Archive for March, 2010

The sound of ancient surf

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Right here.

I guess I’m not the target market

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

I don’t see much point in adding “toys” to a computer using the USB port, unless it’s something that either reports to the computer or can be controlled by the computer. Just using the computer’s USB port as a power outlet seems rather pointless to me, given that you really can’t get much power out of a USB port.

That being said, it’s obvious that there’s a market for all sorts of useless gadgets, such as the USB disco ball (can you set it to operate only when you’re playing Donna Summer or The Village People in iTunes?) and the USB drink cooler (which actually isn’t quite useless, even if they don’t say how long it takes to actually cool a drink).

There are design concepts here and here for USB toasters. Given the power restrictions, I wonder how long it takes to actually produce a piece of toast using one of them. Although the first one looks more like a printer, it appears that the second one is the one that operates as a printer.

I wonder if there’d be a market for slices of bread with an image of Jesus printed on them?

I have a question

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Well, healthcare reform has passed the House, and I find myself reminded of a Clair Wolfe quote:

“America is at that awkward stage. It’s too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.”

– Claire Wolfe, 101 Things to Do ‘Til the Revolution

My question? Oh, of course.

Is it still too early?

Gone, now, are the icons of my youth

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Fess Parker has died. I remember wanting a coon-skin cap when I was a young boy. I never did get one. The other early American history television show I remember watching was Swamp Fox. About all I can remember about it now is that it was in black-and-white and had a lot of trees in it.

The death of Mr. Parker, who played Davy Crockett in his most memorable role, does bring about the timely opportunity to point out this event in Davy Crockett’s career, though. Would that more of our legislators understood this.

Need some Irish music

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

I don’t want to let St. Patrick’s Day get away without at least a little Irish music. Try this.

History goes in cycles

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

Assistant Village Idiot notices that some stories aren’t showing up in the news anymore. This is something that happens from time to time … such things are only problems when they can be used to bash Republicans.

I thought the phrase was, “jump the shark” …

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

… not “the shark jumps.

Happy Pi Day

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

Not this sort of pie:

Archetypal Pie Chart

This sort of pi.

Link via Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

Ying-tong-iddle-i-po

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

I’ve mentioned The Goon Show before. Here, we have a MeFi post that provides links to many videos of them, mostly episodes of The Telegoons, which I remember watching when I was a young nipper in England.

There are loads of links in the comments, too. One of them is to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performing the Ying-Tong Song. Wonderful, but then, they usually are.

I can see how I’ll be spending some of my time in the future.

Good music, funny video

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Steve Martin does “El Paso.”

Me, I’m still hoping to find his original music video for Freddie’s Lilt, which involved a ghost town, rope tricks, and more. All I can find is this one.