Black holes, LHC, Star Wars, quantum uncertainty… if it is of general geek interest, but doesn’t fit into one of the other categories, it lands here.
On June 21st of this year, Scaled Composites plans to launch the first privately funded passenger carrying craft to enter “space”. The ship, named SpaceShipOne, will climb to an altitude of 100 km (62 miles), the official boundary where “space” begins. For the first time, someone outside the circles of large, government funded projects will be able to call themselves an astronaut. (more…)
I just returned from a business trip to the U.S.. It was a tiring affair, but so far as business travel goes, I guess it was about as good as can be expected.
That said, this was my first major trip since about 2000. I had read about but hadn’t experienced first-hand the post WTC security precautions when crossing the border, and I have to say that they are … odd. (more…)
Popular Science has an article regarding various weapons platforms being considered for the future. Most of them are old hat: rail guns, laser cannons, that kind of thing. But one sort of got my attention: a million round per minute machine cannon. (more…)
This site was down most of today. I apologize for that. I spent most of today, probably 6 or more hours, fixing up this server after one of my web sites here was “hacked”.
The hacking itself was pretty minor- someone just altered the contents of a couple of pages to include their names and indicate their amazing credentials. The way they did it was also fairly simple- they took advantage of a known flaw in some software I was running. (more…)
Its nearly 2:00 am, and I’m sitting here in front of the computer. I have a cup of Neo Citran in one hand, and a tissue in the other. Occasionally I put them down so I can type. I have a cold, and its keeping me awake. (more…)
I have often pondered why most of my website’s pages don’t show up in Google searches. I thought it must have something to do with using a content management portal (PHPNuke), and/or with how the URLs are formed. Well, I was right… (more…)
I completed my 2004 computer upgrade last weekend, and finally got around to documenting it all. You may enjoy reading my "journal" of the process and the results.
I’m like most people: I complain about all the things in my life that aren’t quite the way I want them. My sore back. The fact that I’m not a millionaire. The high taxes I pay. The many years remaining on my mortgage. (more…)
I’ve started my semi-annual computer upgrade process. I’ve opted for an AMD 64 configuration this time, the first time that I’ve selected a non-Intel processor for my main computer gaming rig.
I’ll eventually be writing a little article on the topic, but for now you can check out some pictures I’ve taken during the initial assembly..
Apparently, Janet Jackson "accidentally" exposed her right nipple during the halftime show of the SuperBowl. Justin Timberlake ripped of a "tear away" piece on her outfit as part of the act. In case you missed, here it is. Okay, now that you've seen it...tell me, did you suffer outrage, anger, embarrassment and serious injury. How about several billion dollars worth? No? Well, apparently an astoundingly litigious and presumably remarkably sensitive woman named Terri Carlin in Knoxville, Tennesee, suffered so. I'm amazed at the outcry. These are the same people that scrunch up all close to the TV screen when someone gets their brains blown out during some action show during prime time, or better yet during the News on CNN. The same society that happily tunes in every week for another episode of Temptation Island, wherein hot tub shenaningans often reveal a lot more skin then Janet did, and where the entire plot line is based on cheating on your loved ones. And apparently a 2 second shot of someone's breast is enough to destroy their fragile grip on reality, and cause them to lose all faith in their glorious culture. Good lord...give your heads a shake, people! It isn't really important whether you believe Justin's story that the move was a last minute unrehearsed addition by Janet. You could doubt Janet's story that her breast wasn't supposed to be exposed, there was supposed to be a lacey bra there but that it "slipped". But its just a breast, for crying out loud. No doubt you've seen them before. Breast feeding women are even allowed to expose them in public places in most metro areas. I've watched news reports, prime time TV shows, and movies that showed longer and more erotic imagery. 13 year old girls prance around in malls with their G-strings showing on their ultra low rider jeans, and Momsy and Dadsy are right there, buying them another pair. But I guess the SuperBowl is no place for that kind of moral decay. Yep, a 3 hour ritualized battle involving full contact often resulting in broken bones and permanent injury watched by men and women guzzling huge quantities of booze is good, clean, and American. Follow that up with a couple of hours of Temptation Island or I Married a Millionaire, and don't forget an incredibly frivilous multi-billion dollar lawsuit, and you've captured all of those special values that make America great. But keep your damn titties out of it!