Thursday, May 15, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Another Hot Piece of Glass
I had so much fun the other weekend, I signed up for 6 more weeks of afterwork glassblowing classes. When I've finished, I should be able to rent time in the studio for my own projects, of which I have ideas for a few dozen at this point.
So far, this is acting like all my hobbies, several months of intense, focused interest while I learn mad skillz, followed (hopefully) by several years of increasingly complicated projects.
Unlike digital art though, this is expensive and each piece is not abled to be copied en masse, so most folks won't see what I'm up to. However, its possible you might get a misshapen lump of colored paperweight for a birthday, anniversary, bar-mitzvah or gift-giving holiday.
Try to be polite when you get it. It's meant with goodwill.
So far, this is acting like all my hobbies, several months of intense, focused interest while I learn mad skillz, followed (hopefully) by several years of increasingly complicated projects.
Unlike digital art though, this is expensive and each piece is not abled to be copied en masse, so most folks won't see what I'm up to. However, its possible you might get a misshapen lump of colored paperweight for a birthday, anniversary, bar-mitzvah or gift-giving holiday.
Try to be polite when you get it. It's meant with goodwill.
Science AND Magic
News from the Vatican
First the science:
Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.
Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.
The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.
The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.
Take out the god stuff and yeah, thats pretty much the standard idea. There isn't any evidence yet that it's true, but the basic idea, that if life is possible here, is possible elsewhere, is a standard assuption. Also, it turns out, one of my colleagues fromgrad school, Doug McGonagale, became a priest after graduation and is still involved in astrophysics, so this doesn't surprise me.
now for the magic:
Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.
So it could be Zanzar and Xloric in the Garden of Chotalis on Tau Ceti Prime. Until a wicked sunoraxyl comes along and tempts them with a fizbin. Then it's low road to civilization for Tau Ceti Prime. Now that's really just a guess, you understand, of what could be going on there. All the Bible really tells for sure is that it's Zanzar and Xloric not Zanzar and Zorric in the Garden.
Catholics! God Love'm
First the science:
Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.
Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.
The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.
The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.
Take out the god stuff and yeah, thats pretty much the standard idea. There isn't any evidence yet that it's true, but the basic idea, that if life is possible here, is possible elsewhere, is a standard assuption. Also, it turns out, one of my colleagues fromgrad school, Doug McGonagale, became a priest after graduation and is still involved in astrophysics, so this doesn't surprise me.
now for the magic:
Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.
So it could be Zanzar and Xloric in the Garden of Chotalis on Tau Ceti Prime. Until a wicked sunoraxyl comes along and tempts them with a fizbin. Then it's low road to civilization for Tau Ceti Prime. Now that's really just a guess, you understand, of what could be going on there. All the Bible really tells for sure is that it's Zanzar and Xloric not Zanzar and Zorric in the Garden.
Catholics! God Love'm
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Blind Man Gets 3 Year Driving Suspension
WTF?
A blind man convicted of dangerous driving, after police spotted his car on the wrong side of the road, has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Omed Aziz, 31, from Darlaston, West Midlands, who was being directed by an allegedly banned driver, was given 12 weeks in prison suspended for a year.
He has also been banned from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended driving test.
????
"dangerous driving"
Is there some other kind when you're blind?
A blind man convicted of dangerous driving, after police spotted his car on the wrong side of the road, has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Omed Aziz, 31, from Darlaston, West Midlands, who was being directed by an allegedly banned driver, was given 12 weeks in prison suspended for a year.
He has also been banned from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended driving test.
????
"dangerous driving"
Is there some other kind when you're blind?
Best Understatement of the Week.
From TPM on a race between 2 GOP candidates for an open House Seat:
They're going all out in the Republican primary for the open seat of Democrat Darlene Hooley in Oregon. One of the GOP candidates says he had no choice but to publicize a two-year-old email accusing his opponent of paying for an abortion for a woman he impregnated.
I wouldn't want to be seated between those two at the next Lincoln Day event.
They're going all out in the Republican primary for the open seat of Democrat Darlene Hooley in Oregon. One of the GOP candidates says he had no choice but to publicize a two-year-old email accusing his opponent of paying for an abortion for a woman he impregnated.
I wouldn't want to be seated between those two at the next Lincoln Day event.
You Can Actually See the Piece Go Pear-Shaped
David Brooks talks about "the militant materialism of some modern scientists". The first 2 paragraphs are actually pretty good. The he says,
just as Einstein’s theory of relativity affected art
Ut-oh.
just as Einstein’s theory of relativity affected art
Ut-oh.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Conversion Story
This is very funny!
“Goddammit,” I pouted, “I guess when you’ve got the Holy Ghost, you miss all the fun.”
“Goddammit,” I pouted, “I guess when you’ve got the Holy Ghost, you miss all the fun.”
Friday, May 09, 2008
One of my Favorite Bands, Reviewed
Bringing in entire symphonies for heart-fluttering arpeggios on fairy-dusted strings, the band's songs fill the air like mirage waves of sound so glossy, you can almost see your reflection in them.
I have discovered Rhapsody.
FTR, I laughed at that. They are overblown, but also, I like them.
and
It's just physiologically impossible not to get high from inhaling so much production varnish. For some, it will cause euphoria -- for others, altitude sickness.
I have discovered Rhapsody.
FTR, I laughed at that. They are overblown, but also, I like them.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Your Quantum Computing Crib Sheet
Here (although I don't know that I would say all P-complete problems are "easily" solved by classic computers...)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Does Science Make Belief in God Obsolete?
A dozenish essays from Templeton. I have not read them all yet, but Pinker is probably closest to my own view.
I admit I am saving Hitch for last thought.
(via)
I admit I am saving Hitch for last thought.
(via)
Monday, May 05, 2008
A Great Threat Facing Our Fighting Soldiers
They keep the front lines secure so we have freedom. Like the freedom to take away their porn!
House Rep. Paul Broun (GA-10), with 15 co-sponsors and the support of organizations such as the Alliance Defense Fund and the American Family Association, recently introduced a bill that would strengthen the ban on sales of adult-themed publications on U.S. military installations.
Rep. Broun has introduced H.R. 5821, also known as the Military Honor and Decency Act, which would close what he calls a loophole that allows the continued distribution of pornography to soldiers, to their moral detriment, with the help of taxpayer funds.
but who is the villain who wants to put porn in the hands of our fighting men and women, distracting them from the purity of their cause? The vile, evil, unspeakable ACLU!
"We're asking these people to risk their lives to defend our Constitution's principles," said law school professor and ACLU head Nadine Strossen to USA Today last November, "and they're being denied their own First Amendment rights to choose what they read."
ACLU bastards. I'm so mad at them for hating freedom, I feel like writing them a very stern check.
House Rep. Paul Broun (GA-10), with 15 co-sponsors and the support of organizations such as the Alliance Defense Fund and the American Family Association, recently introduced a bill that would strengthen the ban on sales of adult-themed publications on U.S. military installations.
Rep. Broun has introduced H.R. 5821, also known as the Military Honor and Decency Act, which would close what he calls a loophole that allows the continued distribution of pornography to soldiers, to their moral detriment, with the help of taxpayer funds.
but who is the villain who wants to put porn in the hands of our fighting men and women, distracting them from the purity of their cause? The vile, evil, unspeakable ACLU!
"We're asking these people to risk their lives to defend our Constitution's principles," said law school professor and ACLU head Nadine Strossen to USA Today last November, "and they're being denied their own First Amendment rights to choose what they read."
ACLU bastards. I'm so mad at them for hating freedom, I feel like writing them a very stern check.
Guess What I Blew This Weekend?
Glass!
I took a weekend class at the Seattle Glassblowing Studio. It was a lot of fun, although a lot, lot harder than I expected. I got to dip my stick, work those 3 glory holes, and make a massive load of white hot glass.
Fun for the whole family!
I did manage to make some paperweights and some small Christmas ornaments. My suckie bowl was a mess though. Next time I want to take a class in making plates, which seems to be quite different than what we did this weekend.
Highly recommended and not as gay as it sounds.
I took a weekend class at the Seattle Glassblowing Studio. It was a lot of fun, although a lot, lot harder than I expected. I got to dip my stick, work those 3 glory holes, and make a massive load of white hot glass.
Fun for the whole family!
I did manage to make some paperweights and some small Christmas ornaments. My suckie bowl was a mess though. Next time I want to take a class in making plates, which seems to be quite different than what we did this weekend.
Highly recommended and not as gay as it sounds.
Friday, May 02, 2008
My Next Hobby
I read this and thought, "This is going to be me when I retire!"
Marshall Pappert admits that he has been a pain to government officials…
While he expected to get a fight, or to be told off, or even ignored, Pappert says he never expected to get arrested.
Every week, he sends a handful of letters to government officials, complaining about a neighbor who lives across Union Street in Bridgeville.
But then I read,
The neighbor is Silhol Builders Supply, a manufacturer of ready-mix concrete
and thought, "oh, damn. He probably has legitimate complaints."
(via)
Marshall Pappert admits that he has been a pain to government officials…
While he expected to get a fight, or to be told off, or even ignored, Pappert says he never expected to get arrested.
Every week, he sends a handful of letters to government officials, complaining about a neighbor who lives across Union Street in Bridgeville.
But then I read,
The neighbor is Silhol Builders Supply, a manufacturer of ready-mix concrete
and thought, "oh, damn. He probably has legitimate complaints."
(via)
I-Lawsuit
The interesting recent history of i-Robot, makers of the Roomba(tm) and of life-saving millitary bomb sniffers. I thought this was interesting and it underlines an important political fact, it's the cover-up, not the crime.
Five People Killed By Their Own Inventions
He discovered that adding tetra-ethyl lead to gasoline prevented internal combustion engines from “knocking”. However, this also released huge amounts of lead into the atmosphere, causing health problems and massive pollution. After people at the GM plants started hallucinating and dying of lead poisoning, though, Midgley was assigned to develop a non-toxic refrigerant for household appliance. So, he discovered dichlorodifluoromethane (please don’t ask me to pronounce that), AKA Freon. Turns out that Freon is a chlorinated fluorocarbon, which is insanely bad for the ozone layer
here
FTR, I have left extremely explicit instructions for the executor of my will. The 2 important ones are:
1) a tank of helium must be available for the eulogies
2) my tombstone must read,
"That Should Have Worked"
here
FTR, I have left extremely explicit instructions for the executor of my will. The 2 important ones are:
1) a tank of helium must be available for the eulogies
2) my tombstone must read,
"That Should Have Worked"
Thursday, May 01, 2008
McCain
Some actual email with some friends (I've reverse the order to make it readable):
From: Yacov Smirnoff Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:14 PM
To: (friends of a like mind)
Subject: McCain in WSJ opinion pages
I read this in the airport today. The words that came readily to mind included: duty, honor, valor, selfless acts of courage, selfless acts of compassion. This is the guy we should have had 8 years ago.https://mail.microsoft.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=624b758540264cdab48d9031dbf92461&URL=http%3a%2f%2fonline.wsj.com%2farticle%2fSB120951606847454685.html If only the article hadn't been written by the sith lord.
me
Sent:Thursday, May 01, 2008 6:15 AM
To: (friends of a like mind)
Normally, I just dismiss anything by Karl Rove as lies and this smacks of dog-whistle religious politics. In this case though I suspect the facts are largely true, or at least as true as Karl Rove can deal with without bursting into fire.
And I agree that in 2000 McCain certainly would have made a better president than Bush and maybe Gore.
But, as I agrue with my son who is a strident McCain supporter, while it's a terrible thing that McCain was tortured, if that's all that's require to be president, Gitmo would be a future president factory. McCain has yet to close the deal with me,although I still think he can. I'm still not sure who he is today. If the man he was in 2000 is still in there, ready to break free, he could very well get my vote. OTOH, if the dems nominate Hillary and McCain continues doing things like skirting his own campaign finance law, or mixing up the Sunni and the Shia, then I might very well sit this one out.
From: Yacov Smirnoff Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:14 PM
To: (friends of a like mind)
Subject: McCain in WSJ opinion pages
I read this in the airport today. The words that came readily to mind included: duty, honor, valor, selfless acts of courage, selfless acts of compassion. This is the guy we should have had 8 years ago.https://mail.microsoft.com/OWA/redir.aspx?C=624b758540264cdab48d9031dbf92461&URL=http%3a%2f%2fonline.wsj.com%2farticle%2fSB120951606847454685.html If only the article hadn't been written by the sith lord.
me
Sent:Thursday, May 01, 2008 6:15 AM
To: (friends of a like mind)
Normally, I just dismiss anything by Karl Rove as lies and this smacks of dog-whistle religious politics. In this case though I suspect the facts are largely true, or at least as true as Karl Rove can deal with without bursting into fire.
And I agree that in 2000 McCain certainly would have made a better president than Bush and maybe Gore.
But, as I agrue with my son who is a strident McCain supporter, while it's a terrible thing that McCain was tortured, if that's all that's require to be president, Gitmo would be a future president factory. McCain has yet to close the deal with me,although I still think he can. I'm still not sure who he is today. If the man he was in 2000 is still in there, ready to break free, he could very well get my vote. OTOH, if the dems nominate Hillary and McCain continues doing things like skirting his own campaign finance law, or mixing up the Sunni and the Shia, then I might very well sit this one out.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)