Friday, February 29, 2008
The Worldwide Telescope
This is a pretty awesome piece of technology from Microsoft Research.
Giving credit where credit is due, Microsoft said the WorldWide Telescope builds on work that started with computer scientist Jim Gray's work on SkyServer and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The new program has been dedicated to Gray's memory. Here's a short article by Gray and Alexander Szalay that lays out the philosophy behind the project. Curtis Wong of Microsoft Research's Next Media group plays a lead role in the WorldWide Telescope project and conducted today's demonstration at TED.
Giving credit where credit is due, Microsoft said the WorldWide Telescope builds on work that started with computer scientist Jim Gray's work on SkyServer and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The new program has been dedicated to Gray's memory. Here's a short article by Gray and Alexander Szalay that lays out the philosophy behind the project. Curtis Wong of Microsoft Research's Next Media group plays a lead role in the WorldWide Telescope project and conducted today's demonstration at TED.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
With Friends Like These...
I have thought now and again that I could vote for McCain. While I don't agree with him on a lot of things, I didn't think he was batshit crazy or someone else's puppet.
Things like this though, really drive me away:
Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored'’ by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.'’
I simply wont vote for someone who thinks *this* generation is the protagonist in a 2000 year old end-of-the-world prophecy and is seeking to fulfill it by declairing non-stop war, I dont care how he tries to triangulate it.
Things like this though, really drive me away:
Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored'’ by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.'’
I simply wont vote for someone who thinks *this* generation is the protagonist in a 2000 year old end-of-the-world prophecy and is seeking to fulfill it by declairing non-stop war, I dont care how he tries to triangulate it.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
At Last!!
They said I could never get a date, but now I can Show Them!! I can SHOW THEM ALL!!!!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
WARNING: New Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Contain Radioactive Ebola Virus
From the Boston Globe:
The [study issued by the state of Maine and the Vermont-based Mercury Policy Project], which shattered 65 [compact fluorescent] bulbs to test air quality and clean-up methods made these recommendations: If a bulb breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum -- even on a rug -- to clean up a compact fluorescent light. Instead, while wearing rubber gloves, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke. Use a glass jar with a screw top to contain the shards and clean-up debris.
But, hey, at least the unbroken ones are green, right?
(via)
The [study issued by the state of Maine and the Vermont-based Mercury Policy Project], which shattered 65 [compact fluorescent] bulbs to test air quality and clean-up methods made these recommendations: If a bulb breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum -- even on a rug -- to clean up a compact fluorescent light. Instead, while wearing rubber gloves, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke. Use a glass jar with a screw top to contain the shards and clean-up debris.
But, hey, at least the unbroken ones are green, right?
(via)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
19%
Wow. Bush is now offically more radioactive than Bill Clinton at the height of the impeachment scandal.
Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.
Among Republicans (29% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 45% approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 50% disapprove. Among Democrats (43% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 1% approve and 99% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job. Among independents (28% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 17% approve and 75% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.
Full report with monthly poll numbers here. I'm actually quite shocked to see Bush below 50% among Republicans.
How long do you think it will be before the White House (subtly) implies the fault is John McCain's?
Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.
Among Republicans (29% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 45% approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 50% disapprove. Among Democrats (43% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 1% approve and 99% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job. Among independents (28% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 17% approve and 75% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.
Full report with monthly poll numbers here. I'm actually quite shocked to see Bush below 50% among Republicans.
How long do you think it will be before the White House (subtly) implies the fault is John McCain's?
New Girl
Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, my life used to look a lot like this.
Really. This kind of thing is vastly more common than you realize.
(via)
Really. This kind of thing is vastly more common than you realize.
(via)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Enough
The (now former) producer of CNN's American Morning on why he was fired for blogging, andwhat he's doing about it. Well worth your time to read.
(via)
(via)
Time to Create Lifetime Mental Scars: Less than 3 months
I was telling ym son about the SuperTrain today!
Supertrain was a television drama/adventure series that ran on NBC from February 7, 1979, to May 5, 1979.
It took place on the Supertrain, a nuclear-powered bullet train that was equipped with amenities more appropriate to a cruise ship than a train, such as swimming pools and shopping centers. It was so big it had to run on very broad gauge track (not two sets of tracks as depicted in some advertising). The train took 36 hours to go from New York City to Los Angeles. Much like its contemporary The Love Boat, the plots concerned the passengers' social lives, usually with multiple intertwining storylines, and most of the cast was composed of guest stars. The production was elaborate, with huge sets and a high-tech model train for outside shots.
At the time, Supertrain was the most expensive series ever aired in the United States. The production was beset by problems, including a model train that crashed, and while it was heavily advertised during the 1978-1979 season, it suffered from bad reviews and low viewership; despite attempts to salvage the show by reworking the cast, it never took off and left the air after only three months. NBC was never able to make up the production losses (it produced the show itself, at first with help from Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis), and combined with the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics the next season (which cost NBC millions in ad revenue), it nearly bankrupted the network. For these reasons, Supertrain is usually cited as the worst television flop ever.
See also, the Big Bus
Supertrain was a television drama/adventure series that ran on NBC from February 7, 1979, to May 5, 1979.
It took place on the Supertrain, a nuclear-powered bullet train that was equipped with amenities more appropriate to a cruise ship than a train, such as swimming pools and shopping centers. It was so big it had to run on very broad gauge track (not two sets of tracks as depicted in some advertising). The train took 36 hours to go from New York City to Los Angeles. Much like its contemporary The Love Boat, the plots concerned the passengers' social lives, usually with multiple intertwining storylines, and most of the cast was composed of guest stars. The production was elaborate, with huge sets and a high-tech model train for outside shots.
At the time, Supertrain was the most expensive series ever aired in the United States. The production was beset by problems, including a model train that crashed, and while it was heavily advertised during the 1978-1979 season, it suffered from bad reviews and low viewership; despite attempts to salvage the show by reworking the cast, it never took off and left the air after only three months. NBC was never able to make up the production losses (it produced the show itself, at first with help from Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis), and combined with the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics the next season (which cost NBC millions in ad revenue), it nearly bankrupted the network. For these reasons, Supertrain is usually cited as the worst television flop ever.
See also, the Big Bus
Something About Pepper Which I Was Not Aware of This Morning
Peugeot got it's start in, and still makes, peppermills.
Earth's Biggest Lawsuit
Interesting, certainly.
Have you ever purchased a religious product or service? Ever paid a "tithe", sowed a "faith seed", or given a "love gift"? Ever donated money to a church, ministry, religious leader, or televangelist? Missed out on an inheritance, because a parent or relative gave money or willed their estate to a church, religion, or religious leader?
Has a religion, church, or televangelist made any false, misleading, or deceptive claims or representations? Statements that may have influenced your decision to purchase a product or service ... or to give your money?
It's time to get your money back.
Do you believe that organized religioneers should be held accountable to truth-in-advertising laws, like any other person or business who sells products and services? Should they be required to prove all claims when selling products, asking for "tithes" or "love gifts", or fundraising?
Do you believe that religious groups should lose their tax exemptions as "charitable", unless they can prove that +80% of their income is spent on real charity? Should they be required to make full, independently audited financial disclosure to the public?
Do you believe that "church tax" violates the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Add your voice to the petition for your country.
Join the global movement demanding government action against false, misleading, and deceptive conduct in religious commerce and fundraising.
While it's a novel idea, it smells a little like a scam to me. I have to file this under More Research.
It's questions like that that will make you burn in Hell.
Have you ever purchased a religious product or service? Ever paid a "tithe", sowed a "faith seed", or given a "love gift"? Ever donated money to a church, ministry, religious leader, or televangelist? Missed out on an inheritance, because a parent or relative gave money or willed their estate to a church, religion, or religious leader?
Has a religion, church, or televangelist made any false, misleading, or deceptive claims or representations? Statements that may have influenced your decision to purchase a product or service ... or to give your money?
It's time to get your money back.
Do you believe that organized religioneers should be held accountable to truth-in-advertising laws, like any other person or business who sells products and services? Should they be required to prove all claims when selling products, asking for "tithes" or "love gifts", or fundraising?
Do you believe that religious groups should lose their tax exemptions as "charitable", unless they can prove that +80% of their income is spent on real charity? Should they be required to make full, independently audited financial disclosure to the public?
Do you believe that "church tax" violates the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Add your voice to the petition for your country.
Join the global movement demanding government action against false, misleading, and deceptive conduct in religious commerce and fundraising.
While it's a novel idea, it smells a little like a scam to me. I have to file this under More Research.
It's questions like that that will make you burn in Hell.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
2007 Worst Jobs in Science
Number 6: Microsoft Security Grunt
Like wearing a big sign that reads "Hack Me"
Do you flinch when your inbox dings? The people manning secure@microsoft.com receive approximately 100,000 dings a year, each one a message that something in the Microsoft empire may have gone terribly wrong. Teams of Microsoft Security Response Center employees toil 365 days a year to fix the kinks in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office and all the behemoth´s other products. It´s tedious work. Each product can have multiple versions in multiple languages, and each needs its own repairs (by one estimate, Explorer alone has 300 different configurations). Plus, to most hackers, crippling Microsoft is the geek equivalent of taking down the Death Star, so the assault is relentless. According to the SANS Institute, a security research group, Microsoft products are among the top five targets of online attack. Meanwhile, faith in Microsoft security is ever-shakier-according to one estimate, 30 percent of corporate chief information officers have moved away from some Windows platforms in recent years. "Microsoft is between a rock and a hard place," says Marcus Sachs, the director of the SANS Internet Storm Center. "They have to patch so much software on a case-by-case basis. And all in a world that just doesn´t have time to wait."
The rest are here. At least I am not a Whale Feces researcher...
Like wearing a big sign that reads "Hack Me"
Do you flinch when your inbox dings? The people manning secure@microsoft.com receive approximately 100,000 dings a year, each one a message that something in the Microsoft empire may have gone terribly wrong. Teams of Microsoft Security Response Center employees toil 365 days a year to fix the kinks in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office and all the behemoth´s other products. It´s tedious work. Each product can have multiple versions in multiple languages, and each needs its own repairs (by one estimate, Explorer alone has 300 different configurations). Plus, to most hackers, crippling Microsoft is the geek equivalent of taking down the Death Star, so the assault is relentless. According to the SANS Institute, a security research group, Microsoft products are among the top five targets of online attack. Meanwhile, faith in Microsoft security is ever-shakier-according to one estimate, 30 percent of corporate chief information officers have moved away from some Windows platforms in recent years. "Microsoft is between a rock and a hard place," says Marcus Sachs, the director of the SANS Internet Storm Center. "They have to patch so much software on a case-by-case basis. And all in a world that just doesn´t have time to wait."
The rest are here. At least I am not a Whale Feces researcher...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Believers
I have often thought there are 3 kinds of religious believers:
A: Those who actually, truely and completely believe.
B: Those who .. kind of believe, mostly because everyone else does or they buy Pascal's Wager.
C: Those who are too smart to believe but who have no skills or are too lazy to make a living any other way.
With this in mind, I present Mike Huckabee, Class C Believer (and a homecoming queen).
A: Those who actually, truely and completely believe.
B: Those who .. kind of believe, mostly because everyone else does or they buy Pascal's Wager.
C: Those who are too smart to believe but who have no skills or are too lazy to make a living any other way.
With this in mind, I present Mike Huckabee, Class C Believer (and a homecoming queen).
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
What's the Word?
Thunderbird!
The history of Thunderbird is as interesting as the drunken effects the one experiences from the wine. When Prohibition ended, Ernest Gallo and his brothers Julio and Joe wanted to corner the young wine market. Earnest wanted the company to become "the Campbell Soup company of the wine industry" so he started selling Thunderbird in the ghettos around the country. Their radio adds featured a song that sang, "What's the word? / Thunderbird / How's it sold? / Good and cold / What's the jive? / Bird's alive / What's the price? / Thirty twice." It is said that Ernest once drove through a tough, inner city neighborhood and pulled over when he saw a bum. When Gallo rolled down his window and called out, "What's the word?" the immediate answer from the bum was, "Thunderbird."
The history of Thunderbird is as interesting as the drunken effects the one experiences from the wine. When Prohibition ended, Ernest Gallo and his brothers Julio and Joe wanted to corner the young wine market. Earnest wanted the company to become "the Campbell Soup company of the wine industry" so he started selling Thunderbird in the ghettos around the country. Their radio adds featured a song that sang, "What's the word? / Thunderbird / How's it sold? / Good and cold / What's the jive? / Bird's alive / What's the price? / Thirty twice." It is said that Ernest once drove through a tough, inner city neighborhood and pulled over when he saw a bum. When Gallo rolled down his window and called out, "What's the word?" the immediate answer from the bum was, "Thunderbird."
Monday, February 18, 2008
Obituary Corrections
Brian [2:11 PM]:
i wish i knew how to crack web sites
then i could change this obit: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
to: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, and KILLED HER on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
I think it should be more like:
EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008. Unfortunately, Jesus knew all about her secret gambling addiction, internet white slave trafficing and that roll of butterscotch life savers she stole from Mr. Bitter's Corner Emporium when she was 4. He passed judgement damning her immortal soul for longer than the universe has existed. Even with the possibility of last-moment redemption so close, she condemmed herself to the Lake of Eternal Fire by noting that Jesus perpetually seeping wounds made him look kind of "hunky" and wondered if that was the "rough trade" she'd heard tell about. Her soul will bake for 10 billion years in the lake before being transfered to the Beach of Flaying and Scraping in what is know in the 4th circle as "standard punishment 7". A Memorial will be held at Saint Albert the Great on Sunday, 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the United Way and the Knights of Columbus. Glory!
i wish i knew how to crack web sites
then i could change this obit: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
to: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, and KILLED HER on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
I think it should be more like:
EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008. Unfortunately, Jesus knew all about her secret gambling addiction, internet white slave trafficing and that roll of butterscotch life savers she stole from Mr. Bitter's Corner Emporium when she was 4. He passed judgement damning her immortal soul for longer than the universe has existed. Even with the possibility of last-moment redemption so close, she condemmed herself to the Lake of Eternal Fire by noting that Jesus perpetually seeping wounds made him look kind of "hunky" and wondered if that was the "rough trade" she'd heard tell about. Her soul will bake for 10 billion years in the lake before being transfered to the Beach of Flaying and Scraping in what is know in the 4th circle as "standard punishment 7". A Memorial will be held at Saint Albert the Great on Sunday, 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the United Way and the Knights of Columbus. Glory!
Playing Jesus to the Lepers in Your Head Just Got Much Easier
With new microwave/acoustic technology, those voices just *might* be real....
Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except hat it could only be heard within a person's head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using "speech modulated" microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up the sound. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.
I'm getting one of these for the next State of the Union Speech....
Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except hat it could only be heard within a person's head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using "speech modulated" microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up the sound. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.
I'm getting one of these for the next State of the Union Speech....
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