Expensive hobby, "Round 2." The mini mill that looks like a toy but isn't is now moving under computer control. I need to do some adjustments, but it is sweet. After burning out on the router, this sat 7/8 finished. I just didn't want to fight so hard and needed to get beyond the "Shit, what's wrong now?" frustration of bringing many different skills together alone and learning from the internet, books, and those that went before me. I won't say, "I get it now," and get smacked upside the head for being too bold. I will say this one was easier (I didn't pick up the hammer once!)
Tonight after plugging in all the cables, powering up the drivers, and putting in a program, I didn't have to hit the emergency stop once. Using a pen and pad of paper, it wrote EMC2 Axis. The good news is with the mini-mill I can fix the motor/lead screw bearing mounts on that blasted router. Is it Spring yet? I feel like the grass is turning green.
Monday, February 28, 2011
I’m here to bitch again!
TV commercials, lately there has been 3 or 4 commercials where people are getting their face slapped!
I don’t know about you, but I never slapped my kids face and taught them not to slap their kid’s faces!
I find this disturbing for some reason; adults slapping their fiends face over a hamburger or a guy washing a window...give me a break.
Commercial writers...GROW UP!
I don’t know about you, but I never slapped my kids face and taught them not to slap their kid’s faces!
I find this disturbing for some reason; adults slapping their fiends face over a hamburger or a guy washing a window...give me a break.
Commercial writers...GROW UP!
Mount Pleasant police sergeant
The guy made a mistake, okay it was a big one, but do you really think the Journal Times could find a large picture of the man to post?
Is this really news worthy for the public to see? I personally would say no.....
Mount Pleasant police sergeant
Is this really news worthy for the public to see? I personally would say no.....
Mount Pleasant police sergeant
IRISH TRADITION
Paddy, had long heard the stories of an amazing family tradition.
It seems that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been able to walk on water on their 18th birthday. On that special day, they'd each walked across the lake to the pub on the far side for their first legal drink.
So when Paddy's, 18th birthday came 'round, he and his pal Mick, took a boat out to the middle of the lake. Paddy, stepped out of the boat ...and nearly drowned! Mick just barely managed to pull him to safety.
Furious and confused, Paddy, went to see his grandmother.
'Grandma,' he asked, "it's my 18th birthday, so why can't I walk 'cross the lake ike my father, his father, and his father before him?"
Granny looked deeply into Paddy's, troubled brown eyes and said, "Because your father, your grandfather and your great grandfather were all born in December, when the lake is frozen, and you were born in August, ya dumb shit."
It seems that his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had all been able to walk on water on their 18th birthday. On that special day, they'd each walked across the lake to the pub on the far side for their first legal drink.
So when Paddy's, 18th birthday came 'round, he and his pal Mick, took a boat out to the middle of the lake. Paddy, stepped out of the boat ...and nearly drowned! Mick just barely managed to pull him to safety.
Furious and confused, Paddy, went to see his grandmother.
'Grandma,' he asked, "it's my 18th birthday, so why can't I walk 'cross the lake ike my father, his father, and his father before him?"
Granny looked deeply into Paddy's, troubled brown eyes and said, "Because your father, your grandfather and your great grandfather were all born in December, when the lake is frozen, and you were born in August, ya dumb shit."
Sunday, February 27, 2011
WEATHER FORECAST
Right now it is Cloudy 23°F Feels Like: 16°
Today - PM Rain / Snow Showers
Tonight - Wintry Mix
Rain and Snow Showers then changing to Winter Mix tonight????
I guess I need coffee to understand that one.....
Today - PM Rain / Snow Showers
Tonight - Wintry Mix
Rain and Snow Showers then changing to Winter Mix tonight????
I guess I need coffee to understand that one.....
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Awesome Shuttle Launch Video
Here's a new way to see a shuttle launch...from a plane. One of the advantages of having lots of compact recording devices, when something really cool happens, someone can record and share it.
The is a pretty wide no fly zone around shuttle launches, so this plane was pretty far away. The very end of the video look like the SRBs just burnt out. Most of the smoke and flame you see on launch come from the SRBs as the shuttles main engines emit much less smoke and flame.
Oh, and watch it in 720p, full screen mode!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Fire at McNeece Leatherworks & Hogg Heaven Tattoo
Pictures where taken around 9:30am and at that time the building is still smoking. Many firefighter on the scene from Caledonia and Franklin
Friday, February 25, 2011
Six days to go. Are you prepared?
There is no signed Federal Budget. The destruction of Unions in Wisconsin will be complete in less than two weeks. It's a done deal. Get used to it. What happens afterwords though will be interesting. There will be layoffs. Walker will use his powers to lay off workers even with the new rules he said he needed so he wouldn't lay off anyone. Classroom sizes are going to get MUCH bigger. Students will do worse, but... we are forgetting all the other state workers.
DMV? state workers
HWY? State/city/county workers
Inspections? Infrastructure will not be inspected as often. Expect Hoan Bridge type problem to arise.
Ball parks, out buildings, parks in general will not get the upkeep they need. less manpower, and less funds for paint and supplies.
State campgrounds/Parks will have hours and days cut. Parts of the Parks will be shut down to use due to these problems.
Schools will see less care as the tap from the State is turned nearly off.
Pot holes, tarring cracks so water doesn't seep in and freeze causing more problems will be curtailed.
Workers are going to work s l o w e r. Disgruntled workers always do. Can't prove they are though, they won't have the needed supplies to do anything quickly.
The worst thing is if we stop paying on our debt. No budget, no debt payments. What happens when you don't pay on your house? Germany found out post WWI. It's what bred the anger that created WWII. Ounce of gold went from under 8 DM to over a MILLION DM in 14 months. A loaf of bread had the same inflation. You might want to do a little hoarding. You might want a three month supply of your meds if you need them. You might want some dry goods like beans/lentils/rice and canned meat.
Not laying blame, don't want to hear it. Just saying this is what we are headed for if we do not have a budget in time. If tomfoolery happens, and it doesn't get signed into law, the possibility of strange events finally happening go up exponentially. In other words, the other shoe will drop. When the shoe drops, this IS what is going to happen. You always end up paying the piper, and we've laid one hell of a tab at the bar. Even if it doesn't drop this time, this is our fate when it does.
Are you prepared?
DMV? state workers
HWY? State/city/county workers
Inspections? Infrastructure will not be inspected as often. Expect Hoan Bridge type problem to arise.
Ball parks, out buildings, parks in general will not get the upkeep they need. less manpower, and less funds for paint and supplies.
State campgrounds/Parks will have hours and days cut. Parts of the Parks will be shut down to use due to these problems.
Schools will see less care as the tap from the State is turned nearly off.
Pot holes, tarring cracks so water doesn't seep in and freeze causing more problems will be curtailed.
Workers are going to work s l o w e r. Disgruntled workers always do. Can't prove they are though, they won't have the needed supplies to do anything quickly.
The worst thing is if we stop paying on our debt. No budget, no debt payments. What happens when you don't pay on your house? Germany found out post WWI. It's what bred the anger that created WWII. Ounce of gold went from under 8 DM to over a MILLION DM in 14 months. A loaf of bread had the same inflation. You might want to do a little hoarding. You might want a three month supply of your meds if you need them. You might want some dry goods like beans/lentils/rice and canned meat.
Not laying blame, don't want to hear it. Just saying this is what we are headed for if we do not have a budget in time. If tomfoolery happens, and it doesn't get signed into law, the possibility of strange events finally happening go up exponentially. In other words, the other shoe will drop. When the shoe drops, this IS what is going to happen. You always end up paying the piper, and we've laid one hell of a tab at the bar. Even if it doesn't drop this time, this is our fate when it does.
Are you prepared?
Four for Fridays
Hello everyone! Wow, it's Friday-thank God! It's been an interesting week....This weeks' questions are just off of my head this morning...
1) Do you think the world today is more greedier than it was back then?
2) Do you think technology has your life easier and less stressful?
3) What was your most embarrassing moment?
4) If you were an animal, what animal would you want to be?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Do you think the world today is more greedier than it was back then?
2) Do you think technology has your life easier and less stressful?
3) What was your most embarrassing moment?
4) If you were an animal, what animal would you want to be?
Enjoy your weekend!
STRESS ?
You pick up a hitchhiker, a beautiful girl. Suddenly she faints inside your car and you take her to a hospital. Now that's stressful.
But at the hospital , they say she is pregnant & congratulates you that you are going to be a father.
You say that you are not the father, but the girl says you are. This is getting very stressful, So then...... you request a DNA test to prove that you are not the father.
After the tests are completed, the doctor says that you are infertile, and probably have been since birth. You are extremely stressed but relieved.
On your way back home, you think about your 3 kids at home.
Now, that is stress!
But at the hospital , they say she is pregnant & congratulates you that you are going to be a father.
You say that you are not the father, but the girl says you are. This is getting very stressful, So then...... you request a DNA test to prove that you are not the father.
After the tests are completed, the doctor says that you are infertile, and probably have been since birth. You are extremely stressed but relieved.
On your way back home, you think about your 3 kids at home.
Now, that is stress!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Undocumented Alien wife hunting.
Okay, how do I do it? They used to have mail order brides. I think I could use one. Sure not happy with my prospects around here when it comes to available women. Maybe even a five year indentured servitude for bringing em in country. Where would a guy start?
"Shop to make breast milk ice cream"
"(Reuters) - A specialist ice cream parlor plans to serve up breast milk ice cream and says people should think of it as an organic, free-range treat.
"The breast milk concoction, called the 'Baby Gaga,' will be available from Friday at the Icecreamists restaurant in London's Covent Garden.
"Icecreamists founder Matt O'Connor was confident his take on the 'miracle of motherhood' and priced at a hefty 14 pounds ($23) a serving will go down a treat with the paying public."
You cannot make up stuff like this.
Games, games, games
Do you like games? I don't, but a recent comment on a blog led me to these sites:
Hooda Math - http://hoodamath.com/
Hooda Word - http://hoodaword.com/
Hooda Brain - http://hoodabrain.com/
The Hooda Math site contains resources for teachers to get students involved. It states, "Hooda Math was created by Michael Edlavitch, a middle school math teacher. Web design is done by his wife Teresa. Last year Michael left classroom teaching to focus on Hooda Math full-time. How else would Hooda Math put up 3 new cool math games a week? Michael and Teresa recently had their first child born on labor day, and no we did not name him Hooda. Michael discusses Hooda Math regularly with several classroom teachers."
It looks like a ton of fun for those who enjoy online games.
Hooda Math - http://hoodamath.com/
Hooda Word - http://hoodaword.com/
Hooda Brain - http://hoodabrain.com/
The Hooda Math site contains resources for teachers to get students involved. It states, "Hooda Math was created by Michael Edlavitch, a middle school math teacher. Web design is done by his wife Teresa. Last year Michael left classroom teaching to focus on Hooda Math full-time. How else would Hooda Math put up 3 new cool math games a week? Michael and Teresa recently had their first child born on labor day, and no we did not name him Hooda. Michael discusses Hooda Math regularly with several classroom teachers."
It looks like a ton of fun for those who enjoy online games.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Madame Zoltar....
Isn't the portly one a long lost son of yours? His etiquette is impeccably gypsy. How much for your daughter? Classic!
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my winter warriors! How are you? Snow, freeze, ice, thaw, snow, freeze, ice thaw. That’s the pattern that we’re locked into. How do we open the lock? Persevere, my dear Irregulars, persevere winter’s wrath. Though this winter fights tenaciously to keep its icy grip on our land, we know that the calendar, the sun, and the planet are on our side. Mr. Hale-bopp could explain it: it is inevitable. We’re going to warm up and nature is set to burst forth from the soil and trees once more. To paraphrase, “Damn the icicles, full speed ahead!”Madame Zoltar® Editorial Comment: I am deeply saddened by the strife which has gripped our state capitol and much of our nation. I am putting forth as much positive energy as I can possibly muster. I think about how US citizen is pitted against US citizen in this bitter battle. I worry for my people and my country.
With crappy weather and crappy news, it’s not hard to get into a crappy mood. My solution? Get drunk! Oh my, no, tee-hee, I was joking. I’ve done it before here, and I’ll do it again: there’s nothing like an old cartoon or two to put you into a better mood. (For severe cases of depression, I recommend Marx Brothers movies.) Here are a couple of Donald Duck cartoons. The first is “Winter Storage.”
Next is “Donald’s Snow Fight.”
I know that those didn’t solve our problems, my dears, but that’s the best I can do online. Of course, I do offer a wide variety of elixirs and mood enhancers, as well as personal consultations, for those who can afford them. To learn more, or to learn what “they” don’t want you to know, contact me at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Thank you so much for reading my blog today. I love each and every one of you. The time we spend together is special. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Don’t forget to persevere, my dear Irregulars. One day at a time, we’ll get through winter. One day at a time, we can get through anything. Wapentake!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Is This a Union House?
In the interest of humor...
A man walks into a brothel and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "No, it is not" replies the Madam. "I'm sorry, I only patronize union houses".
So he does into a second brother and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "No, it is not" replies the Madam. "I'm sorry, I only patronize union houses".
He tries a third brothel and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "Yes it is," she replies.
"Great, I'd like to see Candy" he requests. "I am sure you would, but Ethel has seniority!"
A man walks into a brothel and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "No, it is not" replies the Madam. "I'm sorry, I only patronize union houses".
So he does into a second brother and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "No, it is not" replies the Madam. "I'm sorry, I only patronize union houses".
He tries a third brothel and asks the Madam, "Is this a union house?" "Yes it is," she replies.
"Great, I'd like to see Candy" he requests. "I am sure you would, but Ethel has seniority!"
"German sledders dare to be bare"
This is what prolonged exposure to winter does. People start to act irrational and delude themselves that it is fun. Spring cannot come soon enough.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sugaring off time!!!!
If you have a Maple tree, this week is the time to drill a hole or two and tap some sap. They don't sell better syrup than what you can make on your own. I have some stiles (sap taps) if anyone here wants to try it. My friend from Maine sent me a small bag of hose barbed stiles and hose. I'm buying a different drill bit for this year. A "Brace drill bit." Last year i used a spade bit and tapped too early. The tree closed off the tap holes and you shouldn't drill too many per season. The little bit of syrup was gone in two pancake breakfasts, but oh so sweet and buttery tasting. Roll your eyes and moan good.
Cheap feed contest
I'm thinking cheap. I manage my expensive hobbies by living a beans and rice life. Because of that, I can cook good meals that freeze well and I end up with a large variety of choices in my freezer. I cook a lot of stuff from scratch. I manage spices when i find them on sale and in big containers. We've all got things we make to stretch the buck, and I think it'd be fun to have a "Feed ten for $8": contest. I'm thinking some allowances need to be made like charging the portions worth that you use from bulk items. Two cups of flour from a five or ten pound bag should be prorated at the 2 cup portion of cost. Not a contest for folks that think buying three boxes of cheap mac and cheese along with a loaf of bread is a contestant.
Soups, stews, chili. Cheap cuts of meat. In season vegetables. A full meal extra points, i.e. salad, main course and desert. Eighty cents per person. Dandelion salad and other greens are fine IF they are in season. Food piramid points. Novel ideas points. Eating enjoyment points.
What do ya think? To me it sounds like a fun challenge. We could even come out with "The JTI Scraping the Bottom Cook Book."
Soups, stews, chili. Cheap cuts of meat. In season vegetables. A full meal extra points, i.e. salad, main course and desert. Eighty cents per person. Dandelion salad and other greens are fine IF they are in season. Food piramid points. Novel ideas points. Eating enjoyment points.
What do ya think? To me it sounds like a fun challenge. We could even come out with "The JTI Scraping the Bottom Cook Book."
The President's Song
It ends with Clinton since this is an old clip. I learned a lot about the presidents.
What Does Presidents' Day Mean to You?
I was talking with mom this morning and she reminded me that today is Presidents' Day. My thoughts? No mail, no banks, no school. I must admit, it doesn't mean much more to me. Even when we observed Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, I more or less ignored them. I assume that we are supposed to take time today to reflect on the presidency and our presidents. How many of us, other than children in parochial schools, will?
Personal Lawsuit Filed Against Mayor Dickert for Slander
"10:23 a.m. – MADRIGRANO, AIELLO & SANTARELLI, LLC located at 1108 56th Street, Kenosha. Wisconsin, has filed a lawsuit against John Dickert-Mayor and Candidate for Mayor of Racine. The law firm is representing William Bielefeldt, who is a former city employee who reported NSP violations to the State of Wisconsin. As stated in the complaint and documentation, this is a personal lawsuit and not one filed against the city"
My previous blog on the subject: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2011/02/john-dickert-and-embezzler.html
Party on, lying John!
-----
Edit: the Journal Times now has a story up: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_3d8a2098-3e05-11e0-8311-001cc4c03286.html
Sunday, February 20, 2011
GLOBE at Night 2011
I have blogged for several years now about the annual citizen science light pollution measurement campaign GLOBE at Night. The 2011 campaign takes place in two parts. The first one starts tomorrow (February 21st) and runs though Mach 6th. After March 6th the Moon interferes too much for a couple of weeks. The second campaign is from March 22nd to April 4th for the northern hemisphere (March 24th to April 6th for the southern hemisphere...investigate the positions and elevations of the Moon north and south of the equator in late March/early April to find out why the dates vary a couple of days).Okay, first, the idea is simple. Go outside after it's dark and find the constellation Orion. Find the latitude and longitude of where you are with a GPS unit or a website like Google Earth. The light pollution data consists of matching what you see in the sky to one of seven magnitude charts. Pick the one that matches what you see best and enter it into our database online. Multiple observations are encouraged from different points around town. I take bike rides at night after sunset to record data. Each night I ride a different direction and take lots of data around my area of the city AND get exercise at the same time!
For the late March campaign, you might notice Orion is getting a little low in the sky. This year we are using Leo (northern hemisphere) and Crux (southern hemisphere) for the late march campaign. Other than that, everything else is the same.
An added feature this year is the reporting page functions on mobile phones. If you use a web enabled cell phone, it will take the date, time and GPS coordinates from your cell phone to make your life even easier (the first time you use the site, you might get a message asking permission to access your phone's GPS. You will have to say yes for this feature to work).
Once you submit your data, you can go back and look at it on the map viewer. You can zoom in all the way down to street level to see your observations.
Data from GLOBE at Night can be used to raise awareness of light pollution issues. The more data you have, the more research you can do. In Tucson, GLOBE at Night data is being combined with Arizona Game and Fish Department data to look at the effects of light pollution on bats. Tucson had over 1000 points of data last year, so you need a lot of data to do this type of work, but it can be done.
We had 16,000 measurements last year, so that's a big hill to climb. The first we we did this, there was hardly any data from Racine. Last year, there were a few handfuls of data from around the area. I would love to see the number of observations keep increasing.I would love to see some cities give Tucson a run for its money in terms of number of observations. Just a warning, we have our act together this year recruiting various community groups school classes, amateur astronomers and others to adopt streets and take multiple measurements along their designate street! So bring it on!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Safe Haven law
I never knew this, now I feel sorry for the girl who put her baby in the dumpster when she could have been cover under this law. Now she is in trouble with the law.
Sad, sad, sad......
Safe Haven Law
Sad, sad, sad......
Safe Haven Law
Opposing viewpoint - The Walker Bill
Thanks for turning me around KK. You put forth your position intelligently and without inflaming opposing viewpoints. I have been keeping my thoughts to myself for various reasons including my "part-time" job, as well getting flamed on FB and the like. However, for your reading enjoyment here goes:
I support Governor Walkers proposal for the following reasons:
The state is broke. Previous administrations from both sides of the aisle raided, overfunded, underfunded and moved funds around to balance the budget. There isn't anything to move anymore. Public employees have very cheap health care. Even with the increase proposed they will STILL be below what the average private sector employee. They have to pay more for insurance and pension or job cuts will happen. Take your pick.
This is also about the unions not being able to automatically deduct for dues anymore. They are losing their moneypot and are ticked off. Teachers in RUSD pay more for the union dues then for healthcare. Something is wrong about that.
19 states and the Obama federal government do not allow public sector employees to unionize. What Walker is doing is not a radical idea.
Something has to be done to reduce the budget. Everyone will feel the pain on this. Local units of government will feel it as well. We need to fix this before we turn in to the next California. This is not an attack on Teachers, or DPW or Firemen. It's the economic crash coming home to roost.
Thanks for reading my opinion, which like you I am entitled to have.
Well thought out comments welcome from all sides. Attacks and flames will be deleted.
I support Governor Walkers proposal for the following reasons:
The state is broke. Previous administrations from both sides of the aisle raided, overfunded, underfunded and moved funds around to balance the budget. There isn't anything to move anymore. Public employees have very cheap health care. Even with the increase proposed they will STILL be below what the average private sector employee. They have to pay more for insurance and pension or job cuts will happen. Take your pick.
This is also about the unions not being able to automatically deduct for dues anymore. They are losing their moneypot and are ticked off. Teachers in RUSD pay more for the union dues then for healthcare. Something is wrong about that.
19 states and the Obama federal government do not allow public sector employees to unionize. What Walker is doing is not a radical idea.
Something has to be done to reduce the budget. Everyone will feel the pain on this. Local units of government will feel it as well. We need to fix this before we turn in to the next California. This is not an attack on Teachers, or DPW or Firemen. It's the economic crash coming home to roost.
Thanks for reading my opinion, which like you I am entitled to have.
Well thought out comments welcome from all sides. Attacks and flames will be deleted.
Buckyballs in Space
Just a quick note that I should have posted yesterday. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory is producing a podcast each month for the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast. Our podcasts will air on the 17th of each month. One part of my job is tracking down NOAO scientists to interview them for this project (the January episode was on the Galileoscope). The February episode was posted yesterday and features an interview with NOAO astronomer Letezia Stanghellini about her research on Buckyballs in planetary nebula, titled Buckyballs in Space. Buckyballs are unique molecules made out of pure carbon that would look like a soccer ball if you magnified them. They are very strong with a lot of unique properties and potential applications in medicine.
I am working on the March edition today...stay tuned for more!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
The Solar System as Seen From Messenger
The Mercury Messenger spacecraft is just about to go into orbit in March. It's has taken years to get to this point. Messenger has already done a couple of flybys of Mercury, but it has a lot of time to kill while getting line up for its orbital insertion.
In November, Messenger turned its cameras outward to look at the other planets in the solar system. They just released the image today. Here it is.
You can see all the planets except Uranus and Neptune. The positions of where they would be are marked (sorry Pluto, you don't count in this one). Messenger is not exactly in the plane of the solar system (the ecliptic) so it had to point its camera slightly up or down to see all the planets resulting in that curved shape. If you look closely between Neptune and Mars, you can see the Milky Way!
Every time we see our solar system from a new perspective, it gives us a little better idea of our place in the universe. I just love when NASA takes the time to let their craft capture these unique images!Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
"I For One Welcome Our New Computer Overlords"
This week, Jeopardy had a unique series of shows air Monday through Wednesday (just in time for sweeps, coincidence?) Two former Jeopardy champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, played two games against Watson, an IBM supercomputer.
If you don't know what happened and don't want spoilers, stop reading now (of course I think most of you are well enough informed that you probably ran across the coverage by now!)
Everyone gone who hasn't seen it? Good.
Watson kicked this asses. You might think that a computer would easily win at Jeopardy, but it's a much more complicated problem that you think. Jeopardy clues are frequently based on puns and wordplay. The answers often give clues to the question. Sometimes I can think of more than one right question, but a combination of the answer and the category guides you to the right one. Computers are very good at looking up information in a database. Understanding natural language, puns and wordplay, that's a much more difficult computer program to write!
One of the interesting things they did was have Watson produce a graphic showing his top three choices for answers and his confidence level in each. Watson had a threshold to buzz in, he had to be confident of his answers or he wouldn't buzz in. Watson was very quick on the buzzer and you could tell Jennings and Rutter were frustrated. They knew many of the answers and were just beaten to the buzzer. Watson missed final Jeopardy the first night but was very far ahead and made a small wager (I took consolation in the fact that I knew that final Jeopardy!)
Watson made mistakes and didn't always understand the question. Once Watson said the same incorrect answer that was just given by Jennings.
Okay, so computers are now superior right? Well, one thing I noticed is that the second game was much closer than the first, Jennings and Rutter seemed to learn how to play against Watson. What would have happened in a third game? With practice, could they beat it? Does Watson have the ability to learn (without the input of external programmers) to stay ahead of the human challengers? It was an interesting exhibition, but I think these are a few questions that would be fun to explore as well.
And the quote in the title of my blog? Ken Jennings added that to his final Jeopardy answer on the second day. It's a reference to the Simpsons episode when Homer flies on the space shuttle. Some ants in a science experiment escape and one of them floats in front of a camera during a live broadcast leading Kent Brockmant to conclude that the shuttle was taken over by giant ants and say, "I for one welcome our new insect overlords". I don't think Watson understood the joke.
UPDATE: Here is the clip from the Simpsons
If you don't know what happened and don't want spoilers, stop reading now (of course I think most of you are well enough informed that you probably ran across the coverage by now!)
Everyone gone who hasn't seen it? Good.
Watson kicked this asses. You might think that a computer would easily win at Jeopardy, but it's a much more complicated problem that you think. Jeopardy clues are frequently based on puns and wordplay. The answers often give clues to the question. Sometimes I can think of more than one right question, but a combination of the answer and the category guides you to the right one. Computers are very good at looking up information in a database. Understanding natural language, puns and wordplay, that's a much more difficult computer program to write!
One of the interesting things they did was have Watson produce a graphic showing his top three choices for answers and his confidence level in each. Watson had a threshold to buzz in, he had to be confident of his answers or he wouldn't buzz in. Watson was very quick on the buzzer and you could tell Jennings and Rutter were frustrated. They knew many of the answers and were just beaten to the buzzer. Watson missed final Jeopardy the first night but was very far ahead and made a small wager (I took consolation in the fact that I knew that final Jeopardy!)
Watson made mistakes and didn't always understand the question. Once Watson said the same incorrect answer that was just given by Jennings.
Okay, so computers are now superior right? Well, one thing I noticed is that the second game was much closer than the first, Jennings and Rutter seemed to learn how to play against Watson. What would have happened in a third game? With practice, could they beat it? Does Watson have the ability to learn (without the input of external programmers) to stay ahead of the human challengers? It was an interesting exhibition, but I think these are a few questions that would be fun to explore as well.
And the quote in the title of my blog? Ken Jennings added that to his final Jeopardy answer on the second day. It's a reference to the Simpsons episode when Homer flies on the space shuttle. Some ants in a science experiment escape and one of them floats in front of a camera during a live broadcast leading Kent Brockmant to conclude that the shuttle was taken over by giant ants and say, "I for one welcome our new insect overlords". I don't think Watson understood the joke.
UPDATE: Here is the clip from the Simpsons
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Yep another Friday is here and it's time for Four for Fridays! This week's questions are about the radio.
1) What is your favorite radio station?
2) Do you think the radio overplays songs?
3) If so, which ones?
4) What would you like to hear on the radio?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) What is your favorite radio station?
2) Do you think the radio overplays songs?
3) If so, which ones?
4) What would you like to hear on the radio?
Enjoy your weekend!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Does Anybody Else Think this Commercial is Weird?
It's not that it offends me. It just seems stupid to market your product as delicious if you eat someone who has eaten it. I don't know, maybe it's just me.
Here's the 30 second version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e0Gsn4khss
Science on my iPod
I have been busy but want to get back into the habit of more frequent blogs again. I will kick that off by posting something I have meant to for a long time: the science and tech podcasts I listen to on a regular basis. Some of these are tech, some science, some specifically astronomy. I know there are a lot of great shows out there and I can't listen to them all so feel free to add your favorites in the comments. All of these are free subscriptions so there is no excuse not to try them if you think they look interesting!
I am putting these in alphabetical order since that's the way they display on iTunes!
Are We Alone : AWA as it is known is a weekly podcast from the SETI Institute. Seth Shostak, Molly Bentley and the gang tackle a different topic each week in a lighthearted, humorous manner, interviewing a wide variety of scientists in the process.
Astronomy Cast : Pamela Gay and Fraser Cain take you on a weekly facts based journey through the cosmos in the form of an informal conversation. If I ever go back to teaching, I would love to use this series instead of a textbook for an introductory astronomy course. Yes, it's that good.
Buzz Out Loud : BOL is a daily podcast "of indeterminate length" about developments in the tech world. Quirky, funny and informative. You will be hooked after you hear your first "Molly rant".
Geologic Podcast : Not quite a hard science/tech podcast but I think it belongs here anyway. Skeptic/musician George Hrab, well how to describe it. He can talk passionately about music, science, skepticism and any other weird thing that happens to him that week. Careful if you listen to it in the gym...I don't want anyone dropping weights on themselves from laughter!
IT Conversations : IT Convserations is a channel dedicated to information technology. I found them carrying the series Tech Nation with Dr. Moria Gunn. There is much more here as they carry talks from TED and many annual meetings including the O'Reilly Emerging Media Conference, Web 2.0, Where 2.0, Emerging Telephony and many others. I don't listen to every show in this feed because there are so many and lots of them are very technical in areas outside my areas of interest (although I imagine others would love them). Still there are a lot of gems in this feed.
Lab Out Loud : The National Science Teacher's Association podcast. Targeted at science teachers but frequently has interviews that would interest a general audience as well.
Naked Astronomy : Monthly podcast on astronomy news with typical British humor.
The Naked Scientists : Weekly science podcast with British wit (this week: What makes mucas green?)
Nature Podcast : Weekly podcast from the journal Nature, one of the big names in science journals.
Science Friday : NPR's weekly podcast with Ira Flatow that covers current science stories.
Skepticality : The official podcast of Skeptic magazine features interviews with noted skeptics and scientists.
The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe : "Your Escape to Reality" starts each show. SGU takes on pseudoscience, medical quackery, and doomsday nonsense every week. They will feel like old friends after a few weeks.
Skeptoid : Brian Dunning's short (~10 minutes) weekly podcast takes on a different topic each week. Well researched and entertaining.
This Week in Science : "The Kick Ass Science Podcast" is the tag line. They do their best to live up to it with fun and interesting conversations on the latest science news.
This Week in Tech : A long and leisurely review of the week's tech news with Leo Laporte and friends.
WNYCs Radio Lab : Radio Lab is a very well produces series that explores different topics in science. My big complaint is that they don't air episodes more frequently, but they put a lot of time and effort into each show.
The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast : Originally conceived for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, it just keeps going. Each day features about a 10 minute podcast on a different topic produced by professional and amateur astronomers from around the world. I am producing one a month for the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (we have the 17th of each month), work on the Dark Skies podcasts we produce and do some on topics of personal interest as well.
As you can tell, I listen to a lot of podcasts while running, at the gym, commuting and at home. With all the free content out there presented in different styles, there is no excuse not to be well informed (oh, and I listen to things OTHER than science podcasts as well, but that is another blog!)
Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my warming trendsetters! How are you? Hasn’t it been lovely to watch so much snow melt? And ugly, too, when it reveals all the dirt and debris beneath. Those huge piles of snow by the lake in Pershing Park are incredible. I drove by and almost expected to see a St. Bernard dog with a keg of brandy on patrol up there. Never in my life have I seen such accumulations of snow in Racine. We really are getting a break with the warm up to melt it, as long as flooding doesn’t occur.Racine’s mayoral primary was yesterday, so Eric Marcus and John Dickert will face each other in the April 5th election. May the best man (Eric Marcus) win.
It’s been a slow week, my dears, so I don’t have a lot to blog about. Now that the Packers have secured the Super Bowl, I should let you know that I am not a March Madness type girl. Basketball has never moved me the way that football does. It must have something to do with all that brute, male force in football. Oh my.
I know there is a major brouhaha occurring now over our new governor’s budget bill. I don’t think that anything I could say would add to the debate. I tend to keep my opinions focused on more local issues, where my voice is more likely to be heard. When I have insomnia, I call my alderman and complain about problems in the neighborhood. That’s how I do my part.
I was happy to see Mr. OrbsCorbs’ blog concerning the return of the Racine Post. Those gentlemen over there have always done such a marvelous job of covering the Racine scene. While I’m heaping on the praise, I should also mention Racine Uncovered and the marvelous job that Ms. Beth does on reporting crime and political shenanigans in Racine. We are fortunate to have such a vibrant online community.
Finally, I assume that you’ve already seen this, but in case you haven’t, here is the cutest Volkswagen commercial:
Thank you, thank you, dear Irregulars and regulars alike, for taking time to read my blog today. I so enjoy your company. It’s soothing to sip a cup of coffee, watch the snow melt, and read the JT Irregulars. Are you already anticipating the first blossoms of spring? I am.
Please send your campaign dirt and bomb threats to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
It was very slippery went I went out earlier today. Be careful out there, my dears. The snow may be melting, but there are still huge piles at some intersections, limiting your vision. Take your time and you’ll get there. Tyrotoxism!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The 2011 Interactive Budget
The New York Times has put up an interactive graphic of Obama's proposed 2011 budget. They did this last year as well (and I believe I linked to it here as well). Each part of the budget is to scale so you can see how much is spent on different programs and can play the "I can cut this budget easily" game. Here is a snapshot of this year's budget.
I know you can't read everything here..the interactive graphic lets you zoom in to see what those small squares are. The colors indicated whether the funding has increased or decreased from last year.
Spending is only half the issue. I would love to see an interactive graphic that shows where the government revenue comes from.
I know you can't read everything here..the interactive graphic lets you zoom in to see what those small squares are. The colors indicated whether the funding has increased or decreased from last year.Spending is only half the issue. I would love to see an interactive graphic that shows where the government revenue comes from.
Today is Racine's Primary Election Day
So many sacrificed so much for your right to vote. Please use it.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Find your Polling station
You can't vote if you don't know where to go. Use this handy interactive website to find where you need to go.
http://www.cityofracine.org/City/Departments/Clerk/Poll.aspx?id=196
http://www.cityofracine.org/City/Departments/Clerk/Poll.aspx?id=196
John Dickert and the "Embezzler"
I've been informed that Mayor Dickert spoke on WRJN yesterday. I believe he does that regularly, but I don't listen to the station, so I don't know. Apparently, he referenced a problem with his Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). He said there had been an "embezzler," who he fired. As it turns out, the only person fired from the NSP was Bill Bielefeldt, the city's award-winning lead abatement specialist who blew the whistle on lying John's lead paint removal violations in the NSP. Lying John responded by firing Bill, and Brian O'Connell sent the police to Bill's house to intimidate him. You can read the history here: http://news.racinepost.com/2010/09/racine-housing-program-creating-lead.html
http://news.racinepost.com/2010/10/racine-police-used-to-deliver-letters.html
http://news.racinepost.com/2010/10/whistleblower-forces-racine-to-clean-up.html
As I understand it, lying John and his cronies have been desperate to get something on Bill ever since they fired him. They've tried a number of different approaches, but nothing would stick. It appears that Mr. Bielefeldt is honest. (That alone would scare the hell out of a pathological liar like Dickert.) So I guess they've settled on "embezzler" as the purported reason for firing Bill, months after the fact, and minus any apparent criminal investigation.
Once the dust settles, there will be a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the city. Mr. Bielefeldt will win (or, more likely, the city will settle), and the citizens of Racine will have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for lying John's deceit and arrogance.
Party on, lying John!
http://news.racinepost.com/2010/10/racine-police-used-to-deliver-letters.html
http://news.racinepost.com/2010/10/whistleblower-forces-racine-to-clean-up.html
As I understand it, lying John and his cronies have been desperate to get something on Bill ever since they fired him. They've tried a number of different approaches, but nothing would stick. It appears that Mr. Bielefeldt is honest. (That alone would scare the hell out of a pathological liar like Dickert.) So I guess they've settled on "embezzler" as the purported reason for firing Bill, months after the fact, and minus any apparent criminal investigation.
Once the dust settles, there will be a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the city. Mr. Bielefeldt will win (or, more likely, the city will settle), and the citizens of Racine will have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for lying John's deceit and arrogance.
Party on, lying John!
Why Doesn't Anyone Tell Me These Things?
The Racine Post is back, sort of: http://news.racinepost.com/2011/01/so-where-were-we.html
I think this is great news, even if the site will not be the same as before. I've truly missed the Post. I hope they have some input on our upcoming mayoral election.
I think this is great news, even if the site will not be the same as before. I've truly missed the Post. I hope they have some input on our upcoming mayoral election.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Spring time humor
Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers and prospered. Some years later, they chatted after having dinner together.. They discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother who lived far away in another city.
The first said, "I had a big house built for Mama."
The second said, " I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house."
The third said, "I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her."
The fourth said, "You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can't read anymore because she can't see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took twenty preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for twenty years to the church, but it was worth it. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."
The other brothers were impressed. After the holidays Mom sent out her Thank You notes.
She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway."
"Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home, I have my groceries delivered, so never use the Mercedes. The thought was good. Thanks."
"Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people, but all of my friends are dead, I've lost my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I'll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same.."
"Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you."
Love you,
MAMA
The first said, "I had a big house built for Mama."
The second said, " I had a hundred thousand dollar theater built in the house."
The third said, "I had my Mercedes dealer deliver an SL600 to her."
The fourth said, "You know how Mama loved reading the Bible and you know she can't read anymore because she can't see very well. I met this preacher who told me about a parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took twenty preachers 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for twenty years to the church, but it was worth it. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."
The other brothers were impressed. After the holidays Mom sent out her Thank You notes.
She wrote: "Milton, the house you built is so huge I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house. Thanks anyway."
"Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home, I have my groceries delivered, so never use the Mercedes. The thought was good. Thanks."
"Michael, you gave me an expensive theater with Dolby sound, it could hold 50 people, but all of my friends are dead, I've lost my hearing and I'm nearly blind. I'll never use it. Thank you for the gesture just the same.."
"Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken was delicious. Thank you."
Love you,
MAMA
45.4 °F
45.4 °F in West Racine at 4:18 PM, according to Weather Underground.
HOORAY!!!
We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
JUST A TAP
|
Big bubbles
Maybe you've seen the guy walking through a campsite followed by kids as he's made huge soap bubbles. Maybe you've even seen a stage shoe, or something on TV. Have you ever wondered what they used to get those three foot round bubbles? Here is a GREAT recipe.
One bottle of "Dawn Classic" *Do not use Ultra. (Classic can be found at the Family Dollar store.)
One tube of personal lubricant. (the cheap store brand is fine.)
One 4oz bottle of glycerin. (Can be found at drug stores.)
One gallon of distilled water *Important to use distilled, not tap water.
pour 2 cups distilled water, the tube of lubricant and 2-4 oz of glycerin into a microwave safe bowl. Heat until hot. No need to boil.
Pour Dawn and distilled water into a bucket at a 2-1 ratio water to Dawn. Stir with as little agitation so you mix, but don't make bubbles.
Add your hot glycerin/lube mix slowly while stirring until well mixed.
Let age over night. Can be bottled and stored, but aged mix works better than virgin mix.
You can dilute the concoction when you go to use it to stretch it, but thicker makes bigger bubbles than thinner. If you make it too thin, just add some more of the base mix.
Bubble wands
Go buy some cotton string. The kind they used to use to wrap meat is perfect. You want a string that holds solution well, but also wicks away freely as the bubble is formed.
Also find two 1/4 to 3/8" dowels
Use loosely braid three 4' long lengths of this string. You don't want a tight braid that makes the bubble wand string rigid, but just enough to keep three lengths together.
Tie one end the braided string to one dowel end then tie the other dowel between 12-14" down the string from it. Finally tie the other end of the string to the first dowel. The end result is a loop of string you can open and close by bringing the dowels together, and then spreading apart. This closes the loop so you can make new bubbles until the string needs reloading with solution.
I've used dawn Ultra and it is not nearly as good as Dawn Classic. Knowing where to find Dawn Classic will have me making big bubbles this summer. It's a great stress reliever.
One bottle of "Dawn Classic" *Do not use Ultra. (Classic can be found at the Family Dollar store.)
One tube of personal lubricant. (the cheap store brand is fine.)
One 4oz bottle of glycerin. (Can be found at drug stores.)
One gallon of distilled water *Important to use distilled, not tap water.
pour 2 cups distilled water, the tube of lubricant and 2-4 oz of glycerin into a microwave safe bowl. Heat until hot. No need to boil.
Pour Dawn and distilled water into a bucket at a 2-1 ratio water to Dawn. Stir with as little agitation so you mix, but don't make bubbles.
Add your hot glycerin/lube mix slowly while stirring until well mixed.
Let age over night. Can be bottled and stored, but aged mix works better than virgin mix.
You can dilute the concoction when you go to use it to stretch it, but thicker makes bigger bubbles than thinner. If you make it too thin, just add some more of the base mix.
Bubble wands
Go buy some cotton string. The kind they used to use to wrap meat is perfect. You want a string that holds solution well, but also wicks away freely as the bubble is formed.
Also find two 1/4 to 3/8" dowels
Use loosely braid three 4' long lengths of this string. You don't want a tight braid that makes the bubble wand string rigid, but just enough to keep three lengths together.
Tie one end the braided string to one dowel end then tie the other dowel between 12-14" down the string from it. Finally tie the other end of the string to the first dowel. The end result is a loop of string you can open and close by bringing the dowels together, and then spreading apart. This closes the loop so you can make new bubbles until the string needs reloading with solution.
I've used dawn Ultra and it is not nearly as good as Dawn Classic. Knowing where to find Dawn Classic will have me making big bubbles this summer. It's a great stress reliever.
Friday, February 11, 2011
What to Get The Love of Your LIfe Who Has Everything...
Stuck with ideas for Valentine's Day? Well the Bronx Zoo is here to help. They will let you name a Madagasgar Hissing Cockroach after your loved one for the low price of $10 (proceeds to benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society). Just imagine the look on his or her face upon receiving the certificate of having a hissing roach named after them...what could possibly go wrong?After all, according to the website, "Naming a roach in honor of someone near and dear to your heart shows that you've noticed how resilient, resourceful, and loyal that person is. Or maybe it's in recognition of your one and only's virility, or strength in the face of high radiation. You're not afraid to say, "Baby, you're a roach!""
And you can even go to the Bronx Zoo to see the cockroach. They have a life expectancy of 2-3 years, much longer than flowers!
Four for Fridays
Hello everyone! Another Friday is here! How about that? Seems like they are coming quicker these days. This week's questions are about Valentine's Day.
1) Do you think of Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark" holiday?
2) What place would a good place to take your special someone out to dinner?
3) Any special Valentine memories?
4) Any special Valentine plans?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Do you think of Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark" holiday?
2) What place would a good place to take your special someone out to dinner?
3) Any special Valentine memories?
4) Any special Valentine plans?
Enjoy your weekend!
The Shaving Helmet - Real or Fake?
The above video appeared online a few days ago and has caused some controversy; specifically, is it real or fake? Personally, I think it is an obvious fake. What do you think?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Citizens for Responsible Government to Take Out Anti-Dickert Ads
Racine Uncovered reports the story here: http://racineuncovered.org/?p=30398
Citizens for Responsible Government's website: http://www.jobsforracine.com/
Citizens for Responsible Government say they will take out ads and also do some spots on WRJN. This could be an interesting election. A press conference has been scheduled for immediately after the city's Redevelopment Authority meeting tomorrow to discuss a request for a $1.2 million loan from the city for a company promising jobs: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_ea272bcc-348f-11e0-a8fc-001cc4c002e0.html One can only assume that the results of that meeting are predetermined and that Mayor Dickert will be announcing the "creation of 100 jobs" less than a week before the primary. Remember American Tire? Remember Treasures Media? Remember the proposed development of the empty lot in West Racine? I do.
Party on, lying John!
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my frigid friends! How are you? Have you unthawed from our overnight temperatures yet? With the wind chill, it’s colder than the surface of the moon. We certainly are having a “real” winter in Racine this year, but we’re hardly alone. Even amongst the Irregulars, we have Ms. Mary and Ms. Why Not and Ms. Minnesota Chick each battling winter in their respective locations. Ms. Beejay is probably battling bugs and snakes. If you follow the news, you know that weather patterns are screwed up worldwide and natural disasters have been occurring with frightening frequency. Most pundits ascribe this to global warming or climate change. You may believe whatever you wish, but I think I may have a better idea of why our weather is so messed up: Mother Nature is going through menopause. Shhh! That’s not the kind of thing you would want spread around about yourself, so please keep it to yourselves. But when you think about how disruptive, up and down, and downright loony some of the weather has been, my explanation makes perfect sense.
Hail, hail, o glorious Green Bay Packers! Hoorah, hoorah! Welcome back to Titletown, o noble conquerors. Thank you for returning the Lombardi Trophy to its rightful place. Thank you for playing your hearts and souls and guts out all season long for us. The Super Bowl was quite a game. Although the Packers led the entire time, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the game, especially those last few minutes when they led by only 6 and the Steelers had the ball. Oh my. But our wonderful, super-duper, extraordinary Packers saved the day. We are the champions! Thank you, mighty Packers. And thank you, mighty Packer fans.This is a public service announcement, my dears: please vote in Racine’s mayoral primary, next Tuesday, February, 15, 2011. I know that’s a week away, but my next blog won’t appear until the day after that. I would also like to reiterate my endorsement of Mr. Eric Marcus for Mayor of Racine. I’ve liked the cut of his jib ever since he started sparring with Mayor John Dickert at City Council meetings. Mr. Marcus is not a yes-man to the “good old boys” who infect Racine’s government and politics. Besides, he already has a little extra going for him with the power of Zoltar® behind him.
Here’s an interesting little video that restores my faith in justice, if only within my age group: “Old Lady with a handbag fights off 6 Robbers armed with Sledge Hammers”
“Magnificent,” indeed. Too bad she didn’t have a brick in that handbag.
That’s my frozen blog for a frozen day, my dear readers. I hope that you are managing to stay warm and cozy. The weather prognosticators say it will warm up by the weekend, maybe even above freezing. A heat wave! Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. It’s always a pleasure to be with you.
Show me yours, and I’ll show you mine: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Be careful out there, my beloved Irregulars and regulars. These kinds of temperatures make everything as hard as a rock. If you slip or swerve, it could hurt a lot. Remember, easy does it. Let me know when you see the first robin. Jentacular!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
