It was the highlight of Square One, the cheesy math show I watched after elementary school on PBS. It’s like dragnet, but the detectives carry calculators in their shoulder holsters.
A bunch of the Episodes are on youtube. It’s still cheesy, but there are lots of jokes there’s no way I got when I was 9. Here’s part one of a classic, six-part cliffhanger in case you also want to reminisce:
YouTube - Mathnet - The Trial of George Frankly Pt. 1
It’s been a hectic summer for me. Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Charleston, Philadelphia, and New York. And that’s not counting weekend trips for ultimate. I took pictures of all those places, but had the most fun taking them in Philladelphia (and a few in NYC). Partly because it was my first time in Philly (I really liked the city), but mainly because I got myself a new camera.
I love the camera, and am relearning why I liked taking photos in the first place. I’ll soon be writing a post on why I love it and why, if you enjoy photography, your next camera should be a low-end DSLR, but in the mean time I thought you might want to see a few pics.
What did Fox News expect when it decided to report live on location in the middle of a “leftist protest” in Denver? How about a mob spontaneously chanting “F#$% Fox News” on air!
H/t Crooks and Liars.
Bonus link.
Give ‘em haircuts! That’s Denver’s strategy. “Make them all spiffed up for the Democratic National Convention, because they are part of our community as well.”
I give two months before this spreads to Seattle…
H/T Drudge.
Looks like some new technology will make the kind of doctoring we’re capable of in photoshop a realistic possibility for video. The software analyzes the shadows in a video to make a 3D model of the scene. Then it can take still photos of the same scene and map them onto that changing, 3D landscape. The Cool/Scary part is that those photos can be photoshopped before they are mapped onto the scene. So instead of doctoring hundreds or thousands of frames of video, soon we’ll be able to photoshop things out of a single frame or still photo and apply that effect to an entire video.
It didn’t take us long to get used to not trusting photos. I suppose it won’t take any longer for us to get used to it for video either.
It’s a little long, but it’s worth watching:
It’s a video of an elephant painting a portrait of an elephant, and it’s good.
I’m gonna try to do some research and hopefully find out more about this elephant, but in case I don’t get around too it I wanted to share the video.
I really want to know a few things like:
- is this an original composition or is it copying something a person drew
- can it do other poses?
- is it a self portrait?
- is this a relatively unique skill or can other elephants paint too?
- can I buy one of these paintings?
- can I buy one of these elephants?
stay tuned.
I just watched the trailer for Terminator Salvation. It’s barely more than a teaser, but I’m intrigued by the fact that Christian Bale is playing John Connor. I had assumed ‘Salvation’ would just be an attempt to squeeze some more cash out of the corpse that Terminator 3 left behind. Bale is so selective with the roles though, and It’s got me wondering: What if the script is actually good?
The once great batman series was nearly killed off by a horrible sequel (with no small amount of help from the govenator himself), only to be resurrected by an uncompromising new beginning that starred Bale. Maybe he can do the same thing for the Terminator Franchise. Maybe he’s on a mission to make awesome sequels to every bad movie Schwarzenegger was in! Maybe he’s in talks to make a new Conan!!
I don’t want to get too carried away here though. “McG” (that’s really how he’s listed on IMDb) is no Christopher Nolan. Still, he seems to understand why Dark Knight has been so successful. If this thing comes out half as good as Dark knight, I’d be thrilled.
Christopher Nolan, and Dark Knight, might be the best thing to happen to Hollywood in a long time. Maybe the industry will realize that compromises and studio meddling lead to crap. And that people can actually tell the difference between quality and crap. And that people will pay to go see quality. I know I’m going back to see Dark Knight in the theater again.
I stumbled upon this really cool post over at Google on Radiohead’s new video for their new CD. They show the video, how they made it using data and so on. This might be old but thought you guys might be interested, was a pretty cool mini page at google about it.
No cameras or lights were used. Instead two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. In this video, 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced all the exterior scenes.
My boys at Fox ‘n’ Friends are back at it: this time they’re trafficking in rumors regarding a couple of NYT staffers as retribution for publishing a “hit piece” against Fox News.
And as if the usual Fox ‘n’ Friends histrionics aren’t amusement enough, the show’s producers decided to Photoshop the pictures of the two offending NYT employees before splashing them on the screen (photos linked here and here). As NYT describes it,
“Mr. Reddicliffe looked like the wicked witch after a hard night of drinking, but it was the photo of Mr. Steinberg that stopped traffic when it appeared on the Web at Media Matters side by side with his actual photo. In a technique familiar to students of vintage German propaganda, his ears were pulled out, his teeth splayed apart, his forehead lowered and his nose was widened and enlarged in a way that made him look more like Fagin than the guy I work with. “
But here’s the cake-taker: Fox News doesn’t deny that they doctored the pictures. “A spokeswoman said … that altering photos for humorous effect is a common practice on cable news stations.”
While it’s not top-to-bottom superb, Sigur Rós’ new album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, has plenty to offer. There are six songs that could have descended from the heavens: Fljótavík; Suð í eyrum; ; Ára bátur; Góðan daginn; Festival; Við spilum endalaust. Where they would have wailed on the guitars on previous albums, they chose to go for a poppy sound here, e.g. Við spilum endalaust (great), Inní mér syngur vitleysingur (good), and Gobbledigook (not good, but the popular download choice on iTunes). Another impressive piece to the Sigur Rós puzzle.
Until I read this article by William Saletan for Slate, I would have said yes with no reservations, but it’s probably not that simple.
The article describes a new theory that there may be genes, not for homosexuality, but for “androphilia” that affect both sexes. By making their owners more attracted to men, “… the importance of the genes lies in what they do not to men but to women, by increasing reproductive output so powerfully that these women compensate for the reduced output among their male relatives.” The theory has testable predictions: most notably that the female relatives of gay men should have above average reproductive success. So far these predictions have been confirmed by existing data.
A genetic explanation of homosexuality could go a long way to help it’s perception in society. Homosexuality could come to be seen as part of a natural process that benefits the species as a whole, the theory could calm fears that “gay teachers or television characters will “convert” hordes of boys,” etc. Also, it seems to me that it would be much harder to think of homosexuality a sin if it’s inherited rather than chosen.
The article raises another possible effect that wouldn’t have occurred to me:
…the word consequence suggests a … less happy implication: How would gay men see themselves and be regarded in a society that understood their condition as a side effect of female evolution? Would male androphilia be treated like sickle-cell anemia—the unfortunate cost of a genetic mutation that’s beneficial in other people? We medicate sickle-cell anemia. Would we medicate homosexuality?
I always thought a genetic understanding of homosexuality would do a lot to help it’s acceptance, but maybe a theory like this would leave enough room for people to persist in the beliefs they already hold. Tell us what you think in the comments.
Professors from Duke University are trying to explain to Americans why we should stop using “miles per gallon,” and instead use “gallons per 100 miles” (or something similar). I’m convinced. Try their short, but effective, interactive quiz. The New York Times is reporting on it too.
Here’s the gist:
Let’s say you own a Lamborghini that gets 5 m.p.g. and a Hummer that gets 10 m.p.g. You’d like to replace one of your cars so that you’re spending less money on gas. Your two options are: (A) trade in your Lamborghini (5 m.p.g.) for a Ferrari that gets 10 m.p.g.; (B) to trade in your Hummer (10 m.p.g.) for a hybrid one-seater that gets an amazing 100 m.p.g..
The “obvious choice” seems to be (B), but some simple division will show us that we’re stupid.
Let’s assume that you drive each car 100 miles per week:
Option (A): Instead of using 20 gallons (100/5 = 20) a week in your Lamborghini, you’d only be using 10 gallons (100/10 = 10) in your Ferrari, thus you would save 10 gallons a week.
Option (B): Instead of using 10 gallons a week in your Hummer, you’d only be using 1 gallon in your fancy new solo-man hybrid, thus saving 9 gallons a week.
Conclusion: You will save more gas/money by replacing your Lamborghini with a Ferrari rather than replacing your Hummer with a single-seater super hybrid.
Now let’s tell the story with “gallons per 100 miles.”
Option (A): Replace your Lamborghini that uses 20 g.p.100 miles with a Ferrari that uses 10 g.p.100 miles.
Option (B): Replace your Hummer that uses 10 g.p.100 miles with a hybrid that uses 1 g.p.100 miles.
Isn’t this phrasing much better?
Fleet Foxes are here to save us from a so-far-dismal year in music. Their recipe: 3 cups of Band of Horses, 1 cup of Ryan Adams, 1 cup of Wilco, 1 cup of Animal Collective, 1 cup of Led Zepplin, 1 cup of the Eagles, 1/2 a cup of Beach Boys, and 2 tablespoons of Magically-Fresh pixy powder. Or if you don’t like to conjure up bands in your kitchen, you can just buy their Sun Giant EP and their self-titled debut LP, both 2008 releases. My only complaint is that they should have combined all of their songs on the two discs into a single album (it would still be under an hour). Still though, Fleet Foxes will be challenging Bon Iver for this year’s prestigious Daniel’s-Album-of-the-Year Award.
Start With:
Fleet Foxes: White Winter Hymnal; Ragged Wood; Your Protector; Blue Ridge Mountains
Sun Giant EP: Drops in the River; Mykonos; Innocent Son
Apple users:
I had to replace the hard drive in my Powerbook G4. I did it myself, and I believe the hardware install went fine. The problem I’m now having is installing Leopard on a blank drive. I know that sounds fishy, but each time I try to install, it either freezes up or says that the “Essentials” package from the installation DVD can’t be accessed. I’ve already formatted the drive with no problem using the built-in Disc Utility application. I’m also reading, when not working, the articles I find online.
If any of you have advice other than making sure the DVD is clean, etc, I’d appreciate it. If all else fails, I suppose I’ll have to go to the Apple store :(
As a regularly-disappointed/amused consumer of cable news, I’m glad to learn that Mr. TV Guy shares my view on the 24/7 coverage of Tim Russert’s death.
Here’s one thing you can say about journalists: Surely no one loves us as much as we love ourselves.
That’s one lesson of the Tim Russert coverage.
A friend told me Sunday: “I now know more about Tim Russert than I do many members of my family.”
The affection that Russert stirred in millions was testament to his skill. But the coverage of his death was often overblown, self-congratulatory and self-indulgent. It was no way to treat a news icon.
Updated 9.25 PM… No surprise, my boy Jack Shafer also takes the media to task:
I wonder whether the media grievers gave a moment of thought to how this Russert torrent they produced played with viewers and readers. Did the grievers really think Russert was so important, so vital to the nation’s course, and such an elevated human being that he deserved hour upon hour of tribute? I wonder whether any the responsible journalists paused to think, Hey, this is really weird. We’re using our unchecked editorial power to soak the nation with our tears about our friend, and that’s unseemly!
On days like this, I, too, hate the press.
He also notes that MSNBC will air live coverage of Russert’s private memorial service.
You’ve Been Left Behind is a service that basically let’s you send emails to your unlucky friends that get left behind when The Rapture happens.
Their failsafe method for when knowing when the rapture will happen?
…when 3 of our 5 team members scattered around the U.S fail to log in over a 3 day period.
what are you waiting for? It’s only $40 a year.
[via DownloadSquad]
Have you seen that horrible Polo Black Commercial where Christian Bale is looking sooper sexy and doing things like holding a trumpet while being caressed in bed by a beautiful woman? Christian Bale is so selective with his movie rolls and then he does this commercial? What was he thinking?
Well, turns out it’s not Christian Bale but Bale-doppelgänger/Argentine-polo-star (get it, polo) Nacho Somethingsexymo. Unlike Bale, Somethingsexymo has no credibility to protect, so good for him.
DMac just signed a $60 million dollar contract to play for the silver and black Raiders ($26 million is “guaranteed"). This is a pretty amazing contract considering the comparables from last year and that he signed about 45 days sooner than fans expected, which I think says a little something about how much he impressed the Raider’s organization after just a few weeks of practices. Early on, head coach Kiffin repeatedly stressed that they don’t want to overextend Darren’s responsibilities to the point where he’s OK at a dozen things but not great at any one thing, like the Saints have experienced with Reggie Bush. After each practice though, coach Kiffin commented that he was amazed at how easy everything is for DMac, both physically and mentally. It has been reported that Darren has practiced as a running back, wide receiver, quarterback ("wildhog"ish), and kick returner in just six days of full-team practices. The day before McFadden signed his contract, coach Kiffin said they were anxious to get him signed (and avoid Darren missing practices) because they have so many ways they want to use him immediately in the upcoming season. Coach Kiffin recently explicitly said that Justin Fargas, the returning starter, is “by far” the best “runner,” and that Michael Bush is expected to be the best short-yardage running back. Still, despite the depth the Raiders have at running back, it looks like McFadden, who coach Kiffin describes as “the most talented,” will get his chance to shine… starting with the opening kickoff.
Felix Jones can’t have any regrets about playing second fiddle to McFadden after his favorite NFL team drafted him in the first round. He is the first running back the Cowboys have drafted that early since they picked up Emmitt Smith a long time ago. The Cowboys actually drafted two running backs this year - Felix and Tashard Choice. When Coach Wade Phillips was asked by a reporter to compare Marion Barber (the Cowboys starting running back) to rookie Tashard Choice, he turned the question away and said that it’s tough to compare a rookie with a pro bowler. Less than a minute later the same interviewer asked the coach what he thinks of Felix Jones… and Phillips starts comparing Felix to Hall-of-Famer Thurman Thomas. Jerry Jones, the team’s owner, commented that he likes how smooth and elusive Felix is, and that he loves his “bubble-butt.” In other words, the Cowboys love Felix. They expect him to contribute immediately as the primary complement to Marion Barber’s power running game, and to return kickoffs with Pacman Jones or Mike Jenkins. Felix’s job requirements are almost identical to his role at Arkansas, but now he’s doing it for “America’s team.” Jones hasn’t signed a contract yet, but Emmitt Smith is giving him pointers, so the day will come.
Lizzie pointed out to me today that the one true Museum is in Kentucky and focused on explaining Creationism to kids. This only confirms what I already thought, money can buy kids souls and I need more money to build my own museum on how I created the earth in late November 2003.
Anyway way I highly recommend you read and watch the videos on Demon Baby Blog, he went to the museum and took loads of pictures and movies. Pretty scary trip.At one point, the Creationist history lesson takes a divisive turn, interrupted with a detour into, literally, “Sin City.”
Broken windows look into broken secular homes, where screens display all-too-common scenarios of Godless teenagers getting pregnant, drinking, smoking marijuana. Sounds like a hell of a party to me, but apparently it’s the work of Satan, and it’s all because of the poison of evolutionary science, which is unsubtly illustrated in a laughably melodramatic scene where the giant wrecking ball of “millions of years” is shown smashing into the side of a church:
These people are fiercely indoctrinating their children, spawning new generations of fanatics who believe themselves engaged in a culture war with the world at large, and want to discredit science and change our laws to get their way. Being in a culture war with drug use and teen pregnancy is one thing, but when you set your cross hairs on science - that which is the foundation of every aspect of our modern lives, and the key to advancing our civilization and preserving our planet - suddenly religious tolerance has reached its limit.
You know that Nude Remix Contest? Well apparently this guy, James Houston, thinks that it was basically an April fool’s joke (i.e. Don’t get any big Ideas)
Radiohead held an online contest to remix “Nude” from their album - “In Rainbows” This was quite a difficult task for all the electronic musicians that entered, as Nude is in 6/8 timing, and 63bpm. Most music that’s played in clubs is around 120bpm and usually 4/4 timing. It’s near impossible to mix a waltz beat into a DJ set.
This resulted in lots of generic entries consisting of a typical 4/4 beat, but with arbitrary clips from “Nude” thrown in so that they qualified for the contest.
Thom Yorke joked at the ridiculousness of it in an interview for NPR radio, hinting that they set the competition “for a laugh” and to find out what would come out of such an impossible task.
So Houston responded with this video using a bunch of old computer hardware. My favorites are the dot matrix printer on drums and the scanner on bass. skip ahead to the one minute mark if the screechy intro isn’t your thing. It’s worth a watch.
(via engadget)
On a related side note, I got to see Radiohead in Dallas last month, and it was an amazing show. I have newfound respect for the band after seeing them live. If you didn’t see them on the first North American leg of their tour, I highly recommend seeing them when they come back in August.
Here’s a pretty good video of “Nude” from the Dallas show:
