December 17, 2007
Turning Stopwatches into Tricorders
how close are we to developing something like this? I read a fascinating article last week on the state of atomic clocks. There's nothing more fun than rank scientific speculation, so let's have a go. First we start with a...
October 30, 2007
Remembering Molecules?
Most all the stuff you learn in school is false. If that sounds like an extreme generalization -- it is. And it's exactly why what you learn is false: it's incomplete, it's generalized, it's dumbed-down for the masses. It's easy...
October 26, 2007
Sharing the Point about MOSS
For the past few days I've been putting together a presentation about Microsoft's new portal product, Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007, or MOSS. There's a local Sharepoint User's Group starting up, and I got selected to make the first...
October 23, 2007
Where's the Line?
Got Kratom? If you do, does that make you bad? Got into an interesting discussion over on news.yc this morning regarding the question: "Just what is okay to sell on a website?" A user named "rms" has a site called...
October 15, 2007
Lookin' for Love in all the Wrong Places
It may be love, but you won't believehow many batteries this guy takes "My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots," artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the...
June 30, 2007
Structured Procrastination
I'm writing this blog post today. Sure -- it's been a while since I've blogged, and I really wanted to blog earlier, but I finally found something more important not to do. I confess -- I am a world-famous procrastinator....
June 11, 2007
What Does it Mean to be a Journalist, Anyway?
When old ugly fat people get popular,Lauren Jones is going to be out of luck.I promise to be a gracious winner.What's it mean to be a journalist? Lately a lot of people are asking. Take blogging, for instance. I blog...
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June 2, 2007
Secrets of the Web Monkey Ninja Warriors
Listen up! Or things might get ugly In an ongoing effort to do as little work as possible, I have been tirelessly scavenging the web looking to entertain you, the reader. Please -- no need to thank me now. Send...
December 2, 2006
Pushin' Bits
I guess as we become more and more computerized more of our lives are going to revolve around pushing bits. Case in point: my new camera....
November 15, 2006
Borat The Unknowable
Maybe I am alone in the world, but I just don't get Borat. Would muggings or snuff films be okay at the theater? Or is it just okay to push hatefulness as far as you can without gettting arrested?...
September 1, 2006
Negative Databases
How can you NOT like an article that begins like this? IN THE 1940s a philosopher called Carl Hempel showed that by manipulating the logical statement "all ravens are black", you could derive the equivalent "all non-black objects are non-ravens"....
August 2, 2006
Morgellons: The Limits of Sanity
I like the topic of UFOs. Not because of the little green men, but because it tells us something about how our culture deals with the unknown. Cryptozoology is another good topic, as is parapsychology. Lately there's been a new...
June 21, 2006
Write it up, I'll take it
Yesterday I pitched a local business journal. They are looking for "wisdom of life" columns -- so if you're an accountant you tell all about what you've learned as an accountant. If you're a mechanic you tell about the pitfalls and stupid stuff you see as a mechanic. They want it edgy and outside-the-mainstream material.
June 5, 2006
21 Reasons Programming Is Better Than Dating (For Guys)
I'm an old married guy with four kids, but I remember being in my 20s, single, and looking for love. So you're staying home on a Friday night writing web code, what's so bad about that? What you need to remember is the 21 REASONS PROGRAMMING IS BETTER THAN DATING.
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May 27, 2006
Night of the Attack Clowns
Here's the latest in the "Here's Something For the New Guy" category for tactical teams, a patent for a launching device to catapult people onto buildings.
May 23, 2006
Uncle and an half step dad?
Are there no standards here? Is there some sort of standard naming scheme for family members? Certainly with all the work we've done with programming languages, databases, and computer technology, somebody has come up with a standard family naming system.
May 15, 2006
Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls Of Plasma!
This week the British Ministry Of Defence released a formerly top secret report that says that there have been no UFO sightings in British airspace in the last thrity years that were truly unexplained.
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April 30, 2006
Moon with a Screw Top
I'm going to show you some of the most unusual recent pictures I've seen from our space program. Pictures so unusual that some of people on the fringes claim that this moon of Saturn is actually an advanced spaceship put into a parking orbit around the planet thousands of years ago!
April 25, 2006
Brain Teaser
Years ago, when I was interviewing for Trilogy Software Group in Austin, Texas, I got my first brain teaser question.
April 10, 2006
Breaking News: I am an Informon
I've spent much of my professional life learning new skills: database programming, object-oriented anlaysis and design, negotiation. Things that I think will help my clients on my future assignments. I guess you could say that the only way to be successful in the consulting game is to study deeply areas of interest several years before your clients realize they need help.
March 9, 2006
I am now a Pod-Person
I'm a pod-person.
November 14, 2005
Neat web site
Here's a site I found a year or two ago. I browsed for a couple of hours, which is unusual for me.
November 7, 2005
Giant Gorilla Used To Live Next Door
A gigantic ape, measuring about 10 feet tall and weighing up to 1,200 pounds, co-existed alongside humans, a geochronologist at McMaster University has discovered.
October 11, 2005
RFID In The News
Here's another round-up of RFID technology.
October 7, 2005
The Mind Molester
Got somebody you don't like? The new mind molester is guaranteed to drive them crazy.
September 30, 2005
Robot Dog Keeps Diary, Takes Pictures
This week Sony unveiled a new version of its canine robot AIBO which, unlike your average puppy, can talk and keep a diary.
September 28, 2005
USB and Bluetooth: made for each other
It looks like Bluetooth is here to stay -- all the new cell phones, cars, and notebooks are supporting the interface. So what to do if you have an older notebook, like me?
September 25, 2005
Way Cool New Little Toy
Seems like gadget week here on the blog, but hey -- the rule is if I like it, I blog about it.
September 18, 2005
My Next Phone
Ok, so maybe I'm not getting the new $1.2 million VW, but I got a shot at the new Sprint phone.
September 16, 2005
New Volkswagon: 1001HP $1.24 Million
Volkswagon's latest ride isn't something the kids are going to be driving off to college, at 1001HP, it has an awesome 16-cylinder engine under the hood.
Mario Turns 20, Nintendo Shows Off New Controller
Mario, that loveable little guy sho started out having problems with a big gorilla named "Donkey Kong" and ended up a pop icon, turned 20 this week.
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September 15, 2005
Blast From the Past
I remember that I used to think "The Six Million Dollar Man" was one of the coolest shows on TV.
September 3, 2005
Bots Are Hot
I've done a few robot stories in the past, talking about how companies are creating armed attack robots, and some of the problems developers are going to face when building them. There's the 18-foot giant robot, and robot soccer champions...
August 30, 2005
Have You Seen This Monkey?
From Ohio police today: The bulletin issued by police in the southwest Ohio town of Springdale describes the subject as two feet tall, weighing eight pounds, clad only in blue pants and prone to sleeping in trees. It's another week...
August 27, 2005
T-Rays Offer Hope
Remember how Superman used his X-Ray vision? He could see through just about anything, save for lead. Well, we all got older and realized that X-Rays really don't work that way. Anybody who has seen an X-Ray image knows it's...
August 25, 2005
Cool Site of The Day
Look out in your yard and see a Skunk-Ape? How about an American Lion?
August 17, 2005
Monkey Attack!
Sixty-two year old James Davis is finally getting out the hospital this week after being savagely attacked by chimps six months ago. What were they doing? They "...were celebrating the 39th birthday of their former pet chimp, Moe, at the...
August 5, 2005
Hydrogen Power Update
It looks like hydrogen power in definitely the wave of the future. National Geographic has a cool article about this fuel cell motorcycle -- looks like something from Batman. What about infrastructure? Don't we have a long way to go?...
August 3, 2005
Wood Pecker Song Excites Bird People
There were skeptics, sure. After the lost ivory-billed woodpecker was found this year, many bird watchers did not believe that the extinct bird actually was alive. Well, after hearing their songs on tape, the skeptics are now believers. Pandas might...
August 1, 2005
Hubble Space Telescope: Another Outdated Platform?
I like the Hubble. I also like the Space Shuttle. But people talking about saving the Hubble are missing a few salient points....
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July 31, 2005
Friends, Romans, Shoppers: Lend Me Your Ears
In the future, we're all going to be "logged on" all the time, so such terms may actually hamper the discussion instead of moving it forward.
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July 29, 2005
$16 Million Fridge Magnet
What do you get when you pay sixteen million bucks for a magnet? A big honking magnet, that's what. Weighing in at more than 15 tons, the magnet took 13 years to develop. Reports are unconfirmed that it is actually...
July 27, 2005
From the "Stupid Headline" Department
"Nuclear Weapons Continue To Pose A Serious Health Risk In Europe" Gadzooks man! Has CNN heard of this?...
July 24, 2005
Do Not Click This Link!
I read the other day that separate studies are out on how much time we waste on the internet -- to the tune of almost $180 Billion per year. Wow. That's a lot of money. I think I wasted a...
July 23, 2005
Migrating Brids Dumber Than Others
New study says birds that migrate are dumber than birds who stay the winter....
July 22, 2005
RFID Future -- Lots Of Change
Great overview of the status of the RFID market here. Look for a lot of consolidation, as big companies buy up the little ones. It would be a good time to have developed a RFID software/hardware system and have it deployed several places -- especially if it supports a lot of standards.
July 21, 2005
You're Going To Need a Bigger Boat
The latest monster shark derby just completed off Martha's Vinyard. This entry did not win the competition, as the boat was six minutes too late returning to port. It gets my vote, however, and the vote of the local fishermen,...
Saturn Moon Pictures Mystify Scientists
Scientists report the latest images of Enceladus (a moon of Saturn) show "...a surface texture never seen anywhere else in the solar system.."
For full details, see the article. I'm looking forward to hearing more about this mystery.
July 19, 2005
Today Only: Shutlecraft For Sale
I don't want to do a "what's on E-bay" blog, but this got my attention. Today only, a Star Trek shuttlecraft. I wonder if it comes with a set of phasers? ...The donors on this vehicle were 3 1993 Ford...
July 18, 2005
Strange But Useless: The Rabbit
What do you get when you cross Wi-Fi, a plastic rabbit, some motors and flashing lights? A completely uselss device that you can carry around and show people, that's what.
July 17, 2005
PCs To Poor Nations
Here's a wonderful story out of Africa about taking old PCs from developed worlds and donating them to poor people who need them. Since a PC can cost more than a person makes in a year, this is a great charity to get involved with. My cousin has been involved with shipping a couple of trucks to Africa filled with old PCs, and not only does it get PCs into the hands of people who need them, the trucks can also be used for income generation. Since we've already reported that aid recipients might know best where to spend the money, why not empower them even more to make a difference in their lives with a computer?
Cheaper Hydrogen Production Method Discovered
Starting out trying to make rooms smell better, researchers at Signa Chemistrys instead came up with a cheaper way to make hydrogen. This is technology worth watching. If, as I supposed, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles are where the industry is going over the next 50 years, then the production, transport, and storage of hydrogen are going to be industries standing to grow tremendously.
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July 15, 2005
Rocket Car
On E-Bay there is a guy selling a rocket-poered MR-2. It goes at least 180mph, with "lots of power to spare". This is definitely going on my Christmas list this year.
July 14, 2005
Chicken Mind-Reading Study Concludes
How much credit do you give chickens? It's a question I haven't really thought of before. Lizards, sure. But chickens? I can't say I've put as much thoughful consideration into chicken intelligence as I should.
July 13, 2005
Giant Bathroom Sponge Found Orbiting Saturn
Well, it certainly looks like a giant bathroom sponge, doesn't it? I thought with all the attention focused on the Space Shuttle today, it would do us good to remember there are other neat things happening in the world.
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July 12, 2005
Night Of The Living Parrots
For some reason, parrots seem to be in the news a lot lately. First there was word that parrots understand the concept of zero (He's not counting, he's pining for the fjords!) Now there's new word that parrots actually give each other names. What's next, parrots opening a 7-11 in your neighborhood?
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Buy 'Em
Right on the heels of recent news that Disney is teaming up with Sprint to provide special nationwide family service, Sprint has also managed to silence a big critic by simply buying their company out. There's so much here I...
Think You Have a Hard Time at Work?
Try getting pandas to mate, from this web site, here's some snippets of what it's like:...
July 11, 2005
News On the Net
Couple of interesting stories about the internet in the news today. First, Online users becoming more web savvy, according to Pew Research. 91% of people have changed their online behavior trying to keep the nasties at bay. And the Japanese...
July 10, 2005
Wanna Buy a Ray Gun?
So you've got a tool that is non-lethal, inexpensive, and available. But nobody wants to use it. Read the article and draw your own conclusions.
July 9, 2005
Build Your Own Time Machine
I'm a big multiverse believer myself, so I really don't have the problems with causality that plague others.
New Trek Film -- Made by the Fans
What to do now that Enterprise has been canceled? Well, if you're a big Star Trek fan, why not make your own Star Trek movie? That's what some fans in the Washington, DC area are doing. (Warning: silly-looking people on...
July 8, 2005
Mobile Phones Provided Immediate Coverage of 7-7
The BBC is running a story that provides details on how mobile phones gave immediate coverage of the blasts in London. It's interested that not only can the phones be used as remote detonating devices, they can also be used...
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July 7, 2005
Mars Rovers: Science Recap
After a long time on the surface of Mars, several studies have come back, and MSNBC has a nice recap of the current state of research. Of note here is how much we still don't know about Mars and its...
July 6, 2005
IRS May Owe You Money. Good Luck Getting It
With the quality of the brain trust we have spending our money, it's a wonder we don't have them passing silly laws, like seat belts for dogs or something.
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July 5, 2005
Marketing Moves Forward: Ads In RSS
In other words, good companies and advertisers are productive to society, and the more effective we can make advertising, the better society will be
New Wireless Technology: XMax
It's radio without use of the radio spectrum, which is a weird thing to say, but there it is.
July 4, 2005
Now This is an Ugly Dog
Ugly like this is tough to do. It doesn't come for free -- somebody wrote a check for this.
July 2, 2005
Clanning Continues
From the "I wish I had thought of that" department, FaceBook is an online college directory/networking application. Started in February 2004, it now has over five thousand new users every day. ABC News article here....
July 1, 2005
Think You've Had a Bad Day
Think you've had a bad day? This lady pushed the wrong button on her keyboard, spent over $200 million, and now she's looking for a new job. Wonder what would have happened if she pushed two buttons?...
How Much Do Friends Cost?
Didn't get the buzzwords? Never mind. Whatever the new product will be will have some kind of neat name -- LaserFire or something.
June 30, 2005
Fujitsu Launches New Biometric Device
This whole area looks ripe for cost control, as there are a lot of different biometric systems out there. How about a quick tour?
June 29, 2005
RFID Clouds On The Horizon
But now is the time to plan for the bugs, and what to do to fix them.
June 28, 2005
Act Like a Congressman
We're not talking about free trips to Bermuda or fund raising dinners with the stars, we're talking about the Congressional Research Service, the group that does research for Congress.
June 27, 2005
Captain Picard Is Following Me Around
Sure, you were more of a wus than the real captain, Kirk, but I kinda got to like you after a while. But you've got to find a new home. You're scaring the heck out of me.
June 26, 2005
How Much Does NASA Cost?
The problem with NASA information is that there is so much of it: I found everything except what I was looking for
June 25, 2005
IRS: We Also Gave Away Your Information
In a move certain to amaze commentators, the IRS announced today that they may have accidentally given away confidential information about taxpayers. So let's review the IRS business model, shall we? 1) Make you give them money or send them...
June 24, 2005
IRS spends $8 Billion. Forgets to Keep Receipts
I want to make this offer one more time: I will gladly take only $1 Billion from the IRS and in return, I also will provide absolutely no value.
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June 22, 2005
NASA Announces New Department
In news as exciting as watching ducks sleep, NASA announced Monday that they're forming a new department for the purpose of analyzing the other programs the agency has.