Friday, July 5, 2013
Friday links
Converting x-rays from distant stars into blues & jazz.
Debunking parental myths and common historical misconceptions.
Debunking parental myths and common historical misconceptions.
Hawkmoths zap bats with sonic blasts from their genitals.
What if Shakespeare had written Star Wars?
15 Excellent Marvel-DC Mashups.
Physics of superman punching someone into space.
Dogs in Books: An Illustrated History.
What if Shakespeare had written Star Wars?
15 Excellent Marvel-DC Mashups.
Physics of superman punching someone into space.
Dogs in Books: An Illustrated History.
What if William Shakespeare had written Star Wars?
What if William Shakespeare had written Star Wars?
Here is the opening from the book:
PROLOGUE.
Outer space.
Enter
CHORUS
CHORUS
It is a period of civil war.
The spaceships of the rebels, striking swift
From base unseen, have gain’d a vict’ry o’er
The cruel Galactic Empire, now adrift.
Amidst the battle, rebel spies prevail’d
And stole the plans to a space station vast,
Whose pow’rful beams will later be unveil’d
And crush a planet: ’tis the DEATH STAR blast.
Pursu’d by agents sinister and cold,
Now Princess Leia to her home doth flee,
Deliv’ring plans and a new hope they hold:
Of bringing freedom to the galaxy.
In time so long ago begins our play,
In star-crossed galaxy far, far away.
[Exit]
Here is a PDF version of the first 16 pages.
Here is the opening from the book:
PROLOGUE.
Outer space.
Enter
CHORUS
CHORUS
It is a period of civil war.
The spaceships of the rebels, striking swift
From base unseen, have gain’d a vict’ry o’er
The cruel Galactic Empire, now adrift.
Amidst the battle, rebel spies prevail’d
And stole the plans to a space station vast,
Whose pow’rful beams will later be unveil’d
And crush a planet: ’tis the DEATH STAR blast.
Pursu’d by agents sinister and cold,
Now Princess Leia to her home doth flee,
Deliv’ring plans and a new hope they hold:
Of bringing freedom to the galaxy.
In time so long ago begins our play,
In star-crossed galaxy far, far away.
[Exit]
Here is a PDF version of the first 16 pages.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Remember the 100% bacon 'Merica burger? It's baaaack...
With bacon cheddar cheese, bacon strips, Bacon Island dressing and (terrible idea) a sunny side up egg. Hold the egg on mine, please. Served on a bacon pretzel bun made using rendered bacon fat instead of butter and featuring bits of bacon rolled into the dough. via Neatorama.
Ken Jennings dispels "parent myths"
Remember the things your parents told you? No swimming until an hour after eating. The 5 second rule. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You're not fat, you're big-boned. Sit up straight. Slouching is bad for you. Shaving will just make the hair grow back thicker and darker.
Ken Jennings (of Jeopardy fame) has a book out entitled Because I Said So!: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids which dispels these myths.
Independence Days from science fiction
Where there's society, there's a foundation story. And where there's government, there's a holiday to instill patriotism and pride. So here are the ways fiction has commemorated independence from an oppressor, the end of a civil war, or just the day certain documents were signed and the current government came into existence.
And here's Forbes' list of the Top Ten Movies For The Fourth Of July
And here's Forbes' list of the Top Ten Movies For The Fourth Of July
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The plot to kill Einstein
Einstein got his United States citizenship in 1940. At the time, he'd been in the country for over seven years. He made his stay permanent in 1933, when Hitler gained power and Germany started becoming a terrible place for Jewish academics and intellectuals. First they were pushed from positions at state institutions and universities. Then officials turned on their ideas. For some time, German officials tried to credit Einstein's theory of relativity to German physicists.
This didn't work. Einstein was as famous in his own time as he is now, and people knew his accomplishments. The next official move, trying to ban the teaching of the theory altogether, lead to the dismissal of all physicists who refused. Finally, people simply attempted to ruin Einstein's name. An anti-Einstein society was founded, and the papers published mocking headlines about his move to America. Things got a lot less funny when a group of people began actively plotting to kill Einstein. It never made it past the conspiracy stage. The group was pretty public about their hatred of Einstein, and their plans, and it caught international attention. On the plus side, the man actively inciting the others to kill the most famous scientist of the age was caught and convicted. On the minus side, he was fined the equivalent of all of six dollars.
This didn't work. Einstein was as famous in his own time as he is now, and people knew his accomplishments. The next official move, trying to ban the teaching of the theory altogether, lead to the dismissal of all physicists who refused. Finally, people simply attempted to ruin Einstein's name. An anti-Einstein society was founded, and the papers published mocking headlines about his move to America. Things got a lot less funny when a group of people began actively plotting to kill Einstein. It never made it past the conspiracy stage. The group was pretty public about their hatred of Einstein, and their plans, and it caught international attention. On the plus side, the man actively inciting the others to kill the most famous scientist of the age was caught and convicted. On the minus side, he was fined the equivalent of all of six dollars.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Man who peed in wrong house and left beer in washing machine detained with brass elephant
A suspected burglar allegedly caught urinating in a Ballard home is in custody Thursday after the resident clubbed him with a pot and held him prisoner with a brass elephant statuette.
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