James van Allen, who discovered the radiation belt (and then had them named after him by the scientific community), posed a question to Issues in Science and Technology: Why do we keep exploring space? His big concern (at least from the linked article) is that we may just be doing it for the adventure, climbing […]
Media Mouse has mapped the surveilence cameras being used to track the people of Grand Rapids. Big Brother comes to the Heartland. Link to article. Link to 1.4MB PDF [via Arbor Update]
We got a nice notice today that we have to get rid of our gas grill within two weeks. Why? Because of something called the International Fire Code of 2003 (sounds very official, doesn’t it?). The book, if you’re looking for it, is available from Amazon for $63.00, or it’s ISBN: 1892395606. Note, this is […]
The Dutch are the tallest people on the planet, and getting taller (and fatter, but who isn’t). I stomp on those puny Brits! Link
God I love the Onion. “We have strong evidence that the University of Michigan granted academic degrees to students in exchange for hefty payments, often totaling tens of thousands of dollars…” Link
Someone I know has a habit of making up words when the real word to describe a thing is lost in the rush to get it out (much like this sentence). The list that follows are just some of the gems that will eventually lead to a (hopefully) lucrative book deal Pokery (adj.) – 1. […]
Sorry for the hiatus, but I’ve moved. Now residing in the reality-surrounded land of Ann Arbor, MI. (It’s an old joke; “Ann Arbor?” “Yeah, you know, the six square miles surrounded by reality.”) I’m back to technical writing, not that I’d left for long. I’m still working through the first week newness and computer policies […]
How’s this for pressure? You’re a Hollywood stunt pilot on contract to NASA to catch a 500-pound canister returning from a three-year, two-million-mile mission containing particles ejected from the Sun. The project cost NASA $300 million and, in order to preserve the samples, you have to catch the parachuting canister with a helicopter under any […]
You gotta give this kid credit for sticking up for his rights. He wanted to protest the political indoctrination he was receiving by putting posters around his school. So, why the big hub-bub? Because he’s a conservative, hawkish protester, not a liberal, anti-war protester. Shenanigans ensues and, predictably, his voice is silenced. For now. But, […]
Thanks to Boing Boing. Hate RealPlayer? So did the BBC, enough that Real made a version of RealPlayer without all the crap that normally comes with it.. You can download it here (for Windows) or here for others.