Infographic: Sales of Various Recording Media

The horizontal axis represents time.

Click for higher resolution image.
NYT [via DRB]

Health Care Reform - What Do the People Say?

They have no idea what they say, but those who aren't confused enough to have "no opinion" are pretty sure they should blame Obama for something.

From The Economist:

Mysteries of Star Wars -- Revealed!

You remember this line from Star Wars IV?

"You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?…It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."

-Han Solo

If you're like me you have always wondered what the hell Solo was talking about, since a parsec is a unit of distance. Was he perhaps talking about Lorentz contraction that in turn represented his speed? Ugh.

Well. Here's the answer. I have a sneaking suspicion that that explanation came after the fact...and that in the original screenplay the meaning of "parsec" was misunderstood.

Regretsy - Etsy Submissions from Hell

Regretsy - Rock Solid, Heart Touching*.

These Etsy submissions are X-rated, insane, or just plan BAD. In all cases, however, they are funny as hell.

Link

* the ASUS slogan transcends both brand and good taste!

US Electrical Grid Upgrades and Renewable Energy

Some people ask me if solar is ever going to "catch on" and what needs to be the first step to making solar a large contributor to our power requirements in the USA. I always tell them that the first step is already being taken. And that is to upgrade the power grid.

A wonderful interactive map provided my NPR online nicely illustrates how and why upgrading the grid is the crucial first step toward a greener (or at least substantially less underwater) world.

Darker colors show where sun "shines the most" and therefore where the most solar power will be generated in the future. An updated electrical grid (orange lines) is needed to port this generated power around the nation to wherever it is needed. The interactive map also discusses wind power generation, and other upgrades to the US power network.

Link (via BB)

Paintings of Blood

"Bride Stripped Bare" by Robert Sheer - Click the above image or the link below to see his whole collection of art produced with human blood.

Link

Republicans, Obamacare, and Federal Power

Ok. Let's stop and think for a moment. Why do many Americans:

1.) Oppose heath care changes on grounds that it would produce a "communist state" and an overly powerful government, yet

2.) Support security measures enacted by the Bush administration (the Patriot Act) that allows for unwarranted wiretaps

Are you people concerned about personal freedom and worried that the federal government shouldn't have too much power? ME TOO. Think about things this way. Pretend for a moment that Democrats and Republicans don't exist. Wipe those terms from your mind. Now, who do you think you should support:

1.) A regime that cites unpredictable violent behavior by a small militia of middle easterners to a) create a $50 billion new branch of government whose task it is to maintain "security" in the USA, b) create a domestic spy-net with the cooperation of phone and media companies which is given the power to spy on any American they deem "suspect"...for any reason. For example, because they recently purchased a gun. c) Creates a new, special ID that Americans will be required to carry in order to travel, conduct business, etc. -- essentially taking power away from individual States who currently control this security through the issue of drivers' licenses.

or

2.) A regime that wishes to provide health care for all Americans by setting up a special federal fund that will be used to insure the health coverage of even the poorest Americans.

Is there even an argument here? This is not a case of Republicans vs. Democrats, it's a case of common sense. Forget about all the rhetoric being thrown around and take a calm look at the facts. What invades your liberty more -- free health care, or a domestic government spy program. I mean...come on.

Obama on...Kayne West?

I really really hope Obama isn't forced into retracting this statement.

But really...? What can you expect from a gay fish?

Link

Parents to Perpetuate Non-Thinking

This from the NYT,

Texas parents wish to have their children excused from "hearing" a speech by Mr. Obama which he will give on Tuesday. In order to protect the youngsters from the potentially "socialist ideas" that the president could unleash during his speech - which will ostensibly focus on hard work and staying in school.

Way to go, mom and dad. Teach your children to obey and no to learn to think for themselves. You are not only doing your children a disservice by robbing them of reason, but you also manage to do the the nation a disservice by securing the existence of a new generation of sensationalist idiots.

Let your children hear the president, then over dinner that evening ask them to explain what they heard - then give them *reasons* to adopt your point of view. Otherwise, you are teaching them absolutely nothing apart from being irrationally biased.

Link

United States' Justice?

The military hearings for some of the Guananamo detainee suspects is now in full swing. Or, perhaps I should say: in full nosedive. Detainees are refused any but military lawyers (grats, JAG fans). While one of these lawyers claimed that her client suffered from a "dilusional distorder" (is that her defense?) another began discussing how extreme sleep deprivation affected her client's health...and, lo! How the power of the holy spirit was with the court at this point, for the lawyer's microphone was struck by the omnipresent fist of god and went dead at this exact moment.

A few minutes later the lawyer agreed to a gag order regarding the discussion of "classified information" during the hearings.

I have no love for anyone who would wish to harm my countrymen (if, in fact, any of the detainees are guilty) - but some of them are so incensed with the court they are refusing to come out of their cells to attend hearings. --and I sense that their reasons for doing so go beyond a casual contempt for western culture.

What a tangled web we weave.

Link

Happy Independance Day, Bastards!

This BBC news piece "celebrating" the 233rd anniversary of the USA reads a bit like an entry-level job application. The BBC's chief USA correspondent Matt Frei wrote the piece. I am not sure if he meant to sound a bit non plussed or not - or he is perhaps simply exercising a wry sense of humor.

Among the US's chief innovations? Chewing gum, dancing on the wings of airplanes, and American cheese - "an industrially processed foodstuff chiefly valued for its ability to melt evenly on to a hamburger".

Link

World's Largest Solar Project on the Drawing Board

The Saharan desert in North Africa. The topmost solid red square shows the area of land needed to meet the world's energy needs as of 2005.

The faithful reader of this blog, O., sends in this fantastic link.

Germany has always been at the forefront of green technology development. Currently, a list of large german companies like Siemens and Deutsche Bank are planning a huge 100GW solar development project in the Saharan desert. If completed, the array would be able to supply about 1/4 of the world's power needs primarily by using solar concentrators like the well known PS10 installation in Seville, Spain.

At this stage many aspects of the project seem problematic -- the article cites such issues as difficult relations with foreign governments and sandstorms. Despite the severity of issues like these, the initiative demonstrated by german investors to get in on the "green revolution" does seem to make it clear that Germany is quite serious about having a 100% green energy economy by the year 2050.

Link

Dorm Fire Detective Work

Watch the video through once before you read the rest of this post.

Now play the video again and pay attention to the bottom-most news ticker. This vid is courtesy of the Onion News Network.

Pilot Dies Mid-Flight. Lack of Sufficient Carry-on Liquids to Blame?

Here's an idea. I'm just gonna' toss it out there. Instead of the airlines spending so much time and effort to make sure that you don't have over a certain critical volume of toothpaste during the flight, how about they work a little harder on the 'work to maintain a pool of pilots that will not drop dead mid-flight' front?

I ain't sayin' nuthin' bad. I'm just sayin'.

You jus' take what I'm sayin' and put 'er in yer pocket. Take 'er out and think about 'er every now and again...turn 'er around. Then you can put 'er right back in that pocket.

Jus' sayin'.

Palin: Just Go Away

As if we needed any further reason to think Palin is a complete fool - this just in:

David Letterman makes a joke about a baseball player "knocking up" (get it? knocking?) one of Palin's daughters. The joke isn't that funny, but just about everyone can appreciate the irony of the Palinspawn stuffing extra-marital buns in the oven given the GOP's spirited views on the subject. Bringing up this fact never gets old, actually...and is really funny.

But the redoubtable governor of Alaska has trouble enjoying this irony. And by summoning all the decorum of, well... something completely decorum-less, Palin submitted a complaint to Letterman about the comment. That's right. The woman who wants to be the first female (vice?)president of the most powerful country on earth thinks her time is well spent sending complaints to comedians over their material -- and furthermore has demonstrated that she can't take public ridicule.

It's amazing to me that even a governor would be able to hold office without having thicker skin than this...or, if on the other hand this is some kind political scheming (a bid to keep Palin in the headlines?) then exactly how it is helping Palin's ascent to the most ridiculous presidency in history is beyond me. But what do I know? I've yet to have a chair pulled out for me at the white house.