fairyshaman

Wiimote hacked to create a multitouch display on almost any surface!

2008-01-30T00:32:55Z

Awesome idea, great youtube video.
Via gearlog:

Using a Nintendo Wii remote and some software that he ginned up himself, Johnny Chung Lee of Carnegie Mellon University took a few ballpoint pens, replaced them with IR lights, and presto! Since the Wii tracks IR lights, Lee found that practically any surface -- a projector screen, a tabletop, an LCD screen -- could be turned into a multi-touch screen.

You can download Johnny's software at his website.

Fire Eating class with FirePixie

2007-07-12T19:10:31Z

It was awesome! _firepixie_is an excellent instructor. She breaks things down into contemplatable tasks, and is an amazing performer, too.

Scary, but a lot of fun. Fire is hot. :-)

We actually ended up taking a 'condensed for TV' class, which will air in a few weeks (more details to follow).

Details on the full fire eating class available here.

Thanks again to Erin and Darrell for hosting a wonderful evening.
Thanks to Josh for the pics!
Here's a few of my favorite shots.
More shots available here.

Yes, that's really me eating fire.

finagler with fire shooting out of his mouth.

Josh, the guy with the cool camera taking a turn.

Transferring fire from one torch to another, via tongue.

Pullman's 'The Golden Compass' voted best children's book in the last 70 years

2007-06-22T15:19:18Z

Originally published as Northern Lights, it was entitled The Golden Compass in North America. This is the first book of His Dark Materials Trilogy.

From the Guardian:

The opening book of His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman's epic trilogy of wonder and love, won the supreme accolade in its field last night. Northern Lights was declared the finest children's book of the past 70 years, handsomely topping a readers' poll as the best winner of the annual Carnegie medal published in that time.
Pullman believed the story it introduces - of a girl and boy leading the struggle of multiple universes to throw off the oppressive agents of a senile God - would have difficulty finding an audience. His influences, including Milton, William Blake and Tom Paine, are unprecedented in a children's narrative.

This is a wonderful trilogy, and I loved it.

Joost invite link

2007-05-28T19:44:56Z

Discovered joost this weekend, and got finagler exposed to the pilot episode of Lexx.

Internet TV that's actually legit is cool but a bit odd (this one's by the creators of Skype and Kazaa).

It has commercials, albeit short ones that pop up every 20 minutes or so to interrupt the show, and other brief commercials that show up as pop up windows on the bottom right corner of the screen at other times.

Since it's in BETA, you still need an invite.

Paprika: anime of the disturbed inner dreamscape

2007-05-25T16:28:22Z

Looks awesome. US release today only in New York.
More details at imdb.

Lloyd Alexander has died

2007-05-18T18:37:07Z

Lloyd Alexander wrote some of my favorite childhood fantasy books, including The Black Cauldron series (The Chronicles of Prydain).

Died yesterday at 83 years of age, and his wife of 61 years died 2 weeks ago.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/18/entertainment/e082014D93.DTL&feed=rss.news

RFID vehicle tracking system on the island nation of Bermuda

2007-05-09T21:12:28Z

Why? A fairly small island country, with very congested traffic.

"Bermuda is a country with 21 square miles of land, 63,000 people and 47,000 moving vehicles. We're the sixth largest population per square mile. Bermuda has the world's highest density per square mile of motor traffic on its roads," said Randy Rochester, director of Bermuda's Transportation Control Department."

How? Cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs will receive a windshield sticker embedded with an RFID tag upon registration of their vehicle. Each vehicle gets assigned a number, which is connected to a database. A fixed sensor network will be set up on the island, as well as handheld scanners that are mobile and usable in random locations.
And how else will they use this data? Be afraid, be very afraid.

"A back-office VPS (violation processing system) will automatically generate citations, while the EVR [electronic vehicle registration] system itself will validate commercial vehicle registration and issue violations for trucks operating in restricted areas, during rush hour, without a permit, officials said. "

I wonder if they'll use this for speeding tickets? Or for their equivalent of an Amber alert?

In the California Bay Area, we have a voluntary tracking system, FasTrak, that assigns vehicles a number, and uses sensors to predict commute times based on how long it takes for several of us to go from sensor A to sensor B. It is primarily used for paying bridge tolls without having to stop, and is a very convenient, efficient system. It sounds like Bermuda's system is capable of providing the same benefits as FasTrak, but making it a mandatory system that will also generate citations is just too Orwellian.

They started this system this week.

http://www.physorg.com/news97861388.html

Decrypting the frozen music of Rosslyn Chapel

2007-05-01T23:29:31Z

Too cool. Cymatics in action. Reminds me of the exploratorium, the exhibit where you pour sand on the thin metal plate, then run a violin bow (or saw) across the side, and make pretty patterns from the sand vibrations.

"A father and son who became fascinated by symbols carved into the chapel's arches say they have deciphered a musical score encrypted in them. Thomas Mitchell, a 75-year-old musician and ex-Royal Air Force code breaker, and his composer and pianist son Stuart, described the piece as "frozen music."
Stuart Mitchell said he and his father were intrigued by 13 intricately carved angel musicians on the arches of the chapel and by 213 carved cubes depicting geometric-type patterns.
Years of research led the Mitchells to an ancient musical system called cymatics, or Chladni patterns, which are formed by sound waves at specific pitches.
The two men matched each of the patterns on the carved cubes to a Chladni pitch, and were able finally to unlock the melody."

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL014372920070501

New requirement in India: When was your last period?

2007-04-11T15:47:52Z

Crazy but true, apparently.

"The questions at the root of the controversy are on page 58 of the new appraisal forms for the current year issued by the federal Ministry for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Women officers must write down their "detailed menstrual history and history of LMP [last menstrual period] including date of last confinement [maternity leave]," the form says. "

It supposedly started out as an extension to mandatory annual health check ups, but this is absolutely ridiculous on so many levels.

Should be interesting to see how it gets sorted out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6545115.stm

http://fairyshaman.blogspot.com/

Serenity voted top SCI FI movie of all time

2007-04-03T15:53:53Z

Ok, so there were only 3,000 voters, and it was a poll by SFX magazine, an UK publication.

What's your top 10?

Here is their top 10:

1. Serenity
2. Star Wars
3. Blade Runner
4. Planet of the Apes
5. The Matrix
6. Alien
7. Forbidden Planet
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey
9. The Terminator
10. Back to the Future
Source: SFX magazine

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6517155.stm

http://fairyshaman.blogspot.com/

Playing with feedburner

2007-02-22T21:57:01Z

Blogs, huh?
Slowly starting to learn about these things, and finally starting to get into the whole process.
LJ is a wonderfully social place of interactive chats/blogs, but does not feel like the right forum for blasting news at people, which tends to be more my speed.
Besides, I know a few of you on here, but I have many other friends who just don't hang out on here.

So, I decided to go with blogspot for my dissemination of data. Found feedburner along the way to make it prettier.

Lemmings

2007-01-11T15:51:45Z

Who knew it was all made up by the Disney folks?

http://www.anomalies-unlimited.com/Disney/Lemmings.html

Yet Another Warm Fuzzy Disney Tale or How Disney Has Brainwashed You

But, you're saying....it's Disney. So what if there's a little T & A in the movies? So what if they kill off all the mothers in their films? No one pays attention to this stuff! Want to know just how much Disney's influence affects Life As We Know It? Well, I'll tell you anyway.

Everyone knows lemmings commit suicide by throwing themselves off of cliffs, right? We have the expression "lead astray like lemmings to the sea".."followed like lemmings", "like lemmings off a cliff"..used to describe stupid acts by several people. Thing is, Lemmings don't behave that way - Walt Disney made the whole thing up. All of it. You'd be surprized how many people believe this as fact; go ask a few. Maybe you do, too, till right now.

It all started when the nature documentary 'White Wilderness' was filmed in 1958 in the arctic wilds of Alberta, Canada. It was a massive undertaking that took 3 years. No one has yet to figure out why - and Disney never explained - why they got it in their heads to film a "real lemming migration" complete with rare, never-before-seen footage of the critters drowning themselves in the sea. This was never-before-seen because lemmings don't do this. Population explosions sometimes happen and lemmings do migrate and maybe a few will accidentally fall off a cliff or tumble down some rocks and fall in a stream or something and drown. Sucks to be them, then, but it's not a habit they all get into as some wise form of population control. You could just as easily say ants migrate and commit suicide by throwing themselves off curbs and drowning themselves in puddles. Apparently The Disney Documentary Braintrust neglected, in researching their Wildlife documentary, to find any actual desire to document the wildlife accurately. Not to fear! The head photographer and crew decided to take the liberty of bullshitting. They paid Inuit kids 25 cents for every lemming they brought in and they got a few dozen.

They put the critters on a huge, snow-covered "Lazy Susan" turntable and spun it, then filmed from various angles as the critters ran, fell and slid into each other. This pretty much made it look like a "migration" sequence showing a bunch of spinning, running, sliding lemmings with snow flying all over. Voila! Lemming migration! Afterwards, instead of just letting the things go with a few $ and some Mickey Mouse ears, then they were all taken to where there was a cliff overlooking a river and herded over the edge, down into the water, where they drowned. For real. For no reason except to be filmed. Cut and Wrap! Disney got his footage and the myth of the Lemming Hurling Off Cliffs To Commit Suicide was born.

This is how much people trusted Uncle Walt and the stuff that came out of Disney Studios back then. Disney Documentary was as good as God's Honest Wholesome Truth. People to this day will still believe this story is Nature Wilderness fact when in fact it's made up Disney bull and proof of how much trust people put into the clean, honest "image" of Disney

Combat Cards

2006-11-30T22:57:05Z

Very cute...
thanks to cr0wgrrl

COMBAT CARDS 2.1

watch fairyshaman fight

CREATE YOUR CARD

On a lighter note: Global Orgasm, solstice 2006

2006-11-15T20:52:31Z

http://www.globalorgasm.org/demo.html (The short intro video)

http://www.globalorgasm.org/

GlobalOrgasm.org Mission Statement

The mission of the Global Orgasm is to effect change in the energy field of the Earth through input of the largest possible surge of human energy. Now that there are two more US fleets heading for the Persian Gulf with anti- submarine equipment that can only be for use against Iran, the time to change Earth’s energy is NOW! Read more about the fleet buildup here.

The intent is that the participants concentrate any thoughts during and after orgasm on peace. The combination of high- energy orgasmic energy combined with mindful intention may have a much greater effect than previous mass meditations and prayers.

The goal is to add so much concentrated and high-energy positive input into the energy field of the Earth that it will reduce the current dangerous levels of aggression and violence throughout the world.

Global Orgasm is an experiment open to everyone in the world.

The results will be measured on the worldwide monitor system of the Global Consciousness Project.

This is the First Annual Winter Solstice Synchronized Global Orgasm for Peace, leading up to Winter Solstice of 2012, when the Mayan Calendar ends with a new beginning.

Paint-on Polymer Kills Flu on Contact

2006-11-14T19:49:41Z

This would have been nice a few weeks ago.
Stuck at home with a vomiting 5 year old today, but at least she's in good spirits vegging in front of the PVR.

I don't like vomit...*sigh*

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=E3C976C5-E7F2-99DF-3CD89F4E6F0B569D&ref=rss

November 14, 2006
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SCIENCE NEWS
November 13, 2006
Paint-on Polymer Kills Flu on Contact
Article Tools E-mail ArticleE-mail Print ViewPrint LinkLink RSSRSS del.icio.usdel.icio.us diggDigg
Science Image: bathroom door
Image: © JASON HOSKING/ZEFA/CORBIS
A PRICKLY POLYMER coating inactivates flu particles in the lab, suggesting it might serve as an easy-to-apply guard against pathogens in public areas.
A surface coated in spiky polymer molecules destroys the flu virus at a touch, according to a new report. The experimental substance, which can be applied like paint, might complement other germ control methods used in public spaces such as hospitals and airplanes, the developers say. Some experts, however, dispute its potential value for taming flu.

Chemist Alexander Klibanov of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his colleagues had already found that the bristly coating of polymers kills bacteria including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, which can lie in wait on doorknobs or other surfaces for unsuspecting hands to pick up. To test its effect on the much smaller flu virus, they applied droplets of a flu solution to glass slips painted with the polymer. After a few minutes' exposure, they were unable to recover any active virus from the samples, meaning the coating reduced the pathogen's abundance by at least a factor of 10,000. The group reported their results in a paper published online November 13 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.
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Klibanov says part of their motivation was the ongoing concern over the potential for a deadly global outbreak of flu. "This isn't going to save the world," he says, "but this could potentially be a useful tool." Ideally the polymer coating would be applied to hospital or airplane doors and air filters, surgical gear and anywhere else a pathogen might linger, he says. Touching a contaminated surface can probably spread the flu virus, according to the World Health Organization, although actual instances of such transmission may be rare.

In the case of bacteria, the polymer seems to work by gouging holes in a microbe's cell wall and spilling out its contents. The polymer molecules stay rigid because they are all positively charged and therefore repel each other, like strands of hair standing on end from a static charge. The spikes have sufficiently few charges, however, that they can breach bacterial walls, which repel strongly charged molecules. The polymer probably neutralizes flu because the virus has an envelope around it suitable for spearing, Klibanov says. Although the coating seems nontoxic--it causes no harm to monkey cells in tests--it would still need regulatory approval before becoming commercially available, he adds.

Inventors seem to be working overtime lately on potential germ fighters, from automated spritzers of disinfectant positioned atop doorknobs to prerecorded messages that politely remind you to wash your hands. Some see the polymer approach as nothing but a way to cash in on pandemic flu hysteria. "Frankly I think this method of inactivating flu is a gimmick and lacks any biological significance," says virologist Robert Lamb of Northwestern University. Its creators are naturally more sanguine. The advantage of the polymer coating, Klibanov says, is its potential ubiquity. "The way I look at it is, if you can paint it, we can make it bactericidal"--and virucidal--he says. --JR Minkel