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Monday, 28 February 2005
Whoops
I kind of accidentally erased the blog.
Don't know how much of the old stuff I'll be able to bring back.
Saturn Portrait
Using images sent back by Cassini, NASA's JPL has put together "The Greatest Saturn Portrait ... Yet". Available in incredibly high-res versions, the assembled image shows the planet in an extremely-high-detail complete picture.
Maxi Mini
In keeping with my past blogging about the multimedia-appliance value of the Mac mini, here's someone who has his mini hooked up to a 60-inch projection HDTV.
X Prize History
And the era of private spaceflight is now on pause, as SpaceShipOne is being prepared for its permanent home in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, where it will be displayed after making an appearance in Oshkosh, Wis. this summer. With SS1 mothballed, there are now no flightworthy private spacecraft for the time being, a situation which many organizations hope to rectify soon, though possibly not for a couple of years. Rutan had said that SS1 might fly again before becoming a museum piece, but obviously has changed his mind. Still, there's no question that the spacecraft has earned a place in the NASM.
JAXA Aims For Moon
No disrespect intended towards JAXA at all, but I'll believe this when I see it:TOKYO - Japan plans to start building a manned base on the moon and a manned space shuttle within the next 20 years, a newspaper report said Monday.
Japan's space agency, JAXA, is drawing up plans to develop a robot to conduct probes on the moon by 2015, then begin constructing a solar-powered manned research base on the planet and design a reusable manned space vessel like the U.S. space shuttle by 2025, the Mainichi Shimbun said.
Literacy Crisis
Marv Wolfman is going to be revisiting Crisis on Infinite Earths as a novel, which he says will explore the story from different vantage points (specifically, from the Flash's POV) and will thus be about 60 to 70 percent new story.
Saturday, 26 February 2005
Happy Anniversary
I just wanted to say Happy Anniversary to my wonderful wife Nicole, and thank her for five great years together.
Hope everyone is doing well in our absence.
As you were. Carry on.
Thursday, 24 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Today is the omega and alpha of Hatbag.First, an ending:
For 13 months now, I've been posting 10th anniversary Hatbags, linking back to strips from the original run of Hippie and the Black Guy in The Daily Mississippian at Ole Miss.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the final daily Hippie and the Black Guy strip. I started the "Daily Hatbag" feature on the blog essentially on the second day I published it (though it wasn't known by that name until a week later). No more. Today marks the final Daily Hatbag feature on ATW, though I will still link to old strips from time to time.
It's simply time to put the past behind us.
And now, a beginning:
Recently, I've had multiple people ask me if we would ever bring "Hippie and the Black Guy" back.In a word: No.
But, today, Lain and I introduce our new opus: Hatbag.
Doesn't stand for anything anymore, that's just the name. For HATBG fans, there are a lot of similarities, but some differences, also.
We've set up a new top-level domain for the strip: comics.hatbag.net
We hope you enjoy. (more)
Ah, Journalism
So we've been getting a lot of e-mail lately about the International Scientist Discovery exam. Youth, primarily in India, have been writing to find out more about the exam, after widespread reports in the Indian media that a 17-year-old from a village there had come in first place in the world in that exam. Inspired by his success, students were writing to learn how they, too, could try their skills on the ISD.Which confused us. We found all the stories about the test, including the fact that the president of India had apparently done pretty well on it himself in his younger days, but we couldn't find any information in the agency about the test. Was it officially known by a different name? Was it given by someone else in partnership with NASA? No answers could be found.
And today I learned why: The kid made it up. He apparently contacted the media with a completely fabricated story, and they bought it hook, line and sinker. And then propogated it. It was spread all over without anybody doing any sort of verification. Wow. (more)
Now You Don't
Per Space.com:Astronomers have discovered an invisible galaxy that could be the first of many that will help unravel one of the universe's greatest mysteries.
The object appears to be made mostly of "dark matter," material of an unknown nature that can't be seen.
Such A Timeless Flight
Joining the ranks of announced commercial spacelines is Rocket Plane, which says it will begin carrying passengers into space in early 2007. The company plans to use a delta-wing spaceplane that crosses the space altitude limit for a suborbital flight.Although I don't see it in the story, the design seems like it would be idea for place-to-place suborbital flights that could greatly reduce transcontinental travel times.
iTiVo?
So rumor has it that Apple may try to buy TiVo. I don't have TiVo, and don't watch enough television to make it worthwhile, but I like the idea. This blog has been among the many voices arguing that the new Mac mini is an audiovisual trojan horse; a device marketed as a computer that is actually a potential next-generation multimedia device. The TiVo rumors, if true, are a sign that Apple is drawing closer to tapping that potential and turning the mini into what it truly is.In other Apple news, here's info on a bit more shakedown from yesterday's iPod announcement, and a list of Apple's Top 10 Macintosh products, four of which I've owned. (more)
Happy Birthday!
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Happy 50th Birthday, Steve Jobs, and thanks for all the Macs!
Daily Hatbag
Today is the omega and alpha of Hatbag.First, an ending:
For 13 months now, I've been posting 10th anniversary Hatbags, linking back to strips from the original run of Hippie and the Black Guy in The Daily Mississippian at Ole Miss.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the final daily Hippie and the Black Guy strip. I started the "Daily Hatbag" feature on the blog essentially on the second day I published it (though it wasn't known by that name until a week later). No more. Today marks the final Daily Hatbag feature on ATW, though I will still link to old strips from time to time.
It's simply time to put the past behind us.
And now, a beginning:
Recently, I've had multiple people ask me if we would ever bring "Hippie and the Black Guy" back.In a word: No.
But, today, Lain and I introduce our new opus: Hatbag.
Doesn't stand for anything anymore, that's just the name. For HATBG fans, there are a lot of similarities, but some differences, also.
We've set up a new top-level domain for the strip: comics.hatbag.net
We hope you enjoy.
Ah, Journalism
So we've been getting a lot of e-mail lately about the International Scientist Discovery exam. Youth, primarily in India, have been writing to find out more about the exam, after widespread reports in the Indian media that a 17-year-old from a village there had come in first place in the world in that exam. Inspired by his success, students were writing to learn how they, too, could try their skills on the ISD.Which confused us. We found all the stories about the test, including the fact that the president of India had apparently done pretty well on it himself in his younger days, but we couldn't find any information in the agency about the test. Was it officially known by a different name? Was it given by someone else in partnership with NASA? No answers could be found.
And today I learned why: The kid made it up. He apparently contacted the media with a completely fabricated story, and they bought it hook, line and sinker. And then propogated it. It was spread all over without anybody doing any sort of verification. Wow.
Now You Don't
Per Space.com:Astronomers have discovered an invisible galaxy that could be the first of many that will help unravel one of the universe's greatest mysteries.
The object appears to be made mostly of "dark matter," material of an unknown nature that can't be seen.
Such A Timeless Flight
Joining the ranks of announced commercial spacelines is Rocket Plane, which says it will begin carrying passengers into space in early 2007. The company plans to use a delta-wing spaceplane that crosses the space altitude limit for a suborbital flight.Although I don't see it in the story, the design seems like it would be idea for place-to-place suborbital flights that could greatly reduce transcontinental travel times.
iTiVo?
So rumor has it that Apple may try to buy TiVo. I don't have TiVo, and don't watch enough television to make it worthwhile, but I like the idea. This blog has been among the many voices arguing that the new Mac mini is an audiovisual trojan horse; a device marketed as a computer that is actually a potential next-generation multimedia device. The TiVo rumors, if true, are a sign that Apple is drawing closer to tapping that potential and turning the mini into what it truly is.In other Apple news, here's info on a bit more shakedown from yesterday's iPod announcement, and a list of Apple's Top 10 Macintosh products, four of which I've owned.
Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Scotty On Mars
In partial answer to a question Jordan asked here a while back: Apparently, NASA pulled a "Scotty" with the Mars rovers.
(more)
ATW Anniversary
I missed it completely, but the Daveblog turned two this past weekend.Thanks to the ATW audience for making it enjoyable.
The day after the blog went online, Hatbag.net saw a peak number of unique IP visitors for the month of Feb. 2003 at 38, and, in part because the traffic counter didn't record stats for the first five days of the month, the site recorded a total of 466 total visits for the month.
For Feb. 2005, the average daily visitor count has been 455, and, with six days left, the total visitors for the month today for the first time ever crossed 10,000. (more)
Used tags: blog, history, monkeys
Evidence Mounts Update
So now some European scientists have weighed in on the pro-life (er, you know what I mean) side of the Mars debate, in light of the recent ice pack revelations.
Daily Hatbag
Only one day left.
iPods Drop
Apple has released new iPod photos, including a low-end $350 30GB model, and updated the iPod mini line, adding a 6GB model and dropping the price on the 4GB to $199.Your chance to buy an iPod shuffle, on the other hand, is still weeks away. (more)
Scotty On Mars
In partial answer to a question Jordan asked here a while back: Apparently, NASA pulled a "Scotty" with the Mars rovers.
ATW Anniversary
I missed it completely, but the Daveblog turned two this past weekend.Thanks to the ATW audience for making it enjoyable.
The day after the blog went online, Hatbag.net saw a peak number of unique IP visitors for the month of Feb. 2003 at 38, and, in part because the traffic counter didn't record stats for the first five days of the month, the site recorded a total of 466 total visits for the month.
For Feb. 2005, the average daily visitor count has been 455, and, with six days left, the total visitors for the month today for the first time ever crossed 10,000.
Evidence Mounts Update
So now some European scientists have weighed in on the pro-life (er, you know what I mean) side of the Mars debate, in light of the recent ice pack revelations.
Daily Hatbag
Only one day left.
Make It Go
Per TrekWeb:ContactMusic posted a brief interview with TNG star Patrick Stewart, in which he says that after the cancellation of STAR TREK ENTERPRISE and the poor box office of the latest TNG movie, STAR TREK NEMESIS, it is time to the end the franchise.
According to the article, Stewart refused to join fans in the campaign to save the show.
"I think it's probably time to wrap it all up." the actor said "We've had a great run. ENTERPRISE is great, but if you go on long enough the quality will be affected."
Dear Patrick: Just shut up. Thanks!
iPods Drop
Apple has released new iPod photos, including a low-end $350 30GB model, and updated the iPod mini line, adding a 6GB model and dropping the price on the 4GB to $199.Your chance to buy an iPod shuffle, on the other hand, is still weeks away.
Tuesday, 22 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Only two days left.
Dust In The Wind
Self-portraits of the Mars rovers taken in December show the accumulation of dust on Spirit's solar panels which is reducing the amount of power the rover can generate (and which has been posited as a leading contender for the rovers' eventual cause of death). The accumulation is particularly apparent in comparison to Opportunity.
Evidence Mounts Update
The scientists involved in the Space.com story about evidence of life on Mars have said the story was inaccurate and misrepresented their work.On a related note, from MarsDaily:
A frozen sea surviving as blocks of pack ice may lie just beneath the surface of Mars, the New Scientist magazine said Monday citing observations from Europe's Mars Express spacecraft.
RTF Update
As predicted last week, May 15 has officially been set as the STS-114 launch date. The next major milestone: The ET and SRB will be stacked on Friday, to be joined about three weeks later by Discovery.The sidebar launch countdown has been adjusted accordingly. T -82 days. And counting.
Daily Hatbag
Only two days left.
Dust In The Wind
Self-portraits of the Mars rovers taken in December show the accumulation of dust on Spirit's solar panels which is reducing the amount of power the rover can generate (and which has been posited as a leading contender for the rovers' eventual cause of death). The accumulation is particularly apparent in comparison to Opportunity.
Evidence Mounts Update
The scientists involved in the Space.com story about evidence of life on Mars have said the story was inaccurate and misrepresented their work.On a related note, from MarsDaily:
A frozen sea surviving as blocks of pack ice may lie just beneath the surface of Mars, the New Scientist magazine said Monday citing observations from Europe's Mars Express spacecraft.
RTF Update
As predicted last week, May 15 has officially been set as the STS-114 launch date. The next major milestone: The ET and SRB will be stacked on Friday, to be joined about three weeks later by Discovery.The sidebar launch countdown has been adjusted accordingly. T -82 days. And counting.
Monday, 21 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
The 10th Anniversary Daily Hatbags draw nearer to a close.
Daily Hatbag
The 10th Anniversary Daily Hatbags draw nearer to a close.
Sunday, 20 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Today's Daily Hatbag turns 8 today.
Daily Hatbag
Today's Daily Hatbag turns 8 today.
Friday, 18 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Less than one week remains for the Daily Hatbag feature on ATW.
Poster Post
So I'm sure by the time I'm seeing these, everyone else in the crowd has already seen them, but here's some new Star Wars posters.
Today In History
Today marks the 75th Anniversary of the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh (at the time the only planet discovered by an American, and still the only one in our solar system).Today also marks the 28 anniversary of the first captive-carry flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise atop a 747.
RTF Update
NASA is another step closer to Return to Flight as another CAIB recommendation has been crossed off the to do list. The RTF Commission has determined that the agency has fully complied with the recommendation to develop better methods for inspecting the wing panels between missions.
Thursday, 17 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Enjoy the Daily Hatbag while you can.
Today In History
On this date in 1959, the first weather satellite, Vanguard 2, was launched, and sent back the first images of Earth from orbit.The launch marked the one year anniversary of the first appearance of the comic strip "B.C." (which, in turn, marked Dagwood and Blondie's 25th anniversary).
Titanic Craters
New data and images have been released from Cassini's Titan flyby earlier this week, which revealed new features both familiar and alien.
Evidence Mounts
Per Space.com:A pair of NASA scientists told a group of space officials at a private meeting here Sunday that they have found strong evidence that life may exist today on Mars, hidden away in caves and sustained by pockets of water.
The scientists, Carol Stoker and Larry Lemke of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, told the group that they have submitted their findings to the journal Nature for publication in May, and their paper currently is being peer reviewed.
Addendum: Here's an opposing view from New Scientist.
DC Direct To Theaters
USA Today has a piece about DC Comics return to theaters with a batch of comics-based movie coming up over the next year or so (beginning with this weekend's Constantine). Moreover, I'm impressed that USA Today has even heard of Jenny Sparks.
Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
Since the Blogpoint totals are heating up, additions to The Leonardo Code are now worth 20 Blogpoints each. All other rules still apply.
Name Check
I'm just now noticing it, but after years of laboring anonymously, it turns out I recently got credited by name for a story in the educator section of the NASA homepage.
Daily Hatbag
By this point, we were kinda winding things down. Or up. Or whatever.
The Legislature And The King
Per The Clarion-Ledger:Music legend B.B. King didn't have the blues on Tuesday at the Capitol.
"I thought when I got married, it was the happiest time," King said. "I thought when I had my first child, it was the happiest time. Those were great times. This day has been the most beautiful day of my life."
King was touched by an outpouring of praise from his home state, including the first major recognition by Mississippi lawmakers.
And, in a bit of good news for Jacksonians in the ATW audience, work is in progress to open a B.B. King's Blues Club in Jackson, which will bring to the city some mighty fine ribs.
RTF Update
OK, so make that 88 days from today:Shuttle managers want launch pushed back a day.
(Though I'm not changing the sidebar until its official.)
Switchers Sought
Apple has posted a call on its Web site for switchers to tell their stories. If you're a former PC user who has recently seen the light, Apple wants to hear your tale.
Tuesday, 15 February 2005
AERAspace?
collectSPACE just posted an announcement by the AERA Corporation, which claims it will be the first commercial group to carry passengers into space. Make of it what you will.
Used tags: altspace, collectspace, hype, space
Daily Hatbag
Enjoy today's cyber-Hatbag.
RTF Update
When I posted my Return to Flight update yesterday, I forgot to point out that it was only three months until the scheduled launch date.As of today, we're at T -88 days.
And counting.
New Holiday
So, like, yesterday, everybody, including this blog, was posting about Valentine's Day. Some positive, some negative. Both sides have their points, of course.
But, to be sure, there are things needed more than a holiday to express your love for your loved one. If you have a loved one, you should be doing that anyway. If you don't, you don't need a holiday for it.
You know what this nation really needs? A holiday to do the exact opposite! Oh, sure, we should be showing our affection for our near and dear all the time, but how often to we really publicly or actively acknowledge their diametric counterparts?
When was the last time you publicly gave props to your nemesis? Or let your archenemy know that you think about them?
Heck, a lot of us would be hard-pressed to even say who their archrival is. Myself, I haven't had a really good nemesis for over 10 years, nor a decent archrival for about two and a half. We, as a nation, need a good archenemy-awareness program, and this holiday would be just the way to do it.
Alright, I've thrown the ball out there. Anybody have any ideas how to execute this?
ST:B5?
He subsequently retracted, but Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski posted a public letter saying he wanted to run the next Trek show. This had been touched on before, and at the time I kind of liked the idea, but this latest letter makes me nervous, particularly his argument that TOS and TNG are the only good Trek. I'm not sure that I want anyone who doesn't recognize the strengths of DS9 running Trek.
...To The Bottom Of The Apple Store
Anyone feeling bad about the defeat of Geordi LaForge in the Cyborg War can take solace from this anecdote in Wired's story about celebrities at Apple stores:Another sales associate said he got a tongue lashing from LeVar Burton, presenter of Reading Rainbow and a member of the Star Trek crew.
The associate, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he made the mistake of asking Burton for some ID when the actor was making a big credit card purchase. The associate said he recognized Burton, but wanted to reassure him he was doing a thorough job of checking credentials.
Burton "began shouting at me to ask anyone in the store who he was, all the while telling me that he left his ID in the car and he didn't want to have to go get it," the associate said. "I finally caved in, only because I could see a vein pulsating in his forehead and I didn't want to be the one responsible for causing the blind dude from Star Trek to have a stroke."
Greatest. Comics. News. Ever.
Just click the link, fool!
Monday, 14 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
As part of my ongoing efforts to prove how cultured I can be, it's time for another ATW poetry contest.Five Blogpoints each to the authors of the original Valentine's Day poems that amuse me most. Entries must be submitted by the end of the day.
Oh, Superman!
Want a bit part in the upcoming Superman movie? Your chance may be coming, thanks to your friendly neighborhood e-mail scammer.
Daily Hatbag
Here's wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day.
Deux Machina
Per Red Nova:DEEP in the basement of a dusty university library in Edinburgh lies a small black box, roughly the size of two cigarette packets side by side, that churns out random numbers in an endless stream.
At first glance it is an unremarkable piece of equipment. Encased in metal, it contains at its heart a microchip no more complex than the ones found in modern pocket calculators.
But, according to a growing band of top scientists, this box has quite extraordinary powers. It is, they claim, the 'eye' of a machine that appears capable of peering into the future and predicting major world events.
Nap Time
I'm just now seeing it, but Joe posted some new blogging over the weekend.
Today In History
On this date 15 years ago, Voyager 1 took the first ever portrait of our solar system looking back from beyond it.Also on this date, five years ago, the NEAR spacecraft became the first man-made object to orbit an asteroid. (Appropriately enough for Valentine's Day, the asteroid was Eros.)
RTF Update
Amidst some public concerns that failure to have a workable TPS repair system ready for the STS-114 mission means that NASA has not met its RTF requirement, the agency recently received a valuable endorsement, from CAIB chair Adm. Gehman: "As far as the CAIB is concerned, we think they have fulfilled their requirements and that they are diligently working on all the things we asked them to, to the degree that once it passes their internal return to flight certification, we think that they've done their job."
Martians?
From Space.com:With each passing day, those peppy robots on Mars – Spirit and Opportunity – churn out extraordinary new views of the red planet. Each android is over a year in operation, relaying a steady stream of eye-catching photos.
And more than once, the Mars machinery has sent back an image that stirred up a promising eureka moment: Finding evidence for life on that remote world.
TNG On ENT Update
Though Marini Sirtis recently recanted a claim along these lines, Jonathan Frakes has confirmed that Frakes and Sirtis will appear on Enterprise. Manny Coto has said that the episode will not involve time travel.I'm interested in seeing the episode, but kind of hate that that's how Enterprise will end.
Sunday, 13 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Today's 8th anniversary Hatbag was banned in Tupelo!
Saturday, 12 February 2005
Blogpoint Update
I bought the Blogpoint prize for February today, which is a DVD copy of 2010.
Friday, 11 February 2005
Back On Solid Ground
For anyone who has ever wanted to see tiny fuzzy video of astronauts singing about Superman, today is your lucky day. (Safari users and others may need to go the right-click "Save Linked File As..." route.)
Walking Free
Tutor introduced me a while back to Tegan and Sara, who currently have one of their tracks, "Walking With A Ghost," available as a free download on the iTunes Music Store. (It's not the featured free track, so you'll have to run a search.) Those of you with iTMS, check it out now. Worth every cent.Those of you without iTMS: FOOLS! What are you waiting for?!
Daily Hatbag
Wishing you and/or yours a Happy Valentine's Day weekend, even if not observed as such.
Firing Fiorina
When it comes to the world of computers, and this will shock no one, I'll admit I see the world pretty much in black and white, divided up into good guys and bad guys. Steve Jobs=good guy. Bill Gates=bad guy. Michael Dell=bad guy. Linus Torvalds=good guy. Steve Case=bad guy. Jim Barksdale=good guy.So, though I knew little about her or how she's run the company, I was kinda sorry to hear that HP CEO Carly Fiorina had been oustered. Yeah, she ran a PC company, but at least she had good taste, forging an iPod alliance between HP and Apple, and serving on the president's Moon, Mars and Beyond commission.
Thursday, 10 February 2005
Me Meme
A member of the ATW audience sent my an e-mail meme last week right before my trip, so I'm just now getting a chance to respond to it. Since I don't know who got it and who didn't, I figured I'd just answer it here.
(more)
Daily Hatbag
If this isn't the makings of a bestseller, I don't know what is. And, odds are, I don't.
Acting Administrator
No word yet on who the new NASA administrator will be (I've heard a couple of possibilities, but none worth passing on), but, for what it's worth, astronaut Fred Gregory will serve as the acting administrator starting next week. Gregory has held NASA's number two spot as deputy administrator since 2002.
Rosaviakosmos Calling
So now Russia is apparently going door-to-door selling its new spacecraft. A mock-up of the planned Klipper spacecraft will be on display in France in June. The Russian space agency is now saying that the Klipper could be used not only for ISS-type LEO missions, but also for lunar missions.
No iSatellite
According to the new CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio, Apple isn't interested in including satellite radio in its iPods.
Believe It Or Not...
...Season 1 of The Greatest American Hero hits DVD this month.
Another Season
Along with the news that Battlestar Galactica has been picked up for a second season, I wanted to share this sage observation from BeaucoupKevin:So, I need a show of hands.
Who would have thought, 10 years ago, that the new Star Wars films would be sort of dodgy1, a Star Trek series would be the victim of a recent cancellation, and a remake of the craptacular Battlestar Galactica would emerge to be the best science fiction show on television?
You lie. You didn't see it coming, either.
Ring Of Truth
After my recent post about my new cell phone, I thought yesterday's installment of "Zits" was pretty funny.
Wednesday, 9 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
Haven't posted many Blogpoint opportunities thus far for February, and the month is about a third over, so here's one.I'm going to skip through my iPod, picking lines from the lyrics of songs chosen more or less at random. Three Blogpoints each for identifying the song from which they came. No using search engines or otherwise cheating. (more)
Soyuz Wanna Buy A Bag?
I promised last week that I'd provide an update on buying the Soyuz iPod or Blackberry and cell phone cases, and here it is. With these links, not only can you buy the bags from a great source, but you can help support ATW in the process! I've already ordered my cell phone case, and can't wait 'til it arrives.
Daily Hatbag
Boy, wouldn't it be weird if this strip were somehow foreshadowing? I mean, I'm just sayin'...
Why? Why? Why?
Lest anyone be offended, let me point out that I didn't write this, I'm justin posting it. Let me also point out that this does not come from a Mac publication, but rather from San Francisco's primary newspaper's Web site. That said, I do like the headline: Why Does Windows Still Suck? Why do PC users put up with so many viruses and worms? Why isn't everyone on a Mac?She got online all right. The DSL worked great. For about four minutes.
Then, something happened. Something attacked. Something swarmed her computer the instant she tried to move around online and the computer slowed and bogged and cluttered and crashed, and multiple restarts and debuggings and what-the-hells only brought up only a flood of nightmarish pop-up windows and terrifying error messages and massive system slowdowns and all manner of inexplicable claims of infestation of this worm and that Trojan horse and did we want to buy McAfee AntiVirus protection for $39.95?
Four minutes. And she was already DOA.
...
Here, then, is my big obvious question: Why the hell do people put up with this? Why is there not some massive revolt, some huge insurrection against Microsoft? Why is there not a huge contingent of furious users stomping up to Seattle with torches and scythes and crowbars, demanding the Windows Frankenstein monster be sacrificed at the altar of decent functionality and an elegant user interface?
There is nothing else like this phenomenon in the entire consumer culture. If anything else performed as horribly as Windows, and on such a global scale, consumers would scream bloody murder and demand their money back and there would be some sort of investigation, class-action litigation, a demand for Bill Gates' cute little geeky head on a platter.
Magnificent Desolation
panoramas.dk has posted beautiful full-screen wrap-around QuickTime VR panoramas from Apollo missions, letting you see what it would be like to stand on the surface of the moon and look around you.
Newton mini
Sure, your Mac mini can be used to control a wide variety of gadgets around your house, making it the ultimate media center appliance, but why not take things to the next logical step, and have, in turn, your Mac mini controlled by your Newton?
Latest Hubble News
From The Spoof:FORT SILL, OK (STARS & STRIPES) Within moments of the Bush Administration's failure to fund repairs to the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, an order was given to the US Army 30th Field Artillery Regiment to shoot down the aging telescope from its orbit around the earth.
United Federation
You know, it's just kind of cool to me that we live in a time in which a Personal Spaceflight Federation has been established. The new group is a coalition of various commercial spaceflight interests which will be involved in the establishment of safety standards and will promote commercial spaceflight.
Help
If anybody in the ATW audience has any experience with Bit Torrent, please contact me via e-mail.
Tuesday, 8 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
Since I missed a few days, here are the anniversary Hatbags for Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, yesterday and today.
Regular Richie Feature
Among the Hatbag.net search strings so far for February:- dw biomagnetism
- engrish dune
- worlds biggest catfish
- dinner for five download 1 9
- alien vs predator comic booksellers
- arlo and janis nude
- beatefull women
- bly me
- chad hammons
- colonel tamayo-mendez a cosmonaut
- darknightreturns
- david hitt texas
Against The Grain
Alright, I'm not the biggest music memer in the world, due to my general lack of musical sophistication, but when one is namechecked on Spatula Forum how can you ignore that?1. Total amount of music files on your computer:
Don't know exactly. My iPod is somewhere around the 8 gig mark, and I have some amount of music in iTunes that's not on my iPod, and some amount on my computer that's not in iTunes. So, who knows?
2. The last CD you bought was:
"The American," by Angie Aparo, which I bought so recently that it hasn't even been delivered yet. Purchased for about four bucks off Half.com.
3. What is the song you last listened to before reading this message?
Alanis Morissette, "You Oughtta Know." Not saying I'm proud of it, just what my iPod was playing. (Though I do love me some Alanis, probably more than a 30-ish married relatively-well-adjusted straight man should.)
4. Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
Oh, sheesh, who knows.
Right now, I'm totally digging "Hush," among others, by the aforementioned Angie Aparo.
In the meaningful department, there's "Time After Time," natch.
Another often listen to would be "Simi, California," since my iPod plays Fisher all the freakin' time for no apparent reason.
And, um, that's all I got. I'm pretty random in my music listening, and don't have a lot of songs that mean a lot to me at the moment.
5. Who are you going to pass this stick to? (3 persons) and why?
You know, I post the memes on my blog from time to time, and they're generally relatively ignored, so I'm not making any promises.
Boldly Go
Well, I've registered to win a flight on Virgin Galactic, as advertised during the Super Bowl, and I would strongly discourage all of my readers from doing the same.
Other Earths
OK, remember all the big deal last year about how extrasolar planets around the size of Neptune had been discovered? About how that brought us closer to the possibility of discovering Earth-like planets in other solar systems?Did you know that worlds the size of Earth had already been discovered? Me neither.
Turns out astronomers recently discovered an object about one-fifth the size of Pluto 1,500 light years away. It's in a system in which three roughly Earth-size planets had been discovered well over a decade ago. Part of their relative anonymity stems from the fact that they orbit a pulsar that is closer to the size of a planet than the Sun, and thus are considered to be as much like moons as planets, and are known to be dead worlds.
But, even so, interesting stuff.
On a related note, astronomers for the first time have discovered a star that has been flung from our galaxy, and is now traveling solo through space at a speed of over 1.5 million miles per hour.
Budget Battle Begins
The good news: Once again, President Bush has requested a budget increase for NASA to support the Vision for Space Exploration. Although less than previously indicated, the 2.4 percent increase over last year's budget is better than many federal fundees fared.The increase for CEV development is less than originally indicated, but the agency's comptoller reports that it should be adequate to keep the program moving towards a 2008 fly-off and 2014 completion.
The budget request, of course, formalizes the "cancellation" of the Hubble Space Telescope, as had been reported previously. More disappointing to me, and this had also been rumored, is that it cuts funding for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter program. While funding for development of the Project Prometheus nuclear power initiative continues, a new program will be selected as the first use of that program. JIMO was one of the agency's program about which I was most excited, looking forward to the information it would send back from Europa and other moons, among the locations in our solar system most likely to harbor life.
Today In History
On this date 31 years ago, the manned Skylab program came to its conclusion with the landing of the SL-4 final crew of the station.
More Trek Bad News
So not only has Enterprise been cancelled, but now TrekWeb is reporting that the animated series isn't really being released to DVD.
iLego
While the iPod minifig is pretty cool, it seems like, for $17, you could just make your own pretty easily. But, then, I've never tried.
Sunday, 6 February 2005
Men In Hats
All right, I'm heading back to Huntsville today (though ramping back up to full blogging volume may take a day or two).
In the meantime, here's a comic strip Jonathan sent me.
Saturday, 5 February 2005
Sorry
Well, apologies all. I figured staying in a room with broadband internet, that I'd be able to do some blogging while I was on the trip. But, I haven't had time, I've been completely out of touch with the world, and haven't really done anything that would be of any interest to the general public.
So, no blogging. Sorry.
Huge thanks to Lain for picking up the slack.
Tuesday, 1 February 2005
Editorial Note
I'm leaving for Houston again early tomorrow morning, and won't return until late Sunday. I'm taking my computer, so I'll blog as I can, but I'll have long periods of the days when I won't be able to.Any help from the associate bloggers would be much appreciated over the next few days. ATW has not missed a day of posting since October 17 (Including, I would note, not only weekends, but also Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years), and I don't want to break the streak now.
Be excellent to each other.
Blogpoint Update
It is finished.The hardest-fought ATW Blogpoint contest in all of human history has reached its end, and, despite a last-minute rally by Lain, Joe claims the prize for January, with 170 Blogpoints to Lain's 158. Well played, gentlemen.
Joe gets his choice of special collectors' Star Wars figure: Either a Target-exclusive slave Leia figure with 80's-kids-meal-style drinking glass or one of the recent Boba Fett in vintage packaging in protective bubble figure.
February's Blogpoint prize will be the coolest yet, hopefully. I have some ideas, but I'm still putting it together.
And so it begins.
Dark Side Of The Moon
I'm hugely belated posting this, but I just came across it again, and thought some here might be interested in it.
Earlier this year, the Columbia Journalism Review published a column on some reporters' reactions to the UPI scoop on the Visions for Space Exploration.
Daily Hatbag
Today's anniversary Hatbag is probably one of those you-had-to-be-there sort of things.
iPod Case From SPACE!!!!
OK, I totally want one of these! Want to make your iPod even cooler? Put it in a bag that's been in space! everQuest design is producing a series of cell phone or iPod/PDA/Blackberry cases made in part using flown material from the parachute used on the Soyuz TMA-3 capsule that brought Expedition 8 home from the International Space Station (upping the Dave coolness factor--that was the crew I talked to on orbit). The cases are only $25.
One Ring
One of my interesting little quirks is that I can be at times an interesting mix of technophile and 21st-century-luddite. I carry a WiFi PDA, but it's a Newton. I have an iPod and a turntable.So I got a new phone Friday. My first cell phone that was anything other than a cell phone. My last was could do text-messaging, but I only used it a very small number of times. This one has video and still camera capability, can send e-mail, IM, all that stuff. Which the technophile in my finds very, very cool. When Nicole calls, it shows her picture and plays our song.
My biggest complaint about the phone: It has several different choices for what it can sound like when it rings. But none of them sound like a telephone ringing. It can play songs, make funky noises, but it can't just ring. Why? Why shouldn't a telephone sound like a telephone when it rings.
I looked at ringtones for sale online. And they had a total of one that was actually based on a telephone ring. One. So I bought it.
It's this retro sort of thing that sounds like an old Ma-Bell-issued rotary phone ring.
Which, frankly, is fine with me.
Is There In Truth No Troi?
Marina Sirtis has denied the Troi-on-Enterprise rumors.
Halo For Mac mini
Cult of Mac has an article about a piece in Salon about why the iPod halo effect has only been limited thus far, and how the Mac mini will make new inroads into the Windows world.
Hail Columbia!
In honor of our fallen heroes. We'll never forget.
Monday, 28 February 2005
Whoops
(Read Entry)
Saturn Portrait
(Read Entry)
Maxi Mini
(Read Entry)
X Prize History
(Read Entry)
JAXA Aims For Moon
(Read Entry)
Literacy Crisis
(Read Entry)Saturday, 26 February 2005
Happy Anniversary
(Read Entry)Thursday, 24 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Ah, Journalism
(Read Entry)
Now You Don't
(Read Entry)
Such A Timeless Flight
(Read Entry)
iTiVo?
(Read Entry)
Happy Birthday!
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Ah, Journalism
(Read Entry)
Now You Don't
(Read Entry)
Such A Timeless Flight
(Read Entry)
iTiVo?
(Read Entry)Wednesday, 23 February 2005
Scotty On Mars
(Read Entry)
ATW Anniversary
The blog is two years old. (Read Entry)
Evidence Mounts Update
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
iPods Drop
(Read Entry)
Scotty On Mars
(Read Entry)
ATW Anniversary
(Read Entry)
Evidence Mounts Update
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Make It Go
(Read Entry)
iPods Drop
(Read Entry)Tuesday, 22 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Dust In The Wind
(Read Entry)
Evidence Mounts Update
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Dust In The Wind
(Read Entry)
Evidence Mounts Update
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)Monday, 21 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)Sunday, 20 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)Friday, 18 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Poster Post
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)Thursday, 17 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
Titanic Craters
(Read Entry)
Evidence Mounts
(Read Entry)
DC Direct To Theaters
(Read Entry)Wednesday, 16 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
(Read Entry)
Name Check
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
The Legislature And The King
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)
Switchers Sought
(Read Entry)Tuesday, 15 February 2005
AERAspace?
AERA claims it will carry first passengers into space. (Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)
New Holiday
(Read Entry)
ST:B5?
(Read Entry)
...To The Bottom Of The Apple Store
(Read Entry)
Greatest. Comics. News. Ever.
(Read Entry)Monday, 14 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
(Read Entry)
Oh, Superman!
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Deux Machina
(Read Entry)
Nap Time
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)
Martians?
(Read Entry)
TNG On ENT Update
(Read Entry)Sunday, 13 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)Saturday, 12 February 2005
Blogpoint Update
(Read Entry)Friday, 11 February 2005
Back On Solid Ground
(Read Entry)
Walking Free
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Firing Fiorina
(Read Entry)Thursday, 10 February 2005
Me Meme
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Acting Administrator
(Read Entry)
Rosaviakosmos Calling
(Read Entry)
No iSatellite
(Read Entry)
Believe It Or Not...
(Read Entry)
Another Season
(Read Entry)
Ring Of Truth
(Read Entry)Wednesday, 9 February 2005
Blogpoint Opportunity
(Read Entry)
Soyuz Wanna Buy A Bag?
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Why? Why? Why?
(Read Entry)
Magnificent Desolation
(Read Entry)
Newton mini
(Read Entry)
Latest Hubble News
(Read Entry)
United Federation
(Read Entry)
Help
(Read Entry)Tuesday, 8 February 2005
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Regular Richie Feature
(Read Entry)
Against The Grain
(Read Entry)
Boldly Go
(Read Entry)
Other Earths
(Read Entry)
Budget Battle Begins
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
More Trek Bad News
(Read Entry)
iLego
(Read Entry)Sunday, 6 February 2005
Men In Hats
(Read Entry)Saturday, 5 February 2005
Sorry
(Read Entry)Tuesday, 1 February 2005
Editorial Note
(Read Entry)
Blogpoint Update
(Read Entry)
Dark Side Of The Moon
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
iPod Case From SPACE!!!!
(Read Entry)
One Ring
(Read Entry)
Is There In Truth No Troi?
(Read Entry)
Halo For Mac mini
(Read Entry)