Pictures: Enchanted Rock 2009

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

This is our new favorite hiking spot in Texas. While we endured a few trials to get in the park (as previously mentioned, make sure to get there before 0900, especially during Spring Break), the climbing and the view was incredible.

Isaac was a fantastic climber and descender. He often led the way down treacherous downhill sections, sliding easily by the seat of his pants.

What a great experience. Also check out a new tool I found to display sets of pictures without having to leave the site.

Music: Dueling Banjos

So interesting music, plus testing a new script I installed on the web site. The link should open a little window to view the video without leaving the site.

Also wanted to see what it does with a song, how about Isaac's favorite Immigrant Song.

Anatomy: Trans Nasal Fiberoptic Stroboscopy

This video demonstrates how your vocal chords work to produce sound. Apparently, the strobe part of the tool, shows vibration of the chords.

Pictures: Skate Park Day

Christian was the king of the skate park on this day. He taught everyone else, Isaac and Faith at least, how to drop in a half-pipe using a scooter. He even talked them both up to the giant 10 foot ramp successfully. Thank you Christian for the awesome lesson, I can't wait to see you guys do the same on skate boards.

Also fun kickball with the Austin neighbors. They were certainly worthy adversaries.

Here's the set.

Pictures: Inks Lake Hiking

After we were initially turned away at Enchanted Rock on this beautiful day (hint - get to Enchanted Rock before 0900 for a pleasant climbing experience), we found Inks Lake State Park not too far away.

It turned out to be an excellent introduction to Hill Country hiking. Gammy stayed at the amphitheater meditating, and we hit the awesome trails.

Here's the set! Once you get there, its best viewed as a slide show.

DIY: Science Fair Projects

Here's a website which provides over 800 science fail projects.

Also, an affordable, high quality telescope ($15). Even with this low cost telescope, you should be able to view the largest moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. Apparently 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy.

Dreams: Do Dreams Come True?

Here's a link to a NY Times article with an informal study on dreams. Isn't dream interpretation fun?

It is often used in the book I'm reading, The Hero With a 1000 Faces. The author seems to take the Freudian method of dream interpretation (that dreams reveal hidden insights), and finds relationships with comparative world mythology.

The researchers in the NY Times article come to an interesting conclusion which I might agree with, but Denise would totally not. They say that people have millions of dreams, and it is merely a matter of coincidence that a few of them will work their way into the thread of reality.

That said, whether it may be coincidence or fate, I'm glad my dream came true with my amor!

Pictures: Austin Music Trip February 2009

We made a trip to Austin in February to see a steel drum band concert with Fireman Mike.

Here's the picture set. There's some great pictures of family learning to play different musical instruments, including our new ukulele.

Education: Academic Earth

Here's a Tech Crunch story about Academic Earth, a video site for educational lectures.

Apparently, there are other intellectual video content sites

• Fora.TV
• Big Think
• Academic Earth

Seems these might be valuable when rounding out and taking some academic study to the next level. For example, I notice a lecture on the History of Computer Programming by a Stanford Engineering Professor.

Isaac and Rugby

Just some quick pictures from Denise's phone of Isaac stretching off with the rugby team on Saturday. He also playing some touch with us before the match, and has been seen consulting the coaches regarding selection choices. You can guess who his recommendation is for #5 each game.

This week he also had an excellent time in the mud with his other rugby kid friends. How's that for training?

Web Development: The Web Twenty Years Later

This article discusses an important change in the way the internet is being developed. The discussion is led by Tim Berners-Lee, the man often given credit for inventing the world wide web.

He notes that the web was originally designed as an instrument to link documents to one another. This was what HTML (the basic tagging language the web is written) was designed to accomplish. More recently, with the wide spread development of API's, the web is becoming an instrument to link data together.

This important distinction turns the internet from a massive file display into a gigantic computer. We can now access, manipulate, and analyze data using only the web. Great stuff!

Picture: Found Picture of Isaac

I found this stray picture of Isaac with Chris and Deb's dog Pedro. I don't exactly remember which rugby game it was at, but its a cute picture.

Comics: Non Sequitur

I suppose some buttons just cry out to be pressed.

SXSW Interactive

The SXSW Interactive will be going on in Austin while we are there for spring break. Here's a few sites, maybe the locals have more information. Looks like its sort of based from the Convention center.

Here's another setup on 6th street by Ustream.

Music: Amazing Grace

I'll post this one for Gammy since she hasn't learned how to use the Blogger yet. Amazing Grace sung by Il Divo (the Italian name means celebrity, they were created by Simon Cowell of American Idol) at the Coliseum in Rome. There is definitely distinctive resonance in this structure.

The song, whose lyrics are based on 1st Chronicles 17:16-17, is used by Christian and non-Christian groups around the world symbolizing freedom and human rights. It was also used by the Cherokee Indians while on the Trial of tears. They were not always giving an opportunity to properly bury their dead, and sang a translation of this song.

Music: Thru You Project

Check out this guy's web site, for a project called Thru You. He has basically mashed together 100s of YouTube videos to create songs. Remarkable stuff!

Here's one of the tunes.

Security: Recomendations From Dave

Here are security download recommendations from Scripting News. My favorite, which is not a product, is to browse under a user which does not have administrative rights.

Hiking: Austin/San Antonio Difficult Hikes

Looking for more difficult hikes in Austin/San Antonio for spring break. I'll keep this as a list of possibilities

• Homestead Loop
• Inks Lake


• Enchanted Rock, More Enchanted

• Pedernales Falls
  

• Colorado Bend State Park
• Turkey Creek
• Hamilton Pool
  

I will add more as I find them. Enchanted Rock looks like a fun hike though.

Music: She's A Rainbow

One more song, from the Rolling Stones for my amor. This one is a cover, but a great tune.

Music: The Beard Song

Who doesn't like a good beard song every now in then.

Games:Ice Slide

Play This Game
the ultimate sliding game. Christian check this out!!!!!! from ISAAC

X-Men: New X-Men Trailer

Check out this new X-Men trailer. Sweet! Oh we love Wolverine - Shiny!

RockBand: Beatles

The Beatles are coming out with a version of Rock Band in September. Check out the website, its deliciously cryptic. I keep thinking there's something to click in that flat page.

Games: Music Game

This music game will test your ear.

Art: 3D Street Art

This movie shows a great demonstration of the artistic technique of linear perspective.

Quote: Kissing

Seems like a good quote for today, and fun too!

Maybe kissing is sort of like nature's coffee.

Scott Westerfeld, Midnighters: Blue Noon, 2005

More On Isaac's Great Catching

Apparently, Isaac's mother took some good pictures at his game Saturday. Thanks to Dad for forwarding the email. Pretty cool application, which looks like a movie.

Give Me Kindess

Oddly, this is an Abosult Vodka commercial. However, they seem to get it.

This commercial reminds me of a friend we saw this weekend at the rugby pitch. He is a fantastic entertainer, fire juggler, and artist. However, his best gift is a hug. When he hugs you, there is no doubt that he means to give you love and kindess, and he hugs everybody he meets.

Dr. Seuss Birthday

Today is the celebration of Dr. Seuss 105th birthday. The picture is from Google's main search page. Oddly enough, Isaac has a research presentation in school regarding Dr. Seuss and his writing. Good timing.

In other Isaac news, he had another touchdown catch in the final game of the season this weekend. What a great season, where Isaac began demonstrating his catching abilities during the games.

A non-poetic Dr. Seuss quote for Monday. A celebration of nonsense.

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities.