going to war with Iran?

I'm really starting to think it is going to happen. At first I was beginning to think - no way, with all of the hype now about people thinking the war with Iraq is in the dumpster, there is no way that the Bush administration could talk the American people into supporting another war with another country... But this headline caught my eye over on Reddit:

Bush has tipped his hand. He is going to attack Iran. And the editors of The New York Times have tipped their hand too. They are on board.

And the headline links to this article on the huffingtonpost.com, that basically points out that this one reporter is just regurgitating the Administrations press releases. I have been paying close attention to the press lately, and I am seeing the beating of drums. The new reports that show pieces of metal used in bombs are coming from Iran are the latest go around (which Iran has denied). So, don't go after the people making/detonating the bombs, go after a country where the parts "may" have originated.
I don't like where this is headed, and I am glad to see posts like this are being read in the blog-o-sphere.

Tech Tags: politics war peace Iran Iraq NYT

Quantum computing?

wow, this one totally slipped by my geek radar...
The website "Engadget" has an article about a company called D-Wave, that has made a claim that on this coming Tues they will debut the world's first Quantum Computer. This is big news to me because I thought that Quantum computers were something that would be developed in the next 30-100 years! To be honest, I don't fully understand the technology behind it other than to say [in theory] these computers would be SO FAST as to be able to calculate the number of atoms in the universe. If any of you are interested you can try to make your way through this wikipedia article about Quantum Computing. I did a quick glance and was also lost quickly. (the terminology is funny though; qubits, hilberts, decohere, superposition, time evolution, quantum logic gates, eigenvalues, etc...)
So all this to say, the world of computing may make history this Tuesday! I remain skeptical. But if its true, it could change the world as we know it.

Tech Tags: computers D-Wave Quantum+computing universe skeptic

Best popcorn ever...

So a little while ago, I stumbled upon this post on a website called Instructables.com. I have been a user of this site for quite some time now, I believe I discovered the site via Makezine.com. Basically, it's a DIY community where people post projects in a step by step method. The topics are all over the place, but most have a techy background. Well, this post caught my eye as I'm a big fan of popcorn. It gives microwave instructions on popping your own popcorn, without paying for those expensive pre-packaged bags (usually with lots of extra chemicals and fake butter). I used to use Smart Balance (no trans fats), but now after one bag using this method from Hoopajoo, I'm a convert. It may have been the best batch of popcorn I've ever had. It was light and airy, sweet taste of corn, and didn't have that nasty aftertaste from most of the usual pre-packaged stuff. The only modification to the original instructions was that I added some melted butter at the end - AND knowing that this bag of popcorn cost me about 14 cents made it taste even better. (I also used the "reverse" staple technique and did not have one spark. The reason most metal sparks is because of tiny gaps, so by using the reverse staple doo-hicky there was no sparks.)
Ya gotta try this one!

While I'm talking about food... I am trying to work up the nerve to try something new... It's in the latest issue of Craft Magazine (the sister zine of MakeZine), and was just featured on the Make blog today... It sounds nasty! But the way people talk about it, its sounds like it's supposed to be good! What am I talking about? Kombucha. If anyone finds this post, please post in the comments if you've ever had this Kombucha before and if you liked it.

popcorn instructables makezine craftzine kombucha microwave

still here

wow, has it been almost a week since I last posted? This week has kinda slinked away from me. I've had a few things I've been wanting to post but never can find the time. So this is more of a post to say, I'm still here. I'll throw these thoughts out there now...
I recently saw a really good show on PBS on a National Geographic photographer. The photographers name is Joel Sartore and the show was called "At Close Range with National Geographic". What I really liked about the show was that it not only got into the artistic end of his photography, but it also was a look into his personal life. It made the person seem real, and not just some famous photographer. I really liked the segments where he was shooting at the local rodeo in Nebraska (I'm pretty sure it was in Nebraska). One of the things that this taught me... get outside and go someplace where there are people to take photos of. I have a mental block with doing that. 1) I'm more of an amature photographer, and I have a fear that I'll be confronted with 'why are you taking photos of (me, this area, my child, this train station, etc...)' - In today's climate of terrorism fear, child predator fears, and fears of LED devices that lead to an entire city of Boston being shut down, I don't want to stir up any problems. But I think I'll just have to put that aside, maybe print up a business card for myself, and just tell people "I'm a photographer" and leave it at that. Wow, how did I get lost on that tangent... anyway, I was really impressed with this program, and I hope PBS continues to put out these shows about artists.

I've had some additional interesting emails with my friend about Global Warming. I've had some fun digging around the internet to uncover some mistaken "propaganda" that he's been sending me. I hope to do an entire post on this later so this is more of a reminder to myself.

I just started my new Watercolor class last night. It's a watercolor 2 class that deals with painting the human figure. I've had drawing classes before where I've drawn from a model, but its been a while. I felt like I was picking up the brush for the first time ever last night. But, I had fun, I learned a little (if nothing more than what not to do) and how there really is a big difference in having quality paper. I think I'm going to like my new teacher too, she seems down to earth, and strong - two qualities I admire. I think she said she's going to bring her work in next week so I'm anxious to see what here style is. About half way through the second pose I was really missing a bowl of lemons from my first watercolor classes :) I will also have to deal with doing some "life paintings" too - aka - naked as a jaybird people sitting in front of me. I'm sure I'll be fine, it's just something I've never done before. One thing that I also liked about last night's class, was the people in the class. It seems like there are some real characters. One woman had a very thick Russian accent who came into the class about 45 minutes early (I was almost an hour early!) and immediately started re-arranging all the spot lights and trying to "art direct" my lighting. At first I thought she was the teacher! Then I realized she was just a crazy artist. So I pretty much ignored her and let her move whatever lights she wanted to. There was the "typical" artist too, an older gentleman with pure white hair tied back in a small ponytail. (I saw one of his paintings from a distance and it looked like a good one.) One guy had his cell phone go off (which people are supposed to TURN OFF before class), so he fumbled for it and turned off the ringer. a few seconds later the vibration part went off, so he scrambled for that and shut that off. Then a few minutes later, his beeper went off! I joked (in my head) what is this guy a doctor or something? Then later I found out, yes, he is a doctor. I think he's a plastic surgeon. The model was funny too... he was so "prim and proper" that it was almost comical. It's an art room that's hundreds of years old... needless to say, almost everything has paint spots and spills on it. At one point the teacher put a chair up on the pedastal for him to sit on, and he had to check multiple times that the paint was dry, and that it wouldn't smear on his clothing. He had his little thermos of coffee, little slippers. Then at one point he was talking with the teacher and said that he was also a "standard patient"... he's one of those "actors" who goes to a hospital and then they assign him certain symptoms to act like he has a disease. Then the student doctors have to diagnose him. I laughed (in my head) because I thought of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer and Micky were fighting over who had the "best disease" and they both wanted to be an alcoholic.

Well, this post turned out MUCH longer than I imagined.

news hounds

I just had to pass these two blog posts onto the rest of you... I don't remember how I found this website called newshounds.us but I have it in my Bloglines subscription. In a nutshell, it's a similar site to mediamatters.com, in that they watch some of the more conservative "news" sources with a critical eye, and when they make a mistake, mis-report an item, or simply say something pretty stupid, then these websites pick it up and post it. At times it can seem juvenile I'll admit, but it's also a good way for someone like me who is interested in what "the other side" is saying without having to watch their shows every night. So this morning I read the two posts below and thought they needed to be spread. (Oh, and there is something on their site about Jim having a lung transplant. I don't know who Jim is, but I wish him well and a speedy recovery!
>>>
Al Gore gets no respect on FOX
By Chrish on Big Story w/John Gibson

John Gibson couldn't bring himself to be respectful, never mind congratulatory, to the former Vice-president and majority presidential vote-getter as he announced that Al Gore has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. No, he had to be juvenile and grudging in his reporting of this national story.

"It appears global warming is good for somebody. It's given Gore's career a much-needed boost. First his documentary on climate change, "An Inconvenient Truth", was nominated for an Oscar, and now the former vice-president's head may swell to match the rest of his growing body because he's been nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Gore was nominated this morning by a Norwegian lawmaker who said Gore has done more than anyone else to draw attention to the dangers of global warming.

If he's going to borrow Michael Moore's triple-X tuxedo for the Oscars, he might as well keep it a bit longer. He may need it in Sweden to pick up his Nobel."

What an ungracious, unprofessional, biased, hateful piece of garbage. And the segment sucked too.

>>>
and number two
>>>

Laura Ingraham Confronts O'Reilly About Sexist Agenda On FOX
By Deborah on O'Reilly Factor

Laura Ingraham made Bill O'Reilly squirm with embarrassment when she confronted him tonight about all the sex laden videos on The O'Reilly Factor.. She asked him if there was a " rampant mid-life crisis" going on with the male anchors on FOX. " What's the purpose?, she asked. "We don't care about coffee shop babes".

Ingrahams comment about " coffee shop babes" refers to the segment about a drive through coffee shop with hooter type cashiers that FOX has run all week with videos shot from all the right angles.

Then she wanted to know why O'Reilly did a segment on naked parties at Brown? " Do you think that's a cultural phenomena?" She asked him why we needed to see the naked bodies at the party or why a bikini clad babe was needed for a plastic surgery segment? For once. O'Reilly was speechless.

Cavuto got the next well deserved scolding.for his " Girls Gone Wild" segments. O'Reilly joked, "He's demented" But Ingraham wasn't kidding and since nobody had ever called him on it before, he was stymied.

Ingraham's final comment was perfect, She asked BOR if he was a " T-Warror" and of course he eagerly agreed. " Then act like it!", she barked. Bill O' Reilly was busted tonight and I applaud Laura Ingraham.

>>>
And just a little side note on my part...
Have you ever noticed on these News Stations (especially FOX) that when the talking head wants to interview someone to explain the issue further, they interview... another news person! Why are they not going to the source of the story? Like Bill O'reilly having Laura Ingraham on who is another talk radio Fox affiliate.

Tech Tags: faux+news FOX news mediamatters newshounds

Shame on Amazon

So I've been very conscious lately of lessening my "green footprint" lately. Turning off lights when I don't really need them, recycling, etc... Well, I just ordered a new mouse via Amazon.com the other day. (I also ordered a Wacom Graphire tablet). So this morning I arrive at work, and there are TWO LARGE boxes waiting for me. After the initial excitement of seeing the little happy face icon from Amazon, it struck me... WHY is that HUGE box (16x21x10) there when all I ordered was a 3x4" mouse? Well, I got home tonight and unpacked it all. What a real shame that someone in the packing department WASTED all this packaging on this small object. The BIG ball of paper you see is one long continuous strip of paper... I didn't unroll it all but it had to be at least 20 feet long. So this is a Colbert Report styled blog post with a "WAG of my finger" at Amazon.com.
(Oh, and so far - the mouse is GREAT! at a simple $19 - and the Graphire tablet is great too! A must have for photoshop work.)

Tech Tags: Green packaging amazon.com wasteful wag

Thur Words

First off... My condolences to the friends and family of Molly Ivins. I just heard this morning that she passed due to her battle with cancer. I never read any of her books, but I saw her interviewed a few times and I saw her appearance on Cspan in the famous battle with Bill O'reilly and Al Franken. She was terrific. She seemed like a person that I would of liked had I met her. A "Straight shooter" who told you what was on her mind.

Ok, This story is all over the websites that I frequent and chances are by the time you read this you'll have heard about it on the news. I'm talking about the recent shut down of an entire city due to some art. This story is just mind-blowing in how far beyond common sense this series of events has escalated. I am not condoning what these people did in the sense of planting "hoax" like devices that look like bombs. That would be wrong. BUT I do not see that what these two guys did as being worthy of all the hoopla. In case you haven't heard. They created an image using a bunch of LED's hooked up to a battery. Then they put these lights in places around the city (multiple cities, but Boston was the only one that over-reacted). All of this was an attempt to promote a cartoon. Well, turns out, after these things had been up for about 2 weeks, someone finally took notice and thought they looked suspicious. I can understand that part. But the series of events that followed are crazy. The authorities thought these things were bombs. Ok, I can even understand wanting to Err on the side of caution on, and calling someone to inspect them (like a police officer). But no. They called out every three letter government service to inspect these devices. And here's the kicker, there wasn't just one of these, there were several around the city... Once they realized the first one was a harmless art project, they went on to assume that the other pieces (that looked exactly the same) were also bombs. Unbelievable. I heard one report that the bomb squad was even blowing these things up to destroy them. AND now the two guys who put these things up, are being charged with felonies. Does anyone have any common sense anymore? You want to charge them with illegal advertising? Fine. But a felony for committing a hoax?
I'm also a bit concerned over this story, because it may effect me somehow... The story is being connected to my favorite website Makezine.com because at one point on their blog, they showed people how to make these LED signs. (A single LED/battery/magnet is called a "throwie" - and is a form of digital graffiti.) I hope there is no negative fallout to the maker community.
Well, I HOPE that common sense will prevail in our justice system and that these charges will be dropped. I am also predicting that this is going to cause a BIG backlash in the underground art scene, I hope that no one takes this too far.
You can read more about it over on boingboing here.

Tech Tags: LED Throwie hoax common+sense cartoon art