Adroid: Mobile Phone Development

Maybe the next wave of software development.  Seems like an interesting new skill to learn for an emerging market with a strong open-source platform supported by Google.

DIY: Guitar Amps from Kids

This site illustrates examples of kids making there own string instruments and amplifiers.

Star Wars Pumpkins

Interesting pumpkin ideas.

Lost Tooth and New Football Season

Many thanks to Dad for providing information and a link to Isaac's mother's photo stream.  Thanks to this information, we all get to see great pictures of the awesome football player and kid.  Here's a link to the whole set.

Isaac's first game was Sunday.  Amazing the difference a year makes; he made several tackles, and is looking much more confident when running the ball.

I also understand, but haven't heard it (or seen it, as it may be) from the horses mouth, that Isaac lost a tooth yesterday.  Great stuff!!

Electron Microscope Images

Check out these images of everyday objects as seen through the electronic microscope at the University of Hawaii.

The image is one a a neuron.  While this neuron is one from a crab and grown in a petri dish, the neurons in your body conduct chemical signals from the brain to your body.

There are many common human disorders affecting the neuronic or nervous system; including; Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Economic Crisis? September 24, 2008

Here is the text from the President's speech last night regarding the economic bailout plan of Wall Street.

A quote from Republican Congressman Mike Pence from Indiana.

I must tell you, there are those in the public debate who have said that we must act now. The last time I heard that, I was on a used-car lot.  The truth is, every time somebody tells you that you've got to do the deal right now, it usually means they're going to get the better part of the deal.  source

I had a discussion at a party recently regarding many of the economic theories being thrown around in the discussion over the economy.  I thought it might prove useful reading for a review.

• Socialism
  
• Communism
  
• Capitalism
  

After reading through these economic theories, it seems apparent that no system can follow a rigid school of economic thought.  Instead most, including the President's proposed government bailout of Wall Street Capitalism, require a blended approach.

Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

 I needed a bit of review of my anatomy on this subject.  This picture seems to best illustrate the condition.

Terms to know regarding the clinical presentation of bilateral cleft lip and palate:

• Bifid Uvula
  
• Notching of the hard palate
  

Hope you're feeling better soon Hannah!

Goodwill Online Auction Site

Do you know anybody who enjoys sifting through endless racks of Goodwill items?  I do!  Here's an online auction site for Goodwill.  

The possibilities seem endless.  There's even stories of people making a living flipping these items on EBay.

More Games and a Quote

A new javascript game emulation, this time space invaders.

Also a reminder that we cannot be content with our father's or grandfather's (or mother's) accomplishments.  Eventually, we must make our own future.

You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.  Irish Proverb

Hurricane Ike from Space

Strange to see a storm which passed so close to your home from the International Space Station.

Here's more high resolution images.

Happy Birthday Brian

Happy Birthday Brian, you are certainly full of mystery and fun.  We love you!

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.  Albert Einstein

Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science

This is what Buckminster Fuller called his problem solving approach for complex problems.  This approach, 

...combined an emphasis on individual initiative and integrity with whole systems thinking, scientific rigor and faithful reliance on nature's underlying principles. The designs he is best known for (the geodesic dome, the Dymaxion house, car, and map, and the global electric grid) were part of a visionary strategy to redesign the inter-related systems of shelter, transportation and energy.

The web site is one for an annual eco-design challenge in his name.

We have certainly supported and partaken in holistic medicine, however an emphasis on holistic design still seems revolutionary.

Electronic Music Show In Austin

Interesting music show in Austin this weekend.  BleepLabs also have a cool looking photo-synthesizer device (you can even run the guitar through it).

Speak Like a Pirate Day: Quote

Today is 'International Speak Like a Pirate Day'.  I must give my favorite quote from the modern day pirate singer, Jimmy Buffett.

Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind 
That our forefathers harnessed before us 
Hear the bells ring as the tight rigging sings 
It's a son of a gun of a chorus 

Son of a Sailor

Arrrgh!

Another Javascript PacMan Game

No doubt when the developers of today grew up is it.  This one is a little more realistic.

New Dictionary Site

Here's a new dictionary site called Wordia.  They let users upload videos of their own definitions of the words (right now, most of the videos are of British people - practice your Monty Python accent).  Definately makes for some interesting posts.

Monty Python aside:

Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.  Dennis

Sorry; anyway, here's the word of the day for today, tantamount.

Happy Friday!

Free Stanford Computer Science and Robotics Courses

These courses look interesting, and a good way to elaborate on a self-taught fascination.

Post-Ike Quote of the Day

All is well here in the land of the Pears.  We've discovered many things during this storm and its aftermath; however, one amazing realization is how a difficulty brings a community together.  We've met and 'raised a glass' with so many neighbors during the last several days.  It is amazing what being forced to eat dinner on your front lawn does for the community.

On that note several quotes for today.

The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum. Frances Willard

'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.  Abraham Lincoln

Go meet your neighbors.

Never Forget ... 9-11-01

Nice Weekend For an Austin Trip

I took this screen print from a program which lays the hurricane path over Google Maps.  This shows the project path on 9/11/08 at 0900, the orange dot is our home in Pearland.

Seems like a good time for a trip to the hill country.  Know of any festivals going on?

Large Hadron Collider

Lots of stories about this today, and no black holes.

Here's the link to the cool T-Shirt.

Better Together

This song just made me think of my love and my son.  Always better together 100%.

Building a Row Boat

Sounds fun and interesting.  Not sure how far off-shore I want to trust a homemade boat?

Hurricanes From Space

These incredible pictures were taken from space.  They show various hurricanes.

This picture of Hurricane Felix was taken from the International Space Station.

Political / Environmental Commentary

Just wanted to post a short note regarding the absurd shouts heard from the Republican National Convention last week of "Drill Baby Drill."  There are many commentaries regarding this ridiculous shout available; however, I just wanted to make one connection.

Notice the similarity from the GOP mob to the 1965 LA Watts Riots, "Burn, Baby, Burn."  Holy Smokes, it's enough to make you want to pack up the family and go be a goat farmer somewhere in Mexico.  

But perhaps that would be burying our heads in the sand.  Instead, lets PLEASE encourage our babies to invent, baby, invent.

Lance Sighting

We miss Lance in the Tour De France.

Saw this yesterday, but hesitated to comment on gossip.  However, I guess this NY Times report may give it more credence.

JavaScript PacMan Game

Another one for Isaac to test!

Smiling Jesus

As noted, we love pictures of smiling people.  Check out this artist's rendition of a popular theme.

Monday Quote of the Day

Found this quote in my Monday reading.  It seems especially resonate after a beautiful weekend with my family.  Must check out this writer.  Careful!  'We are dangerous!"

We are dangerous. We are daring and immortal. Fog whips up from under the cliffs and billows over the highway. Blue breaks from beyond the fog and sun suddenly screams from the blue.

Hulu: Try This Service With Family

Hulu is a new service which streams TV shows and Movies online.  I haven't looked at it, but wanted to give it a go later.

Haptic Internet

We had earlier discussed haptic devices, those which deal with kinesthetic touch.  Here's a brief interview with Vint Cerf, often called the father of the Internet, where he discusses haptic devices using a network.  

Notice when he discusses the concept of 'telepresence', or being in more than one place at a time.  Fascinating stuff!

I expect to see much more interesting interactions, including the possibility of haptic interactions - touch. Not just touch screens, but the ability to remotely interact with things. Little robots, for example, that are instantiations of you, and are remotely operated, giving you what is called telepresence. It's a step well beyond the kind of video telepresence we are accustomed to seeing today.

This image of little robots is different from the typical autonomous robot you see in the AI world. They could be sitting in a conference room, representing me -- not autonomously, but allowing me to be in more than one place at the same time. They can move around, interact with things, talk to people, see like everyone else can.

Looking Forward to Science Fairs: Sundial Robot

We had an outstanding visit to Isaac's school last night.  The new program he's in seems to put a huge emphasis on problem solving and creative thinking.  

BTW: I'm not sure how he qualified to be in this program, I don't believe they tested him or anything.  Maybe he was referred from his last teacher?  I'll have to ask his current instructor during a meeting.

However, it happened, it will be an excellent opportunity.  Even UIL problem solving competitions and a mandatory science fair.

While we have already built a few robots worthy of a science fair, here's a sundial robot made from the Lego's Mindstorm kit.  Although this one involves programming trigonometric functions, maybe we can modify the design slightly for Isaac's level.

History Versus Bedtime

A recent discussion sparked my interest regarding the question of learning and education. My example, when should academic preparedness (was more specifically 1 hour of bedtime) be sacrificed for the thirst for knowledge and history?

I guess another question arises, which event is worthy of this sacrifice? A baseball game, a meeting with a friend, an impromtu science experiment, a political speech??

Certainly a difficult question. While academics are certainly important, my hope is that learning never stops. We are destined to spend more of our lives outside of the classroom than in it.

As a homework assignment for life, we watched this incredible lecture this weekend. Though, just over an hour in length, I would highly recommend it. Brick walls are not put in our path to stop us, but to make us work harder.