Sunday, October 31, 2004

33dd


Stereo images. (Beware, some of the images are not safe for work.)
(via Adam, who is not sure whether these are cool or just cause headaches.)

Thursday, October 28, 2004

whee


Wow. Cluster Ballooning.

you are here

If you like looking at old maps, check out these images from Milner's Descriptive Atlas, 1850.

it really ties the room together


Jeff Bridges has a great site of pictures taken on various movie sets with an old widelux camera, a panoramic device that debuted in 1948. They take stunning photos, as Jeff's site attests. I'd love to have one of these, but they cost $1649.50. Guess I'll stick with with my disposable.
(via kottke)

eclipse, part II


DSC_0176
Originally uploaded by Tom Marschner.

eclipse, part I


the moon
Originally uploaded by meliam.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

checkmate

I sure do miss playing chess. I'm not very good, but every once in a while I'll kick Nate's butt barely beat Nate. Now, I do manage to keep up with the "Battle Chess" program I've got on my computer, but I always get that strange feeling like I'm being humored by a superior intelligence. It turns out I am. Check out Thinking Machine 4, a chess game that diagrams the millions of thoughts a computer makes before making a move. Play a game--it's not quite Deep Blue, but it'll make you think.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Interesting chart: 21 Rationales for War
At New York Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule and a calculator.
Attorney general John Ashcroft believes the man is a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged with carrying weapons of math instruction.
"Al-gebra is a very fearsome cult, indeed", Ashcroft said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on a tangent in a search of absolute value. They consist of quite shadowy figures, with names like "x" and "y", and, although they are frequently referred to as "unknowns", we know they really belong to a common denominator and are part of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country.
As the great Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes. "
(Thanks, Jim)

free culture

Peer-to-peer traffic has not declined despite the music industry's aggressive pursuit of illegal file sharers, according to a new study from from the University of California at Riverside and the Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis.

Monday, October 25, 2004

TV-B-Gone

Are you tired of being forced to watch tv everywhere you go? Waiting rooms, restaurants, public restrooms--there seems no limit to the amount of television we are expected to consume. Well, if you're really tired of it (like I am), here's a new product you may enjoy. The TV-B-Gone is a keychain remote that turns off any tv around. Just click one button and it scans the room, detects their remote codes, and switches them off. They can be turned on again, of course, but at least you'll have a few moments of peace. I'm really not as militant as all this sounds, but I can't help but agree with the guy in this article when he shut off a tv in a downtown diner, making a patron get up and leave: "We just saved him several minutes of his life."

wow

Apparently the earth drags space-time around with it as it spins.

Sunday, October 24, 2004

These interesting gravestones are located in Oakland cemetery in Atlanta, and were photographed by one of Jim's friends who shall remain nameless because Jim didn't tell me who he was. named Matt.



(thanks, Jim)

Saturday, October 23, 2004

um, yeah

This page is too stupid.

love ya mom

Wheeew. MP and I just finished running the Stafanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research 5k here in Ada, and our legs are sore. It wasn't until we finished running yesterday that I remembered about today's race, so lots of running in the past 24 hours. But it was fun. Everyone got confused and accidentally skipped a section, which cut about .3 miles from the race, but since we all did it I guess it doesn't really matter. Mary Pat was running with a couple who had a stroller, and I was running with a 10-year old girl who ended up beating me--her little legs were blazing. A good time for all.
Mom, this one was for you.

Friday, October 22, 2004

oh lord

Sorry for waxing political here, but I can't believe this. House bill 3799, otherwise known as the Constitution Restoration Act of 2004, is legislation aimed at protecting any government official who "acknowledge[s] God as the sovereign source of law, liberty [and] government" in the United States. Not only does this promote a theocracy, but it would allow any U.S. Supreme Court judge who attempted to question the law to be impeached. Who is writing this stuff? More importantly, who is supporting it? Something tells me this guy may be behind it at some level. An excerpt:

(1) AMENDMENT TO TITLE 28- Chapter 81 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

Sec. 1260. Matters not reviewable

"Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any matter to the extent that relief is sought against an element of Federal, State, or local government, or against an officer of Federal, State, or local government (whether or not acting in official personal capacity), by reason of that element's or officer's acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government.".

(Via mefi, and of course was followed by a good point.)

Update: Yep, I thought so. Roy Moore is involved in this foolishness.

piracy bad, access good

I just finished reading Lawrence Lessig's groundbreaking work Free Culture, and I am convinced that the revolution against oppressive copyright is now in full swing. This well-written and extremely informative book, which is provided here in full for free, lays out the contours of the debate over file sharing on the internet, and makes a persuasive argument for backing off the current aggressive stance toward copyright being pursued by the Recording Industry Association of America and, unfortunately, Congress. In a nutshell, Lessig argues that the internet is a changing technology, and that imposing overly restrictive copyright policies on file sharing at this point is unnecessary and oppressive. He points to the different types of information now available online, and shows how blanket restrictions designed to protect copyrighted material would also prohibit access to lots of information NOT protected by copyright, which in the long run would hamper creativity. His arguments are numerous and persuasive, and I seriously recommend this to anyone who is even slightly interested in the paradigm shift we are currently witnessing online. Whether you believe these guys or these guys, there is no question that this is an important debate that will have deep repercussions throughout our culture. Check out Lessig's blog here, and for a good example of the issues involved, read this post on a related copyright question.

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

that smile

The Guardian has a good story on da Vinci's Mona Lisa and its odd appeal to just about every tourist who visits France. I remember studying the painting in Art Appreciation 101 in college and asking my professor what the big deal was, and he went off about the enigmatic smile and some such, but I never really understood why the painting was so darn famous. To wit:

"People come because she is famous. Period," says Pete Brown, a retired businessman from Iowa, with some irritation. "But you want my opinion honestly? I'm not overly impressed."

Exactly. And that was my response when I visited the Louvre in 1995. I was cruising through the halls, ready to scream if I saw one more Virgin and Child painting, when I came upon a throng of tourists like myself buzzing around what appeared to be a small dark painting of an woman. And lo, there it was. And it was . . . anticlimactic. I suppose if I had listened to my art prof back home, the experience would have yielded more delight and culture. But the experience, given the world of hype surrounding the painting, was decidedly underwhelming. Perhaps the problem is the Louvre itself; you walk for hours among staggering works of art and sculpture, only to find the Mona Lisa, small and subtle, hanging on a random spot in a hall filled with hundreds of other works. I guess I expected it to have its own room, or even an entire wing of the museum, filled with art critics wearing berets whispering reverently and taking notes. Um, no.

So what did I do? Like any good tourist, I snapped a picture of the Mona Lisa. Except that I forgot to turn the flash off. And as the bright light illuminated the painting, probably ruining forever some delicate balance of color da Vinci spent a year perfecting, the crowd turned to me and gave me a look that could only say: You. Stupid. American.

And so I beat a hasty retreat and found a Virgin and Child by Correggio or Titian or somebody to console me, confident that I would never, and I mean never, understand the Mona Lisa.

'rotflmao'

It didn't have to go down this way.

ah

Howdy folks. I haven’t communicated anything of much substance for some time, so it’s time for an update. We’re now on the eve of our Fall Break up here, a long weekend which is everyone is looking forward to rather severely. The school used to lump the break in with Thanksgiving, until the dean started noticing the dark circles under everyone’s eyes at this point in the semester and decided to go easy. Of course, the concept of a ‘break’ for many (read: me) simply means an opportunity to get caught up on studying, so the circles will persist (they may be dark, but they’ll be enlightened). Mary Pat’s decided to study rather than head to Purdue and visit her college buddies over break, so I’ll be in good company. The best company around, actually.

So things are going well. Fall is rapidly descending headfirst into winter right now; we enjoyed about two weeks of what I would call pristine weather, watching the hardwoods all cloak themselves in bright hues, shades of crimson, orange, and yellow approaching day-glo in their intensity. Clear, crisp, cool skies. Below some trees the sidewalks looked as if accidents had occurred involving trucks filled to the brim with paint and confetti. All that pretty much came to a screeching halt last weekend though, as the first cold rains came and knocked the leaves down. There are a few stragglers, but the train has left the station. I’m amazed at how short Fall can be up here sometimes.

This morning a fog has spread itself through the village, muffling the occasional passing car, the neighbor’s kids laughing as they walk to the bus. Scout’s snoozing underfoot and hot mint tea is steaming in my John Deere mug. I’m wearing my rockin’ warm slippers. In a minute I’ve got to load up and bicycle over to tax class and learn about depreciation deductions, but before I did I wanted to say howdy to the many, many fine folks who read this blog, and remind both of you that life, in fact, is good.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004

quantum heroics indeed

some photos


Direct result of too much studying. Or maybe it was the margaritas..

Night shot of the full moon.

Fall descends upon the trees around Ada.

Mary Pat's new friend, Sergio, the owner of La Charreada.

Compadres.

Monday, October 18, 2004

quote of the day

"O Lord, help me to be pure, but not yet."
- St. Augustine.

?


Bull moose gets entangled in power lines in Alaska

wired

Have you ever been at your laptop in a coffee shop, using a wireless interenet connection, and gotten an Instant Message from a buddy about a website you've just got to see? Did you then use your cell phone to call someone else and tell them about it? Or send them a picture from your digital camera? If you've done any of these things simlutaneously, you may be interested in the future of technology: it's called Digital Lifestyle Aggregation.
Hmm, I wonder whether this Bush approval rating/U.S. gas price index really means anything?
(via mefi)

Can we hug your car?


The microcar is coming to America. At 70 miles a gallon, I'm intrigued. Well, interested. How cool will I look? Do they make an SUV/Hummer model?

Friday, October 15, 2004

sad news

It is with saddest heart that I pass on the following news. Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.

The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection, and complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy is survived by his wife, Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough, who has a bun in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, The California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy, and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart "cookie", wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still, as a crusty old man, was considered a roll model for millions. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes. (via Jim)
Amazing Quicktime photos of the Colorado River & Grand Canyon.

Ouch

McWilliams kicked Tavish five times in the twenty-third round; then the latter dropped like a log and refused to go on. His legs, from knee to ankle, were covered with cuts, and were raw as beefsteak.

Anyone up for a jolly round of "purring"? Never heard of it? Well, purring, or shin-kicking, was a popular English folk sport dating back at least 400 years. Or may be you're interested in how Old English trains her red coats? You can get all your testosterone-related kicks at the Journal of Manly Arts. Hooah.

Excellent photos by Julio Barros.
(thanks Erin!)

History redux


Wow, the digital age continues to flourish. Check out these digitally-color ized photographs from WWI. Or these recreated photographs of Russia. Other links for early color photos are here. (All via metafilter)

Thursday, October 14, 2004

sign and signified

What Derrida Really Meant. Good op-ed on Jacques Derrida, who died last week in Paris at the age of 74. I hated him in graduate school, but it's hard to deny his importance. (NYT reg req)

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

what i need


night-tea
Originally uploaded by carlosj.

Oh dear

Justice Dept. wants new antipiracy powers

In an extensive report released Tuesday, senior department officials endorsed a pair of controversial copyright bills strongly favored by the entertainment industry that would criminalize "passive sharing" on file-swapping networks and permit lawsuits against companies that sell products that "induce" copyright infringement.
"The department is prepared to build the strongest, most aggressive legal assault against intellectual-property crime in our nation's history," Attorney General John Ashcroft, who created the task force in March, said at a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon.


and of course..

The Recording Industry Association of America applauded the report, saying that "for those who work in the community of record labels, songwriters and artists, the commitment of focus, energy and resources outlined in this report is music to our ears." The Motion Picture Association of America joined the applause, thanking the Justice Department for "defending our country's economy against pernicious IP pirates."

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Buy 1 Internet, 1 of the Internets! Only a few left!

Scientific Method Man

Gordon Rugg cracked the 400-year-old mystery of the Voynich manuscript. What's this? According to this site, "The Voynich Manuscript has been dubbed "The Most Mysterious Manuscript in the World". It is named after its discoverer,the American antique book dealer and collector, Wilfrid M. Voynich, who discovered it in 1912, amongst a collection of ancientmanuscripts kept in villa Mondragone in Frascati, near Rome, which had been by then turned into a Jesuit College (closed in 1953).

No one knows the origins of the manuscript. Experts believe it is European based on the drawings. They believe it was written in between the 15th and 17th centuries. The manuscript is small, seven by ten inches, but thick, nearly 235 pages."

An example of the strange text:

exactly

my first presidentiary

Get your BUSHISMS on DVD.

Monday, October 11, 2004

Excellent interactive site by Newsweek showing electoral college votes in 2000. Click on your state to get the info likely to be relevant in this year's election as well.

Rest in Peace

Saturday, October 09, 2004

When scholars get bored

Miss Susie Had a Steamboat: A Critical Analysis of a Schoolyard Rhyme.
In my essay, I have discussed how the metrical structure of the rhyme allows the person reciting to sneak up on a taboo word and delight in "almost" swearing. I then discussed how although meter has remained true, the successive endings have picked up more imagery and a narrower type of taboo, namely that newer rhymes mirror children's curiosity about sex. Lastly, I want to focus on the fact that the rhymes are usually recited by women, and because of this gender divison, they have served as a unifying entity for young women.
(via leuschke.org)
And the debate critics are off! It's offroaddieselengineemissions.com.
From the same people who brought us youforgotpoland.com.

Quote of the day

"Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real estate above principles."
- George Jean Nathan

Friday, October 08, 2004

Quote of the day

"Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world."
~ Voltaire
via bv

Yep, the Conference Bike is pretty ridiculous. Corporate bonding at its worst.

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE

Introducing the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge device, trade name BOOK

BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It’s so easy to use, even a child can operate it. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere--even sitting in an armchair by the fire-- yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as several CD-ROM disks.

Here’s how it works:
BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.

Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now BOOKs with more information simply use more pages. Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet.

BOOK may be taken up at any time and used by merely opening it.

BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, though, like other devices, it can become damaged if coffee is spilled on it, and it becomes unusable if dropped too many times on a hard surface. The “browse” feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an “index” feature, which pin-points the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.

An optional “BOOKmark” accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session--even if BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. For the benefit of those users who need to store numerous views at once, every BOOK comes with the Distinct Optical Guidance Easy Awareness Reminder (DOGEAR) free of charge. These simple optical guides can be used as many times as there are pages in the book. You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with optional programming tools, such as Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Styli (PENCILS).

Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. BOOK’s appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking to invest. Look for a flood of new titles soon.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

hurricane damage, et al



banana anyone?

Google's competition

Get the search results your REALLY want at Snap.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Quote of the day

"My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music."

- Vladimir Nabokov

Not sold in stores

Be yourself! Be A hipster.
And now for another Famous Trials in History post, it's Greedo v. Solo.

I always did find Scalia persuasive

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia: "I even take the position that sexual orgies eliminate social tensions and ought to be encouraged."

I Am Bored

Sites for when you're, well, bored.

If you can't figure out the four square problem, maybe you'll find these riddles easier.
Four Squares Problem:

The object is to reposition two -- and only two -- sticks, so that you end up with four squares of equal size and no sticks left over.

A spoon further

Incredible spoon art. Check out the picture gallery.

Monday, October 04, 2004

Bush v. Kerry

You forgot Poland.

Update: Maybe this is why.

ATTENTION TO ALL YOU WELL KNOWN, AUTHORS!

A wonderful manuscript that is typed and ready to go!

My name is Daniel Rice. I live in Dudley Massachusetts. I am a first time writer and have two more chapters to go, to complete my story. It's fiction, a coming of age story that would be most enjoyed by adults. It's a fascinating read that I had a couple of english teachers read themselves, telling me that they could not put my book down after the first chapter. It's filled with suspense, along with fear and anxiety.
Here's an excerpt:

Never discuss ontology on an empty stomach


(click)

Sunday, October 03, 2004

I just don't know what to say about the Inflatable Titanic Slide and IceBerg Challenge.

Friday, October 01, 2004