July 20, 2013
The Changing Pace of Progress
Progress...
In 1803 the population of the entire planet was a hair over a billion people. World economies were agrarian. Slavery of one form or another was practiced in all but a handful of nations. Transportation was powered by muscle or wind, though there were a few clumsy steam engines doing the sorts of work waterwheels had done for ages in more congenial locations.
One hundred years later, there were telephones, telegraphs, steamships that could cross the Atlantic with thousands of people in 5 days. Trains crisscrossed continents and industry had blossomed. Brazilians, Frenchmen and Germans had been flying experimental airships for a decade or more and on a cold December day at Kitty Hawk North Carolina, a machine that was heavier than air took flight.
Less than 66 years after that (and 44 years ago today) humans set foot on another wold.
And in the 44 years since then?....well....the youtube page that is on is littered with videos claiming that it never really happened. As the 12 who walked on the moon pass beyond the veil the possibility increases that we will once again live in an age where no living person has walked upon the moon. The solar system, a vast storehouse of resources lies untouched save for a few probes, some debris and 6 flags planted there by a people who once could accomplish things.
Perhaps our children will redeem us...we have no right to expect they'll forgive us.
In 1803 the population of the entire planet was a hair over a billion people. World economies were agrarian. Slavery of one form or another was practiced in all but a handful of nations. Transportation was powered by muscle or wind, though there were a few clumsy steam engines doing the sorts of work waterwheels had done for ages in more congenial locations.
One hundred years later, there were telephones, telegraphs, steamships that could cross the Atlantic with thousands of people in 5 days. Trains crisscrossed continents and industry had blossomed. Brazilians, Frenchmen and Germans had been flying experimental airships for a decade or more and on a cold December day at Kitty Hawk North Carolina, a machine that was heavier than air took flight.
Less than 66 years after that (and 44 years ago today) humans set foot on another wold.
And in the 44 years since then?....well....the youtube page that is on is littered with videos claiming that it never really happened. As the 12 who walked on the moon pass beyond the veil the possibility increases that we will once again live in an age where no living person has walked upon the moon. The solar system, a vast storehouse of resources lies untouched save for a few probes, some debris and 6 flags planted there by a people who once could accomplish things.
Perhaps our children will redeem us...we have no right to expect they'll forgive us.
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July 18, 2013
Marty Gear 1940-2013
Marty Gear died peacefully in his sleep today of congestive heart failure.
He'd been involved in cons for a mind blowingly long time, having attended his first World Con in 1953.
You may not be familiar with Mr Gear. However, if you are on the east coast and are in any way involved with cosplay at sci-fi or anime conventions, you probably owe something to Marty Gear.
In the '80s he helped to organize the Balticon costume contest and over the years built it into a truly impressive affair. He assisted in organizing costume contests at other other cons as well including Dragon Con, Anime USA, Katsucon and he chaired Costume Con3, having succeeded in convincing its backers via the example of Balticon that a costume convention was viable on the east coast. Mr. Gear organized the first chapter of the International Costumers Guild chapter in 1991.
He'd been involved in cons for a mind blowingly long time, having attended his first World Con in 1953.
You may not be familiar with Mr Gear. However, if you are on the east coast and are in any way involved with cosplay at sci-fi or anime conventions, you probably owe something to Marty Gear.
In the '80s he helped to organize the Balticon costume contest and over the years built it into a truly impressive affair. He assisted in organizing costume contests at other other cons as well including Dragon Con, Anime USA, Katsucon and he chaired Costume Con3, having succeeded in convincing its backers via the example of Balticon that a costume convention was viable on the east coast. Mr. Gear organized the first chapter of the International Costumers Guild chapter in 1991.
There's an interview with him here.
He was always charming and professional. He will be greatly missed.
He was always charming and professional. He will be greatly missed.
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July 17, 2013
Dowsing for Girls
Here we have 4 girls looking for a girl.
Now, being girls, they presumably know all about girls and how to find them, so it's with considerable interest that I note that in addition to he usual methods involving optical detection they have broken out the dowsing rods. I'd never considered dowsing as a means to meet the ladies....I also note that I'm single. Correlation does not indicate causation but this may warrant further study.
From episode 2 of the quirky and pleasant Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3...which as a title is rather a mouthful.
Now, being girls, they presumably know all about girls and how to find them, so it's with considerable interest that I note that in addition to he usual methods involving optical detection they have broken out the dowsing rods. I'd never considered dowsing as a means to meet the ladies....I also note that I'm single. Correlation does not indicate causation but this may warrant further study.
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July 16, 2013
...Or Something
Seen at Ace of Spades this morning:
Actually, I think they've got the '...or something' covered.
So the Senate had their big joint caucus meeting last night behind closed doors. Gee, if only there was a forum where Senators could get together and debate, maybe in public even. We could call it, 'The Senate' or something.
But that's CRAZY TALK! Next he'll be suggesting that this collection of senators pass a budget or something.
Actually, I think they've got the '...or something' covered.
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July 15, 2013
My Life At The Moment
...but with girls...
...and rather a lot more awesomeness, cats, dogs, robots and chocolate....but the pacing and attitude are about right.
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July 14, 2013
Pacific Rim
I was promised Giant Robots fighting Monsters.
I was provided with giant robots fighting monsters.
As such my legitimate gripes are limited.
There were giant robots...fighting monsters....In a live action film with a budget.
Charlie Nunman does a perfectly decent job as the thoroughly conventional leading man but is somewhat outshone by the rest of the cast with Idris Elba and Max Martini giving good performances as veteran monster hunters. Japanese A-Lister Rinko Kikuchi is the female lead. Burn Gorman and Charles Day play the obligatory mad scientists and Ron Perleman just sort of struts into the film and chews the scenery for a bit.
Oh, there are minor quibbles, they could have shaved 15 minutes off the film and used less shakeycam. I'd have liked to see one of the big fights in daylight too, but you know what? None of that is important really...because we had Giant Robots...fighting Kaiju Monsters in a live action film on the big screen!
....and how many times does one get to see THAT?
Anyway, as a summer popcorn flick I found it to be top notch.
I was provided with giant robots fighting monsters.
As such my legitimate gripes are limited.
There were giant robots...fighting monsters....In a live action film with a budget.
Charlie Nunman does a perfectly decent job as the thoroughly conventional leading man but is somewhat outshone by the rest of the cast with Idris Elba and Max Martini giving good performances as veteran monster hunters. Japanese A-Lister Rinko Kikuchi is the female lead. Burn Gorman and Charles Day play the obligatory mad scientists and Ron Perleman just sort of struts into the film and chews the scenery for a bit.
Oh, there are minor quibbles, they could have shaved 15 minutes off the film and used less shakeycam. I'd have liked to see one of the big fights in daylight too, but you know what? None of that is important really...because we had Giant Robots...fighting Kaiju Monsters in a live action film on the big screen!
....and how many times does one get to see THAT?
Anyway, as a summer popcorn flick I found it to be top notch.
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Prarie Fire Fizzles
Well, the verdict in the Zimmerman trial came down. It was not the result most in the media desired.
As I type this there seems to have been only the most sporadic vandalism, and then in locations where any excuse will foment mischief so that hardly counts.
This relative calm was despite considerable efforts by certain parties in the media and elsewhere to fan the flames of violence.
Those incitements were in vain and I feel pretty damned good about that.
UPDATE: The prosecution receives some harsh words from 'The Dersh'. WOW!
As I type this there seems to have been only the most sporadic vandalism, and then in locations where any excuse will foment mischief so that hardly counts.
This relative calm was despite considerable efforts by certain parties in the media and elsewhere to fan the flames of violence.
Those incitements were in vain and I feel pretty damned good about that.
UPDATE: The prosecution receives some harsh words from 'The Dersh'. WOW!
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July 13, 2013
How DOES She Pole Vault With a Walker?
No not her...that's a glider. The picture is completely unrelated to the banality below the fold.
Art by Yuugure
more...
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The Japanese Discover KickStarter
I'd been wondering what the source for several oddball .gifs was. Well, thanks to Pixy I now know!
Twenty six minutes of a cute story with nigh perfect pacing and above average animation...but that's not all.
Pixy points out that it's a kickstarter project!
I'd actually like to see them do something else because that one episode was sublime, so they don't need to do any more.
On the other hand that short really WAS awesome.
Pixy points out that it's a kickstarter project!
I'd actually like to see them do something else because that one episode was sublime, so they don't need to do any more.
On the other hand that short really WAS awesome.
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I Find Myself Deeply Disapointed
...that a journalist...A TRAINED TELEVISION PRESENTER would allow this to happen....
Seriously woman...mispronouncing Mr. Fuk's name like that is unconscionable.
Via Chizumatic and CDR Salamander
Note that I can't find any confirmation for the widely reported allegation that this prank has been sourced to a 12 year old boy. The only confirmed link in the chain of comedy is a summer intern at the NTSB.
Seriously woman...mispronouncing Mr. Fuk's name like that is unconscionable.
Via Chizumatic and CDR Salamander
Note that I can't find any confirmation for the widely reported allegation that this prank has been sourced to a 12 year old boy. The only confirmed link in the chain of comedy is a summer intern at the NTSB.
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July 11, 2013
An Important Note
Tonight Ace of Spades will be doing a liveblog with open chat just like they do for presidential debates and presidential addresses to joint sessions of congress.
The occasion of course is to provide thoughtful discussion and real-time commentary on the ultimate product of thousands of years of human art, which will air on the Sy-Fy channel at 9:00 PM Eastern tonight...
A perfect metaphor for our age.
The occasion of course is to provide thoughtful discussion and real-time commentary on the ultimate product of thousands of years of human art, which will air on the Sy-Fy channel at 9:00 PM Eastern tonight...
A perfect metaphor for our age.
That should trump everything in the history of ever...
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!
As if today was not awesome enough, it's founders day at 7-11, which means free Slurpees from 11AM-7PM.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!
As if today was not awesome enough, it's founders day at 7-11, which means free Slurpees from 11AM-7PM.
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WATAMOTE
I was told that this is a comedy.
What I witnessed was twenty three minutes and fifty two seconds of the most depressing, painful and downright mean reliving of high-school hell I've ever seen. This was not funny, or insightful...it was just very sad.
Tomoko Kuroki is a painfully shy high school freshman who has terrible anxiety about speaking to people and yet longs for friendship. She tries changing her appearance, with disastrous results, she's called ugly when she's not ignored and even her own brother doesn't particularly want to talk to her. She descends in to bitterness and despair.
...at which point I started wondering "Well then. Where's the punch line?"
Thus far there isn't one. There is just the festering emotional pain of a broken, wretchedly lonely girl as she shuffles down the narrowing corridors of her sanity.
I found it so disturbing that I could not sleep last night.
I don't think I'll be following this, but I may watch episode 2 to see if the writers deign to provide any glimmer of hope for this poor girl.
What I witnessed was twenty three minutes and fifty two seconds of the most depressing, painful and downright mean reliving of high-school hell I've ever seen. This was not funny, or insightful...it was just very sad.
Tomoko Kuroki is a painfully shy high school freshman who has terrible anxiety about speaking to people and yet longs for friendship. She tries changing her appearance, with disastrous results, she's called ugly when she's not ignored and even her own brother doesn't particularly want to talk to her. She descends in to bitterness and despair.
...at which point I started wondering "Well then. Where's the punch line?"
Thus far there isn't one. There is just the festering emotional pain of a broken, wretchedly lonely girl as she shuffles down the narrowing corridors of her sanity.
I found it so disturbing that I could not sleep last night.
I don't think I'll be following this, but I may watch episode 2 to see if the writers deign to provide any glimmer of hope for this poor girl.
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July 09, 2013
Cute Girls Doing Manly Things While Daintily Eating Cake.
Yes...yes we've found a weird one.
Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 concerns a painfully shy, but otherwise outwardly normal young lady named Yura who gets into a a very exclusive preparatory high-school. Due to an unlikely confluence of events involving a pillow, a DVD and a strawberry layer cake, she ends up enrolled in the paintball & survivalist club. This facilitates Yura getting in touch with her inner goofball.
Looking at the premise, this doesn't look promising. It is just a combination of elements from recent hits like Girls und Panzer and K-ON!
However, the first episode is genuinely engaging and this show looks like it could be quite fun. It has some some surprisingly interesting and likeable characters who enthusiastically revel in their oddness.
Yes...yes we've found a weird one.
Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 concerns a painfully shy, but otherwise outwardly normal young lady named Yura who gets into a a very exclusive preparatory high-school. Due to an unlikely confluence of events involving a pillow, a DVD and a strawberry layer cake, she ends up enrolled in the paintball & survivalist club. This facilitates Yura getting in touch with her inner goofball.
Looking at the premise, this doesn't look promising. It is just a combination of elements from recent hits like Girls und Panzer and K-ON!
However, the first episode is genuinely engaging and this show looks like it could be quite fun. It has some some surprisingly interesting and likeable characters who enthusiastically revel in their oddness.
UPDATE: Oh dear...it's a GAINAX show. I now have this nagging fear that midway through it will turn into Battle Royale or something.
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Eating Crow With Verve
R.S. McCain isn't the only one dealing with contributors publishing unfounded rumors.
Bearing Drift is a conservative blog focused primarily on Virginia politics. Love or hate their views they have built a reputation as a bunch of straight shooters. Well, Friday one of their contributors, a Willie Deutch, announced that Governor McDonnell was resigning...and their traffic shot through the roof...and made the local radio station.
However, this story appears at this point to be utter bull squeeze.
The next day Bearing Drift put up this post. They are not throwing Deutch under the bus...yet...as he may have been burned by a source but they do acknowledge that the story is at best dubious. As corrections go, it's pretty decent, being on the front page and all.
It also stands as a reminder that reputation is not easily gained once lost and there are a LOT of BS stories out there. We here at Brickmuppet Blog are not immune to getting stories wrong. It's easy to get burned if ones normally reliable source is on crack that day...but it's important to remember that much of what is out there is crazy. Theres a LOT of BS stories floating about now...it seems to be more than usual....I know of several bloggers who've had to retract posts when they found out that stories they got from normally reliable sources were tracked back and found to ultimately come from Alex Jones or something.
So beware.
Bearing Drift is a conservative blog focused primarily on Virginia politics. Love or hate their views they have built a reputation as a bunch of straight shooters. Well, Friday one of their contributors, a Willie Deutch, announced that Governor McDonnell was resigning...and their traffic shot through the roof...and made the local radio station.
However, this story appears at this point to be utter bull squeeze.
The next day Bearing Drift put up this post. They are not throwing Deutch under the bus...yet...as he may have been burned by a source but they do acknowledge that the story is at best dubious. As corrections go, it's pretty decent, being on the front page and all.
It also stands as a reminder that reputation is not easily gained once lost and there are a LOT of BS stories out there. We here at Brickmuppet Blog are not immune to getting stories wrong. It's easy to get burned if ones normally reliable source is on crack that day...but it's important to remember that much of what is out there is crazy. Theres a LOT of BS stories floating about now...it seems to be more than usual....I know of several bloggers who've had to retract posts when they found out that stories they got from normally reliable sources were tracked back and found to ultimately come from Alex Jones or something.
So beware.
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July 08, 2013
The Obama Administration has Negotiated For 15,000 Russian Troops for Crowd Control?
Actually...no.
I had missed the disquisitions on this diabolical development due to my having been away from the computer today.
So....any thoughts come immediately to mind?
I had missed the disquisitions on this diabolical development due to my having been away from the computer today.
...the Obama administration has requested 15,000 Russian troops who are trained in disaster relief and ‘crowd functions’ to be pre-positioned to respond to FEMA Region III during an unspecified ‘upcoming’ disaster. FEMA Region III includes Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The report says it’s "important†to note this region because it could imply that that the Obama administration has lost confidence in its own military being able to secure the area should it be called upon to do so.
So....any thoughts come immediately to mind?
"Oh God! This is TERRIBLE! Hide the chicken! Pack up the chicken!....Oh crap, fried chicken doesn't have enough shelf life.This means we'll have to start hoarding those canned chickens . "
more...
Or...not.
Look...it's bunk...utter bunk.
R.S. McCain discovered that this weapons grade crazy was a headline in his recently launched news aggregation site, which left him with two possibilities.
Actually the chicken in a can is not freeze-dried so answer B need not result in an outcome QUITE as dire as he implies, but as McCain documents in a very long post B is not the correct answer.
By all means keep hoarding the canned chickens...'cause you might need them for Chantal....
...but there is no evidence that there are any Russian troops coming to do riot control in the US.
None...
Nada...
McCain now has to deal with the two implications of A. One of his contributors either bought a story that even as conspiracy theories go, is just bone crushingly stupid, or one of his contributors is a Moby. Of course the correct response is the same in either case.
Anyway, if you see this story crop up please debunk it.
Look...it's bunk...utter bunk.
R.S. McCain discovered that this weapons grade crazy was a headline in his recently launched news aggregation site, which left him with two possibilities.
Well, well — what’s up with that, indeed? The most obvious explanations would seem to be either:
• One of our writers has bought into a fringe conspiracy theory;
or
• It’s time to start stockpiling ammo and freeze-dried food, before the black helicopters show up to take us to FEMA camps.
Actually the chicken in a can is not freeze-dried so answer B need not result in an outcome QUITE as dire as he implies, but as McCain documents in a very long post B is not the correct answer.
By all means keep hoarding the canned chickens...'cause you might need them for Chantal....
...but there is no evidence that there are any Russian troops coming to do riot control in the US.
None...
Nada...
McCain now has to deal with the two implications of A. One of his contributors either bought a story that even as conspiracy theories go, is just bone crushingly stupid, or one of his contributors is a Moby. Of course the correct response is the same in either case.
Anyway, if you see this story crop up please debunk it.
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July 07, 2013
More Than 20 Years Ahead of His Time
Actually...no.
We're over two decades behind where we ought to be.
Doug Englebert died last Tuesday and it is a testament to how screwed up our media is that I learned of his passing from XKCD.
Englebert was one of the greatest computer pioneers of all time.
After returning from service in the Philippine theater of operations in WW2 he studied electrical engineering and worked for NACA. He then worked on computers at Ames, and with Hewlett Crane developing magnetic core memory. In 1962 he put together a hand picked team of researchers at Stanford's Augmentation Reasearch Center.
Between 1962 and 1968, he and his 17 person team developed, amongst other things, the computer mouse, cursor (which he called a "bug") hypertext, instant messaging, video instant messaging, audio files, dynamic file linking, keyword searching, modern computer word processing and the hyperlink.
Here follow this "hyperlink" to the video of his 1968 demo of the fruits of their labors at the 1968 joint computer conference. watch the whole thing. It's 90 minutes that changed the world...just a bit slower than it ought to have.
It was all there...all of it was demonstrated except cat videos and pr0n and it was demonstrated in 1968.
We're over two decades behind where we ought to be.
Doug Englebert died last Tuesday and it is a testament to how screwed up our media is that I learned of his passing from XKCD.
Englebert was one of the greatest computer pioneers of all time.
After returning from service in the Philippine theater of operations in WW2 he studied electrical engineering and worked for NACA. He then worked on computers at Ames, and with Hewlett Crane developing magnetic core memory. In 1962 he put together a hand picked team of researchers at Stanford's Augmentation Reasearch Center.
Between 1962 and 1968, he and his 17 person team developed, amongst other things, the computer mouse, cursor (which he called a "bug") hypertext, instant messaging, video instant messaging, audio files, dynamic file linking, keyword searching, modern computer word processing and the hyperlink.
Here follow this "hyperlink" to the video of his 1968 demo of the fruits of their labors at the 1968 joint computer conference. watch the whole thing. It's 90 minutes that changed the world...just a bit slower than it ought to have.
It was all there...all of it was demonstrated except cat videos and pr0n and it was demonstrated in 1968.
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On The Importance of Crosschecking Ones Data
Thursday I was laid up with a terrible cold. I stayed in my room all through the 4th trying to heal up for work Friday night. Well, I got up and felt terrible but one does NOT call in the day after a holiday at UPS, so I hustled outside and....cold snap.
It was 40 degrees in July! So I ran back in put on a heavy workshirt and a hoodie and hurried off to work.
Ghaah! The heater in the van was broken!
I got to work and noticed that a bunch of crazy people were coming to work in shorts in 40 degree weather.
...oh wait.
It wasn't the weather...it was me.
Well, I lasted about 3 hrs before I broke morale and asked to go home. Fortunately I looked horrible enough that management gave me no grief, but rather encouraged me to leave.
I was MUCH better by Saturday evening.
This afternoon I was well enough to notice that I hadn't actually published this post.
So all is well I suppose.
The following picture is unrelated to the text concerning my weekend. I am very grateful for that.
It was 40 degrees in July! So I ran back in put on a heavy workshirt and a hoodie and hurried off to work.
Ghaah! The heater in the van was broken!
I got to work and noticed that a bunch of crazy people were coming to work in shorts in 40 degree weather.
...oh wait.
It wasn't the weather...it was me.
Well, I lasted about 3 hrs before I broke morale and asked to go home. Fortunately I looked horrible enough that management gave me no grief, but rather encouraged me to leave.
I was MUCH better by Saturday evening.
This afternoon I was well enough to notice that I hadn't actually published this post.
So all is well I suppose.
The following picture is unrelated to the text concerning my weekend. I am very grateful for that.
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July 06, 2013
The TAIL Fell Off?
WTF?
There are reportedly two dead and sixty six injured in what appears to be a bizarre crash of a 777 at San Fransco airport. I imagine the death toll will be a bit higher but it's really fortunate that the survival rate is so high.
All the reports I'm seeing and reading indicate that the tail fell off.
More here.
Pete, do you have any thoughts?
If this was not terrorism related (and thee are NO indications that it is as I type this) then this is the first major non-deliberate airline crash in the US since 2001.
UPDATE: Over at Chizumatic Steven mentions that some transpacific flights carry two crews. In my experience this has not been the case with the 14 hour flights to Japan, though I've been using super bargain basement airlines. It's my understanding that there IS a crew lounge in the tail of many of these planes, but even given a two crew arrangement I'm pretty sure that the stewards would all be in their jump seats during take off/landing in case of emergency.
There are reportedly two dead and sixty six injured in what appears to be a bizarre crash of a 777 at San Fransco airport. I imagine the death toll will be a bit higher but it's really fortunate that the survival rate is so high.
All the reports I'm seeing and reading indicate that the tail fell off.
More here.
Pete, do you have any thoughts?
If this was not terrorism related (and thee are NO indications that it is as I type this) then this is the first major non-deliberate airline crash in the US since 2001.
UPDATE: Over at Chizumatic Steven mentions that some transpacific flights carry two crews. In my experience this has not been the case with the 14 hour flights to Japan, though I've been using super bargain basement airlines. It's my understanding that there IS a crew lounge in the tail of many of these planes, but even given a two crew arrangement I'm pretty sure that the stewards would all be in their jump seats during take off/landing in case of emergency.
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Another Sucsessful Grasshopper Launch
One of the Brickmuppet's Crack Team of Science Babes brings news of yest another success from Space-X with their Grasshopper test rig.
This time it's their first with their new guidance system. On June 14th the rocket ascended 1066 feet high, thereby commemorating the Battle of Hastings...ummm...five months and a day early.
This time it's their first with their new guidance system. On June 14th the rocket ascended 1066 feet high, thereby commemorating the Battle of Hastings...ummm...five months and a day early.
The coincidental significance of the altitude notwithstanding this is another significant milestone in the crafts development strategy which involves test a bit...learn a bit...test some more. The little RPV carrying the camera here gives some spectacular views of the launch.
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July 05, 2013
Twisting the Knife
Sony has released an informative How-To video walking prospective users through the involved process by which they share games on the new PS4.
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