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Friday, October 29, 2004Carve Your Own Virtual Pumpkin They don't make it easy that's for sure. And don't make fun of mine. I know it is ugly but it took me 15 minutes and that I am sticking with it. (via linkfilter) Carve Your Own Virtual PumpkinThey don't make it easy that's for sure. And don't make fun of mine. I know it is ugly but it took me 15 minutes and that I am sticking with it. (via linkfilter) The Starchild Project Hmmm.
Sixty to seventy years ago an American girl of Mexican heritage in her late teens (15 to 18) was taken by her parents to visit relatives living in a small rural village 100 miles southwest of Chihuahua, Mexico. The girl was forbidden to enter any of the area's numerous caves and mine tunnels, but like most teenagers, she went exploring.
At the back of a mine tunnel she found a complete human skeleton lying on the ground's surface. Beside it, sticking up out of the ground, was a malformed skeletal hand entwined in one of the human skeleton's upper arms. The girl proceeded to scrape the dirt off a shallow grave to reveal a buried skeleton smaller than the human one and also malformed. She did not specify the type or degree of any of the "malformations." The girl recovered both skulls and kept them for the remainder of her life. Upon her death they were passed to an American man, who maintained possession for five years before passing them to the American couple who now control them. The Starchild ProjectHmmm.
Sixty to seventy years ago an American girl of Mexican heritage in her late teens (15 to 18) was taken by her parents to visit relatives living in a small rural village 100 miles southwest of Chihuahua, Mexico. The girl was forbidden to enter any of the area's numerous caves and mine tunnels, but like most teenagers, she went exploring.
At the back of a mine tunnel she found a complete human skeleton lying on the ground's surface. Beside it, sticking up out of the ground, was a malformed skeletal hand entwined in one of the human skeleton's upper arms. The girl proceeded to scrape the dirt off a shallow grave to reveal a buried skeleton smaller than the human one and also malformed. She did not specify the type or degree of any of the "malformations." The girl recovered both skulls and kept them for the remainder of her life. Upon her death they were passed to an American man, who maintained possession for five years before passing them to the American couple who now control them. My Son PeterThis is a creepy website.
My son Peter has always loved to play hide and seek. In fact,
he loves it so much that he will wake me up in the middle of the
night to play. The only problem is that Peter has been dead for
eight years. This website documents the hell I've lived and
continue to live every night.
He has video of his son's ghost in the hall which just put me from "creeped out" mode into "this is a hoax" mode.My Son PeterThis is a creepy website.
My son Peter has always loved to play hide and seek. In fact,
he loves it so much that he will wake me up in the middle of the
night to play. The only problem is that Peter has been dead for
eight years. This website documents the hell I've lived and
continue to live every night.
He has video of his son's ghost in the hall which just put me from "creeped out" mode into "this is a hoax" mode.SpywareThanks to everyone who commented and came up with some great suggestions and anti-spyware software to use. After a night of wrestling with my system I will tell you what I found.Spybot and Adaware are both very good free programs but they have a tendency to miss or be tricked by some of the more aggressive scumware on a system. I use Internet Explorer for about 1% of my browsing(to see how a webpage will look like if someone is using IE or sometimes there is an issue with Mozilla and it is just easier to use IE, etc) and it turns out that I think I just won't bother opening IE again. I wish I could just delete it from my system altogether to be honest. I ended up chasing down all the threads that were running, googling them to find out what the hell they were (Win2K has a ton of system processes that it runs in the background), deleting them, checking the registry and so on. I don't know what kind of spyware I had but it basically just took control of my system and started adding every type of Adware program you could think of. Weatherbug, CoolSearch, popups, etc. I got most of it off but there are some more persistent ones that keep opening IE threads in the background which I am going to have to chase down. The thing that annoys me about this most of all is that I have a tech background so I can usually chase down a problem like this but what about the more casual users who don't know that their system has been hijacked? SpywareThanks to everyone who commented and came up with some great suggestions and anti-spyware software to use. After a night of wrestling with my system I will tell you what I found.Spybot and Adaware are both very good free programs but they have a tendency to miss or be tricked by some of the more aggressive scumware on a system. I use Internet Explorer for about 1% of my browsing(to see how a webpage will look like if someone is using IE or sometimes there is an issue with Mozilla and it is just easier to use IE, etc) and it turns out that I think I just won't bother opening IE again. I wish I could just delete it from my system altogether to be honest. I ended up chasing down all the threads that were running, googling them to find out what the hell they were (Win2K has a ton of system processes that it runs in the background), deleting them, checking the registry and so on. I don't know what kind of spyware I had but it basically just took control of my system and started adding every type of Adware program you could think of. Weatherbug, CoolSearch, popups, etc. I got most of it off but there are some more persistent ones that keep opening IE threads in the background which I am going to have to chase down. The thing that annoys me about this most of all is that I have a tech background so I can usually chase down a problem like this but what about the more casual users who don't know that their system has been hijacked? Ultimate Tee Shot Some amazing photos of Tiger Woods using a helipad as a driving range. (Thanks Jabberwocky) Ultimate Tee ShotSome amazing photos of Tiger Woods using a helipad as a driving range. (Thanks Jabberwocky) Reader SubmissionsUsually I would post each of these as a separate entry but I am so far behind that I am going to cheat today. Thanks to everyone who submits links by the way. It makes my job a lot easier.Georgedecloaked.com So that people overseas can get to Dubya's site. Just keep in mind that you are not wanted though.(Thanks Jason) Operation Truth We are the voice of the troops, a non-partisan group created to help them share stories of life on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Thanks Eugene) The Karate Kid website Sweep the leg! (Thanks Derek) List of Assassins. My favorite is Carlos the Jackal. Much better than the redundancy of a name like Sirhan Sirhan. (Thanks Melissa) McSweeney's Vonnegut Interview Always entertaining. (Thanks Anonymous) Reader SubmissionsUsually I would post each of these as a separate entry but I am so far behind that I am going to cheat today. Thanks to everyone who submits links by the way. It makes my job a lot easier.Georgedecloaked.com So that people overseas can get to Dubya's site. Just keep in mind that you are not wanted though.(Thanks Jason) Operation Truth We are the voice of the troops, a non-partisan group created to help them share stories of life on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Thanks Eugene) The Karate Kid website Sweep the leg! (Thanks Derek) List of Assassins. My favorite is Carlos the Jackal. Much better than the redundancy of a name like Sirhan Sirhan. (Thanks Melissa) McSweeney's Vonnegut Interview Always entertaining. (Thanks Anonymous) "Little Known" Attractions of Lynchburg and Central Virginia Great attractions such as Mags, the Amazing Headless Cat??? (via Backwards City) "Little Known" Attractions of Lynchburg and Central VirginiaGreat attractions such as Mags, the Amazing Headless Cat??? (via Backwards City) Why You Shouldn't Threaten the President on Your BlogWell, duh.
At 9:45 last night, the Secret Service showed up on my mother's front door to talk to me about what I said about the President, as what I said could apparently be misconstrued as a threat to his life. After about ten minutes of talking to me and my family, they quickly came to the conclusion that I was not a threat to national security (mostly because we are the least threatening people in the entire world) and told me that they would not recommend that any further action be taken with my case. However, I do now have a file with the FBI that includes my photograph, my e-mail address, and the location of my LJ. This will follow me around for the rest of my life, regardless of the fact that the Secret Service knows that I am not a threat.
Why You Shouldn't Threaten the President on Your BlogWell, duh.
At 9:45 last night, the Secret Service showed up on my mother's front door to talk to me about what I said about the President, as what I said could apparently be misconstrued as a threat to his life. After about ten minutes of talking to me and my family, they quickly came to the conclusion that I was not a threat to national security (mostly because we are the least threatening people in the entire world) and told me that they would not recommend that any further action be taken with my case. However, I do now have a file with the FBI that includes my photograph, my e-mail address, and the location of my LJ. This will follow me around for the rest of my life, regardless of the fact that the Secret Service knows that I am not a threat.
Thursday, October 28, 2004SportsGuyAnother terrific article from Bill Simmons. If you want to know what it was like to be a Sox fan during the last game, read his running diary. He also nails it on the head as to what this world series championship means.
Now the 1918 jokes are done. Now TV networks can't ruin our playoff games anymore. Now we can watch Red Sox games without waiting for the Other Shoe. Now we don't have to deal with manipulative books and documentaries, or hear about Buckner, Zimmer, Grady, Pesky, Torrez, Stanley and Schiraldi ever again. It's a clean slate. We're like those ugly contestants who show up on "The Swan," get fifty grand worth of plastic surgery, then start sobbing in front of a full-length mirror when they see themselves. That's every Red Sox fan right now.
SportsGuyAnother terrific article from Bill Simmons. If you want to know what it was like to be a Sox fan during the last game, read his running diary. He also nails it on the head as to what this world series championship means.
Now the 1918 jokes are done. Now TV networks can't ruin our playoff games anymore. Now we can watch Red Sox games without waiting for the Other Shoe. Now we don't have to deal with manipulative books and documentaries, or hear about Buckner, Zimmer, Grady, Pesky, Torrez, Stanley and Schiraldi ever again. It's a clean slate. We're like those ugly contestants who show up on "The Swan," get fifty grand worth of plastic surgery, then start sobbing in front of a full-length mirror when they see themselves. That's every Red Sox fan right now.
Microwave Experiments This page has some cool microwave experiments. I once did a PSA in high school using the exploding egg trick. It was during the "this is your brain on drugs" psa craze and we put a mouse in a microwave and taped it running around for a bit (yes the microwave was off). We took the mouse out, put in an egg and cooked it until it exploded. We edited the video with a voice over doing the "this is your brain on drugs" just as the mouse ran into the center of the microwave where we spliced in the egg exploding. Made quite a visual stir at the awards where we presented it. We kept a frame or two of the egg just in case PETA came a knocking. If I locate the tape I will put it on this site. Microwave ExperimentsThis page has some cool microwave experiments. I once did a PSA in high school using the exploding egg trick. It was during the "this is your brain on drugs" psa craze and we put a mouse in a microwave and taped it running around for a bit (yes the microwave was off). We took the mouse out, put in an egg and cooked it until it exploded. We edited the video with a voice over doing the "this is your brain on drugs" just as the mouse ran into the center of the microwave where we spliced in the egg exploding. Made quite a visual stir at the awards where we presented it. We kept a frame or two of the egg just in case PETA came a knocking. If I locate the tape I will put it on this site. Mixing Bio and Electronics to Create Robotic Vision
Interesting article on the current limitations of robotic vision.
"Right now, robots in general are just pitiful in terms of visual interaction," he said. True, a few of today's robots can see in some sense, but they aren't mobile. These vision systems are connected to large computers, which precludes their use in small, mobile robots.....
Higgins and his students are developing an airborne visual navigation system by creating electronic clones of insect vision processing systems in analog integrated circuits. The circuits create insect-like self-motion estimation, obstacle avoidance, target tracking and other visual behaviors on two model blimps. Mixing Bio and Electronics to Create Robotic Vision
Interesting article on the current limitations of robotic vision.
"Right now, robots in general are just pitiful in terms of visual interaction," he said. True, a few of today's robots can see in some sense, but they aren't mobile. These vision systems are connected to large computers, which precludes their use in small, mobile robots.....
Higgins and his students are developing an airborne visual navigation system by creating electronic clones of insect vision processing systems in analog integrated circuits. The circuits create insect-like self-motion estimation, obstacle avoidance, target tracking and other visual behaviors on two model blimps. Lunar Eclipse Pictures Space.com has some nice pictures of the eclipse. I will post more sites that has photos as I find them. Lunar Eclipse PicturesSpace.com has some nice pictures of the eclipse. I will post more sites that has photos as I find them. Quick NoteA lot of readers sent me in submissions while I was on vacation and I will post them as soon as I get a chance. I went straight from vacation to work and mix that with the World Series going on until midnight every night and getting some malicious spyware that I am going to have to attend to on my main computer means I am short on time. I should be able to get caught up by the weekend. Thanks to everyone who sent me email or a submission.By the way, does anybody have any good recommendations for software to clean spyware? I use Adaware and Spybot but the spyware I ended up with last night is pretty malicious and those two tools don't seem to do the trick. I have heard some good things about HijackThis but haven't tried it yet. If I don't find anything good it means I am going to have to clean it manually including scouring the registry which is tedious. Any suggestions? Quick NoteA lot of readers sent me in submissions while I was on vacation and I will post them as soon as I get a chance. I went straight from vacation to work and mix that with the World Series going on until midnight every night and getting some malicious spyware that I am going to have to attend to on my main computer means I am short on time. I should be able to get caught up by the weekend. Thanks to everyone who sent me email or a submission.By the way, does anybody have any good recommendations for software to clean spyware? I use Adaware and Spybot but the spyware I ended up with last night is pretty malicious and those two tools don't seem to do the trick. I have heard some good things about HijackThis but haven't tried it yet. If I don't find anything good it means I am going to have to clean it manually including scouring the registry which is tedious. Any suggestions? SHUTUPTimMcCarver.com If you have watched the playoffs and World Series on Fox, you may have heard one of the commentators rambling on making no sense in just about anything he says. That would be Tim McCarver. Judging from this site, there are many people who can't stand him.
Welcome to ShutUpTimMcCarver.com! Tim McCarver is one of America's biggest blowhards and must be silenced. This site is a work in progress. Much of the work (as you can see there hasn't been too much) was done with game seven of the 2004 ALCS on the TV in the background and I've tweaked the site during my lunch break at work. Admittedly this was a rush job but I sensed a growing resentment towards Tim McCarver with every passing pitch between the Red Sox and New York Yankees. My goal was to have a full blown site up and running in time for the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox and I've just about accomplished that although I have some changes in mind. This site is for everyone out there who can't stand listening to Tim McCarver - please take time to post your feelings to our message boards, and I encourage all of you to submit as many "McCarver Gems" as you can think of. The more you all contribute, the better the site will be. Thanks for stopping by and please don't forget to tell your friends about this site and come back often
(via Information Junk)SHUTUPTimMcCarver.comIf you have watched the playoffs and World Series on Fox, you may have heard one of the commentators rambling on making no sense in just about anything he says. That would be Tim McCarver. Judging from this site, there are many people who can't stand him.
Welcome to ShutUpTimMcCarver.com! Tim McCarver is one of America's biggest blowhards and must be silenced. This site is a work in progress. Much of the work (as you can see there hasn't been too much) was done with game seven of the 2004 ALCS on the TV in the background and I've tweaked the site during my lunch break at work. Admittedly this was a rush job but I sensed a growing resentment towards Tim McCarver with every passing pitch between the Red Sox and New York Yankees. My goal was to have a full blown site up and running in time for the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox and I've just about accomplished that although I have some changes in mind. This site is for everyone out there who can't stand listening to Tim McCarver - please take time to post your feelings to our message boards, and I encourage all of you to submit as many "McCarver Gems" as you can think of. The more you all contribute, the better the site will be. Thanks for stopping by and please don't forget to tell your friends about this site and come back often
(via Information Junk)Wednesday, October 27, 2004GeorgeWBush.com blocked outside USThis is odd. From BBC News:
Surfers outside the US have been unable to visit the official re-election site of President George W Bush.
Can anybody from overseas confirm this? Also, I am curious to see if people from Canada or Mexico can get to georgewbush.com.The blocking of browsers sited outside the US began in the early hours of Monday morning. Since then people outside the US trying to browse the site get a message saying they are not authorised to view it. The blocking does not appear to be due to an attack by vandals or malicious hackers, but as a result of a policy decision by the Bush camp. (via Metafilter) Update: Boing Boing has a lot more about this. It seems from the emails and comments I have received that Canada can access the site although anyplace overseas cannot get in. Just very weird. GeorgeWBush.com blocked outside USThis is odd. From BBC News:
Surfers outside the US have been unable to visit the official re-election site of President George W Bush.
Can anybody from overseas confirm this? Also, I am curious to see if people from Canada or Mexico can get to georgewbush.com.The blocking of browsers sited outside the US began in the early hours of Monday morning. Since then people outside the US trying to browse the site get a message saying they are not authorised to view it. The blocking does not appear to be due to an attack by vandals or malicious hackers, but as a result of a policy decision by the Bush camp. (via Metafilter) Update: Boing Boing has a lot more about this. It seems from the emails and comments I have received that Canada can access the site although anyplace overseas cannot get in. Just very weird. Win it for.....Bill Simmon's is a writer for ESPN.com's page two and mostly writes about Boston's sports teams. I have been reading him for years now and his articles have always been must reads. Today, he points out a post on the Son's of Sam Horn message board. For those of you who don't know, the Son's of Sam Horn message board is the most popular Red Sox forum on the net. If you want to see some evidence of how much the fans care about the Sox, take a look around there.Bill pointed out a post that was titled Win it For which may be the most touching post I have ever seen on a bulletin board. It lists people, ranging from past Sox players to fans for whom the Sox should win it for. 696 replies and 35 pages later the thread is still going strong. Here are some of the ones that caught my eye.
Win it for Johnny Pesky, who deserves to wear a Red Sox uniform in the dugout during the 2004 World Series. Mr. Henry, the trophy needs to be presented first of all to him.
It goes on and on. I am not sure if people outside of Boston (with the exception of Chicago) will be able to understand what a World Series win would mean for Red Sox fans. Let me see if I can explain. It has been 86 years since the Sox last won it all. Every generation since then has been waiting for them to win it again and they have even come close a few times but have somehow always managed to lose it in the end. Eighty-six years is a lifetime to most of us so almost any fan has been to a game with a family member of friend who has passed away and the Sox being so close to ending the drought puts almost all of us in a sentimental mood. I know it is silly for something so stupid as a game to stir up such emotions but it is always the little things in life that we have a tendency to look back on whether it is the first time you ride a bike without training wheels, your first kiss or the first time your dad takes you to a major league baseball game. So I want them to win it or all the fans who have been with this team through the highs and lows. I want them to win it for all the fans who have cheered unconditionally in those uncomfortable seats of Fenway for 86 years. Most of all I want them to win it for my dad who took me to my first game, taught me how to break in my glove, how to pitch and who passed away three years ago from cancer. Win it for Carl Yastrzemski. While his heart still aches today, may a smile break through his personal storm-cloud this evening. His beloved son, Mike, will show us the way. God speed, number eight. Win it for Ted, who once said, "If they ever won it, I would feel so @#%$ warm inside." Win it for James Lawrence Kelly, 1913-1986. This one's for you, Daddy. You always told me that loyalty and perseverance go hand in hand. Thanks for sharing the best part of you with me. My grandfather who passed away shortly after the 86 World Series and never got to pass on his wealth of baseball knowledge to his 5 grandsons. My Dad (1928-1992) An usher at Fenway during Ted's Heyday. Taught me about Mel Parnell, Johnny Pesky, Tony C., and the rest. Win it for.....Bill Simmon's is a writer for ESPN.com's page two and mostly writes about Boston's sports teams. I have been reading him for years now and his articles have always been must reads. Today, he points out a post on the Son's of Sam Horn message board. For those of you who don't know, the Son's of Sam Horn message board is the most popular Red Sox forum on the net. If you want to see some evidence of how much the fans care about the Sox, take a look around there.Bill pointed out a post that was titled Win it For which may be the most touching post I have ever seen on a bulletin board. It lists people, ranging from past Sox players to fans for whom the Sox should win it for. 696 replies and 35 pages later the thread is still going strong. Here are some of the ones that caught my eye.
Win it for Johnny Pesky, who deserves to wear a Red Sox uniform in the dugout during the 2004 World Series. Mr. Henry, the trophy needs to be presented first of all to him.
It goes on and on. I am not sure if people outside of Boston (with the exception of Chicago) will be able to understand what a World Series win would mean for Red Sox fans. Let me see if I can explain. It has been 86 years since the Sox last won it all. Every generation since then has been waiting for them to win it again and they have even come close a few times but have somehow always managed to lose it in the end. Eighty-six years is a lifetime to most of us so almost any fan has been to a game with a family member of friend who has passed away and the Sox being so close to ending the drought puts almost all of us in a sentimental mood. I know it is silly for something so stupid as a game to stir up such emotions but it is always the little things in life that we have a tendency to look back on whether it is the first time you ride a bike without training wheels, your first kiss or the first time your dad takes you to a major league baseball game. So I want them to win it or all the fans who have been with this team through the highs and lows. I want them to win it for all the fans who have cheered unconditionally in those uncomfortable seats of Fenway for 86 years. Most of all I want them to win it for my dad who took me to my first game, taught me how to break in my glove, how to pitch and who passed away three years ago from cancer. Win it for Carl Yastrzemski. While his heart still aches today, may a smile break through his personal storm-cloud this evening. His beloved son, Mike, will show us the way. God speed, number eight. Win it for Ted, who once said, "If they ever won it, I would feel so @#%$ warm inside." Win it for James Lawrence Kelly, 1913-1986. This one's for you, Daddy. You always told me that loyalty and perseverance go hand in hand. Thanks for sharing the best part of you with me. My grandfather who passed away shortly after the 86 World Series and never got to pass on his wealth of baseball knowledge to his 5 grandsons. My Dad (1928-1992) An usher at Fenway during Ted's Heyday. Taught me about Mel Parnell, Johnny Pesky, Tony C., and the rest. Cassini-Huygens Pictures NASA has a gallery up of pictures taken by Cassini-Huygens during its recent flyby of Saturn and its moon Titan. Cassini-Huygens PicturesNASA has a gallery up of pictures taken by Cassini-Huygens during its recent flyby of Saturn and its moon Titan. Apocalypse Now
So let me get this straight. There is a total lunar eclipse and the Red Sox could win the World Series tonight? Repent! The rapture is upon us!!! Apocalypse Now
So let me get this straight. There is a total lunar eclipse and the Red Sox could win the World Series tonight? Repent! The rapture is upon us!!! Case Mod Technically this isn't a case mod since there is no case.
look ma! no case!
This is what happens with a bored tech support guy and old parts
It is suspended by cat5 for the main wires and cat3 for the little stuff
(via Boing Boing)Case ModTechnically this isn't a case mod since there is no case.
look ma! no case!
This is what happens with a bored tech support guy and old parts
It is suspended by cat5 for the main wires and cat3 for the little stuff
(via Boing Boing)DisneyLies Your source for lies, distortions, untruths, half truths,
urban legends, rumors, and just plain made-up stuff about
Walt Disney, Disneyland Resort, and Disney films
DisneyLiesYour source for lies, distortions, untruths, half truths,
urban legends, rumors, and just plain made-up stuff about
Walt Disney, Disneyland Resort, and Disney films
LEGO Robot that wins at Super Mario Brothers Is there anything that LEGO Mindstorms can't do?
In an ongoing effort to rid the world of productive robots, three college students have crafted a Legobot that can beat the first level of Super Mario Bros. Using Legos and a basic circuit board, Matt Sesno, Ben Rowe, and Tim Dooley built a robot made of Legos that is capable of playing Super Mario Bros., the first Mario-based platform game for the NES, and even beating the first level.
LEGO Robot that wins at Super Mario BrothersIs there anything that LEGO Mindstorms can't do?
In an ongoing effort to rid the world of productive robots, three college students have crafted a Legobot that can beat the first level of Super Mario Bros. Using Legos and a basic circuit board, Matt Sesno, Ben Rowe, and Tim Dooley built a robot made of Legos that is capable of playing Super Mario Bros., the first Mario-based platform game for the NES, and even beating the first level.
Nintendo Censorship
A very interesting article.
Nintendo of America's policy of strict video game "censorship" has become one of the company's most infamous tactics. While often overlooked back in the day, the rise of ROMS, especially Japanese ROMs, have exposed many gamers to numerous examples of Nintendo censorship in practice. References to smoking or sex may have been removed from the Japanese version of a game prior to its release in the United States. Other games with potentially offensive content may have not been released at all. Although Nintendo's censorship practices have been often condemned as inconsistent, or at worst hypocritical, they actually stem from a document that outlines the rules in explicit detail. I was able to track down a copy of Nintendo's content guidelines at my local library, and have typed it up.
Nintendo Censorship
A very interesting article.
Nintendo of America's policy of strict video game "censorship" has become one of the company's most infamous tactics. While often overlooked back in the day, the rise of ROMS, especially Japanese ROMs, have exposed many gamers to numerous examples of Nintendo censorship in practice. References to smoking or sex may have been removed from the Japanese version of a game prior to its release in the United States. Other games with potentially offensive content may have not been released at all. Although Nintendo's censorship practices have been often condemned as inconsistent, or at worst hypocritical, they actually stem from a document that outlines the rules in explicit detail. I was able to track down a copy of Nintendo's content guidelines at my local library, and have typed it up.
The 47 SocietyWhat is the 47 Society?
The 47 Society is an international interest-group that follows the occurence and recurrence of the quintessential random number: 47. Many suspect that the coincidental nature of 47 carries some mystical, metaphysical and/or scientific significance.
The 47 SocietyWhat is the 47 Society?
The 47 Society is an international interest-group that follows the occurence and recurrence of the quintessential random number: 47. Many suspect that the coincidental nature of 47 carries some mystical, metaphysical and/or scientific significance.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004BackWell 5 days and 8,434 comment spams later I am back. I will start posting Wednesday but might take a few days to get back up to speed. Thanks to everyone for their emails and comments.BackWell 5 days and 8,434 comment spams later I am back. I will start posting Wednesday but might take a few days to get back up to speed. Thanks to everyone for their emails and comments.Friday, October 22, 2004The Skyscraper Page The Skyscraper page is a website dedicated to, well, skyscrapers. Actually, the only reason why I am linking to it is that it has a huge gallery of skyscrapers from around the world. The Skyscraper PageThe Skyscraper page is a website dedicated to, well, skyscrapers. Actually, the only reason why I am linking to it is that it has a huge gallery of skyscrapers from around the world. Seeing with your Tongue The pics are from here.
Sitting blindfolded with a device equipped with 144 pixels in his mouth, any journalist would wonder about his career choice. But after a few minutes of experimentation, you have to recognize that the system developed by Paul Bach-y-Rita from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and validated by neuropsychologist Maurice Ptito of Université de Montréal, together with colleagues in Denmark and the United States, to allow blind people to "see with their tongue" appears strangely effective. In just the first few minutes, the subject is able to build up a fairly clear picture of the letter "T" placed in various positions and transmitted by electrical impulses to the device on his tongue.
The Tongue Display Unit (TDU) can activate areas that are normally reserved for visual information and are unused when someone suffers from congenital blindness. "The tongue will never replace the eye, of course," says Prof. Ptito. "But for people born blind, the cerebral cortex, which is normally used for vision, is reactivated by this device. The electrical activity, recorded by a scan, is very clear about this." When we press the researcher to find out more about possible applications of this system, he delights in describing a miniaturized system worthy of the Bionic Man. "We can imagine a camera installed in the eye, which transmits an image from a device worn on the belt. This would send an electrical stimulus to the lingual stimulator mounted on a trip indicator the user wears under the palate. To have access to the camera's images, all he would have to do is press his tongue against it." Seeing with your TongueThe pics are from here.
Sitting blindfolded with a device equipped with 144 pixels in his mouth, any journalist would wonder about his career choice. But after a few minutes of experimentation, you have to recognize that the system developed by Paul Bach-y-Rita from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and validated by neuropsychologist Maurice Ptito of Université de Montréal, together with colleagues in Denmark and the United States, to allow blind people to "see with their tongue" appears strangely effective. In just the first few minutes, the subject is able to build up a fairly clear picture of the letter "T" placed in various positions and transmitted by electrical impulses to the device on his tongue.
The Tongue Display Unit (TDU) can activate areas that are normally reserved for visual information and are unused when someone suffers from congenital blindness. "The tongue will never replace the eye, of course," says Prof. Ptito. "But for people born blind, the cerebral cortex, which is normally used for vision, is reactivated by this device. The electrical activity, recorded by a scan, is very clear about this." When we press the researcher to find out more about possible applications of this system, he delights in describing a miniaturized system worthy of the Bionic Man. "We can imagine a camera installed in the eye, which transmits an image from a device worn on the belt. This would send an electrical stimulus to the lingual stimulator mounted on a trip indicator the user wears under the palate. To have access to the camera's images, all he would have to do is press his tongue against it." Mindball
Mindball is an experience product, a game where two players control a ball with their brain waves. The player being most relaxed wins the game. The brain waves are detected by sensors attached to the headbands. The sensors (electrodes) are connected to a biosensor system. The biosensor system, registers the electrical activity in the brain – so called EEG.
(via bTang reBlog)Mindball
Mindball is an experience product, a game where two players control a ball with their brain waves. The player being most relaxed wins the game. The brain waves are detected by sensors attached to the headbands. The sensors (electrodes) are connected to a biosensor system. The biosensor system, registers the electrical activity in the brain – so called EEG.
(via bTang reBlog)Thursday, October 21, 2004Who's Your Papi? Graphic from The Boston Dirt Dogs site. By the way, I am not saying that Boston has gone crazy today but at South Station while everyone was getting off the train, somebody on the loudspeaker started saying "Who's Your Daddy" as people started to applaud and cheer. On most days we trudge into the station like a herd headed off to the slaughterhouse as we avoid eye contact and today everybody is walking around with a strange smile on their face. On the way to lunch while walking through Harvard Square, I heard this green van go by honking as the people inside cheered and blew whistles. The Sox lineup was painted on the outside with the Red Sox logo. People were cheering and waving at the van as it drove by as if David Ortiz was driving it. This city is electric right now. Who's Your Papi?Graphic from The Boston Dirt Dogs site. By the way, I am not saying that Boston has gone crazy today but at South Station while everyone was getting off the train, somebody on the loudspeaker started saying "Who's Your Daddy" as people started to applaud and cheer. On most days we trudge into the station like a herd headed off to the slaughterhouse as we avoid eye contact and today everybody is walking around with a strange smile on their face. On the way to lunch while walking through Harvard Square, I heard this green van go by honking as the people inside cheered and blew whistles. The Sox lineup was painted on the outside with the Red Sox logo. People were cheering and waving at the van as it drove by as if David Ortiz was driving it. This city is electric right now. Looney Tunes Hidden Gags As Boston Quackie walks past the train car you can see that it is labelled "Electrique Chair Car".
After you watch enough Warner Bros. theatrical cartoons it becomes obvious that the directors and animators liked to slip in little hidden gags during the cartoons. The meanings of the gags often would only be understood by a small number of people, or in some cases, the gag was either executed very quickly or was lost in the background.
On this website I have captured some of those hidden jokes and gags. Many have images to accompany the description - which comes in handy since they often happen so quickly! Note that most topics have thumbnail images which can be selected to show a larger version of the scene. Looney Tunes Hidden GagsAs Boston Quackie walks past the train car you can see that it is labelled "Electrique Chair Car".
After you watch enough Warner Bros. theatrical cartoons it becomes obvious that the directors and animators liked to slip in little hidden gags during the cartoons. The meanings of the gags often would only be understood by a small number of people, or in some cases, the gag was either executed very quickly or was lost in the background.
On this website I have captured some of those hidden jokes and gags. Many have images to accompany the description - which comes in handy since they often happen so quickly! Note that most topics have thumbnail images which can be selected to show a larger version of the scene. HitMaps
Is there a limit to how many site visitors you can display graphically on a tiny world map? Not if you use HitMaps' clustering and filtering algorithms! This is what several sites, including ClimatePrediction.net, BuddySpace, and an increasing number of personal sites are now discovering.
HitMaps' algorithms are based on the need to provide both speed and scaleability: on the Climateprediction.net site, for example, the locations of more than 50,000 users, obtainable indirectly from an 'IP -> Latitude/Longitude conversion service' can be seen at a glance. All Geographical Information Systems have to do something similar, but the key is getting past a potentially catastrophic bottleneck when trying to do this in real time for a very large number of users. HitMaps
Is there a limit to how many site visitors you can display graphically on a tiny world map? Not if you use HitMaps' clustering and filtering algorithms! This is what several sites, including ClimatePrediction.net, BuddySpace, and an increasing number of personal sites are now discovering.
HitMaps' algorithms are based on the need to provide both speed and scaleability: on the Climateprediction.net site, for example, the locations of more than 50,000 users, obtainable indirectly from an 'IP -> Latitude/Longitude conversion service' can be seen at a glance. All Geographical Information Systems have to do something similar, but the key is getting past a potentially catastrophic bottleneck when trying to do this in real time for a very large number of users. Wednesday, October 20, 2004Satellite Built via The Internet From the European Space Agency:
Scattered in universities across Europe, a 250-strong team of students have never collectively met in person, but between them they have built a space-ready satellite. SSETI Express is currently being integrated in an ESA cleanroom for a planned launch in May next year.
Collaboration between the pan-European network of students, universities and experts involved in the Student Space Education and Technology Initiative (SSETI) has been carried out via the internet. Like a Russian doll, SSETI Express will carry inside it three smaller 'cubesats' – 10-centimetre cube technology testers built respectively by universities in Germany, Japan and Norway – for deployment when in orbit. The main SSETI Express satellite itself will test and characterise a propulsion system, return images of the Earth and serve as a transponder for amateur radio users. SSETI Express measures just 60 by 60 by 70 cm across, small enough to piggyback its way to orbit on next year's commercial Cosmos DMC-3 launch from Plesetsk in Russia. Satellite Built via The InternetFrom the European Space Agency:
Scattered in universities across Europe, a 250-strong team of students have never collectively met in person, but between them they have built a space-ready satellite. SSETI Express is currently being integrated in an ESA cleanroom for a planned launch in May next year.
Collaboration between the pan-European network of students, universities and experts involved in the Student Space Education and Technology Initiative (SSETI) has been carried out via the internet. Like a Russian doll, SSETI Express will carry inside it three smaller 'cubesats' – 10-centimetre cube technology testers built respectively by universities in Germany, Japan and Norway – for deployment when in orbit. The main SSETI Express satellite itself will test and characterise a propulsion system, return images of the Earth and serve as a transponder for amateur radio users. SSETI Express measures just 60 by 60 by 70 cm across, small enough to piggyback its way to orbit on next year's commercial Cosmos DMC-3 launch from Plesetsk in Russia. McDonalds Copycat RecipesThey also have a few other restaurant recipes. Here is the recipe for McDonal's secret sauce:
1 c Miracle Whip
1/3 c sweet relish 1/4 c French dressing (orange not red) 1 T sugar 1/4 t black pepper 1 t minced onion Mix Ingredients Well. McDonalds Copycat RecipesThey also have a few other restaurant recipes. Here is the recipe for McDonal's secret sauce:
1 c Miracle Whip
1/3 c sweet relish 1/4 c French dressing (orange not red) 1 T sugar 1/4 t black pepper 1 t minced onion Mix Ingredients Well. Pirate Wedding There really isn't anything more romantic than two buccaneers tying the knot. But don't forget that sometimes pirate weddings can go horribly wrong. Pirate WeddingThere really isn't anything more romantic than two buccaneers tying the knot. But don't forget that sometimes pirate weddings can go horribly wrong. What Not To Bring While Attending Bob Jones UniversityTo help incoming students, Bob Jones University has a list of things you can and cannot bring when you move into the residence halls.
What Not to Bring
So you can check your glock at the door but don't even think about bringing in a copy of Doom 3. Oh Yeah, Bob Jones University was the school that had a rule against interracial dating that they finally ditched in 2000. It's a very progressive school.
(Thanks Jason) What Not To Bring While Attending Bob Jones UniversityTo help incoming students, Bob Jones University has a list of things you can and cannot bring when you move into the residence halls.
What Not to Bring
So you can check your glock at the door but don't even think about bringing in a copy of Doom 3. Oh Yeah, Bob Jones University was the school that had a rule against interracial dating that they finally ditched in 2000. It's a very progressive school.
(Thanks Jason) Comparing the Star Wars Changes A great article that compares the changes that have been done to the three releases of Star Wars (the original, special edition and new dvd releases) (via Drikoland) Comparing the Star Wars ChangesA great article that compares the changes that have been done to the three releases of Star Wars (the original, special edition and new dvd releases) (via Drikoland) Red Sox Even Series!!!!!!!!I will be watching game 7 at the hospital as a precautionary measure. None of these games have been easy!!Red Sox Even Series!!!!!!!!I will be watching game 7 at the hospital as a precautionary measure. None of these games have been easy!!Tuesday, October 19, 2004The Tunnel/Bridge
This bridge is half under the water, for ships to pass and then again, it comes out on the other side. Truly a marvelous piece of engineering! This bridge is between Sweden and Denmark ... Picture taken from the side of Sweden.
(via Bifurcated Rivets)Update: There is a similar bridge in Virginia that looks almost identical to the one pictured above. Thanks to Mookie for pointing this out. The Tunnel/Bridge
This bridge is half under the water, for ships to pass and then again, it comes out on the other side. Truly a marvelous piece of engineering! This bridge is between Sweden and Denmark ... Picture taken from the side of Sweden.
(via Bifurcated Rivets)Update: There is a similar bridge in Virginia that looks almost identical to the one pictured above. Thanks to Mookie for pointing this out. Robotic Drum Machine
Welcome to the site of P.E.A.R.T. which stands for Pneumatic and Electronic Actuated RoboT. P.E.A.R.T. is a robot that is made to be set up in front of any drum set and play the drums with any MIDI file as the input. It is capable of running 16 seperate drum channels, with each drum capable of being hit up to 19 times per second (which sounds pretty awesome on a bass drum by the way).
(via Collision Detection)Robotic Drum Machine
Welcome to the site of P.E.A.R.T. which stands for Pneumatic and Electronic Actuated RoboT. P.E.A.R.T. is a robot that is made to be set up in front of any drum set and play the drums with any MIDI file as the input. It is capable of running 16 seperate drum channels, with each drum capable of being hit up to 19 times per second (which sounds pretty awesome on a bass drum by the way).
(via Collision Detection)Saturn V Paper Model
Here are scans from August 1969 Airspace Model magazine. The model is about 8 feet tall (2.4m) and therefore fascinating. If you look closer to lady's hand, you can see a scale astronaut.
There are totaly 14 scans of the articel how to make a paper model of Saturn V to go with a Revell 1/48 Apollo kit.
Saturn V Paper Model
Here are scans from August 1969 Airspace Model magazine. The model is about 8 feet tall (2.4m) and therefore fascinating. If you look closer to lady's hand, you can see a scale astronaut.
There are totaly 14 scans of the articel how to make a paper model of Saturn V to go with a Revell 1/48 Apollo kit.
How to get a head without hunting
This is the home of Merikay MacKenna's animal head sculptures. These unique trophy-like creations are not taxidermy trophies of real animals, nor are they soft-stuffed plush toys. Rather, our wall-mount creatures are based on accurate hand-made hard sculptures, covered with man-made fur, textured fabric, or crochet. Our artist and proprietor Merikay also makes the eyes, and for some animals the teeth, horns, or antlers.
(via J-Walk)How to get a head without hunting
This is the home of Merikay MacKenna's animal head sculptures. These unique trophy-like creations are not taxidermy trophies of real animals, nor are they soft-stuffed plush toys. Rather, our wall-mount creatures are based on accurate hand-made hard sculptures, covered with man-made fur, textured fabric, or crochet. Our artist and proprietor Merikay also makes the eyes, and for some animals the teeth, horns, or antlers.
(via J-Walk)Ripley's BlogA blog written by a cat. It is actually better written than a lot of other blogs I have seen.Ripley's BlogA blog written by a cat. It is actually better written than a lot of other blogs I have seen.Monday, October 18, 2004Moose in a Noose
In one of those only-in-Alaska stories that will shock even the sourest of sourdoughs, a trophy-sized bull moose was accidentally strung up in a power line under construction to the Teck Pogo gold mine southeast of Fairbanks. The moose apparently got its antlers tangled in electrical wire before workers farther down the line pulled the line tight about two weeks ago.
Reading further, perhaps we should save this story for Valentine's Day. The prevailing theory is that the moose came across the sagging and swaying wires and, in a testosterone-filled moment, decided to challenge the power line to a fight, as bull moose are known to do during the rut, or mating season.
(via What Really Happened)
"My guess is he was in full rut and probably seen that line moving out there," and decided to fight, said Marvin Pickens, line construction manager for City Electric in Anchorage. Moose in a Noose
In one of those only-in-Alaska stories that will shock even the sourest of sourdoughs, a trophy-sized bull moose was accidentally strung up in a power line under construction to the Teck Pogo gold mine southeast of Fairbanks. The moose apparently got its antlers tangled in electrical wire before workers farther down the line pulled the line tight about two weeks ago.
Reading further, perhaps we should save this story for Valentine's Day. The prevailing theory is that the moose came across the sagging and swaying wires and, in a testosterone-filled moment, decided to challenge the power line to a fight, as bull moose are known to do during the rut, or mating season.
(via What Really Happened)
"My guess is he was in full rut and probably seen that line moving out there," and decided to fight, said Marvin Pickens, line construction manager for City Electric in Anchorage. |
