-avatar- trying really hard to get this link to also work from another site... should there be any limitations? Can't find anything in the documentation
Sunday, December 12
Nest
-avatar- trying really hard to get this link to also work from another site... should there be any limitations? Can't find anything in the documentation
Nobody is special - everybody is great
Both the 3d comic Syntax Error and the more "established" NY Times [abstract only, $$ for full] have been discussing the Incredibles in light of calling children special.
Is it all right to call someone mediocre or average? Or should everyone be given a pat on the shoulder for their "accomplishment" ? What makes a better long term strategy? Real competition with winners and loosers, or scoreless games where it is more important to take part? "competition versus coddling" - should we be happy and content, or are there still enough though problems to solve, to strive for, to give it blood, sweat and tears?
Well, as the last "question" might indicate, I lean towards the attitude that not everyone is equally good at everything. I wouldn't want Carson fixing my plumbing or the security system of a major bank. But that doesn't mean he's not great - just not someone I percieve as overly analytical or hands-on (at least not "in character" as part of Fab5) And on the flip side, I wouldn't want Alan Greenspan redoing my wardrobe. Bottom line? Figure out what you might be special at - and then put some effort into it. Or 50 years down the line, no one will remember why Europe and the US were so great...
Something copletely different - saw an ad for a Earthsea minisereies over at SciFi. Looks real good - not all that surprised considering the success of LOTR, the story is right up there in terms of intense twist and far out locations. Looks like something to order up on dvd for next xmas!? Check out the interactive map and the trailers.
...and the sun has just risen through a wonderful halo of crimson and red clouds...
Is it all right to call someone mediocre or average? Or should everyone be given a pat on the shoulder for their "accomplishment" ? What makes a better long term strategy? Real competition with winners and loosers, or scoreless games where it is more important to take part? "competition versus coddling" - should we be happy and content, or are there still enough though problems to solve, to strive for, to give it blood, sweat and tears?
Well, as the last "question" might indicate, I lean towards the attitude that not everyone is equally good at everything. I wouldn't want Carson fixing my plumbing or the security system of a major bank. But that doesn't mean he's not great - just not someone I percieve as overly analytical or hands-on (at least not "in character" as part of Fab5) And on the flip side, I wouldn't want Alan Greenspan redoing my wardrobe. Bottom line? Figure out what you might be special at - and then put some effort into it. Or 50 years down the line, no one will remember why Europe and the US were so great...
Something copletely different - saw an ad for a Earthsea minisereies over at SciFi. Looks real good - not all that surprised considering the success of LOTR, the story is right up there in terms of intense twist and far out locations. Looks like something to order up on dvd for next xmas!? Check out the interactive map and the trailers.
...and the sun has just risen through a wonderful halo of crimson and red clouds...
Saturday, December 4
who are you?
And then I jumped on the wagon and got to fed up with "asd dsad @ saf" (or other junky instant one-off registration junk) - with the Firefox plugin available, BugMeNot should make it easier to jump around. :D
tech and mech
WHO is the best gamer out ther? Twin Galaxies might give the answer. Started ages ago (on a real-life blackboard...), Walter Day and his assosicates have been keeping score ever since. What a job!
Talking of jobs - the brand-man himself, Branson, is following in the steps of Donald Trump with a new "reality" show; Rebel Billionaire. Two first dumped after Branson drove them disguised as a cabdriver, then next morning the ones left went for extreme hot-air balooning... can't wait to see this one in full.
Saw an ad for Dell in Wired, the Precision series - and tried to find it here in Norway. Turns out it is aimed at SME over here, not for personal use. End of story? Twice the price ver here, since they insist on stuffing it with a crap screen and other "non-optional recomendations"
That is a real downside to reading magazines published state-side, reading about cool stuff like the Z500. Oh well, at least the Z600 seems to be almost the same [img]
...and the sun has taken a long vacation - back next year...
Talking of jobs - the brand-man himself, Branson, is following in the steps of Donald Trump with a new "reality" show; Rebel Billionaire. Two first dumped after Branson drove them disguised as a cabdriver, then next morning the ones left went for extreme hot-air balooning... can't wait to see this one in full.
Saw an ad for Dell in Wired, the Precision series - and tried to find it here in Norway. Turns out it is aimed at SME over here, not for personal use. End of story? Twice the price ver here, since they insist on stuffing it with a crap screen and other "non-optional recomendations"
That is a real downside to reading magazines published state-side, reading about cool stuff like the Z500. Oh well, at least the Z600 seems to be almost the same [img]
...and the sun has taken a long vacation - back next year...
Wednesday, November 17
Sniff and snow
Read about a nifty gadget in Wired, a handheld XRF scanner - that can be used to determine the atomic mix of various items (such as archeological finds, deposits from mining, unknown dumpsites....) The technology and method is old, but the handheld versions are new - and represent a great leap in terms of both ease of use and potential fields of application. In theory you could bring it into an old abandoned mine and figure out which parts/directions might be worth further excavation. Or it could be used by enviromentalists to do instant evaluation of exhaust and waste from various industrial sites. Insight at the touch of a button.
...on another note winter is here - as I came home 45 minutes ago it started gently snowing, and now everything outside is beeing cowered by a thin white layer. Wonder how it will look in the morning? Will it keep on snowing, blow away or simply melt? Oh well, for now I feel the x-mas spirit coming on! HO HO HO!
...and the sun has gone done - but the first snow is falling outside...
...on another note winter is here - as I came home 45 minutes ago it started gently snowing, and now everything outside is beeing cowered by a thin white layer. Wonder how it will look in the morning? Will it keep on snowing, blow away or simply melt? Oh well, for now I feel the x-mas spirit coming on! HO HO HO!
...and the sun has gone done - but the first snow is falling outside...
Tuesday, November 16
Simple = Beautiful
Read an interesting piece by K. Chang of the NY Times; the greatest (math) equations. Is it the real basic ones (1 + 1 = 2) or the more "fundamental" ones (euler, e to the power of i times Pi = -1 (or +1 = 0)... oh how easy to do maths in regular html)? My personal "shortlist" would probably include Maxwell, mostly because of a rather geeky tshirt with the text: "And God said...." followed by the equations.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light [us std]
(passed 400k and went into top 12k on whizzball...)
...and the sun makes short apperances as it heads south for the winter...
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light [us std]
(passed 400k and went into top 12k on whizzball...)
...and the sun makes short apperances as it heads south for the winter...
Monday, November 8
Riverside
Dansk Arkitekturguide gives (in Danish) an overview of some of the many spectacular buildings along the waterfront in Copenhagen. One of the favorites? The black diamond, or the National Library as the "real" name is. The main DAC guide site also has information on three other cities.
Friday, November 5
muse
want gives inspiration?
a picture?
a song?
a sound?
the view out the windov
a cup of latte
an article
curling up on the sofa with a book
or just a random flash in the back of the mind?
a picture?
a song?
a sound?
the view out the windov
a cup of latte
an article
curling up on the sofa with a book
or just a random flash in the back of the mind?
al-Q and dollars
Bruce Sterling has some interesting points and qoutes over at hisWired Blog: "al-Qaida spent $500 000 on the event, while America, in the incident and its aftermath, lost – according to the lowest estimate – more than 500 billion dollars"
puts things in perspective? A rather scary perspective!
(Hmmmmm. the pop-up editod uses strong and em!!! Guess I should stick to using it rather than the main site)
puts things in perspective? A rather scary perspective!
(Hmmmmm. the pop-up editod uses strong and em!!! Guess I should stick to using it rather than the main site)
deserving - days later
today the emailed version showed up. I sent it on the 3rd... so there is a little bit of lag somewhere in the google system! Wonder if/when the others will appear. (Oh yes, "google" is not in the spellchecker either - can you say generic purchase?)
Wednesday, November 3
What you get...
"..., you get when you least deserve it, and what you loose, you loose when you expect it the least" - Brit Bildøen, author "Everything in this world comes and goes" (or Alt her i verda kjem og går) Her view of the world, and saying that she thinks many people will recognize the feeling. And that brings us to the SinFest strip I posted earlier - I guess it is the same sentiment Monique had; shit happens! Why?
And then there are two very short quotes from the "readers digest" New York TImes (a 16 page weekly supplement to a local paper, selected articles in English).
"A squirrel is a rat with good PR" - Pulp Fiction anyone? Would you eat a sweet looking animal? So instead, try the game of Bourre (pronounced: Boo-Ray - at least according to the sources) Comes from south Louisianna, cajun-land, where you can actually expect to get a day off before the start of squirrel hunting season.
And they nag us about wanting to keep on hunting whales. Yeah. Check. 58,3 million. And still counting. (guess that's why blogger is so slow today - to many people screaming about it all) On a sidenote, 70% of the .5 million votes on CNN.com said that the Electoral College system is overdue for an overhaul. How about the old one man - one vote idea? Plain and simple, easy to explain, makes everybody all over the place just as involved.
And then there are two very short quotes from the "readers digest" New York TImes (a 16 page weekly supplement to a local paper, selected articles in English).
"A squirrel is a rat with good PR" - Pulp Fiction anyone? Would you eat a sweet looking animal? So instead, try the game of Bourre (pronounced: Boo-Ray - at least according to the sources) Comes from south Louisianna, cajun-land, where you can actually expect to get a day off before the start of squirrel hunting season.
And they nag us about wanting to keep on hunting whales. Yeah. Check. 58,3 million. And still counting. (guess that's why blogger is so slow today - to many people screaming about it all) On a sidenote, 70% of the .5 million votes on CNN.com said that the Electoral College system is overdue for an overhaul. How about the old one man - one vote idea? Plain and simple, easy to explain, makes everybody all over the place just as involved.
[filling my head with the beats of: Cornelius - Wataridori 2 - from the Wired "Rip Sample Mash Share" cd]
Tuesday, November 2
Just talk about it
"Bablende kvinner, tiende menn" - or "Babbling women, silent men"
Jeanette Sky wrote a piece on the roots and boundaries of psychology and 'shrinks'. The backdrop: a statement by a shrink that "affluent women spend to much time chatting with their therapist - they should shut up and let the doctor get on with curing all the really crazy people" (not a direct quote or translation, but the intent is there: daily troubles are less worthy of curing than serious madness and trauma from war/famine/...) So, this begets the question:
Can you fix madness by talking about it?
Or is therapy more about the everyday bumps - getting someone to listen without predjudice, or a least get the illusion that someone is listening (ref the movie where the "secret" to being a shrink is simply repeating the last part of the clients statement, but as a question: "I feel unloved by my mother" "Your mother?" ...) And if the main driver is getting the patient to reflect on her current situation and the past, would a blog be just a good? The illusion of listening is replaced with the illusion (or dream/hope?) of someone reading it - and being influenced, taking the time to reflect on the words and the message.
Does this blog keep me sane - or am I writing because I am sane? Cause and effect. Or simply an added outlet for ideas that I wouldn't normally discuss with the people I normally talk to? Because they wouldn't care or understand - or because they might disagree? When I started the blog the goal was to raise questions rather than answers, post about ideas and events rather than products. Looking back it has evolved - being partly a place to list and link to cool stuff I want, and partly a dumping ground for half-baked ideas and reflections. And thanks to hello there are even some pictures.
...and that makes for a jump to another theme: when is a photo no longer a photography? Because the root of the word is all about light inteacting with chemical compounds. So image or picture might be more suitable in a time when it is digital start to end (from my camera, to the memory card, via the portable reader/hd, to the computer - and out on the net, then down to your computer and on to the screen. But the screen is light. So is there any point in drawing the boundary? Well, it is useful to think about the change from painting, to photography and now to the digital world. From texture to bits. How does that change the way we view and interpret images? Do we still trust them? Can they shock us? Celebrity porn or Abu Ghraib?
(sidenote: the Blogger spellchecker does not recognize the word "blog" ... self-denial?)
...and the sun is bringing out the colors of autumn...
Jeanette Sky wrote a piece on the roots and boundaries of psychology and 'shrinks'. The backdrop: a statement by a shrink that "affluent women spend to much time chatting with their therapist - they should shut up and let the doctor get on with curing all the really crazy people" (not a direct quote or translation, but the intent is there: daily troubles are less worthy of curing than serious madness and trauma from war/famine/...) So, this begets the question:
Can you fix madness by talking about it?
Or is therapy more about the everyday bumps - getting someone to listen without predjudice, or a least get the illusion that someone is listening (ref the movie where the "secret" to being a shrink is simply repeating the last part of the clients statement, but as a question: "I feel unloved by my mother" "Your mother?" ...) And if the main driver is getting the patient to reflect on her current situation and the past, would a blog be just a good? The illusion of listening is replaced with the illusion (or dream/hope?) of someone reading it - and being influenced, taking the time to reflect on the words and the message.
[filling my head with the beats of: Can't Truss It - Public Enemy ] - a fitting song on the morning of the most anticipated US election for quite some time [fun img]
Does this blog keep me sane - or am I writing because I am sane? Cause and effect. Or simply an added outlet for ideas that I wouldn't normally discuss with the people I normally talk to? Because they wouldn't care or understand - or because they might disagree? When I started the blog the goal was to raise questions rather than answers, post about ideas and events rather than products. Looking back it has evolved - being partly a place to list and link to cool stuff I want, and partly a dumping ground for half-baked ideas and reflections. And thanks to hello there are even some pictures.
...and that makes for a jump to another theme: when is a photo no longer a photography? Because the root of the word is all about light inteacting with chemical compounds. So image or picture might be more suitable in a time when it is digital start to end (from my camera, to the memory card, via the portable reader/hd, to the computer - and out on the net, then down to your computer and on to the screen. But the screen is light. So is there any point in drawing the boundary? Well, it is useful to think about the change from painting, to photography and now to the digital world. From texture to bits. How does that change the way we view and interpret images? Do we still trust them? Can they shock us? Celebrity porn or Abu Ghraib?
(sidenote: the Blogger spellchecker does not recognize the word "blog" ... self-denial?)
...and the sun is bringing out the colors of autumn...
Monday, November 1
Tomorrow is another day
Red vs Blue - the machinima and the term for describing the states in the US, coined after the last election, most likely based on a map printed by USA Today. boston.com has a flash-version going back to 1980 - and has been updating the 2004 edition based on polls. Currently: 218-179 for Bush... Kerry is slipping fast, even California might turn red. Another set of maps from UCSB gives different views of the same.
Morgenbladet had a wonderful use of images (both from Scanpix) - showing respectively W. surrounded by haybales and a stand with the Eagle and a mike, and John (nr 1) in a dark suit, walking on a New York sidewalk, with neon signs and the mcD arches in the background. Country or city - urban or rural. Sort of amusing that W. with his strong ties to Reagan and the anti-commie agenda should be the "red" one. Most other places red is communism or socialism, whilst blue is conservative.
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken." (perception is not all it seems? you can try to become something you're not - but you will still be you at the core)
"It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything." (burn my bridges when I get to them - dylan..., if you own more than five things - the things will own you - so cut your ties and drift away.)
-Tyler Durden, fight club gives you the gospel [img]
There is an Eminiem comic[official boring link] coming, as well as the new album - Encore. Weird... and slightly disturbing[images and info]. Hey, hey - they're the monkees...
Lebanon - an ancient place, or just another mess?
History - wikipedia... civil war in 1976, since then Syrian troops and de-facto control. Old customs in new wrappings? The food is the main export to the north - meze (small clay pots filled with a large number of differnet courses, shared among the guest at the table, and enjoyed with a tortilla/wrap bread torn in piece to scoop up healthy goodness) and bellydancing.
...and the sun is back on schedule - no more "daylight saving" (or Summer Time as it is called up here)...
Morgenbladet had a wonderful use of images (both from Scanpix) - showing respectively W. surrounded by haybales and a stand with the Eagle and a mike, and John (nr 1) in a dark suit, walking on a New York sidewalk, with neon signs and the mcD arches in the background. Country or city - urban or rural. Sort of amusing that W. with his strong ties to Reagan and the anti-commie agenda should be the "red" one. Most other places red is communism or socialism, whilst blue is conservative.
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken." (perception is not all it seems? you can try to become something you're not - but you will still be you at the core)
"It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything." (burn my bridges when I get to them - dylan..., if you own more than five things - the things will own you - so cut your ties and drift away.)
-Tyler Durden, fight club gives you the gospel [img]
There is an Eminiem comic[official boring link] coming, as well as the new album - Encore. Weird... and slightly disturbing[images and info]. Hey, hey - they're the monkees...
Lebanon - an ancient place, or just another mess?
History - wikipedia... civil war in 1976, since then Syrian troops and de-facto control. Old customs in new wrappings? The food is the main export to the north - meze (small clay pots filled with a large number of differnet courses, shared among the guest at the table, and enjoyed with a tortilla/wrap bread torn in piece to scoop up healthy goodness) and bellydancing.
...and the sun is back on schedule - no more "daylight saving" (or Summer Time as it is called up here)...
Tuesday, October 26
Whizzball!
Whizzball is a sort of addictive game/puzzle from Discovery Kids. I just rounded 100 k points - and that put me in the "Top 50 000 Players"...(ranking as 49 009) so still a bit to go to reach the top 100 hall of fame :D
Good fun for kids of all ages in other words. Nice for a quick break (be sure to set a timer!) Wonderful use of Flash as well as user-contributed content - the players also build the various puzzles.
Good fun for kids of all ages in other words. Nice for a quick break (be sure to set a timer!) Wonderful use of Flash as well as user-contributed content - the players also build the various puzzles.
Wednesday, October 20
Counting down
Election Scorecard: "Where the presidential race stands today" is a number crunching Slate article today, running up the different states that still have a bit of "uncertainty" in the polls.
End result? Kerry ahead by 14... but Bush more "solid" states (ie bigger margin in the polls). Stay tuned! Or make it even more intense - Ladbrokes (owned by Hilton Group) offers spread betting, both on overall result and state-by-state winners. Kerry taking Florida? 6-5
End result? Kerry ahead by 14... but Bush more "solid" states (ie bigger margin in the polls). Stay tuned! Or make it even more intense - Ladbrokes (owned by Hilton Group) offers spread betting, both on overall result and state-by-state winners. Kerry taking Florida? 6-5
Monday, October 18
Bundling a snack
A local pizza chain is taking the next step in bundles - or menus. For quite some time several companies have offered a large pizza, with softdrink and a video or dvd for a set price. But now Dolly has upped the offerings;
first off an extended movie deal: for a small add-on you get two movies (ie both the first Spiderman and the recently released Spiderman 2)
and then there is the gametime offer: get a PS2 or Xbox game along with dinner!
Now, if only they delivered where I live... or maybe it's better that they don't deliver? Enough to keep my distracted as it is.
...and the sun - is on vacation, rain is all I see...
first off an extended movie deal: for a small add-on you get two movies (ie both the first Spiderman and the recently released Spiderman 2)
and then there is the gametime offer: get a PS2 or Xbox game along with dinner!
Now, if only they delivered where I live... or maybe it's better that they don't deliver? Enough to keep my distracted as it is.
...and the sun - is on vacation, rain is all I see...
Wednesday, October 13
Size matters
Did a little bit up Windows fixing today, namely the monthly download of various updates. Noticed a slightly amusing thing;
3,1 mb - size of the PATCH for Internet Explorer 6
4,5 mb - size of full download for Firefox
trustworthy it was.
3,1 mb - size of the PATCH for Internet Explorer 6
4,5 mb - size of full download for Firefox
trustworthy it was.
Oiling it
NWAnews : "oil prices are more than 80 percent higher than a year ago" - and here in Norway the gas price reaches a three-year-high at suggested retail 10,50 NOK per liter. Guess that makes it around USD 5,9 for a gallon... compare that to a US average of $ 2 [current as of posting]
Asylum or free range?
"Larry Keeley [?] jokes that the automatic-flush urinal in an airport bathroom is more aware of his presence than his desktop computer" [p 163 in The Inmates Are Running the Asylum, by Alan Cooper]
Rather good book, even if it does suffer a bit from the "my way is the greatest in the world and will surely make the world a wonderful place"-phenomenon. Or put more simply, he keeps referring to his company and Goal oriented design, and downplays the role of specifications in computer science. Not everyone in CompSci is a programmer - nor do they want to be. But still, there is ample evidence to support his "dancing bear" accusations. Things could and should be a lot better. And by things I mean everything from digital cameras to software to next-generation "media pc" or televisions.
One interesting thing is his ignorance that somewhere, a lot of things are better. He rants on about ATMs not telling him what he needs to know, but here in Norway you instantly get information both on the max withdrawal limit (usually for a week) and the current balance. Also, since the card is tied to a specific account you don't get the ridiculous checking/savings dilemma.
Toyota branching on
The Prius hybrid will be launched in China, in collaboration with the Chinese company "China Faw Group Corporation" (FAW). It will be rebranded for the Chinese market, and production is set to start during 2005. [msnbc also has it, with lots of neat additional interactive information]
...and the sun ...
Rather good book, even if it does suffer a bit from the "my way is the greatest in the world and will surely make the world a wonderful place"-phenomenon. Or put more simply, he keeps referring to his company and Goal oriented design, and downplays the role of specifications in computer science. Not everyone in CompSci is a programmer - nor do they want to be. But still, there is ample evidence to support his "dancing bear" accusations. Things could and should be a lot better. And by things I mean everything from digital cameras to software to next-generation "media pc" or televisions.
One interesting thing is his ignorance that somewhere, a lot of things are better. He rants on about ATMs not telling him what he needs to know, but here in Norway you instantly get information both on the max withdrawal limit (usually for a week) and the current balance. Also, since the card is tied to a specific account you don't get the ridiculous checking/savings dilemma.
Toyota branching on
The Prius hybrid will be launched in China, in collaboration with the Chinese company "China Faw Group Corporation" (FAW). It will be rebranded for the Chinese market, and production is set to start during 2005. [msnbc also has it, with lots of neat additional interactive information]
...and the sun ...
Tuesday, October 12
Wired rush
A quick coffe break - with a new blend/burn: Colombian espresso, sweet kikck! Might end up a little jumpy if I have to many, but it sure feels good. Really like my gaggia.
Saw a TiVo printed ad, sort of fun catch: get a personal trainer for your TV - make it lean (ie only offer the stuff you want to see). I'm not to sure I would want to have one (if it was available over here, which it currently isn't). Every day there are two or more episodes of Raymond, one Simpsons, at least one other sit-com, Totally Spies on Jetix, BBC learning for six hours and evey now and then CSI, Angel, Buffy or Krøniken (Emmy nominated, Danish). So, if I could easily see everything of interest, I'd spend way to much time in front of the TV.
Talking of ads - saw a nice one in Wired for Auburn, drawing people to move by talking of "$75 k colonial housing" is a nice touch. Too bad the site adress isn't up to speed (checked Google, got the same one)
And word of the week: "inverse graffiti" [1, 2] - using templates to clean away part of the dirt on walls, therby leaving a message/tag!
...and I'm off for another doppio!
...and the sun almost made it onto the picture in the last post...
Saw a TiVo printed ad, sort of fun catch: get a personal trainer for your TV - make it lean (ie only offer the stuff you want to see). I'm not to sure I would want to have one (if it was available over here, which it currently isn't). Every day there are two or more episodes of Raymond, one Simpsons, at least one other sit-com, Totally Spies on Jetix, BBC learning for six hours and evey now and then CSI, Angel, Buffy or Krøniken (Emmy nominated, Danish). So, if I could easily see everything of interest, I'd spend way to much time in front of the TV.
Talking of ads - saw a nice one in Wired for Auburn, drawing people to move by talking of "$75 k colonial housing" is a nice touch. Too bad the site adress isn't up to speed (checked Google, got the same one)
And word of the week: "inverse graffiti" [1, 2] - using templates to clean away part of the dirt on walls, therby leaving a message/tag!
...and I'm off for another doppio!
...and the sun almost made it onto the picture in the last post...
Monday, October 11
and then some
And then some loose thought related to gaming - for more on Machinima, there is (as always?) the Wikipedia . The Strangerhood is already listed under links! Even if there is only a trailer out! Hyping it up anyone? (yeah, I'm doing it as well... really looking forward to it!)
For an interview with Wil W on the original Sims, back then (in 2001) he estimated 40% female users - 30% registered and a bit more "taking over" from their boyfriends after a bit. He also has some thoughts on Sims 2, so have a look and compare it the final game... was he right?
For an interview with Wil W on the original Sims, back then (in 2001) he estimated 40% female users - 30% registered and a bit more "taking over" from their boyfriends after a bit. He also has some thoughts on Sims 2, so have a look and compare it the final game... was he right?
History of machinima
High-Performance Play: The Making of Machinima [500 kb pdf]
Starts of with: "Do not cite or distribute. To appear in: Videogames and Art: Intersections and Interactions, Andy Clarke and Grethe Mitchell (eds.), Intellect Books (UK), 2005. "
...hence I'll settle for telling you that it is an interesting read, on Machinima, 26 pages including 50 notes and references - many of them online. All in all a good place to start if you are interested in learning a bit more about the phenomenon. Then head on over to the Strangerhood and wait for episode one to appear!
(hmmm... is it OK to cite the comment that it the paper should not be cited? Since the goal probably is to avoid being held to points that might change during final editing, I guess the information is fair use. And no, I'm not distributing it - HE is on his own website... I merely mention that it is available ;D)
No amazon link for the book yet, and not much on the publishers site either. Oh well.
...and the sun is shining but not giving much warmth anymore...
Starts of with: "Do not cite or distribute. To appear in: Videogames and Art: Intersections and Interactions, Andy Clarke and Grethe Mitchell (eds.), Intellect Books (UK), 2005. "
...hence I'll settle for telling you that it is an interesting read, on Machinima, 26 pages including 50 notes and references - many of them online. All in all a good place to start if you are interested in learning a bit more about the phenomenon. Then head on over to the Strangerhood and wait for episode one to appear!
(hmmm... is it OK to cite the comment that it the paper should not be cited? Since the goal probably is to avoid being held to points that might change during final editing, I guess the information is fair use. And no, I'm not distributing it - HE is on his own website... I merely mention that it is available ;D)
No amazon link for the book yet, and not much on the publishers site either. Oh well.
...and the sun is shining but not giving much warmth anymore...
Saturday, October 9
A new manifesto?
Two young men have presented a stand. They represent the "Manifesto foundation" (trans.) - and their goal is a new view on the world, and how to divide us. The Norwgeian title is Livsnytersosialismen - would be something like "kick back and enjoy- socialism" [have to think about it, maybe find a better term]. The message? The old red vs. blue, socialism vs. liberalism, market forces or government control, and so on... is plain wrong - or outdated at the very least. So we need a new view of ourselves and politics. It is not us against them, but all of us together. A radical individualism... and the article made it onto the "most emailed articles" list for the newspaper. Not bad for something containing no traces of Paris Hilton, or own royal Ari & Märtha, or the Becks.
...and the sun brings summer back for a short while...
...and the sun brings summer back for a short while...
Getting away?
Owe Wikström, a Swedish professor of Religious Pshycology has written a book called "The law of slowness" (or "La dolce indifferenza dell´ attimo" as the official Italian translation reads, "Långsamhetens Lov eller faren ved å köre moped genom Louvre" is the full Swedish title). "The dangers of riding a motorcycle through the Louvre" is the subtitle. So, here are some of my thoughts on his stress-escape-keys;
Novel/book - oh yes, nothing like escaping to the Discworld, right now with Monstrous Regiment, how many books in total? Surely close to 50 by now... (including the various kids series) and more on the way. Still a nice journey!
Sidewalk cafe - nothing like a good view with a coffe, be it a home brewn espresso (sweet and strong, warm and fresh) or a mixed somewhere else. Makes the mind wander. Like this morning, was sitting looking down the valley - and noticed the fumes coming from the huge chimney. The trash-destruction. Burning it all up - to generate heat and energy. It is always going, red lights on top at night, pure white against a crisp blue sky today. Fluid, changing, moving, smoke in the air - yet still tranquil - everything turning into nothing, drifting gently away in mixing with the rest. And that sort of links on to the point of Venize (or actually sound of water, drips and waves)
Diary - a silent friend that you can talk to, or a letter to yourself at some later time. Well, this good ol'blog sometimes serves the same purpose - a reminder of thoughts and the times going by.
That leaves music and poetry...and in closing, been watching MTV Icons (not permanten info?) on Metallica - and Avril did a great rendition of Fuel. Power! Oh yeah. You could see Lars "air drumming" and wanting to jump up there on stage and join in....
"MTV Icon: Metallica MTV honored Metallica[sml pic] with performances and testimonials from Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Korn, Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, Sean Penn and more."
...and I'm not real happy with the blogger.com way of formatting text - using "span style" for each bold or italic is rather overkill If they want to avoid the old "i" and "b" they should take a step back and use the proper "em" and "strong" since they are open for definiton by css in terms of presentation (ie red or bold, all caps or 48 pts)
Novel/book - oh yes, nothing like escaping to the Discworld, right now with Monstrous Regiment, how many books in total? Surely close to 50 by now... (including the various kids series) and more on the way. Still a nice journey!
Sidewalk cafe - nothing like a good view with a coffe, be it a home brewn espresso (sweet and strong, warm and fresh) or a mixed somewhere else. Makes the mind wander. Like this morning, was sitting looking down the valley - and noticed the fumes coming from the huge chimney. The trash-destruction. Burning it all up - to generate heat and energy. It is always going, red lights on top at night, pure white against a crisp blue sky today. Fluid, changing, moving, smoke in the air - yet still tranquil - everything turning into nothing, drifting gently away in mixing with the rest. And that sort of links on to the point of Venize (or actually sound of water, drips and waves)
Diary - a silent friend that you can talk to, or a letter to yourself at some later time. Well, this good ol'blog sometimes serves the same purpose - a reminder of thoughts and the times going by.
That leaves music and poetry...and in closing, been watching MTV Icons (not permanten info?) on Metallica - and Avril did a great rendition of Fuel. Power! Oh yeah. You could see Lars "air drumming" and wanting to jump up there on stage and join in....
"MTV Icon: Metallica MTV honored Metallica[sml pic] with performances and testimonials from Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Korn, Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, Sean Penn and more."
[filling my head with the beats of: The House Jack Built - Metallica ]
...and I'm not real happy with the blogger.com way of formatting text - using "span style" for each bold or italic is rather overkill If they want to avoid the old "i" and "b" they should take a step back and use the proper "em" and "strong" since they are open for definiton by css in terms of presentation (ie red or bold, all caps or 48 pts)
Still a year away
pick off another Potter pal: "J.K. Rowling has committed another killing" - or at least decided that one more character will meet his/her finale in the sixth installment. This is turning out like Rocky - every movie another friend dies, and it the final installment you sort of wonder if it will be all over for the "real" hero.
And if you haven't had a look already, visit her (sort of) new site and enjoy the flash cluttered-desk-interface!
And if you haven't had a look already, visit her (sort of) new site and enjoy the flash cluttered-desk-interface!
Friday, October 8
classic gaming fun
Found a nice page paying homage to some of the sort-of-old classic games (late 80ies...) Such as Hillsfar, a forerunner for Neverwinter and Baldurs Gate... wonder if it will work as well on a PC as on my old Commodore 128d?
Underdogs: Hillsfar: "Although not a full-fledged RPG, it's a fun diversion set in the D&D universe"
Underdogs: Hillsfar: "Although not a full-fledged RPG, it's a fun diversion set in the D&D universe"
[filling my head with the beats of: Wasted Youth - Meat Loaf ]
...well, is it?
...as seen on TV
JibJab.com has put out a follow-up to the hillarious "This land"... but "Good to be in DC" falls a bit short of the first one. So stick to the "classic" fun and watch it one more time (even if the other one was premiered on Leno)
[filling my head with the beats of: Whirly-bird - Count Basie ]
Wednesday, October 6
Competition brings out...
Google jamming: "Every autumn, thousands of programmers sign up to tackle the most ego-deflating problems Google's engineers can come up with, in a race against time and their fellow coders"
...way! would have been fun to take part just to try it - but since the qualifier was on the 15th last month, I'll have to settle for reading about it.
On the note of comp - I put up a post on "Commando Raid" a while back, well - now the event has been held with 19 participating teams. Mainly from Norway, but also danes, italians and germans (who won). Honorable mention to the team "Grey Nuts" - why? Because the are grey; aged 61, 63, 66 and 70 the completed the approximately 30 kilometers of cross-terrain running, with shooting (pistol, machineguns, sharpshooter rifle, 40mm grenade launcher - just another day in the woods?) and other challenges en route. Oh yes, just to make it more fun the event kicked of at 03:00
Semper fi.
...way! would have been fun to take part just to try it - but since the qualifier was on the 15th last month, I'll have to settle for reading about it.
On the note of comp - I put up a post on "Commando Raid" a while back, well - now the event has been held with 19 participating teams. Mainly from Norway, but also danes, italians and germans (who won). Honorable mention to the team "Grey Nuts" - why? Because the are grey; aged 61, 63, 66 and 70 the completed the approximately 30 kilometers of cross-terrain running, with shooting (pistol, machineguns, sharpshooter rifle, 40mm grenade launcher - just another day in the woods?) and other challenges en route. Oh yes, just to make it more fun the event kicked of at 03:00
Semper fi.
Sunday, October 3
Cozy and then some
There is a word in Norwegian "kose" - which can be used to describe a state; "koselig" - then it is more or less like cozy in English. But it is also a verb, "å kose seg" - to have a nice, comfortable time, enjoying life and the current place. I guess hobbits would be masters of "kose seg".
According to an article about regional food, the expression might have roots in the French "causer" and old-Germanic "kôsôn" - and hence bringing it in line with the modern German word "Gemütlichkeit". And with some Googling I got some other input on the term. Seems several of our neighbours have similar concepts, and similar problems translating/explaining them in English... what a shame for the brits!
Gemütlichkeit : "There is no direct translation for the word . However, G. is the warm, comfortable feeling one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere."
"Warm friendliness; amicability. German, from gemütlich, congenial"
"Gemütlichkeit is a German abstract noun whose closest English equivalent is cosiness. ... connotes, much more than cosiness, the notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic and the spending of quality time. Activities pursued are never work-related but are expected by the people getting together to be productive in a non-economical sense. The Dutch have a very similar word, gezelligheid"
...which gives a nice lead to one of the better written pieces on the subject - from Canada: "most frequent translation of gezellig is "cozy," though the word is still inadequate." (last three paragraphs in particular)
According to an article about regional food, the expression might have roots in the French "causer" and old-Germanic "kôsôn" - and hence bringing it in line with the modern German word "Gemütlichkeit". And with some Googling I got some other input on the term. Seems several of our neighbours have similar concepts, and similar problems translating/explaining them in English... what a shame for the brits!
Gemütlichkeit : "There is no direct translation for the word . However, G. is the warm, comfortable feeling one receives from pleasant surroundings and atmosphere."
"Warm friendliness; amicability. German, from gemütlich, congenial"
"Gemütlichkeit is a German abstract noun whose closest English equivalent is cosiness. ... connotes, much more than cosiness, the notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic and the spending of quality time. Activities pursued are never work-related but are expected by the people getting together to be productive in a non-economical sense. The Dutch have a very similar word, gezelligheid"
...which gives a nice lead to one of the better written pieces on the subject - from Canada: "most frequent translation of gezellig is "cozy," though the word is still inadequate." (last three paragraphs in particular)
Saturday, October 2
Stranger and Strangerhood
Strangerhood: the new series from the team behind RedvsBlue - only a trailer/intro out so far, but looks like it could be good fun. Guess the Sims are ready for a little machinima as well - bring on the geeks!
Interactive Fiction Comp
The 10th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition: "For fans of the old Infocom games as well as for newcomers to the genre, the competition is a chance to enjoy some of the best short adventure games available anywhere"
...if only I had the time to download and play around a bit with the games! Maybe in the wintertime?
...if only I had the time to download and play around a bit with the games! Maybe in the wintertime?
Seeing what we can't see
Catching up before I get to far into the latest issue of Wired;
Discovery Channel had a nice segment on "Proof Positive" about an image enhancement/visualization tool - possibly (but not likely) from MinXray, used to create 256 shades of gray from a basically monochrome picture - and presenting it in 3D as valleys and hills - thereby making for easier comparison and understanding (think fingerprints, xrays and writing)
And coming up - virtual history (Norwegian link) - a computer-assisted view on the world as it was.
So you thought you were safe on your cell? Punksms.com puts another nail in that coffin by sending out sms with a fake/chosen number. So, spoofing is coming to a phone near you... are you sure your girlfriend asked you to buy a catsuit, or that you are invited to a party at the boss' house? Maybe not anymore. (Technical note: exploited a vulnerability/feature of the GSM network, hence not applicable directly worldwide - put it is all about using IP to transmit and initiate messages)
And a short snippet from the holiday;
"Floating, hardly moving, not really here at all. The sea is so clear, feel it, smell it, letting it move me about as a float gently on the surface. No boat, no guide. Just water holding me up."
(yes, I finally got around to downloading and installing the winamp connection for w.bloggar again)
...and the sun is deeply missed today, on a cold and gray fall day...
Discovery Channel had a nice segment on "Proof Positive" about an image enhancement/visualization tool - possibly (but not likely) from MinXray, used to create 256 shades of gray from a basically monochrome picture - and presenting it in 3D as valleys and hills - thereby making for easier comparison and understanding (think fingerprints, xrays and writing)
And coming up - virtual history (Norwegian link) - a computer-assisted view on the world as it was.
So you thought you were safe on your cell? Punksms.com puts another nail in that coffin by sending out sms with a fake/chosen number. So, spoofing is coming to a phone near you... are you sure your girlfriend asked you to buy a catsuit, or that you are invited to a party at the boss' house? Maybe not anymore. (Technical note: exploited a vulnerability/feature of the GSM network, hence not applicable directly worldwide - put it is all about using IP to transmit and initiate messages)
And a short snippet from the holiday;
"Floating, hardly moving, not really here at all. The sea is so clear, feel it, smell it, letting it move me about as a float gently on the surface. No boat, no guide. Just water holding me up."
[filling my head with the beats of: Bad Seed - Metallica ]
(yes, I finally got around to downloading and installing the winamp connection for w.bloggar again)
...and the sun is deeply missed today, on a cold and gray fall day...
Oil Above $50
"Oil Closes Above $50 a barrel for the first time yesterday as concerns linger about damage to oil production in the Gulf of Mexico from Hurricane Ivan" (W. Post)
-and another "mark" is reached. Being here in Norway it certainly gives mixed feelings; first it feels good for the future of our nation, sweeping in the oil and gas profits by the barrel ("crude" pun...). And the thought that maybe, just maybe the average American will have to consider when and how to use his car. But on the downside the continued high price might lead to slower economic development around the globe, and continued exploitation/exploration in enivromentally fragile areas... and there is all to often the good 'ol "oil for blood" - corruption, despotism etc in certain oilproducing areas.
"for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost" - mostly a proverb about details, but also about consequences; one thing leads to another, who in time has its own impact on events. Money to a rebel group today - big trouble down the road anyone?
-and another "mark" is reached. Being here in Norway it certainly gives mixed feelings; first it feels good for the future of our nation, sweeping in the oil and gas profits by the barrel ("crude" pun...). And the thought that maybe, just maybe the average American will have to consider when and how to use his car. But on the downside the continued high price might lead to slower economic development around the globe, and continued exploitation/exploration in enivromentally fragile areas... and there is all to often the good 'ol "oil for blood" - corruption, despotism etc in certain oilproducing areas.
"for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost" - mostly a proverb about details, but also about consequences; one thing leads to another, who in time has its own impact on events. Money to a rebel group today - big trouble down the road anyone?
Thursday, September 30
radio now or later
radioShark - an usb radio-antenna with some included software, gives you the option of listening or recording from the air. Guess it could be useful if you are offline, but with most major stations in Norway doing webcasts - it seems a bit redundant. But 5 for 5 for design...
Tuesday, September 28
late show spoof?
Explod-o-Pop popcorn, Americas only Atomic popcorn, is one of the "gifts" given out by David Letterman on his show. Kind of funny concept - since using a microwave to make popcorn is sort of "nuking", ie using atomic level events.
Simming
So, the Sim 2 is busting out in the stores, with sales reaching 1 million copies in only 10 days. And with some 35 million copies of the original game and the various expansions out there, there is no reason to assume it will slow down this side of xmas. I guess that makes it more than "just a game" - a true phenomenon.
And with the more console-suited Urbz just around the corner, it looks like a really good fall-time for EA.
...and the sun is not as nice as it was on vacation...
And with the more console-suited Urbz just around the corner, it looks like a really good fall-time for EA.
...and the sun is not as nice as it was on vacation...
Friday, September 17
Read up on games?
Final Fantasy - Tribes in Cyberspace is one of the italian books presenting and focusing on various great games over the last decades. The good thing: easily available for online shopping. The bad: only in italian so far...
Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering
AI Game Development
- two books truly getting mixed reviews over at Amazon... have considered both, but can't make up my mind if I'll fall into the "great concept and writing" or "self loving bloat" category. Guess there should be an easy way to mix reviews and recommendation - ie do they like the same books as me, or a totaly different type of guides?
...and the sun is hopefully shining down south - holiday time...
Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering
AI Game Development
- two books truly getting mixed reviews over at Amazon... have considered both, but can't make up my mind if I'll fall into the "great concept and writing" or "self loving bloat" category. Guess there should be an easy way to mix reviews and recommendation - ie do they like the same books as me, or a totaly different type of guides?
...and the sun is hopefully shining down south - holiday time...
Monday, September 13
Academics and games
Redefining Games- How Academia Is Reshaping Games of the Future is a long article on the gaming website Gamespot - despite the rather odd split and layout it does have some interesting points; (18 sub-pages across some ten headings...)
Game Ontology - how to talk about design and parts of games, trying to create a common "base" definition of terms. Definitly an example of academia getting to grips with a new field.
Frasca suggests that players do not play games for the storytelling. "They are drawn because these games allow them to live an alternative life" This is more or less the point made in this excellent Nemi strip
translation:
1. Shouldn't you start working again soon?
2. I think people need to work...
3. ...set goals, develop, complete tasks...
4. I can do THAT as often as I want on my xbox
America's Army provides young people, who are detached from what military service is actually like, with an impression of life in the Army. "I think, from the Army's point of view, the benefit is not just recruiting but weeding out people who wouldn't benefit or thrive in that kind of environment," Lowood says.
...interesting point, not just getting those who are motivated - but also avoiding the potential recruits who might quit halfway or just cause problems down the line.
"Before digital entertainment, efforts had been made to make text more dimensional. In the 1970s, R.A. Montgomery and Edward Packard published a series of books called Choose Your Own Adventure." - so a forerunner for the Fighting Fantasy books made in the early 80-ties by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson (who went on to make lots of crazy/funny games)
The "games-and-new-media blog" called Grandtextauto also offers up some good perspectives and ideas.
...and the sun is nowhere to be seen - fall is coming up north...
Game Ontology - how to talk about design and parts of games, trying to create a common "base" definition of terms. Definitly an example of academia getting to grips with a new field.
Frasca suggests that players do not play games for the storytelling. "They are drawn because these games allow them to live an alternative life" This is more or less the point made in this excellent Nemi strip
translation:
1. Shouldn't you start working again soon?
2. I think people need to work...
3. ...set goals, develop, complete tasks...
4. I can do THAT as often as I want on my xbox
America's Army provides young people, who are detached from what military service is actually like, with an impression of life in the Army. "I think, from the Army's point of view, the benefit is not just recruiting but weeding out people who wouldn't benefit or thrive in that kind of environment," Lowood says.
...interesting point, not just getting those who are motivated - but also avoiding the potential recruits who might quit halfway or just cause problems down the line.
"Before digital entertainment, efforts had been made to make text more dimensional. In the 1970s, R.A. Montgomery and Edward Packard published a series of books called Choose Your Own Adventure." - so a forerunner for the Fighting Fantasy books made in the early 80-ties by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson (who went on to make lots of crazy/funny games)
The "games-and-new-media blog" called Grandtextauto also offers up some good perspectives and ideas.
...and the sun is nowhere to be seen - fall is coming up north...
* Vote *
The Cosmopolitan Party: a good take on the top issues for the US... vote Carrie or maybe even Curry? Good fun.
Sunday, September 12
bikers doing it outside
Sorry, with all the recent news stories on people enjoying themselves outside - I just couldn't resist an easy pun... but on to the point - Gunn-Rita Dahle from Norway today ended a great season with winning the x-country world cup race, just a short while after finishing in gold position during the Olympic games in Athens.
Way to go! [img link]
Way to go! [img link]
Saturday, August 28
And terror strikes again
Now the Russians have confirmed that both the planes were most likely blown apart by Black Widows - Chechen women who have lost their husbands/kids/families/... during the various Russian "incidents" in Chechnya - using the plastic explosive called hexogen or RDX.
"the Tu-154 plane, which crashed en route from Moscow to the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
... the Tu-134 plane which came down on its way to Volgograd in central Russia."
...and the sun shines on regardless...
"the Tu-154 plane, which crashed en route from Moscow to the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
... the Tu-134 plane which came down on its way to Volgograd in central Russia."
...and the sun shines on regardless...
Basket not coming home
Why U.S. lose? : "there isn't an American player in the NBA today who has Chris Mullin's jump shot or his economy of movement, who knows the lines and angles that can be exploited the way he knew them. And Mullin was probably the 10th best player on that Olympic team"
...ouch
...that gotta hurt your ego
:)
...ouch
...that gotta hurt your ego
:)
Tuesday, August 24
Gamers shouldn't surf?
"Due to incompatibility and non-compliancy issues in the CSS support between browsers, we recommend you to use Internet Explorer until specific browser css are implemented." [Electronic Sports World Cup] - so much for using Firebird to learn about the progress in CounterStrike and Warcraft III. The attempted link was the main site, just www.esworldcup.com - but they just want ms ie users.
Oh well, stick with other and better games related sites - and read up on nifty settings such as Seal of Evil and of course NWN 2... just far enough away to be interesting without being mindconsuming just yet.
Oh well, stick with other and better games related sites - and read up on nifty settings such as Seal of Evil and of course NWN 2... just far enough away to be interesting without being mindconsuming just yet.
Tuesday, August 17
Making it stick
Architecture - does it have to be buildable? Zaha Hadid [note: please excuse the skip-intro, the coverpage and other relics of 2001 webdesign] doesn't think so, she is just as happy designing something so far out there that you go "wooow". Practical? Nope. Art? Most probably.
But then again, judging from what you actually can build - "two sloping steel structures in our design could be connected only at dawn. They would be exposed to different solar heat gain due to their relative positions on the ground and would be most likely to share the same temperature after cooling off overnight." (Beijing Manifesto - actual article linked on the page; 5,2 mb pdf download... or just get the mag!!!)
... being all artsy just might not cut it anymore, with advances in cad and general engineering it, just about anything can be made in some way or the other.
On a different slope - TV-related software; XMLTV is a "standard" way of describing TV schedules in XML - making it easier to use PC-TV-DVR solutions in place that they haven't been rolled out (or without paying a premium every month)Kind of neat, provided you can get your local listings converted to the right version, and seeing how most local newssites also do TV listings it should be a rather trivial transform. Note to self; try to convert some and update post...
Update: no need to make it, "backends grabbing TV listings for Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Austria, Finland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, France, Norway, Portugal (currently down), and Romania" (main XMLTV site)
Boxes and bits you can get from Sage TV or beyond tv amongst others.
And then finalyy, Sony is at it again, trying to kick some life into the minidisc franchise, with the new Hi-MD walkman, up to 1 gb/disc... size/price as opposed to Muvo2 and iPod Mini as yet to be announced over here, but i'm guessing that with a recorder and 4 discs the total cost will be a bith higeher. So, I still want either a mini or a muvo... maybe for my birthday? To me from me :-D
But then again, judging from what you actually can build - "two sloping steel structures in our design could be connected only at dawn. They would be exposed to different solar heat gain due to their relative positions on the ground and would be most likely to share the same temperature after cooling off overnight." (Beijing Manifesto - actual article linked on the page; 5,2 mb pdf download... or just get the mag!!!)
... being all artsy just might not cut it anymore, with advances in cad and general engineering it, just about anything can be made in some way or the other.
On a different slope - TV-related software; XMLTV is a "standard" way of describing TV schedules in XML - making it easier to use PC-TV-DVR solutions in place that they haven't been rolled out (or without paying a premium every month)Kind of neat, provided you can get your local listings converted to the right version, and seeing how most local newssites also do TV listings it should be a rather trivial transform. Note to self; try to convert some and update post...
Update: no need to make it, "backends grabbing TV listings for Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Austria, Finland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, France, Norway, Portugal (currently down), and Romania" (main XMLTV site)
Boxes and bits you can get from Sage TV or beyond tv amongst others.
And then finalyy, Sony is at it again, trying to kick some life into the minidisc franchise, with the new Hi-MD walkman, up to 1 gb/disc... size/price as opposed to Muvo2 and iPod Mini as yet to be announced over here, but i'm guessing that with a recorder and 4 discs the total cost will be a bith higeher. So, I still want either a mini or a muvo... maybe for my birthday? To me from me :-D
Brad Pitt - mighty or misty?
Drinking water during interviews - naturally. Ditching his Mercedes G 500 - and getting the same car as Cameron Diaz and Leo DiCaprio; a white Toyota Prius - hybrid all the way?
"I got too into energy conservation. So I bought a Prius" [Modern God]
Well, I guess with the way oil prices have been hovering above $40 for some time now, a lot of people might discover that hybrid is a step in the right direction - since fossil fuel won't last forever it is about time we started making some real progress towards alternate solutions for our driving and cruising habits.
...and the sun is hiding its sad face behind clouds of rain...
"I got too into energy conservation. So I bought a Prius" [Modern God]
Well, I guess with the way oil prices have been hovering above $40 for some time now, a lot of people might discover that hybrid is a step in the right direction - since fossil fuel won't last forever it is about time we started making some real progress towards alternate solutions for our driving and cruising habits.
...and the sun is hiding its sad face behind clouds of rain...
Sunday, August 15
Conic
Pine cones (img) - rather fascinating patterns and shape. So tight and solid - almost interlocking sections. Still only a few of the seeds fall out on normal impact - is it because the tree wants animals to pick up and carry the cones away - and either eat or loose the seeds in other parts of the forest? Or are they in the cone as "backup" - when someone comes along and cuts the tree, they'll most likely kick a cone or ten and scatter new seeds all over the place to add to those already distributed?
moving time
South Korea is building a new capital - in south-chungcheong, start building in 2007... finished? Maybe around 2030. Cost? Oh, some 40 billion US dollars. [IHT] President Roh Moohyun promised to create the new capital during the 2002 elections, citing among other factors "as-yet to be constructed (or named) city would take over from Seoul, which is plagued by overcrowding"
"my dark and cloudy words they do but hold
the truth, as cabinet enclose the gold"
- John bunyan, The Pilgrims Progress
... enjoying the sun whilst reading Quicksilver by Stephenson. Good fun, mixing up alchemy, science and crypto. And of course; some intrigue and close encounters.
Speaking of intrigue - the Iraqi situation is getting more tangled every day, or so it seems. About a week ago the arabian TV-news channel al Jazzera was "closed down" by the "iraqi government". Democracy, freedom and all that. Check.
...and the sun is here today as well - lovely summer days...
"my dark and cloudy words they do but hold
the truth, as cabinet enclose the gold"
- John bunyan, The Pilgrims Progress
... enjoying the sun whilst reading Quicksilver by Stephenson. Good fun, mixing up alchemy, science and crypto. And of course; some intrigue and close encounters.
Speaking of intrigue - the Iraqi situation is getting more tangled every day, or so it seems. About a week ago the arabian TV-news channel al Jazzera was "closed down" by the "iraqi government". Democracy, freedom and all that. Check.
...and the sun is here today as well - lovely summer days...
Thursday, August 12
nwn 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is officially coming... to be launched in 2006, suitably paced after KOTOR 2. With an improved "module wizard"; No, it won't be an annoying little paperclip with a staff and mage hat :D
nice!
nice!
Sunday, August 8
millions in zurich
Party y time in Switzerland - not only a nice country to stash all those millions you got from dubios sources - but also a place for a good time, as seen here during the 13. rendition of the parade. Take back the street!
Wednesday, August 4
yo G
woooooooooo............ a gMail account... it is good to be a blogger!
...and the sun is out there somewhere, still warm...
...and the sun is out there somewhere, still warm...
The Memory Hole
The Memory Hole >Photos of Iraqis as the case against one of the US "models" (aka Lyndie England) goes to court.
Other than that a bit stunned by last evenings news about an apperently random stabbing in downtown Oslo.
"You are gone, much too soon. I stood here and waited for you. ... I hate the man that killed you and want you to come back. I love you." (dececed 23yr olds girlfriend)
ouch.
pain.
...
Other than that a bit stunned by last evenings news about an apperently random stabbing in downtown Oslo.
"You are gone, much too soon. I stood here and waited for you. ... I hate the man that killed you and want you to come back. I love you." (dececed 23yr olds girlfriend)
ouch.
pain.
...
Monday, August 2
118 ways to decorate
Periodic table: "Element 118 has no name yet, does not occur in nature, and it has no isotopes that last long enough to allow significant quantities to be accumulated" - and hence it is just an empty square on the table made by Theodore Gray, partially as an actual table for an office room - and partially as a site to spread some information on "stuff" in a world of "bits"...
Thursday, July 29
Art - or artfull
Thomas Kinkade is an artist. A very successful one at that. He has sold probably millions of his works. The titles give a good idea of the tone and subjects; "Make a Wish Cottage", "Blessings of Christmas", "City by the Bay" and "The Old Fishin' Hole" being just some of them (from Gallery)
"RARE ONLY 980 Signed and Numbered of this edition were produced." (1) ... and that sets the tone; he makes mass-art, combining printing with a personal touch (highlights, signatures and numbering) in order to make it something more than "just a print".
says Kinkade "We view my work and my cultural identity, in a way, as heir to the Walt Disney kind of tradition" (CBS) - hitting the common soul of americans, and making a bit while doing it. Time to paint.
"RARE ONLY 980 Signed and Numbered of this edition were produced." (1) ... and that sets the tone; he makes mass-art, combining printing with a personal touch (highlights, signatures and numbering) in order to make it something more than "just a print".
says Kinkade "We view my work and my cultural identity, in a way, as heir to the Walt Disney kind of tradition" (CBS) - hitting the common soul of americans, and making a bit while doing it. Time to paint.
Who are you?
Q - the book without a known author is back in the spotlight in Norway. First published in 1999 and linked to Watford (and Inter Milan) footballer Luther Blissett - or at least his name. The main people behind the "experiment" / "statement" have now changed their "name" to Wu Ming... which translates into "no name". Sort of like Clint Eastwood in those good old spag-westerns; "My name is nobody"
And the point? A name is not just a name, but also a statement of who you would like to be seen as.
...and the sun makes it hot - summer is here...
And the point? A name is not just a name, but also a statement of who you would like to be seen as.
...and the sun makes it hot - summer is here...
Newspeak - and old writing
The Newspeak Dictionary: "Propaganda - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" is a nice part of the site, giving you various downloads of both Orwells works and other "significant" works, from Marx to Sun Tzu and beyond.
Monday, July 26
Beale treasure
The UnMuseum - The Beale Cryptograms: "somewhere six feet under the ground in Virginia is over $30 million in gold" ... just finished reading the brilliant "Code Book" and one of the more interesting passages was the bit about the possible treasure hidden by mr Beale.
The second of his "clues" was coded using the Declariation of independence - so perhaps the other to are simple variations on the same? Counting backwards? Or the number of vowels? Or adding one for every G in the text? ...would make sense not to have to many different papers - but still not use it straight forward (to insecure - a lot of money even now!)
The second of his "clues" was coded using the Declariation of independence - so perhaps the other to are simple variations on the same? Counting backwards? Or the number of vowels? Or adding one for every G in the text? ...would make sense not to have to many different papers - but still not use it straight forward (to insecure - a lot of money even now!)
imagine - and compete
Imagine CUP: "Fifty teams across four invitationals will represent their country in Brazil" - a tech focused competition, check out China doing it BIG in algorithms!
Tuesday, July 6
100 years and then some
100 years of history - or a hundred years since the team of professor Gabriel Gustafson dug up the Oseberg vikingship - built around 820, they golden age of viking exploration. A stunning view if you visit Oslo [facts]
Swedish dead
They are re-investigating parts of the material collected during the investigation of the Palme-murder (Swedish primeminister at the time, back in 1986) - new advances in DNA methods are giving them new hope, as the case is "cold" (no culprit convicted) Bring to mind the Discovery Shop and their DNA for kids kit - and of course C.S.I - television at its finest? Good stories, slightly expanding characters and just a tiny bit of moral imperatives; "remind me not to do drugs". The first game is a bit fun, at least a social activity and tv-aternative. You get to try for yourself, but you don't really need to think too much.
...and the sun pops out from a cloud - time to move on...
Swedish dead
They are re-investigating parts of the material collected during the investigation of the Palme-murder (Swedish primeminister at the time, back in 1986) - new advances in DNA methods are giving them new hope, as the case is "cold" (no culprit convicted) Bring to mind the Discovery Shop and their DNA for kids kit - and of course C.S.I - television at its finest? Good stories, slightly expanding characters and just a tiny bit of moral imperatives; "remind me not to do drugs". The first game is a bit fun, at least a social activity and tv-aternative. You get to try for yourself, but you don't really need to think too much.
...and the sun pops out from a cloud - time to move on...
Noise - less
Brigham Young Uni in Utah using anti-noise to cancel out the hum of PC-fan, Scott Sommerfeldt creted system with microphone to detect noise and speakers to send out opposite waves. Also using some custom crafted algorithms to cancel the noise "properly" - not only at the source but also a bit away (ie where the user is actually sitting). So, look out for new custom made cabinets sporting their own fan-supressing systems? Or will water remain a crowd-pleasing favorite among case-modders and builders?
(read in IHT month ago- original story in New York Times by Anne Eisenberg, extract free here)
And a follow up on previous gaming notes; use your brain for controll - new experiments, detailed in journal of neural engineering [abstract], short in Norwegian by Aftenposten
Dr. Eric Leuthardt at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis
and Daniel Moran, got patients to do "target practive", and achived between 73 and 100% accuracy! One subject hit 33 times in a row!
(read in IHT month ago- original story in New York Times by Anne Eisenberg, extract free here)
And a follow up on previous gaming notes; use your brain for controll - new experiments, detailed in journal of neural engineering [abstract], short in Norwegian by Aftenposten
Dr. Eric Leuthardt at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis
and Daniel Moran, got patients to do "target practive", and achived between 73 and 100% accuracy! One subject hit 33 times in a row!
Finally at the top
Husovd did it yesterday - capturing the yellow jersey as first Norwegian in the 101 years of Tour de France (actually the actual yellow has "only" been in use for some 85 years....) And he did it after falling some 20 km before the finishline - but he got up, got back and finished second on the leg.
Go Norway!
Go Norway!
Saturday, July 3
Crash and run
Minor update on the outcome of the DARPA "great robo race" - where an unmanned vehicle should cross a distance of 142 miles in the desert outside Las Vegas.
All told 13 robots were allowed to start the race - a lucky number for the premier event - and the "winner" travelled a whooping 7,4 miles, or around 5% of the total distance... way to go Red Team!
can't wait for next year, maybe they'll make it to 10 or 25% of the course? Now, if I could only find a Lego Robotics Invention kit!
A short sidenote, also from Wired, really fascinating photo techniques used by Matthew Pillsbury - we move but the computers stay (wired 12.05 - just finished the may issue due to travelling, june and july are lined up - good times!)
...and the sun stays close by all night - making it light yet dark...
All told 13 robots were allowed to start the race - a lucky number for the premier event - and the "winner" travelled a whooping 7,4 miles, or around 5% of the total distance... way to go Red Team!
can't wait for next year, maybe they'll make it to 10 or 25% of the course? Now, if I could only find a Lego Robotics Invention kit!
A short sidenote, also from Wired, really fascinating photo techniques used by Matthew Pillsbury - we move but the computers stay (wired 12.05 - just finished the may issue due to travelling, june and july are lined up - good times!)
...and the sun stays close by all night - making it light yet dark...
Friday, July 2
Thursday, June 24
Carefull what you wish for
- you might just get it, but not the way you wanted to.
Steven Kurtz was a professor and an artist. Now he stands accused of bio-terrorism. Sure, he wanted attention, to make an impact and maybe even provoke a few people. But things have certainly gone "above and beyond" a simple matter of what you can have and use. Protest have gotten the case noticed from the LA Times, Wired and The Guardian amongst others.
End result? Still not known. Major impact? "Those paranoid Americans..." or "Those crazy artist" depending on where you are looking from. (more thoughts and links at Valley)
...and the sun has started back south - but is well hidden today by rain coming down...
Steven Kurtz was a professor and an artist. Now he stands accused of bio-terrorism. Sure, he wanted attention, to make an impact and maybe even provoke a few people. But things have certainly gone "above and beyond" a simple matter of what you can have and use. Protest have gotten the case noticed from the LA Times, Wired and The Guardian amongst others.
End result? Still not known. Major impact? "Those paranoid Americans..." or "Those crazy artist" depending on where you are looking from. (more thoughts and links at Valley)
...and the sun has started back south - but is well hidden today by rain coming down...
Wednesday, June 16
Suit up
The US Army is developing a brand new uniform - the ACU or Army Combat Uniform - to be used all over the place (rather than swapping back and forth between urban, woodland and desert equipment). So say bye bye to those black boots with their spit-shine, and hello to "mandarin" collar for easy use under bodyarmour (kevlar and so forth). To be launched for US forces from 2005 until 2007 - so maybe a variety well end up in Norway around 2020...? [more glossy info]
On that note - at the end of August there will be a "commando raid" arranged in Norway, a team competition with four men or women to each side, traversing 30 km and stopping by 12-25 checkpoints. At each point the team might be tested in various military skills - set against the backdrop of anit-terror and crisis management, so urban warfare, climbing, first aid and escort are good guesses. What a way to spend a weekend and visit Norway, eeeh? Once upon a time the goal was stopping nazi atomic development, but now it is all about the challenge. Maybe better that way... at least around here.
On that note - at the end of August there will be a "commando raid" arranged in Norway, a team competition with four men or women to each side, traversing 30 km and stopping by 12-25 checkpoints. At each point the team might be tested in various military skills - set against the backdrop of anit-terror and crisis management, so urban warfare, climbing, first aid and escort are good guesses. What a way to spend a weekend and visit Norway, eeeh? Once upon a time the goal was stopping nazi atomic development, but now it is all about the challenge. Maybe better that way... at least around here.
Back on
Status; back from both China and the military, spent a week out in the woods with the National Guard and now the net connection is more or less back again. So naturally, I have a lot of notes, thoughts and questions to get out here.
First off, it is Euro 2004 time - so in respect for Zin Zid, Mr French football saviour:
A German named Paul Friese from Rendsburg in northern Germany has build a Lego model of his local football stadium "Fritz Walter Stadium", complete with 40 000 fans, buses outside and ads on the side. 130 cm tall, 56 square meters (500+ sq. feet) and wheiging in at 1000+ kilos - a lot of fun for the four months it took him...? (more german info: 1 and 2 )
...and the sun is clouded so I can use the computer for a while longer - new drapes next week, can hardly wait...
First off, it is Euro 2004 time - so in respect for Zin Zid, Mr French football saviour:
A German named Paul Friese from Rendsburg in northern Germany has build a Lego model of his local football stadium "Fritz Walter Stadium", complete with 40 000 fans, buses outside and ads on the side. 130 cm tall, 56 square meters (500+ sq. feet) and wheiging in at 1000+ kilos - a lot of fun for the four months it took him...? (more german info: 1 and 2 )
...and the sun is clouded so I can use the computer for a while longer - new drapes next week, can hardly wait...
Wednesday, June 9
History and blood
History coming back
According to the BBC, the British Library is spending £2 million on digitizing old newspapers, more than a million pages, going back to 1800. Estimated launch in 18 months, so come New Year 2006 we should be able to get a good look at how our ancestors viewed their great changes. Stay tuned?
Working - what does it take do be an attractive employee these days, after the dot com bubble, and in a day and age where cost-cutting and efficiency are the key drivers? According to Finn Skårderud, it is not about what you know (how to do), but rather how flexible you are in terms of changing skills, responsibilities and goals/owners. So how do you prepare yourself for long term commitment if it is all about flux and change? Are quarterly reports and short term stock price fluctuations eroding the long term viability of business? With CEOs floating between companies and industries at least every five years, how do you motivate the employees to go further - to give more?
Incoming
After spending a bit more time than normal outdoors lately - I started thinking about mosquitoes and their various cousins. Shouldn't they give off a "stay away" scent when they are swatted, to warn others to stay clear or be extra careful? Or would it be overpowered by the possible scent of the blood they had started extracting - and in total actually attract MORE flying pests?
...the sun is mostly out in full as I sit in the middle of nowhere waiting to be found
According to the BBC, the British Library is spending £2 million on digitizing old newspapers, more than a million pages, going back to 1800. Estimated launch in 18 months, so come New Year 2006 we should be able to get a good look at how our ancestors viewed their great changes. Stay tuned?
[filling my head with the beats of: Yeah - Usher and then some ]
Working - what does it take do be an attractive employee these days, after the dot com bubble, and in a day and age where cost-cutting and efficiency are the key drivers? According to Finn Skårderud, it is not about what you know (how to do), but rather how flexible you are in terms of changing skills, responsibilities and goals/owners. So how do you prepare yourself for long term commitment if it is all about flux and change? Are quarterly reports and short term stock price fluctuations eroding the long term viability of business? With CEOs floating between companies and industries at least every five years, how do you motivate the employees to go further - to give more?
Incoming
After spending a bit more time than normal outdoors lately - I started thinking about mosquitoes and their various cousins. Shouldn't they give off a "stay away" scent when they are swatted, to warn others to stay clear or be extra careful? Or would it be overpowered by the possible scent of the blood they had started extracting - and in total actually attract MORE flying pests?
...the sun is mostly out in full as I sit in the middle of nowhere waiting to be found
Friday, June 4
Back and out again
After three weeks in China, and delayed luggage coming back - I've barely had time to turn around - tomorrow it is out into the wilds to defend king and country... or train for doing it someday, since we are not at war (even if we have several soldiers in warzones - from NATO ops in Bosnia to "humanitarian" ops in Iraq)
so do I remember anything from back when I became a sergant? Well, not that much, but I guess I'll have some time over the next seven days to get back into it.
...and as soon as I'm back the too large stack of clippings will get a good thinking and posting round! Semper Fi.
...and the sun is naturally hiding behind rainy clouds tonight...
so do I remember anything from back when I became a sergant? Well, not that much, but I guess I'll have some time over the next seven days to get back into it.
...and as soon as I'm back the too large stack of clippings will get a good thinking and posting round! Semper Fi.
...and the sun is naturally hiding behind rainy clouds tonight...
Tuesday, May 11
Statements or facts
Michael Moore - got a gold in Cannes, and his movie will be released in the US, even if they are arguing about the age... has he done a generally good job by bringning documentaries into a new light - or is it just slightly polished porpaganda? Per Haddal, famed moviecritic has some interesting thoughts.
"In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director" said Alfred Hitchcock
"Most got attracted to the genre because they could tell a story on a low budget, with complete control and without commercial interference" - indie movies... using DV to tell a "true" story, but is there A truth, or just MY truth?
On a more thoughtful note - did a Google search on Lynndie England a while back, which naturally turned up lots of pages. But, the image tab was empty. I guess that shows how hard it can be to link an image to relevant phrases - and to keep the search base updated and linked with newsstories. AllTheWeb had 167 Web hits, 971 news hits and no images. As for the prison name "Abu Ghraib" they had 80 and 130 or so pictures, mostly related to car bombing.
25 inside - and 31,5 in the shade on the balcony (it eventually crept up to 34) - oh yes, early May in Norway... there is nothing "unusual" about the general climate. Right. Check.
(in centigrade, quick conversion gives 93,2 F... hot)
...and the sun was doing its thing...
"In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director" said Alfred Hitchcock
"Most got attracted to the genre because they could tell a story on a low budget, with complete control and without commercial interference" - indie movies... using DV to tell a "true" story, but is there A truth, or just MY truth?
On a more thoughtful note - did a Google search on Lynndie England a while back, which naturally turned up lots of pages. But, the image tab was empty. I guess that shows how hard it can be to link an image to relevant phrases - and to keep the search base updated and linked with newsstories. AllTheWeb had 167 Web hits, 971 news hits and no images. As for the prison name "Abu Ghraib" they had 80 and 130 or so pictures, mostly related to car bombing.
25 inside - and 31,5 in the shade on the balcony (it eventually crept up to 34) - oh yes, early May in Norway... there is nothing "unusual" about the general climate. Right. Check.
(in centigrade, quick conversion gives 93,2 F... hot)
...and the sun was doing its thing...
Monday, May 10
On the other side
Just a short "think about it" - Lifeswitch - very well made site, in terms of messaage, content and useability. And there is the "ouch" factor as well... try it.
...and the sun gets in my eyes...
...and the sun gets in my eyes...
first mailed
so why should this look any different?
(yup, testing the new web interface and using the mail-in function as well, other than that nothing much so far today)
(yup, testing the new web interface and using the mail-in function as well, other than that nothing much so far today)
Sunday, May 9
coffe - Italian style
Slightly different from the last topic - the nice thing (and sometimes scary) about the net; how easy it is to jump from one thing to something completely different.
Trieste is hosting the second Espresso Expo this fall. The town was recently described by a norwegian author as "a port for a world that no longer exsist" - but clearly it is still partyall integrated into the current global latte-mania, with education and labs testing and classifying coffe.
"Perfect espresso is the ultimate coffee. It ranks with fine wine for the complexity of its chemistry" (Economist!)
Oh yes. Coffe time - again.
...and the sun is soon the right angle for leisurly reading on the balcony...
Trieste is hosting the second Espresso Expo this fall. The town was recently described by a norwegian author as "a port for a world that no longer exsist" - but clearly it is still partyall integrated into the current global latte-mania, with education and labs testing and classifying coffe.
"Perfect espresso is the ultimate coffee. It ranks with fine wine for the complexity of its chemistry" (Economist!)
Oh yes. Coffe time - again.
...and the sun is soon the right angle for leisurly reading on the balcony...
From Jessica to Lynndie
Back when the Iraqi operation still held some mystique and respect, the story of Jessica Lynch and her "heroic capture" and the almost-live-on-tv rescue operation (as directed by the Black Hawk Down The Movie crew?) made instant headlines and served to justify the presence. Then it turned out that she had never fired her weapon, not fought the Iraqis, not been mistreated - actually hardly guarded when she was rescued... the doctors had tried to contact the Americans to get her safely back. And finally she stood up for herself - and spoke out against the misuse of her story.
Now they focus is on prisons - and especially the actions of Lynndie England. 21 years old, pregnant - and an instant "celebrity" due to the pictures finally published by Washington Post among others. A product of the poor America? A scapegoat thrown out to avoid the big picture? Or just another wasted youth getting a kick from living on the edge? [all links to images this time]
War - a horror and a nasty time for all. The number of dead Americans rise each day. They are bombed, burned and attacked from the dark. And they are desperate to stop it. But can they? Is it possible? The famed Col. Kurtz said it in Apocalypse Now; "Because they could stand that these were not monsters. These were men... trained cadres. ..... Because it's judgment that defeats us. " So - the Vietnam syndrome? Or the general trouble of beeing in effect an occupying force? When you fight for you country, on your soil - the willingness to give something above (or below) and beyond is so much stronger.
And there is Willards coment: "We cut 'em in half with a machine gun and give 'em a Band-Aid" and Kurtz view on proper style; "We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene! " There is no simple answer, no 2+2 = 4 solution to the problem.
For another take on the paths of the two young soldiers - check the independent "Jessica Lynch and Lynndie England: An American odyssey"
And the final quote - from the extended Redux version;
Willard: Who's in charge here?
Soldier: In charge? I don't know, man. I'm just doing what I'm told - I'm just a working girl
...and the sun is hot today and was great yesterday - summer is here...
Now they focus is on prisons - and especially the actions of Lynndie England. 21 years old, pregnant - and an instant "celebrity" due to the pictures finally published by Washington Post among others. A product of the poor America? A scapegoat thrown out to avoid the big picture? Or just another wasted youth getting a kick from living on the edge? [all links to images this time]
War - a horror and a nasty time for all. The number of dead Americans rise each day. They are bombed, burned and attacked from the dark. And they are desperate to stop it. But can they? Is it possible? The famed Col. Kurtz said it in Apocalypse Now; "Because they could stand that these were not monsters. These were men... trained cadres. ..... Because it's judgment that defeats us. " So - the Vietnam syndrome? Or the general trouble of beeing in effect an occupying force? When you fight for you country, on your soil - the willingness to give something above (or below) and beyond is so much stronger.
And there is Willards coment: "We cut 'em in half with a machine gun and give 'em a Band-Aid" and Kurtz view on proper style; "We train young men to drop fire on people. But their commanders won't allow them to write "fuck" on their airplanes because it's obscene! " There is no simple answer, no 2+2 = 4 solution to the problem.
For another take on the paths of the two young soldiers - check the independent "Jessica Lynch and Lynndie England: An American odyssey"
And the final quote - from the extended Redux version;
Willard: Who's in charge here?
Soldier: In charge? I don't know, man. I'm just doing what I'm told - I'm just a working girl
...and the sun is hot today and was great yesterday - summer is here...
Friday, May 7
"Everybody is looking out for themselves - I am the only one looking out for ME"
- does society still have an obligation, or an aspiration for that matter, to protect every memeber and give us all somethinig more than we get ourselves? Are we to busy looking out for number one (and our closest family or friends) to bother with the big picture?
Is it right when people retire at 67 (or 62, or 60 based on special deals made during the good years)? Should they be allowed to or rather forced to? Is it so wrong to want to work - when the slogan "it's not a job - it's a lifestyle" still rings in our ears? Certainly a large number of those on the sidelines of retirement would like to contribute, to solve problems and "add value"... but they can't - not if the companies keep focusing on cutting direct measurable costs, and if the government thinks that old people should sit somewhere and do handiicraft (maybe drinking a glass of red wine - if it is Saturday, that is).
There has been talk of "brain drain" [ref wired, guradian ...?] from low-cost countries, with for example nurses moving from Sweden to Norway to make more, or educated people in general fleeing Iran. But should we launch the term "age drain" or "knowledge loss" to describe the daily reduction of overall competence? When someone retires today at age 67, they probably started working around 1960 - and have been doing their job longer than the "new guy" has been alive... how does this affect us? The worst challenge is probably coming up in the universities. In some areas 75-100 % of the professors are over 55 - that means that in 10 years or less, the majority of established knowledge and experience will drift off, to sit in the sun in Spain and drink cheap red wine. So what to do?
Is it right when people retire at 67 (or 62, or 60 based on special deals made during the good years)? Should they be allowed to or rather forced to? Is it so wrong to want to work - when the slogan "it's not a job - it's a lifestyle" still rings in our ears? Certainly a large number of those on the sidelines of retirement would like to contribute, to solve problems and "add value"... but they can't - not if the companies keep focusing on cutting direct measurable costs, and if the government thinks that old people should sit somewhere and do handiicraft (maybe drinking a glass of red wine - if it is Saturday, that is).
There has been talk of "brain drain" [ref wired, guradian ...?] from low-cost countries, with for example nurses moving from Sweden to Norway to make more, or educated people in general fleeing Iran. But should we launch the term "age drain" or "knowledge loss" to describe the daily reduction of overall competence? When someone retires today at age 67, they probably started working around 1960 - and have been doing their job longer than the "new guy" has been alive... how does this affect us? The worst challenge is probably coming up in the universities. In some areas 75-100 % of the professors are over 55 - that means that in 10 years or less, the majority of established knowledge and experience will drift off, to sit in the sun in Spain and drink cheap red wine. So what to do?
Thursday, April 22
Play to __________ (why?)
So now Americas Army is coming to a tv near you. And the Army isn't the only group using games to express its mindset and worldview (or adver-games as it is called when it is from Pepsi and other corps). Hezbollah has Special Forces and Dar Al-fikr (syrian company) launched- Under Ash - the next generation is getting their impulses from computers...
On the "reverse" side there is the Jerusalem Games System, where Hayatman hopes to let people from all over meet peacefully and interact, thereby fulfilling the prophecies and bringing peace to the world. Far out? Well, not quite The Matrix, but then agiain - all religion requieres a leap of faith, and in terms of gaming it is just called immersion.
Coffe time - love the latte, or a doppi (double espresso shot). So my next obsession will probably be oversized coffemugs from Starbucks. We got one in Miami last fall, obviously with Miami on it. And no that China is next up, I checked the site - and in China... there are 38 stores each in Beijing and Shanghai - the world of latte in the land of green tea. But then again, with 12-15 million in each of the cities, you have some 350 000 people per location - excluding tourists.
On the "soon China time"-theme, been reading about the "Pure debates" and the period of disunion, 220 until 581. Taoism was a vibrant and driving force, with alternatives to the imperial service a real possiblity...
"Seven Sages of the Bamboo Studio" are one of the groups mentioned - and still inspirational? And most of all - a pricey motive at Sothebys.
And on the note of alchemy - the quest for the elixir of life is the higher goal and according to legend/myth , Ge Hong - or "Bao pu zi" was on track (second name used both about him and a work he published). "he obtained the secrets to immortality" [pure] Nice - but the downside is that it is immortality in the Buddisth sense; beyond this world/life, so no hanging around to check out the great-great-great grandchildren or celebrating your first millenium.
...and the sun can be seen, after scraping the dust and concrete residue from the windows - renovation is a great thing...
On the "reverse" side there is the Jerusalem Games System, where Hayatman hopes to let people from all over meet peacefully and interact, thereby fulfilling the prophecies and bringing peace to the world. Far out? Well, not quite The Matrix, but then agiain - all religion requieres a leap of faith, and in terms of gaming it is just called immersion.
Coffe time - love the latte, or a doppi (double espresso shot). So my next obsession will probably be oversized coffemugs from Starbucks. We got one in Miami last fall, obviously with Miami on it. And no that China is next up, I checked the site - and in China... there are 38 stores each in Beijing and Shanghai - the world of latte in the land of green tea. But then again, with 12-15 million in each of the cities, you have some 350 000 people per location - excluding tourists.
On the "soon China time"-theme, been reading about the "Pure debates" and the period of disunion, 220 until 581. Taoism was a vibrant and driving force, with alternatives to the imperial service a real possiblity...
- quest for immortality, magic, alchemy, proper diet and breathing techniques
- Instead, they gathered to write poetry, play the lute, drink wine and discuss Taoism philosophy
"Seven Sages of the Bamboo Studio" are one of the groups mentioned - and still inspirational? And most of all - a pricey motive at Sothebys.
- "The bamboo brush pot depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove -... - exemplifies the skill of the seventeenth century master carvers (est. HK$600,000-800,000)." [Sotheby]
- third-century navel-gazers who renounce the world in favour of a life of poetry, philosophy and, more importantly, drink. [Aussie reuse]
And on the note of alchemy - the quest for the elixir of life is the higher goal and according to legend/myth , Ge Hong - or "Bao pu zi" was on track (second name used both about him and a work he published). "he obtained the secrets to immortality" [pure] Nice - but the downside is that it is immortality in the Buddisth sense; beyond this world/life, so no hanging around to check out the great-great-great grandchildren or celebrating your first millenium.
...and the sun can be seen, after scraping the dust and concrete residue from the windows - renovation is a great thing...
Thursday, April 15
Historic flights and fights
A story about the Temple Mound in Wired reminded me of a connection from some years ago... back before revelations and revolutions - yes, when Matrix was A movie. Nebucadnezzar II - was King of Babylon and way back when in 586 (BC), he concured Palestine and the mysterious Ark dissapeared. In The Matrix it is the ship of Morpheus. So is he (or all of them) on a quest to take back the holy land - to expand their position from small to great? Or is it more about N. and his chase of a dream - that he is unable to grasp the meaning of according to legend?
Which brings us to Saladin - the light, the chivalry embodied - not by the "noble" cursaders but by their fierce foe. A man of a strict code of conduct, fighting a war - but when possible keeping it out of the way, avoiding civilian casulties (or collateral damage as the term goes). He even offered to share power in the holy land with the crusaders, but was unable to convince them. For a nice take on the bond that might have been - take a look at the Crusades series, or read about the spin-offs related to Arn [main, select language]. Could a knight templar and the legendary Light of the Faith actually see eye to eye, respect each other and see beyond their religious differences? Is there still hope for a joint solution - or do we really need the famed Arc or the Temple of the propecy in order to create balance?
...and the sun is back - two hours of leisurly reading on the balcony today...
Which brings us to Saladin - the light, the chivalry embodied - not by the "noble" cursaders but by their fierce foe. A man of a strict code of conduct, fighting a war - but when possible keeping it out of the way, avoiding civilian casulties (or collateral damage as the term goes). He even offered to share power in the holy land with the crusaders, but was unable to convince them. For a nice take on the bond that might have been - take a look at the Crusades series, or read about the spin-offs related to Arn [main, select language]. Could a knight templar and the legendary Light of the Faith actually see eye to eye, respect each other and see beyond their religious differences? Is there still hope for a joint solution - or do we really need the famed Arc or the Temple of the propecy in order to create balance?
...and the sun is back - two hours of leisurly reading on the balcony today...
Wednesday, April 14
1 million
"The Bookseller of Kabul" [ama]by Norwegian journalist and part-time authour Åsne Seierstad has passed one million copies sold, as was nominated for the British Book Awards - as part of Richard and Judy Read of the year. Not bad for a very personal take on life and love in Kabul after the fall of Taliban.
Currently she is back in Serbia to update (once more) her first book "With their back against the world" Not translated to English yet, but out in German so maybe come fall she will return to Iraq and update her newest book about her stay in Baghdad before and during the "Second Gulf War" (you know the one, that ended last year...) She sure gets around to some quaint turistic spots the fair miss Seierstad (on the left)
...and the sun seems much brighter with newly painted walls...
Currently she is back in Serbia to update (once more) her first book "With their back against the world" Not translated to English yet, but out in German so maybe come fall she will return to Iraq and update her newest book about her stay in Baghdad before and during the "Second Gulf War" (you know the one, that ended last year...) She sure gets around to some quaint turistic spots the fair miss Seierstad (on the left)
...and the sun seems much brighter with newly painted walls...
Monday, April 5
Feed and rays
RSS bonanza is all over the web- and it is even included in most open source cms, such asXaraya (wooo... .99 released, 1.0 just around the corner... big q is how fast they will (have to) make 1.01 or 1.1for fixes) and PostNuke (well, increasingly when .8 comes out someday over the rainbow)... but it is as a lot of other thing - several things at once - or as o'reily put it: "RSS which can stand for RDF Site Summary, Rich Site Summary, or Really Simple Syndication". Confused or exalted? Yes please.
Hellboy (img) movie is out in the US- and according to the director "like having your favourite Frank Sinatra song sung by Tom Waits"... now there is an image... he even looks a bit like ol'red - but just a bit!
On a less fun note - even though spring is coming and the sun is returning a bit longereveryday, it might not be a bright as before. A phenomenon called "Global dimming" - first described by Atsumu Ohmura in 1985 - "... results suggested that levels of solar radiation striking the Earth's surface had declined by more than 10% in three decades" [guardian - good overview and suggest further reading] So, maybe the future won't be so bright that you have to wear shades...?
Rebecca Solnit - From the River of Shadows is getting rave reviews - five for five from a top 50 reviewer... part biography, part musings and part history of movies and inventions/shifts.
...and the sun - is it dimming?...
Hellboy (img) movie is out in the US- and according to the director "like having your favourite Frank Sinatra song sung by Tom Waits"... now there is an image... he even looks a bit like ol'red - but just a bit!
On a less fun note - even though spring is coming and the sun is returning a bit longereveryday, it might not be a bright as before. A phenomenon called "Global dimming" - first described by Atsumu Ohmura in 1985 - "... results suggested that levels of solar radiation striking the Earth's surface had declined by more than 10% in three decades" [guardian - good overview and suggest further reading] So, maybe the future won't be so bright that you have to wear shades...?
Rebecca Solnit - From the River of Shadows is getting rave reviews - five for five from a top 50 reviewer... part biography, part musings and part history of movies and inventions/shifts.
...and the sun - is it dimming?...
Easter reflections - and catching up
Ilan Pappe is the most eloquent writer of Palestinian history - according to John Pilger, and the latest book - "History of Modern Palestine" sounds like a good take on the background of one of the worlds most enduring trouble-spots. If you are in Edinburgh in June you can catch up with him
Another big book that is getting some attention - is RUARD - no so much a book, as a work (look at the picture, and the price at 100+ USD). Set to be available in paperback come november, it deals with violence, but has gotten more attention for the way it is written (and just as importantly: written about). A 100 pages on Soviet era farms might have its place - but for now I'll stick to the discussions rather than the book.
...and the best phrase of the week goes to Wired for "The electronic taco" aka Nokias N-gage gaming phone... and it really does look like a weird taco - not to forget how people using it for the first time juggel it back and forth sort of like nibbeling at the end.
One more Wired - movieoke - finally Rocky Horror Show for the masses, and the favorite comment to finish off the evening? No contest, no second place - only one; "I'll be baack" [also 1 and 2 - on a sidenote, IMDB really rocks for movie trivia and funfacts!]
...and the sun is out there, but not here yet...
Another big book that is getting some attention - is RUARD - no so much a book, as a work (look at the picture, and the price at 100+ USD). Set to be available in paperback come november, it deals with violence, but has gotten more attention for the way it is written (and just as importantly: written about). A 100 pages on Soviet era farms might have its place - but for now I'll stick to the discussions rather than the book.
...and the best phrase of the week goes to Wired for "The electronic taco" aka Nokias N-gage gaming phone... and it really does look like a weird taco - not to forget how people using it for the first time juggel it back and forth sort of like nibbeling at the end.
One more Wired - movieoke - finally Rocky Horror Show for the masses, and the favorite comment to finish off the evening? No contest, no second place - only one; "I'll be baack" [also 1 and 2 - on a sidenote, IMDB really rocks for movie trivia and funfacts!]
...and the sun is out there, but not here yet...
Sunday, April 4
Looking back or ahead
And here we are - slightly below the weather on a grey, wet and silent Sunday in April. Why do we work? Is it because we need the money, to feed ourselves and have some fun? Or because it gives us a higher purpose - a drive and sense of purpose?
As Nemi said - I can get that from my playstation anytime... solving problems, enchaning and improving conditions, reaching closure. So why work when we could just play? Mostly for the money and the social aspect - meeting other people and interacting with them beyond just typing on a keyboard.
Should we work to improve the world, to enhance shareholder value and stakeholders key issues? Or simply to make the wheels go round and round in the economy? Is shopping an economic pursuit - do we contribute by spending beyond the level of neccesities? Such as this computer and the broadband access. Not vital to staying alive or staying fit (quite the opposite???) but definitly good for a range of activities - and conductive to greater spending, everything right at your fingertips.
So why this blog? Should it continue beyond a year, a month, a day? Or rather a year and a month and a day as it currently has. From the third to the fourth, but still without the answers and still mixing it up with this and that. How many regular readers? How many random drop-bys? Does it really matter - or is it all about doing it in case someone might want to read it? A full list of subjects is sitting in front of me - but I think they can wait for another day, when the sky outside and the energy inside is a bit more shining... today is a lazy sunday. A hazy sunday - with little sun.
...and the sun is well hidden by gray and rainy clouds...
As Nemi said - I can get that from my playstation anytime... solving problems, enchaning and improving conditions, reaching closure. So why work when we could just play? Mostly for the money and the social aspect - meeting other people and interacting with them beyond just typing on a keyboard.
Should we work to improve the world, to enhance shareholder value and stakeholders key issues? Or simply to make the wheels go round and round in the economy? Is shopping an economic pursuit - do we contribute by spending beyond the level of neccesities? Such as this computer and the broadband access. Not vital to staying alive or staying fit (quite the opposite???) but definitly good for a range of activities - and conductive to greater spending, everything right at your fingertips.
So why this blog? Should it continue beyond a year, a month, a day? Or rather a year and a month and a day as it currently has. From the third to the fourth, but still without the answers and still mixing it up with this and that. How many regular readers? How many random drop-bys? Does it really matter - or is it all about doing it in case someone might want to read it? A full list of subjects is sitting in front of me - but I think they can wait for another day, when the sky outside and the energy inside is a bit more shining... today is a lazy sunday. A hazy sunday - with little sun.
...and the sun is well hidden by gray and rainy clouds...
Saturday, April 3
Fire - fox or bird or ...
Firefox : Extensions - been testing alternate browsers today, first Firebird from a magazine cd, then I discovered that they had updated, and once agian swapped the name to Firefox .8
Had some trouble with one theme - everything started jumping... but it looks OK now. Fast and finally tabs again (after beign spoiled with safari). And a blog-this right-click to replace the toolbar.
Had some trouble with one theme - everything started jumping... but it looks OK now. Fast and finally tabs again (after beign spoiled with safari). And a blog-this right-click to replace the toolbar.
Friday, April 2
another famous Norwegian?
Brown Norway (BN) - or rats as they are more commonly know now join in the future - as one of the species to have their genes sequenced... great name, wonder why nobody uses that in ads? Must be one of the most "pervasive inventions" in quite some time :D
...and the sun is long gone, just a quick mailcheck...
...and the sun is long gone, just a quick mailcheck...
Thursday, April 1
Mindless end (pt4)
Go explore with Flyguy - see what you find as your mind drifts upward and away... carefull or you might just get knocked back to waiting for the bus... for more of his work - surf up. Favorites include Pixel art for Lego and Terminator 3 (no, no direct connection ;D)
Need a reason to have broadband (other than "almost always on") ??? Have a look at Supermoto - a site that lets you get a grip on this hybrid bike-sport, looking at the tracks with video comments, viewing a race in dvd-style; 7 camera angels to switch between and several sound options (various songs, commentary etc)
Or if you want some legal music dl - take a look inside audikit, giving you everything from hard core metal to rock-a-billy gospel. Now there is a mixtape waiting to happen? Other music? The headstones have apperntly decided to call it a night (but haven't gotten around to removing the "Shows" choice on the site... sweet) Still a pack of video and some tracks to listen to. (Only problem for me using DL Express is the run/dl choice for each song, sending them off to winamp rather than background play)
And that's it for mindless surfing - or for the backlog of .net showcase links anyway. Stay tuned. Three more days until mental review as 3-3-3 meets the future of 4-4-4
...and the sun came out today as well...
Need a reason to have broadband (other than "almost always on") ??? Have a look at Supermoto - a site that lets you get a grip on this hybrid bike-sport, looking at the tracks with video comments, viewing a race in dvd-style; 7 camera angels to switch between and several sound options (various songs, commentary etc)
Or if you want some legal music dl - take a look inside audikit, giving you everything from hard core metal to rock-a-billy gospel. Now there is a mixtape waiting to happen? Other music? The headstones have apperntly decided to call it a night (but haven't gotten around to removing the "Shows" choice on the site... sweet) Still a pack of video and some tracks to listen to. (Only problem for me using DL Express is the run/dl choice for each song, sending them off to winamp rather than background play)
And that's it for mindless surfing - or for the backlog of .net showcase links anyway. Stay tuned. Three more days until mental review as 3-3-3 meets the future of 4-4-4
...and the sun came out today as well...
Wednesday, March 31
Mindless mumbo (pt3)
DDB is all about the message... so is it counter-intuitive that the one thing on their site that really makes you look is the blue and yellow "teletubbied" men running around in the background? Or is it clever ploy to keep you looking at different parts of the site to see what the b&y are up to? ...entertaing for sure (flash? yup.)
Take a reflective stroll through the CSS garden - and find your own style. How hard is it to actually separate content and design? How many results can you come up with? [currently 89 official design submitted]
And what do you buy and consume in a day, a week or a month? How many different items? Nice site, photogalleries from different shop - ie Target, with people and their carts. And naturally; detailed reports of what has been bought, week by week, during the 20+ months of the sites life.
...and the sun is setting, time to end for now...
Take a reflective stroll through the CSS garden - and find your own style. How hard is it to actually separate content and design? How many results can you come up with? [currently 89 official design submitted]
And what do you buy and consume in a day, a week or a month? How many different items? Nice site, photogalleries from different shop - ie Target, with people and their carts. And naturally; detailed reports of what has been bought, week by week, during the 20+ months of the sites life.
...and the sun is setting, time to end for now...
More mindless (pt2)
Another photosite is schmidt - once more with flash-enabled portfolio. Nice use of keyboard for navigation (space for thumbnails, left/right to move between).
Daring is a series - or will be when the episodes are released, slightly Flash Gordon-esque, evil geniusese and dinasours mixed with blasters and henchmen. For now my favorite part was under the "Lab" tab - the test-animation of Presto (number 5 or 6 - keep pushing next...)
And finally - online paintings by Audrey. You guessed it - great mix of flash, showcasing some of her works and giving news and downloads (nice twist on wallpaper; a framed painting with wall and title around it - just like haning u a real piece of art)
So, why so many "visual" links all of a sudden? Well, a couple of days ago I did some reorganizing and cleaning up in the bookshelvees. I sat down with the "showcase" section from .net magazine - and finally spent some time typing up those urls that seemed relevant and interesting. Hence this is a third degree filtering - first by the .Net staff, then by my reading and now finally by actually surinf along - and adding some comments on the most interesting ones.
...and the sun felt really warm during lunch...
Daring is a series - or will be when the episodes are released, slightly Flash Gordon-esque, evil geniusese and dinasours mixed with blasters and henchmen. For now my favorite part was under the "Lab" tab - the test-animation of Presto (number 5 or 6 - keep pushing next...)
And finally - online paintings by Audrey. You guessed it - great mix of flash, showcasing some of her works and giving news and downloads (nice twist on wallpaper; a framed painting with wall and title around it - just like haning u a real piece of art)
So, why so many "visual" links all of a sudden? Well, a couple of days ago I did some reorganizing and cleaning up in the bookshelvees. I sat down with the "showcase" section from .net magazine - and finally spent some time typing up those urls that seemed relevant and interesting. Hence this is a third degree filtering - first by the .Net staff, then by my reading and now finally by actually surinf along - and adding some comments on the most interesting ones.
...and the sun felt really warm during lunch...
Tuesday, March 30
Mindless surfing (pt 1)
Fridge full of sticky notes with design shuffeling across the soft background.
down below for a new view... site for submitting your own pictures and viewing others. Might have been fun with a bit more comments, but the visual impact is still pretty nifty.
Planetary frog intropage to another photosite with a fullscreen flash site. Bit low on the content ("will update again in august") but high on funky interfaces and interludes. Go with the bouncing spirit and have a look.
...and the sun was really hot today, had to escape for an hour or so earlier...
down below for a new view... site for submitting your own pictures and viewing others. Might have been fun with a bit more comments, but the visual impact is still pretty nifty.
Planetary frog intropage to another photosite with a fullscreen flash site. Bit low on the content ("will update again in august") but high on funky interfaces and interludes. Go with the bouncing spirit and have a look.
...and the sun was really hot today, had to escape for an hour or so earlier...
Monday, March 29
flashing
intentionallies has a bit of fun with flash - letting you look at (as of now) 43 different projects they've done. Spread out as business cards on a table. You can sort them or throw them around, zoom in and open them for more information. Only let down is the lack of (english?) information on the actual cards - as well as manipulation ability (ie click on "category" to see others or explanation)... whatever you do the images keep changing.
was actually contemplating a similar concept for a flash/xml mp3-player - using draggable "singles" and a turntable as interface for selecting among different tunes. Guess I should take a couple of hours and try to knock it togheter...
was actually contemplating a similar concept for a flash/xml mp3-player - using draggable "singles" and a turntable as interface for selecting among different tunes. Guess I should take a couple of hours and try to knock it togheter...
Sunday, March 28
Sound off - with sound on
Ripp of a certain movie trilogy (soon on dvd...) to "inform" about meat-practices over in burger nation - aka USA. Really well put togheter and excellent use of moo-feus as our guide. No wonder a recent study shows that meat is "unhip", especially young girls find the look of red meat and blood rather un-appetizing... unlike a fish with scales and eyes hanging on?
On another note - but staying with the fish - finally managed to send off the underwater instant camera from Cayman last October, and got back some blurry and some really nice pictures of the stingrays with us as well... (not online but same theme as this one )and instapundit has put a diving vid [Note: link to high version, visit site for alternatives] as a change from the political commentary. Gotta love it! Bring on Nemo and the rest of the cast, I want warm weather and sun sun sun.
Music - after a short spell with the iTunes for windows I gave up and tested winamp 5 (the first software using fibonacci for sequence?) And I'm sad to say that it kicks a certain other programs a__ in terms of memory (5 mb rather than 20 for playing my good tunes - used EAC to backup my cd collection just for me me me, and now I finally listen to it a bit more often than before!) Any how, the iPod mini was preordered by the bucket - but with the original lasting some 18 months before the battery says "goodnight sweet love" I guess the field is open to alternatives such as g20 and the zen.
Guess I should jump onto the gadgetlab to stay more uptodate on gizmos. But do I really need one? Seem to remember getting myself an early discman and never really using it (interesting typo: suing it...) maybe because at the time my good old sony walkman was kickin' it good. Lasted for hours and hours, but the discman could perhaps play one whole disc at a time. Then there was the minidisc from the trip to hong kong - turned out to be a bit of a hassle to charge it with plug and power adapters making one BIG piece of hardware to stick in the socket. Besides, at the time I had five minutes of walking to get to class, so why bother? Besides with most of my 100 cd's right here on call I can multi-task them instead.
...and the sun jumped around as we went do daylight-saving or Summertime...
On another note - but staying with the fish - finally managed to send off the underwater instant camera from Cayman last October, and got back some blurry and some really nice pictures of the stingrays with us as well... (not online but same theme as this one )and instapundit has put a diving vid [Note: link to high version, visit site for alternatives] as a change from the political commentary. Gotta love it! Bring on Nemo and the rest of the cast, I want warm weather and sun sun sun.
Music - after a short spell with the iTunes for windows I gave up and tested winamp 5 (the first software using fibonacci for sequence?) And I'm sad to say that it kicks a certain other programs a__ in terms of memory (5 mb rather than 20 for playing my good tunes - used EAC to backup my cd collection just for me me me, and now I finally listen to it a bit more often than before!) Any how, the iPod mini was preordered by the bucket - but with the original lasting some 18 months before the battery says "goodnight sweet love" I guess the field is open to alternatives such as g20 and the zen.
Guess I should jump onto the gadgetlab to stay more uptodate on gizmos. But do I really need one? Seem to remember getting myself an early discman and never really using it (interesting typo: suing it...) maybe because at the time my good old sony walkman was kickin' it good. Lasted for hours and hours, but the discman could perhaps play one whole disc at a time. Then there was the minidisc from the trip to hong kong - turned out to be a bit of a hassle to charge it with plug and power adapters making one BIG piece of hardware to stick in the socket. Besides, at the time I had five minutes of walking to get to class, so why bother? Besides with most of my 100 cd's right here on call I can multi-task them instead.
...and the sun jumped around as we went do daylight-saving or Summertime...
Sunday, March 21
Read all about it?
I read in an opinion piece today that there are 584 bookstores in Norway - and 974 public libraries. Puts things in perspective. Twice as many place to borrow books as to buy them (well - certain books are sold a lot more place - newsagents sell bestseller paperbacks, large grocery stores sell food-related books etc.) And still, on Saturday we visited four different bookstores, and excluding holiday "curiosity visits", the last time I used the library was probably five years ago. Used to go all the time as a student and when I was a kid.
Why?
Well, as I've grown older and gained a "disposable income" it is a lot easier to subscribe to journals and magazines, and with a broadband connection a wee bit of suring and emailing is also going on. And then there is the fact that a regular paperback costs less than a double latte and a large piece of cake at a cafe... (give or take) or less than a six pack of beer at the store. In other words - dirt cheap. And it makes for excellent gifts - a book is a distinct item (ref. ISBN code), so if you say to somebody before x-mas; "gee, i'd love to read the new Neal Stephenson novel Quicksilver" - it is easy for them to figure out how to get it - wheras if you say "a new shirt would be nice" you stick them with the choices (size, fabric, color, brand, pricerange etc etc) and still might end up returning it.
On another note - "rule of thumb" - what does it mean, really? You can rule a distance with a thumb? You can vote "live or let die" at the Colloseum in ancient roman games? Or....? Google best guesses come down to:
Thumb hoax debunk and " the thumb as a convenient measuring tool, the distance to the first knuckle usually being about one inch"
Another answer - "knew their trade so well they rarely
or never fell back on the use of such things as rulers" ... and then pages of "feminist" discussion on the urban myth of wifebeating rulings.
Roman thumbs - way down, suggest that there is actually no evidence of thumbs up/down, just '' "with the thumb turned". No ancient source describes what exactly this signified''
So? The fact that it is in common use in the various Nordic languages as well might imply that some American law-rule is not all that appropriate after all... and as a Finnish guy wrote - the "norse" for an inch is "tomme" eller "tum" (with "tommel" and tummel" being the modern spelling of "thumb" in danish/norwegian and swedish respectively). But hey, why bother thinking about foreign languages when you can shout bloody murder?
...and the sun now stays for a whole 6 hours and then some twenty minutes more than three months ago ...
Why?
Well, as I've grown older and gained a "disposable income" it is a lot easier to subscribe to journals and magazines, and with a broadband connection a wee bit of suring and emailing is also going on. And then there is the fact that a regular paperback costs less than a double latte and a large piece of cake at a cafe... (give or take) or less than a six pack of beer at the store. In other words - dirt cheap. And it makes for excellent gifts - a book is a distinct item (ref. ISBN code), so if you say to somebody before x-mas; "gee, i'd love to read the new Neal Stephenson novel Quicksilver" - it is easy for them to figure out how to get it - wheras if you say "a new shirt would be nice" you stick them with the choices (size, fabric, color, brand, pricerange etc etc) and still might end up returning it.
On another note - "rule of thumb" - what does it mean, really? You can rule a distance with a thumb? You can vote "live or let die" at the Colloseum in ancient roman games? Or....? Google best guesses come down to:
Thumb hoax debunk and " the thumb as a convenient measuring tool, the distance to the first knuckle usually being about one inch"
Another answer - "knew their trade so well they rarely
or never fell back on the use of such things as rulers" ... and then pages of "feminist" discussion on the urban myth of wifebeating rulings.
Roman thumbs - way down, suggest that there is actually no evidence of thumbs up/down, just '' "with the thumb turned". No ancient source describes what exactly this signified''
So? The fact that it is in common use in the various Nordic languages as well might imply that some American law-rule is not all that appropriate after all... and as a Finnish guy wrote - the "norse" for an inch is "tomme" eller "tum" (with "tommel" and tummel" being the modern spelling of "thumb" in danish/norwegian and swedish respectively). But hey, why bother thinking about foreign languages when you can shout bloody murder?
...and the sun now stays for a whole 6 hours and then some twenty minutes more than three months ago ...
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