mobius strip.)

Crazy Asian Drinks

The Grass Jelly Drink looks like it could really quench your thirst. The rest of the list is here.

Crazy Asian Drinks

The Grass Jelly Drink looks like it could really quench your thirst. The rest of the list is here.

The Jennifer Lopez Marriage Tracker

Without a doubt the most accurate J-Lo marriage tracker I have come across.

The Jennifer Lopez Marriage Tracker

Without a doubt the most accurate J-Lo marriage tracker I have come across.

How to avoid speed radar cameras

Neat. From the Wasington Post:

If you inspected Will Foreman's SUV, you might notice how clean and shiny his Maryland license plates are. But you probably wouldn't detect the clear glossy coating the Howard County resident sprayed on them eight months ago to thwart traffic cameras from snapping readable photos of his tags.

"It must work," says Foreman. He has not received a traffic camera ticket since using a $29.99 spray called PhotoBlocker.

How to avoid speed radar cameras

Neat. From the Wasington Post:

If you inspected Will Foreman's SUV, you might notice how clean and shiny his Maryland license plates are. But you probably wouldn't detect the clear glossy coating the Howard County resident sprayed on them eight months ago to thwart traffic cameras from snapping readable photos of his tags.

"It must work," says Foreman. He has not received a traffic camera ticket since using a $29.99 spray called PhotoBlocker.

Help Cardboard Rodney Dangerfield Climb a Fourteener

Why Rodney though?

Cardboard Rodney plans to show everybody that a “Regular Guy” can climb them all before the end of this summer. In fact he claims that he'll be the first cardboard character ever to climb the Colorado Fourteeners. Realizing this is a lofty goal, he is asking for a little help from his friends in the Climbers Corner.

(thanks Jabberwockey)

Help Cardboard Rodney Dangerfield Climb a Fourteener

Why Rodney though?

Cardboard Rodney plans to show everybody that a “Regular Guy” can climb them all before the end of this summer. In fact he claims that he'll be the first cardboard character ever to climb the Colorado Fourteeners. Realizing this is a lofty goal, he is asking for a little help from his friends in the Climbers Corner.

(thanks Jabberwockey)

The Vengeance Scale

The definitive list of sports/entertainment vengeful moments ranked from 0.0 (least vengeful) to 10.0(most vengeful). Here are a few examples:

0.1 -- O.J. Simpson's valiant attempt to find the "real killers."

0.8 -- Mike Piazza's reaction after Clemens threw the bat at him in the 2000 World Series.

1.8 -- George Costanza feeding lobster in an omelete to Jerry's non-lobster-eating girlfriend ... Scottie Pippen's dunk on Ewing's head in the '94 playoffs (the one where he stood over him and glared).

6.2 -- Tony Montana shooting Manny ... Roger Clemens' career from 1997-2004.

8.0 -- Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River" video. (Note: The most underrated example of vengeance on this list. After Britney cheated on him, not only did he dump her, he put out a best-selling album fueled by a song about their breakup in which he basically destroys her with the lyrics. Just an unbelievable piece of work. It's devastating. I can't even imagine what she did when she first heard it. And if that wasn't enough, he made a well-received video about the song, starring a Britney look-alike. And if THAT wasn't enough, he immediately started going out with Cameron Diaz. By the time he was done, Britney's career was in the tank -- she was chain-smoking and hanging out with backup dancers and white trash guys from her hometown. Now that, my friends, is vengeance. Bravo, Justin. Bravo.)

I think you get the gist.

The Vengeance Scale

The definitive list of sports/entertainment