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Planet Dave! Friday, January 30, 2004
Why we don't use stainless steel on stage.
If you ever come to a Ring of Steel open house, one of the things you'll hear about is the quality of the swords we use for stage combat. I sometimes complain about how much work it takes to keep our stage props rust free. But we can't use stainless steel on stage. Jamie just sent me a good example of why that is. You see, stainless steel is very hard, so it holds an edge really well. That and the fact that it doesn't rust make it a great material for kitchen knives. But it's also very brittle. (Compared to other types of steel.) So it's a lousy material for a sword. I feel bad laughing at these guys, but it's a $50 sword made out of 440 stainless steel. What was he expecting?
So Long, Captain Kangaroo
More week-old news. Bob Keeshan, better known as Captain Kangaroo, died last Friday. Here's a nice little write-up that I think does a good job explaining why that was such a good show. See you on the other side, Captain. You'll be missed.
Ping Pong Balls!!!
Ever wanted to drop 320,000 ping pong balls down a ski jump? Well, someone beat you to it. The videos are a little disapointing, they don't have any raw fotage of the whole event. But it's still something you don't see every day.
Cambodian Email via Pony Express
I really like low-tech solutions. Simplicity is a form of elegance, in my opinion. The problem: Rural Cambodian villages and schools may have computers and electricity to power them, but few have wired communications to an internet backbone, and almost none can afford a satellite uplink. The solution: A motorcycle mounted wireless computer. Once a day, a rider makes the rounds to all the participating schools, uploading email from the outside world, and uploading email for distribution to other schools and the hub at the provincial capital. I remember reading somewhere, "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon filled with backup tapes."
Politicians For Sale... On Amazon
From /., "In either a brilliant move or a sick commentary on politics (or both), Amazon is now selling U.S. Presidential candidates, or at least contributions to such." Ok, I suddenly have the overwhelming desire to give this guy money. (He looks like he needs it.)
Scam Combines Patriot Act FUD With IE Bug
More week-old news, but better late than never. From /., "CNET, Reuters, and the AP are all reporting this morning about a circulating e-mail scam that claims that people will lose their FDIC bank account insurance because they are suspected of violating the Patriot Act unless they confirm their bank account information with a website. The scammers then use the already documented bug in IE that allows a site in Pakistan to get 'www.fdic.gov' to appear in the URL bar. Where's an MS patch when we really need one?" Oh, and that's FUD as in Fear, Uncertainty, & Doubt.
Online Tour of an Abandoned Missle Silo
Ever wanted to explore underground relics of the cold war, but don't have any around your home town? Well, thanks to the magic of the internet, now someone else can risk radiation poisoning while you can watch! (If you're not sure where to start, try the entrance.) While not the most habitable missle silo I've seen online, it's still pretty cool.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Sleep is good for you.
I'm often ridiculed for one of my favorite pass-times. To those people, I'd like to point out this article on /.:"CBC news reports that the effectiveness of 'sleeping on it' when faced with a difficult task may have more than just anecdotal roots. 66 students were trained to perform a calculation on an eight digit number using two simple rules which would take seven steps to complete. A different method existed to perform the same calculation 'almost instantly', but was not shown to the students. After eight hours, where half the students were allowed to sleep and the other half remained awake, 60% of the rested and 22% of the wakeful students discovered the more efficient method." This story also hit CNN. And to all who dispute these findings, I'll get back to you tomorrow morning.
Mars Update
Ok, I'm falling behind on my updates again, so here's last week's news on the Mars probes. /. had this to say about Spirit, "The Spirit rover's first soil analysis reveals some puzzling features about Gusev crater. The region seems to contain the greenish silicate mineral, olivine, which usually is considered water-reactive and thus volcanic in origin. For olivine to be found in the soil may point to rock formation during a drier period in martian history, even with strong evidence for sampling in an ancient lakebed. A second puzzle is why the soil seems so crusty. After the rover arm pressed soil down, the top layer of dust hardly moved, a finding that suggests something may be binding the dust like some type of salt or thin cement. . . . I've spent a few hours hacking together some software to deal with the Mars Exploration Rover imagery at JPL. The software puts together a webpage and RDF feed of new raw imagery as it is posted to the JPL site, along with technical information decoded about how the picture was taken. It also produces stereo anaglyphs and color images that NASA has not seen fit to convert and make publically available. Be sure to also check out the ultra high resolution image of the lander as viewed from Spirit." Also from /., "Through the initial mapping of the South polar cap on 18 January, OMEGA, the combined camera and infrared spectrometer, has already revealed the presence of water ice and carbon dioxide ice. This information was confirmed by the PFS, a new high-resolution spectrometer of unprecedented accuracy." Cool. When do we go?
Crazy Chalk Drawings
Ok, these are screwing with my mind. I keep moving my head to the side, trying to see them from a different angle. But I'm not sure if that would help or screw me up even more.
Death Stick Hammers
I currently don't have a hammer to carry in the hammer loop of my workman's kilt. But if I ever get one, it'd have to be a Death Stick.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
What You Can't Say
From /., "Paul Graham has an excellent article posted on the subject of things you can't say. His article explores what ideas are generally considered heresy, and whether or not those ideas might be true nonetheless. He also presents advice for handling heretical ideas." This is required reading for anyone who's been ridiculed for thinking outside the box.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Latest From Jamie
Since my last Jamie update, he's sent me Oops, John Paul II, Electric Bogaloo! and a very nice rejection letter.
The Interactive Zip Code
The Zip Code system has always seemed a bit arbitrary to me. I had always assumed they just used random numbers. Turns out there's actually some underlying organization. This little applet is pretty cool. You type in a zip code, and with each digit, it highlights a smaller piece of a U.S. map. (You may have to click the map once before it'll work, and you can reverse the process with the backspace key.)
Letter Troops Have Sent Michael Moore
Civilians aren't the only people the Commander in Chief has lied to. Michael Moore has recieved a few letters from people trying to figure out what they're risking their lives for. Man, what a mess.
Hockey Fights
A while back, during a Red Wings game, someone brought up the concept of a show that only aired the fights from hockey games. Someone voiced the obvious argument that if someone wanted to watch a fight, why wouldn't they watch boxing instead? My response was that when boxers fight, it's because it's their job. When hockey players fight, it's because they're mad as Hell. Well guys, someone beat us to it. In addition to commentary on some of the fights as well as a hockey fight log, they also have some videos. Too bad they don't have any classic fights. I've seen a couple fights in black and white that are far more viscous vicious than anything I've seen in color. Update: Damn spell checker.
How do little old ladies get at their food?
The above is a paraphrase from my mom. (I'd've quoted her, but I can't remember her exact words.) Seems like every time I'm home, she's got me opening jars of jam, pickles, cherries, etc. So in that context, the Electric Jar Opener isn't as ridiculous a concept as I thought at first. I got my mom a manual version instead.
Legal Analysis of Sauron's Offer to the Dwarves
Of course, something this weird could only come from a University of Michigan Law student. I can't help but feel a little bit of pride at that.
Fighting Cancer With The Common Cold?
From /., "After 30 years of work, Saint Louis University researchers have genetically engineered a common cold virus to fight cancerous cells while leaving unaffected healthy ones. They received a patent for this research and clinical tests on humans will start soon, according to this news release. Dr. William Wold, chair of the department of molecular microbiology and immunology, received the patent No. 6,627,190 for his work. Preclinical testing has already been done so clinical trials should start soon. We can only hope they will be successful. This overview contains many more details and references about this potential cure for all kinds of cancer."
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Cheap Hot Tubs
Hot tubs are rediculously expensive. Here's one that's wood-fire heated, with no moving parts. $4800 plus shipping. If I ever get one, I'm definitely going with a cheaper alternative.
Russian Army Deployed in Beer Rescue
Diganta and Gene both told me about this drama that unfolded near the Siberian city of Omsk, around 1,400 miles from Moscow. You've got to admire a level headed understanding of priorities like that.
"So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time."
I've recieved enough requests for this transcript that I think I'm justified posting it. Here's a page of Grampa Simpson's ramblings. The one I'm always quoting is the second one. Just remember that the Simpsons are only drawn with a thumb and three fingers. So when you get to the "Gimme five bees for a quarter" part, you have to hold up an extra finger with your other hand.
Anyone who thinks George W Bush is competent...
should take a good long look at the stats. Pretty scary. I can't even wrap my mind around the mess that we'd have after another four years with this moron.
Respect the winter roads.
A four wheel drive car can't stop any faster than a rear wheel drive car. Remember that next time you think you're using an appropriate following distance.
What the Hell is Aerogel?
It's really weird stuff. It's a solid, but it's only three times as dense as air. From the article, "'It has 14 Guinness Book of World Records-type properties,' Dr. Tsou said. 'It's the lowest density of any solid, and it has the highest thermoinsulation properties. Though it would be very expensive, you could take a two- or three-bedroom house, insulate it with aerogel, and you could heat the house with a candle. But eventually the house would become too hot.'"
What's your pirate name?
My pirate name is Dirty Davy Flint. What's yours?
1,His Daveness,01-21-2004,07:05 PM,"Find out here: http://www.fidius.org/quiz/pirate.php"
2,Marty's Evil Twin (again),01-22-2004,11:30 AM,"Iron William Rackham. Arr!"
3,Marty,01-22-2004,01:28 PM,"Mad Marty Rackham. Shiver me timbers!!!"
4,Elennare,01-23-2004,12:27 AM,"I got ""Bloody Ethel Kidd"" I'm wondering if it only has one name for people w/names that start w/E, cuz I've taken this test before and got the same answer...I don't think I answered *all* the questions the same...maybe I did...hmm...must try this again at some point..."
5,Margaret,01-23-2004,03:36 PM,"Iron Morgan Read. Ok this is getting a little creepy. I'm not Morgan, even though everyone mixes us up. Even people who have never met Morgan."
6,Steve Rowe,01-26-2004,09:41 AM,"Mad Sam Kidd Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!"
7,Elennare,01-30-2004,10:52 PM,"So...it would appear that the name generator has only one name for girls w/names starting w/""E"". I tried answering the questions first slightly differently, then completely random, and both times it came up w/something Ethel something. Go figure. Fear not, Margaret, it doesn't think you're Morgan, that's prolly the only ""M"" name it has. Besides, Morgan is a good name for a pirate. ;)"
8,Jay,03-09-2004,01:42 AM,"There's a better pirate name generator here: http://gangstaname.com/pirate_name.php I'm Melancholy Bud Dawkins. :-)"
News From Mars
From /., "While the Beagle 2 may have been gobbled up by Mars--Eater of Spacecraft, the main part of the ESA's recent Mars mission is doing well. The Mars Express Orbiter has sent back some amazing pictures of The Grand Canyon of Mars (Valles Marineris). Yes, this is the same gigantic geological feature that was missed by Mariner 4, 6, and 7 but finally found by Mariner 9. In other news, the Spirit rover is getting ready to grind the rock Adirondack (picture)."
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Churchill's Parrot
When I started reading this article I got from Jamie, I was pretty sure it was a put-on. Now I'm not so sure. Apparently, Winston Churchill had a parrot. And he taught it to swear. That's one more site to see if I ever make it to England.
Another Web Based Time Waster
If you've got nothing to do, try Robootik and tell me if it's fun. It's a flash game, you control a robotic arm and the object is to pick up as many springs as you can in the alloted time. If only the net could be used for good!
Red vs. Blue Begins Second Season
The wait is over, RvB is in their second season. I notice the first season is no longer available for download. If you ask me really nice, maybe I'll burn it onto a CD for you. Or you could buy the high rez version.
Mega-Pimp Watch
If you've never seen a Pimp Watch, then you have to look at Trip The Light Fantastic. Hmmm. If they ever make one of those in binary, I'll be all over it.
Auto-Park Option for Toyota Prius
If you're as bad at parallel parking as I am, maybe you should get a Prius. The $2200 option steers the car while it backs into a parallel parking spot. All you have to do is work the brake.
Friday, January 16, 2004
Catching Up With Jamie
I'm cleaning out my inbox here, and I found some messages from Jamie that haven't made it onto PlanetDave.net yet. Let's see... First he warns of the dangers of almanacs. Then there's the Worst Album Covers, Ever. And last but not least, OnStar's inability to deal with the native language of da U.P.
Critter Cam
Ok, I may have to start watching TV. The latest in the over-abundance of reality TV shows is National Geographic Channel's CritterCam. Basically, they put cameras and microphones on animals, and see what they do. Looks like I missed the first two episodes, but the next one is on Monday (the 19th) at 6:30 eastern. The guest of honor is a Hawaiian Monk Seal. I'm there.
Bringing you the state of the art in time wasters
Too much time on your hands? Not to worry. You can play with TinyGrow. (Granted, it sounds like a spam subject line, but it's got nothing to do with that.) Too artsy-fartsy? Too complicated? Try BallDroppings. It drops these balls from the top of your screen. You can draw lines, and the balls bounce off them. Each impact makes a sound based on the speed of the collision. Now, some may argue that this is probably more suited to three year olds. . . . And as soon as I think of a counter argument, I'll post it. Meanwhile, treat it with respect. It's more addictive than you'd think. Drum Machine, while not being interactive (as far as I can tell) is still very entertaining. At least it had me cracking up. But that might say more about me than the animation.
Planet Dave Discussion - Lite
Ok, new policy regarding Planet Dave Discussion groups.
1,His Daveness,01-16-2004,05:48 PM,"Ok, I'm tired of taking two minutes to set up a discussion group every time I update my web site. I know, I know, I have the attention span of a gnat. From now on, I'm only going to create a discussion group when I actually want to discuss something. . . . Starting with the next one, I guess."
Bush in 30 Seconds
The finalists are in for the Bush in 30 Seconds contest. Go check it out. (I expect to see some of these during the Super Bowl.)
Saturday, January 03, 2004
Interview with Peter Jackson on LoTR Bloopers
From /., "Newsweek has an interview with Peter Jackson asking him what he thinks about some of the most famous and/or obvious bloopers in the LoTR series. Moviemistakes.com has more Fellowhip of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King bloopers as well for your snickering pleasure." This is a fun read.
What Game Designers Can Learn from Space Invaders
Marty sent me this article about how few modern games can compare to the popularity of a classic like Space Invaders. The bottom line is gameplay. Now days, developers can hide behind a good graphics engine, a good physics engine, or even game AI. And it's not uncommon for these to be developed at the expense of gameplay. Of course, there were a lot fewer games in the Space Invaders era. These days the video game market is divided between quite a few more games. I think the article still makes a valid point, though.
French President Calls for Paranoia Against Religion
I understand why no single religion can be taught in school. But forbidding people from displaying their religion is just simple paranoia. I'd like to think such a thing could never happen in America, but after the recent revisions to the First and Forth Amendments, I'm not so sure.
Bug Photography
M. Plonsky has four pretty amazing galleries of insect macro photography. (Bug pictures.) Usually, when I notice a bug, it registers as a bug, nothing more, nothing less. but you can't help but look at them differently when you see the details in these photos. If this kind of thing interests you, he's also got some tips.
Augmented Reality Quake
Will it, and it is no dream, Dude. I recall mentioning that augmented reality Quake would be a cool game. Turns out that a group at the U. of South Australia is already working on it. I don't see anything on the site about multiplayer, but what would be the point without it? I wonder if I'd have to go to Australia to be on the beta test.
People Continue to Amaze Me
If you don't know who Keiko was, he was a killer whale, and star of Free Willy. Well, in a twist of fate worthy of an Alanis Morisette song, his trainers were unable to free him after making the movie. Turns out he preferred hanging out with humans. Go figure. Anyway, he spent the last several years of his life in a Norwegian bay where efforts to acclimate him to the wilderness continued. He died last month, probably from pneumonia. Even in death, they couldn't set him free. Rather than give him a marine burial, they buried him on dry land. Am I the only one who thinks that's a little ridiculous?