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| Thursday, March 19th, 2009 | | 5:00 am |
First: Better Off Ted A new show about R&D director for a large mad science corporation "We want to weaponise a pumpkin." Protein structure determined in living cells which may, one day, allow for resolution of how proteins participate in biological processess within living tissues. It's biogeek stuff. Scientists have developed a nanoporus material with more than 5000 square metres per gramEuropean scientists are working on post 4G technologies (1500 times the speed of upcoming 4G mobile networks in fact), experimentally able to deliver 12.5 gigabytes a second uncompressed wireless HD only requires 3Gb a second, has been developed - we'll probably see the frst uses of this in recording sports events, I'm presuming. More mind reading stuff - scientists can now, by scanning someone's brain know more about where you've beenScience determines the chemicals that make Gouda tasty - on food science, an old but good one - molecular gastronomy, wherein foods are chemically examined to find out which things that you wouldn't go together actually will - who would have thought that Pineapple, Blue Cheese, and White Wine would have gone together? Now I want to try out some of these pairings, our of curiosity. In space news, scientists appear to have sidestepped the "warm box" necessity - means of protecting electronics from extremes of temperatures or exposure to radiation, some commercially available designs having been tested down to 2 kelvin (that's 2 degrees above absolute zero, or -271 celcius). Which is some space age stuff right there, in and of itself, and one step closer to holding the stars in the palms of our hands. Ultra thin chips developed for wearable electronicsOh, and under certain conditions graphite functions as a superconductor; sodium becomes transperant (and not metallic) under high (but experimetally obtainable) pressure - which is interesting for the information this gives us about material sciences; patients who give up smoking before surgery have half as many complications; random network connectivity can be delayed, but at the cost of explosive crystallisation of connectivity once it begins; Nanofluids have been developed for high grade heating or cooling; Doctors have successfully removed 7 organs, removed a tumor and replaced all organs in a 7 year old girl who has now recovered enough to go home; When usicians play together, their EEGs beomce more synchronized; A new generation of oral vaccinne has been developed using dairy probiotics (which has already been used to immunise against anthrax exposure (80% survival in mice which is comparable with injected vaccinnes)) removing the need for adjuncts which stimulate the immune system at the site of injection (and co-commitent side effects) - bad news for the lactose allergent, I suppose. Anyway, I've been finding this stuff interesting, and have been on a science kick (primarily due to ACW character creation, I suppose). Does anyone else find it interesting? | | Thursday, March 12th, 2009 | | 5:34 am |
Science! (and other interesting links!)
Most important is probably several researchers discovering a means of cheaply(er) and simply(er) synthesizing peptides, and deciding not to patent it but make it more open source. If you're not a biochem geek, this is very funky and excellent for further research. A way of artificially creating human bones using a 3D printer, which can then be implanted into a body and mature into living human bone tissue. An interesting data mining tool which seems to be seeking not links, but the answers to questions - of course I have no idea if it'll actually work, but it's definately fascinating. On the further borders of MMI, a man who was missing an eye has had his artificial eye replaced with one which contains a video camera to transmit information to an external source. Which raises some privacy, and security issues. This isn't a camera that's directly linked to the optic nerve (those are still in the very basic stages, but are advancing rapidly), but one which records information. The slightly alarmist step by step guide to destroying the world with Nanotechnology: Mmm, grey goo. When in doubt for crazy science, there's always Mind Control. It doesn't mention the Cyranoid effect, which is also interesting. Luckily someone has already created warning signs for the future which are not only useful, but pretty. In less techy links: Regrettably the plans to suspend a geostationary banana over texas fell down in the last stages. Still, it's cool. Regrettably I do not own a copy of Girraffe? Girraffe!Finally, The True stories behind 5 famous images. | | Friday, February 13th, 2009 | | 12:41 am |
| | Thursday, February 12th, 2009 | | 7:18 am |
Various
So: I agreed to do a blog with a friend. Where is a good place to start one? Links to things I have talked to people about: Battlestar is returning on the 16th of January. One website that I've always very much enjoyed was Bear McCreary's discussions about the music that went into battlestar here. It's fascinating reading, even if only for the (chillingly awesome) translation of the lyrics of the Gaius Baltar Scene in series 4 - which post contains some spoilers hereScientists making evil AI to release into world of WarcraftMonkey uses mind control to control robotsTV Tropes a collection of various tropes, originally just from TV, ubt also from books, comics, and film (and real life). I'm sure there's other stuff - so what else have I said I should provide you the link to? | | Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 | | 2:07 am |
Birthday Party Date
For some strange reason, I'm thinking of when to hold my actual birthday party. So birthday party: Saturday January 17 2009 - the third saturday of January. Is there some reason that I should avoid this day? Some awesome event, or happening upon it? You have a week to object, or else I'll claim it. Continuing my habit of planning parties a bit before other people think is reasonable, how would people feel about having an end of the world themed party in 2012, when the Aztec/Mayan/Incan calenders run out? Not that I think the world is going to end, but it's a good excuse for a party, yes. | | Sunday, August 24th, 2008 | | 7:24 am |
So I'm back
Well, a bit earlier than this, but I've done the basic unpacking. I thought of napping until a bit later in the day, but there are no blankets on my bed - which I'll have to ask housemates about. Still, I'm curled up in my room again and I have a flavoured milk drink (which were impossible to find overseas) so everything is fine. If you sent me a SMS or tried to ring, I didn't get it - probably something to do with taking my phone overseas. If you've posted something on your livejournal (or something has happened in world politics you think I should know about - I was really quite disconnected) then please leave a note here (or send one privately, I guess). I won't be reading backwards on livejournal any further than this message. Possibly there might be a more interesting message later. | | Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 | | 1:47 am |
Just in case you don't know (and RPGs)
On saturday I'm leaving to America. Apparently I suck at publicising this properly. Talking tonight on the new episode of A Colder War made me realise how much I enjoy doing this. It's always fun creating these things. I think I really do enjoy collaborating on them just because of all the energy that that brings to the subject. | | Monday, February 4th, 2008 | | 12:58 pm |
| | Monday, December 3rd, 2007 | | 4:34 pm |
Unbirthday + New Years Party Reminders
Just reminding everyone, I did mention several months ago that I was going to be having an unbirthday and a new Year's thing. People seem not to remember my throwaway comments from three months ago (which, hey, fair enough), though, so thought I'd remind. New Years - December 31st Birthday - Saturday 19th of January (third saturday of the month) Both will be at my place in Sydenham. We're still pulling details together, but they're likely to be casual affairs.Unless someone proposes something amazingly awesome. Questions? Alcohol related link: One person, three days, 216 drinks for medical purposes. | | Thursday, September 6th, 2007 | | 2:47 am |
Consume the old. Devour the new
I'm thinking of having a birthday thing the third weekend of January. Is this a problem for anyone? I realise it will be hot then, but we have air conditioning, so hey. New Year? I've been using a scalpel recently in wax work (as opposed to the usual wax carving tools), and have remembered why I liked doing it. It's a lot sharper, and so a lot easier to get clean lines, which means more detail. It's also really good for negative space work. Overall: fun. Not best for everythign, but fun. I mentioned to someone the reason why the common drawing of a heart looks nothing like an actual biological one, and how this comes from the seed of a natural contraceptive. A tale of ecological mismanagement, and natural birth control 2600 years ago. Then of course, there's the tesla inspired floating lightbulb which takes less energy to run than a normal light bulb. And, of course: German Physicists who claim to have broken the speed of light. Finally, the skull of pacmanSome of humor in the following is a bit suss, but hey, historical mech fighting: | | Friday, August 17th, 2007 | | 1:59 am |
| | Thursday, July 26th, 2007 | | 11:28 pm |
Going to Melbourne Sunday through Tuesday. Still unsure if I'll be working at Sexpo on saturday. Have: A flood of spiders (old news, I know) Some people have not seen How it Should Have Ended. Star Wars Episode IV is particularly good (in the archive section) | | Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 | | 2:22 am |
Steampunk rayguns
Silver: I have begun collecting images, symbols, and designs that I like recently. If you have one that you particularly like, give it to me. | | Friday, June 29th, 2007 | | 12:46 am |
I just went to see Transformers. I will say only three things: Praise Megatron, Founder of Modern Civilisation! Optimus Prime is watching you make out. Vending-bot is awesome. | | Monday, June 18th, 2007 | | 5:20 am |
Friends interlaced, Cash for little work, Weddings
The relationships between people I know continually surprises me. In some situations I presume that people know each other, when they've never met and fit together like lego pieces from one of those cooler older kits that were more general before they all became about movie tie ins - which confuses me slightly but whatever. I should find out if I still have my bucket of lego, I used to have quite a lot. Sometimes, people from wildly disparate groupings know each other, or have relationships that I wouldn't have picked - a case in point being the fact that I knew someone and his brother seperately for a period of at least several years (I think about 4 years I've known one, and 2 1/2 years I've known the other) but never known that they even knew each other let alone that they were brothers. Which threw me. I guess that I should just presume that human relationships are like a spiderweb. A four dimensional spiderweb whose linkages are a lot closer than would otherwise be presumed. Presumably the fourth dimension would be time, with the other three being the usual spatial dimensions since I'm not sure human relationships can be described using quantum relationships. Even if geckos apparently use weak atomic force to climb walls, and plants use vagaries of quantum mechanics to sample all available energy pathways in order to select the best one for photosynthesis. Which is cool. If you're looking for some extra cash, ring Bek, from Analyze on 9793 1041 (if you live in Sydney). They run discussion groups there - the most recent one I went to was being shown a Wii, PS3, and 360, getting a chance to play with each, and then giving my opinion on each of them, but there are a variety of things that they discuss. Generally the cash is pretty good for the time involved, and the times take into account the fact that people work, so it's usually pretty easy to get to them even if you work. I have recently been to several weddings, which I always enjoy. It's a very different experience being in the audience of a wedding as opposed to a performer at a wedding - something that some people may not know about me is that I have been to possibly hundreds of weddings due to the fact that I used to be part of a choir that sung professionally at them. Which is how I learned to sightread music. So, yes. Many weddings. But: being part of the actual process and having a stake in it (through knowing the people involved and actually wanting them well) gives an entirely new perspective on the process. Someone once told me that marriage is much like Voltron, where people are better together then they are seperately. I would add to this that you get a giant sword with which to attack Alien invaders, which is a metaphor for... uniting together to face those elements of society who would rip you apart? Sometimes I think I should work on my metaphors before I begin speaking (or in this case, typing). Perhaps I should simply stop trying to find linkages between what I'm saying and the original point of my message? EDIT: Apparently I've had particularly prominant collarbones recently. Thankyou? Current Music: Deathklok - Awaken Mustakrakish | | Sunday, April 29th, 2007 | | 2:44 am |
Curiosity
Those of you who I said I would inform when the new Kushiel book came out in softcover, well... I have now. I don't tend to use this much anymore, except to view my friends page. What would people reccomend that I use it for? Nothing? Review of books, or other things (people who know me know that I read things occasionally)? Strange facts, pictures or videos? Rambling discursions on philosophy or science? Talking about upcoming RPG stuff, and other related work news? Other? Or just keep this as a thing I post in when something catches my fancy. Which is likely to be in another 6 months or so, given how I work. | | Friday, March 2nd, 2007 | | 11:08 pm |
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| | Thursday, March 1st, 2007 | | 3:36 am |
| | Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 | | 2:36 am |
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