Games: 3D Tetris

3D Tetris (no flash) - how cool is that?

[via Ajaxian]

Science Fair: Use The Microwave To Measure The Speed Of Light

From io9, using the microwave to measure the speed of light.

(Frequency) x (Wavelength) = Speed of Light

Buffett: Set List From Atlanta 04-27-2010

Set List with YouTube Videos from BuffettNews. This was the "Under The Big Top" concert on 04-27-2010. They have the lyrics on the BuffettNews site.

1 Nobody From Nowhere

2 License To Chill

3 School Boy Heart

4 It's Five O'Clock Somewhere

5 Pencil Thin Mustache

6 Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes

7 Volcano

8 Take Another Road

9 Boat Drinks

10 Where The Boat Leaves From

11 One Particular Harbor

12 Big Top

Intermission

13 Everybody's on the Phone

14 Woman Goin’ Crazy On Caroline Street

15 Creola (Nadirah on lead vocals and Jimmy on ukulele)

16 Cheeseburger In Paradise

17 Come Monday

18 Son Of A Son Of A Sailor (with a plug for Lulu's)

19 Cuban Crime Of Passion

20 A Pirate Looks At Forty (with Zac Brown)

21 Back Where I Come From (Mac on vocals)

22 Tampico Trauma

23 Southern Cross

24 Margaritaville (with the lost verse with Zac Brown)


First Encore
25 Last Man Standing

Band Intros
26 Fins

Second Encore
27 Lovely Cruise (Jimmy acoustic solo)

Games: Super Mario Crossover

Best flash game ever. Super Mario Crossover, you can even choose your characters, they keep the same powers as their original games.



[via CrunchGear]

Quotes: Perfect Street Concert

Great read from Downhill Both Ways. The last line is a useful quote, describing the street-side concert led by the saxophone player.

Far from purposeful, close to perfect.

Video: Winning With Inches

The inches we need to win are everywhere around us. We just need to find them.

Quote of the Day: Reality Negotiated

From gapingvoid, commentary on reality.

Video: Slow Motion Apollo 11 Lift-Off

Slow motion video of the Apollo 11 lift-off, including an in-depth narration of the events.

Apollo 11 Saturn V Launch (HD) Camera E-8 from Mark Gray on Vimeo.

[via CrunchGear]

Video: Castle Hacking

Promotional for Iron Man 2 and AC/DC, the company uses an old English castle as their canvas.

via io9

Language: Foreign Service Institute Online

The Foreign Service Institute has their extensive language course online for free. However, as one of the commenters pointed out, the course by itself does not replace the extensive immersion from having conversations with native speaking instructors and classmates.

via lifehacker

Video: The Raven

Vimeo link says this short was made with a 5K budget, amazing effects!
Parental warning: PG13 for one language foul up behind the dumpster at 3:39.

via Neatorama.

Motorcycle Maintenance: Windblower Initiation

Inspired by "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," we decided to begin with the smaller project of taking apart and fixing the gasoline windblower the previous owners had left behind.

These are pictures once we finished taking it apart. We had to order the fuel lines and filter, we'll let you know if we get it running.



Carburetor and throttle



Engine



The offending pieces, broken fuel lines.

Pictures: Isaac Eats Cake

A few pictures of our celebration with Buela and Tia Marie.



Here's the rest of the set, complete with some of Isaac and I having a jam to "Everyone was Kung Fu Fighting" (he had learned it in guitar lessons that week.

Pictures: Isaac's Temolo Technique

We visited the music store for a new strap and tremolo bar for Isaac's guitar. Throw in a cool hat and he was rocking. Check out his technique. You should hear it with "Sweet Home Alabama."

Music: How About Some Cumbia

From All Songs Considered, Be Very Careful plays a cumbia. Reminds me of fun times being one of the few gringos on the dance floor with my lover and her sister. But a gringo who can cumbia!

Exercise: CrossFit

I hadn't seen this CrossFit training method before, but it looks good (tons of example videos). They seem to combine Olympic lifts with body weight exercises to increase power (speed + strength) production.

They even have a kids version of it. The football kids should be expecting some of this in the summer.

Cartoon: Permission is Overrated

From the gapingvoid site.

No Impact: #GratitudeList

In celebration of Earth day, No Impact Man suggests creating gratitude lists on Twitter. Of course, Google will search anything with this tag (#GratitudeList), so I thought I would do mine on Blogger (which will replicate to Twitter in a few seconds anyway).

beautiful wife, beautiful son (who likes to take stuff apart), listening/understanding family, HTML, family night with the ruggers, brown dog

Flash Games: Monster Evolution

Check out this flash game, Monster Evolution. Reminds me of the Spore game we just started playing.

Pictures: Einstein's Desk

Time/Life magazine has just released pictures taken the day Einstein died on April 18th, 1955. The Einstein family had previously asked the magazine not to release the pictures. The photographer was able to take these exclusive pictures after bribing people with Scotch.

Here's the gallery.

Games: Play Wii Games From External Hard Drive

Instructions from LifeHacker on how to play Wii games from an external hard drive.

We've also received the disk for streaming Netflix movies and TV shows to the Wii. Watched the 1st episode of Battlestar Galactica last night with Isaac. However, our very first Wii movie was the No Impact Project. Very fun!

Volcanoe: Where In the World is Iceland

Pictures from the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland.



Here's some good discussion from NASA.

Space: NASA Reductions

Article from io9, a science fiction blog, attempting to show both sides of the NASA reduction story.

I'm curious if tea party (remember the original tea party patriots where asking for representation for taxation, not less taxes) goers may be tempted to simultaneously rally against government spending, and complain about NASA budget reductions? Is this analogous to asking for reduced deficits and lower taxes at the same time?

Music: Nike Shoe Music

Not sure if you can buy these actual shoes, but a pretty cool video.

Math: Primes and Sieve of Eratosthenes

Have a listen to this Engines of our Ingenuity discussing Prime Numbers. It mentions the Sieve of Eratosthenes. Seems like this will be a good algorithm for our initial programming project in finding divisors.

Reading: Blogs, Chautauquas and Motorcycle Maintenance

Just read the first few chapters of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" last night with a smile on my face the entire time. It is hard to believe how relevant this discussion of philosophy and technology is today.

I love the comparison of the journey and its discoveries and discussion to the Chautauqua. I couldn't help but think that blogs and various social networks allow a modern day Chautauqua. While the interaction medium is different, it seems it can be just as inspirational.

I can't wait to continue the journey, and hope my family is ready to get their hands greasy.

Quote: Learning With Mom On Her Birthday Morning

While I was talking to Mom this morning on her birthday, dodging in and out of hectic traffic, we seemed to co-discover this useful quote. It seems especially good to reflect on when celebrating birthdays.

Try to learn everyday, maybe try to learn a little more than you forget everyday.

Birthday: Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom. You make us better children and better parents everyday. We love You.

Here is a quote she left on the blog several days ago which seems appropriate. This seems to be the link it came from but not sure. Also an appropriate picture, who doesn't like dimples, from Pioneer Woman's Photography competition.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect

Development: Continuous Integration Using CruiseControl.net

Development work stuff here. Use for future reference. Continuous integration and deployment using the CruiseControl.Net.

Comics: Prime Baby

Check out "Prime Baby." Prime numbers and Aliens in graphic novel / comic strip form.

Here they are in the N.Y Times. Try out chapters 2 and 3 to understand the story line.

Wiki: Post-Modern Propaganda

Knowledge Wins!

Math: Nature Knows Calculus

I'm attempting to have a better understanding of practical mathematics from the NY Times article by Steven Strogatz. Here's my attempt at Calculus, the mathematics of change. The derivative tells you how fast something is changing.

Many times the derivative is displayed in graphical form as a slope. A general principle can by shown that change is slowest, or the most sluggish at its extremes (where the derivative is zero).

The example given, is Michael Jordan dunking a basketball. When he initially leaves the ground, his rate of elevation is changing rapidly. However, as he reaches the peak of his jump, the rate comes to a halt, the derivative is zero, or he is momentarily hanging.

He naturally expresses differential calculus without knowing. The article gives many other examples (they are everywhere) with much better explanation. I still feel lost, but take comfort in the observation of nature practicing the same basic principles.

DIY: Ballon Tying Jig

Recommended for summer water balloon battles. I guess we're going to have to make one for each team.

Need to look into this new Makers group sponsored by the Houston Public Library and Make Magazine.

Finally, need to get some different mouth pieces to attempt some homemade instruments and experience some resonance.

Birthday: Everything is Better With Extra Cheese

We celebrated Isaac's 9th birthday celebration Sunday. Over a fine peperoni, extra cheese, stuffed-crust pizza (on his 9th birthday, Isaac discovered everything is better with extra cheese), we had a rousing discussion of comparative mythology. While making his way through the Lightning Thief, Isaac has become a lover of Greek mythology.

We tested our new Air Hog SwitchBlade, and discovered it doesn't seem to get enough lift when in flying (not hovering mode). We will need to investigate further to attempt to fix the Lift and Thrust necessary to maintain flight.

We finished up our quick celebration with a Wii exploration of evolutionary biology, they call it Spore. We tried to get the PC version running earlier in the day, but our computer turns out to be too old to merit messing around with upgrading the graphics card.

Life: Live Your Life

This article from Downhill Both Ways (this author is a great story teller), deserves its own post. Try to read it, I think it will help your vision.

Isaac and I had a discussion regarding the difference between 'live' (we live in paradise) and 'live' (we would love to see Jimmy Buffett live in concert). However, after reading the article, I want to make sure I'm fully alive while I'm living.

The author's list of things he would like to do (if he took the time) makes me giggle.

• I do want to live. I want to get down in it.
• I want to wear my shoes out.
• I want to get arrested for no reason and revel in the freedom of having a clear conscience in a jail cell.
• I want to make friends at a truck stop
• I want to thrill at the sight of a quarter or maybe I want a million dollars.
• I want to start a band with my kids
• I want to give away a million dollars
• I want to take my wife to Newfoundland.
• I want to get punched in the face (thanks to my chosen hobby, I get this desire filled frequently, it doesn't hurt as bad as you might think)

What Do You Want With All of Your Newly Found Time??

Quotes: Friday Link Dump

Many interesting discoveries reading this morning's feeds. However, might as well begin with a quote for the day. I think the trick is knowing when to act with purpose, and when to take it easy.

My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose. Bette Davis, The Lonely Life, 1962

• DIY Zoetrope on a turntable
• Reverse image search engine which lets you upload your own images
• The ultimate answer is 6174 not 42 (Kaprekar's Constant)
• GMail adds nested folders and message previews.
• Programming: Use LINQ to SQL with 'no(lock)' or 'Uncommitted' transactions

Tag Cloud: Our Tag Cloud In Love

I created this tag cloud by pointing this awesome application, Tagxedo, to our website. It only works on the current page; however, some interesting combinations. Reminds be of those refrigerator poem magnets.

I like 'Fun Love', 'December Easter', 'Green DIY', and 'Kids Amp'.

Events: Living Green in Austin

Interesting activity from Denise, living Green in Austin. Should be one of the easier places to try it.

Pictures: Isaac's Birthday and Easter Celebrations

Fun celebrations this weekend for Isaac's 9th Birthday and Easter. Thank you Nancy for being the photographer.

Comics: Are You Connected?

Hmmm, What to say? GeekDad gives advice.

Music: Jimmy Hendrix Theologian?

The preacher at Mom's church quoted Jimmy Hendrix as a great theologian on Easter Sunday.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

The quote is not attributed to a particular song, but here's another (less obvious) love sentiment from Hendrix.

Music: Jakob Dylan Tiny Desk Concert

Check out this "Tiny Desk Concert" from NPR of Jacob Dylan. Great and simple high harmony from the women singing with him. Sorry they don't provide a way to embed this one, you'll have to check out NPR's website.

Latin: Hisorical Case Of The Month

I was working with the judge in Harris county who writes the Historical Case Of The Month for the HC District Clerk's website (this month's story is of the Astrodome). After going back and forth attempting to get the HTML formatting just right, he told me the Latin phrase 'imprimatur,' once he liked it.

For the students of Latin, any guesses, without looking it up?

Fun working with Judge Davidson on the website, he definitely has a passion for history.

Folk: Black Moutain Rag

Every month Roger McGuinn posts a folk song, along with chords on his site. Sure would be fun to give this one a go.