Stuxnet - the future worm that turns?

Fascinating stuff in this article.

How long did it take the American Indians to revolutionize cavalry warfare after they got the gun? How long did it take the Russians to respond with their own nuclear bomb? France? Britain? India? Israel (unconfirmed)?

So it will be with Stuxnet. This is just as amazing a development as the Gatling gun, the tank, cruise missiles, and "Star Wars".

I hope everyone is paying attention!

~jfc~

The Worm Squirm Continues

Stuxnet continues its viral infection.

H1N1, AIDS, and Ebola all in one vicious ball of programming code. This is an amazing story's 2nd chapter.

~jfc~

The New James Bond

This is a "must read" article about espionage in the 21st century and postponing Armageddon. Fascinating....

~jfc~

Antimatter

Ever heard of a Penning trap? Read on for more:

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/11/researchers-trap-antihydrogen-atoms.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss

This was a very interesting article.

~jfc~

A Day is as A Thousand Years

Hmmmm... a time cloak. A way to be invisible. Things happening in space time continuum but undetected. Support for 2 Peter 3:8 (not that "support" is needed, but you know what I'm saying):

'But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."

You mathematicians (and maybe Star Trek fans and theologians) out there will enjoy this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/innovation/11/16/space.time.cloak/index.html?hpt=T2

~jfc~

More Kinetic Typography

I like this :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7yWmgCZUC4

Declarative Statements

This dude has it right, ya know? I mean, I'm just saying.....

http://rynintherealworld.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/typographic-animation-think-about-it/

"Total Trade" - Why the Dollar is Doomed

Mention trade deficit and currency fluctuations and my eyes glaze over in an instant.....my brain freezes into perma-frost......it just all seems too difficult to understand. Until now.

The relationship between gold, the dollar, oil, China's trade imbalance, foreign currency rate changes and the US imports of junk all add up to "total trade" and this article synthesizes it in a way that makes sense to me for the first time.

Even if you haven't thought about these issues, you should read this article. Your financial future depends on you understanding the big picture......and this article lays out it clearly!

~jfc~

73% Down the Drain

In Salem this Thursday there's a meeting of all the State and Federal agency hydrologists to discuss the region's dams capacity and related maintenance concerns. The dams are too full and some are considered vulnerable to breaching under the pressure unless repairs are made to the spill ways and gates.

In their analysis, the Army Corps of Engineers says that all the dams and flow control devices that are scattered throughout the Columbia and Willamette River basins contain or manage only 27% of the water flow the region has each year.

One rain drop in four end up behind a dam.....the other 3 raindrops go down the drain out to the Pacific Ocean.

A gallon of water at retail stores is already more expensive than a gallon of gas. This article is ultra-enlightening and makes one wonder about who owns all that water that's going down the drain, and when are they going to start making decisions to turn that cold water into cold cash.

~jfc~

Bigfoot

It seems possible doesn't it? I mean.....too many legends worldwide.....too many "sightings".....

For example, just this past week they found 200 new species of animals in Papua New Guinea. Doesn't it make sense that "something" like Bigfoot is out there and we don't yet have it captured, measured, formaldihyded, digitized and confirmed on Wikipedia?

Now the Chinese are out to prove Bigfoot is out there. Not sure why they are bothering since this famous Bigfoot video is proved up to be "true" per this 3 year analysis with lots of math and bio metrics being deployed.

Beware your next camping trip!


~jfc~

Ganymede

A clear sky.
Warm temps.

Moonless night.
Jupiter bright.

Four moons.
Rare treat.

Orbs dancing.
Gravity's string.

Io then Europa.
Callista then Ganymede

Slung straight
On a line right

40 years of night skies.
Awed anew.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/jupiter#

~jfc~

Planes Trains and Automobiles

Ok. I grew up on Air Force bases and can at first glance name every aircraft in the US arsenal that came into service between 1955 and 1995. I can look at cars and at first glance tell the make and model for most of them.

We come to know what we're surrounded by. We come to know them so well that at first glance we can cross reference our internal database and come up with name, rank, and serial number in a heartbeat.

Our new studio is right next to the Union Pacific railroad tracks that run from Canada to Mexico.

Yesterday it occured to me that about the Locomotive Engines, I have no idea of the names or manufacturers or specifications or anything.


These tips at field identification will help!

Quick.....is this photo a locomotive from EMP or GE? (okay......who cares? Well, when they're roaring down the tracks 6 feet from your back wall you start to get interested in them!)

~jfc~

Real Men's racing

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I always like to see #48 (Jimmy Johnson) and #24 (Jeff Gordon) run into each other and be done for the day on NASCAR's circuit. But this type of race would likely ensure that result much quicker! We gotta get one of these on the calendar one summer.....

~jfc~

Sweet Home Alabama Glass

In the last few weeks we've seen more movies than we have in the last few years; thanks to Netflix! One of the most recent was Sweet Home Alabama starring a glass factory (oh...and Reese Witherspoon too). So in search of "Deep South Glass" I learned that:

- the "factory" was in fact a remodeled mill (not a glass factory)
- the movie was shot in Georgia, not Alabama
- and there is no such company as "Deep South Glass"

Those gorgeous glass serveware pieces were from a company I've admired for some time now called Simon Pearce. Their website is amazing and their short little intro video's are worth your time.

~jfc~

Curses!

Bibliophiles that we are, this article was most interesting!



It makes me think "do I have anyone's book to return!!"

You Are What You Speak

It turns out that your native tongue is more important than you think.

Great article about languages' limitations, adaptations, and implications for understanding. I thought the cardinal directions thing was most interesting.

I think I'll go a few paces East now and lie down to sleep.

Textbooks and Pens of the Future (now): Do You Know Him?

Watch this short video about Pay-by-the-chapter textbooks where you only get charged for what you need (or use). Some students might never have to pay for textbooks...... I wish they had this when I was in school. In fact, it might be worth going back to school just to buy the supplies like this and the one noted below!






And for those who skip the textbook and just take notes, perhaps this new audio recording pen that also digitizes your notes (assuming you take them) is the best investment for the new semester.


Finally, this video was played in our church last year, and if you didn't see it just take a moment and meditate on the message and the powerful way it is presented. Do you know Him? Think about it this week!

~jfc~

Good ol' College Fun

I thought some of the lab courses offered at PLU were pretty fun, but some of these college labs make me want to spend my senior year transferring all over the country just to play around.

As a side note, Michael Snively, one of our classmates at Sprague, is quoted in #12.

Tadpole Hummus, State's Rights, and Ground Zero Mosque

What common thread ties these three postings together? Not a thing......

I've heard some research is conducted on tadpoles that are put in the food blender to create a paste for enzyme testing. Do you wonder, as I do, how many different flavor varieties of tadpole hummus there might be? Perhaps this article and these pictures help answer that question: by my count at least 5 different flavors.....






The National Public Vote (NPV) idea posits that each State can write up a compact with other states and decide that their Electoral College votes will be based on the outcome of the national popular vote instead of whatever candidate happened to win their particular state. Massachusetts just voted this whole idea into law. Interesting idea, but fraught with unintended consequences, probably: but if you want to learn more, its worth reading this article.



And if you were undecided about this whole Ground Zero Mosque building thing, perhaps the esteemed Mr. Krauthammer will enlighten your thinking in this article.


So there you have it....... from Tadpoles to Mosques and all the flyover country in between. Its time to BandyAbout these posts with your comments.

~jfc~

God's Number, Magic Number

It turns out that 20 is God's number. I always thought it was 7, or maybe 40. But apparently its 20.


But for any baseball fan in the coming month, the only number that matters is the Magic Number.... (preferably of the Red Sox and Rangers).

~jfc~

Retrograde, Immigration, Dropbox

I've had a rough idea of Mars' retrograde movement and how it works in relation to the Earth's orbit, but only with this article did it become clear thanks to the wonderful animation and concise description. Important to know in geek astronomy circles .... or is that geek astronomy orbits?


Many genealogical journeys begin with story outlines and faint ideas or remembrances of family oral history. Most family trees have branches that end up as timbers in the wharf at some port of entry. What lies beyond ocean's edge?


Get rid of the portable USB drives, sneaker-net, emailing files, and constantly being out-of-synch..... get free DROP BOX and experience freedom.

~jfc~

Bar B Que...Welcome to our World

Welcome fans of BandyAbout-ishments.

Real Interesting Stuff for Real Men