Monday, February 23, 2009

The Robots are coming!

Do you drink? If you do, go get one, NOW. If you don’t drink, start.

Futurismic has an article on Battlefield Morality that is a must read for any true sci-fi fan.

terminator-statue

Basically they quote a government report that discusses battlefield morality as it applies to robots that military contractors are, and will be, creating.

Yeah bitches! Suddenly Science FICTION Friday is crawling inexorably towards Science FACT Friday! NOW who is going to be a scifi Friday fan and tuning into Battlestar Galactica and The Sarah Conner Chronicles with a bottle of Scotch!? Now when you see Agent Ellison trying to teach morality to Cromartie, pay attention! This could be your future.

Do you think that nuclear duct tape could be used to tie up the robots? I’m just sayin…

3M NUCLEAR Duct tape

Really?

nukeduct

NUCLEAR duct tape? REALLY?

Well, 3M says that it is “Performance Plus” and “Nuclear Grade”, so it must be. I do love the Orwellian “Performance Plus”, THATS marketing baby! If they could just get on the front page of digg, and get a few thousand followers on twitter...

Anyway, I gotta get me a case of this tape...


The Amazon reviews are pretty funny, so in case Amazon pulls them or you are too lazy to head on over to the Amazon Page


"When we found cracks in the containment structure, we used to have to shut the whole plant down; then there was a lot of hassle with the nuclear regulatory agency about structural integrity and environmental contamination. With this quality duct tape, that's all in the past. Now, when we see a cracked or crumbling wall, we just bring out the tape. The slate blue blends right in. I do recommend that you use use double layers for openings near the reactor core."

AND:

"It is with the profoundest regret that I report that the Nuclear Grade duct tape does not . . . and I mean definitely not . . . eliminate the seepage of the unique form of energy created by cold fusion.

The languorous but potent Sigma waves emanated by cold fusion have escaped slowly but inevitably from our hitherto secret research facility. They have begun with a grim, inescapable determination to deactivate the electromagnetic bonds that unite all matter in the universe.

In short, the Mayan calendar should be taken very, very seriously.

Our staff has already dismantled the containment chamber from our facility, discarded the Nuclear Grade duct tape, and sold the magnesium-titanium-kryptonite intercorbite dicrumupulator tubing to a scrap dealer and used the proceeds for a case of 18-year old Scotch.

In the face of this impending universal catastrophe, we recommend not only to the human race but also to any other sentient creatures in the universe to follow our example with the utmost expedition.

If they're out of 18-year old Scotch, just do what you must do.

"Some say the world may end in fire,
Others say in ice.
We know cold fusion's released its ire,
So please take our advice"

"


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

An Oasis in the desert

So way back before *I* was born, some really savvy investors decided to create an oasis in the Nevada desert. It would be a tourist stop and a playground for the rich and famous. They also were a BIT shady, so there was a bit of drugs, lots of gambling, and prostitution. Was it a good idea? That depends on your moral stance I guess. Was it a success? Hugely so. It is where you go and have fun, and leave it behind. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."

Fast forward to about a decade ago...
Hey! Lets build an oasis in the desert! A tourist stop and a playground for the rich and famous! Woohoo! We will build HUGE buildings and we will even have an indoor ski slope! It will be where EVERYONE will want to go to be crushed by Sharia law!
Sex on our lovely chilled sand beach? NO WAY!
Want to share an apartment with a person of the opposite sex to help cut expenses? Don't even THINK about it. In fact, don't even share a limo!
Hell for that matter, don't even think about bringing in legal, over the counter drugs.
Ahh, yes. PARADISE!

And now that the global economy is tanking, is ANYONE surprised that Dubai is being hit so hard? If you are, then call me, I have bridge that you may be interested in purchasing.

Monday, February 9, 2009

I don't know where she gets it...

Samantha is SUCH a ham, really look at this photo:

 

Honestly, I don't know where she gets it, must be from Linda.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Marketing vs Reality

The Consumerist has this article showing a Wendy's marketing photo vs the actual product.



Really, could the at least get CLOSE to what they told us it looks like?

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Arduino to Flash communications

There are quite a few posts about getting communicating between an Arduino and Flash, but none that put it ALL in one place, so here's a quick tutorial. :)

This tutorial has been moved to the TeamPaulC Arduino page.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

compare and contrast...

Here you have it. Bush signing the partial birth abortion act of 2003


And Obama signing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.



things that make me go "hhhhhmmmmmm"

I think that the photos tell the story.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Zilch!

Hey,
you know that addictive and super fun dice game that Melanie introduced to us?
I found a flash version over at kongregate!

Check it out. It's SUPER fun, well, it's not as fun as playing with other people over a beer, but its still pretty fun!

Zilch via Kongregate

When I was younger and stupid(er)...

There has been a very interesting, and entertaining, thread on the TeamPaulC mail list. It basically ended with Andy saying that it’s too heated and so he is not discussing it any more. Sadly, it was NOT heated, although my attempt at humor MAY have offended some people, it WAS pretty funny. :)

However, Andy was right to call it quits, it was not going anywhere and it turned into a war of ideologies. But it made me think, and unfortunately I wrote it down, and here is my final reply to that thread.

Thanks Andrew and Linda.

We all did it, when we were young, we thought that we had all the answers. Really, what we had was an ideology based on how our parents raised us. Our ideology either was in step with our parents, or radically opposed. Over time it (hopefully) changes as we see how the world REALLY is and we decide on our own what to believe based on our own thoughts, not based on what our parents believed.

When I was young, I was certain that if we just said “NO!” to welfare the problem would be resolved. Yes, we would have a single generation that we would have to flush, but the NEXT generation would see that and strive to do better. Like I said, I was young and stupid. Now I see the folly of my youth. The fact is that almost everyone that I know has benefited from welfare, but lets just focus on my first hand knowledge.

When I was very young living in (depressed) rural Minnesota, I recall that we used food stamps, not because we WANTED to, but because we HAD to. One day my step mom made me a tuna fish sandwich for lunch, Pat saw it and said that he wanted one too, she said “No, there isn’t enough and look at how skinny Paulie is.” That REALLY happened. That really bugs me Pat, and I am sorry that it happened.

At the same time, I was not doing well in school and needed some help so I went to “transition”, the precursor to “headstart”. I got the help that I needed, but it set me back a year. Apparently, the help stuck because I ended up skipping fourth grade and that put me back to where I should be. Of course, at that point, we were living with theMom and her newly minted husband theDad and while I certainly cannot speak for Melanie and Pat, my life went from night to day and I am eternally grateful.

Many years later, I bought my first house and the government gave me a tax break, a slightly lower interest rate, and I did not have to put down as big a down payment. All forms of welfare.

Where would I be today without those programs? I am not sure, but it would not be as nice a place. Today I am a contributing member of society; I pay more taxes per year than Dad’s annual salary. I buy cars, clothes, computers, et cetera and that's what keeps the economy moving.

What is my point? Welfare is necessary, period. There are people that need help for whatever reason and it is our humane duty to help them. If a person breaks their back in an accident they cannot just be left to die, we need to help. If a child is born to a crack whore and we do not intervene, then that child (almost certainly) will become a drain on society. If a family just CANNOT make ends meet, than we need to make sure that the children can eat and feel safe. Period. There is no “yeah but what about…” It just needs to happen. Will we loose some welfare money to unscrupulous individuals? Yes. Is that a bummer? Yes. And you know what, as soon as we clean up all of the corporate malfeasance and abuse of corporate welfare, we should get right on that.

I KNOW who reads my blog, and I KNOW your histories. You have all been in need of welfare from the government or your family at some point, so think long and hard before you reply to this and say “government is too big” or “taxes are too high”. Think about the single mother and her cold hungry children, think about the high school graduate that cannot afford college, think about the single mom trying to get an education to make a better life.