Democracy: WikiLeaks Conversation

Video from Democracy NOW interview with Noam Chomsky. Good commentary, from the man who worked with Howard Zinn to leak the Pentagon Papers; which, opposes the view that WikiLeaks should be considered a foreign terrorist organization.

At one point he says, "one of the main reasons for government secrecy is to protect the government from their own population."

Scale: Scale of the Universe

Awesome application vividly demonstrating the scale of our Universe. The ultimate conclusions are deservedly humbling (ie. "you are not the center").

Physics: Cats Exhibit Quantum Tunneling

This article in Neatorama considers the possibility that common household cats (especially those with long hair) exhibit Non-Newtonian characteristics of quantum tunneling previously only observed in sub-atomic particles.

Apparently, this tunneling behavior can also be shown in car keys and socks.

DIY: Leviathan Model

These steam-punk models are built using eggs as a base. They look very familiar to a book Isaac just read by Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan.



via Make.

Video: Don't Be Greedy

via Neatorama.

The Arctic Circle from Kevin Parry on Vimeo.

Love: Happy Anniversary To My Lover

This is the song I learned for my lover to help celebrate our anniversary. This is Ben Taylor singing the Beatles tune "I Will."

Thank you for taking care of us Amor. We're off to see Dulcinea this weekend.

My own finishing line:
"I said I do, you know I will, I love you baby"

Quotes: What Do You Know?

I choose to think that randomness may be knowing all of the above.

From a blog I've recently found devoted to scribbles.

Music: Steamroller Blues

Image your at this fantastic festival watching JT sing Steamroller Blues, then on walks Joe Walsh to play his "brush." Go check it out, they have the embed disabled.

Easy blues chords, just working in that F#7.

Quotes: I Like the Mad Ones

I've posted this quote many times, but here it is again from Lance Armstrong (see the Mellow Johnny's hat in the reflection?).

Especially good to keep in mind on the eve of the anniversary to my beautiful lover, and our annual trek to Chapel Dulcinea. We'll be out there with Isaac mad to live, and desirous of everything.

Music: Sean Lennon

Have you heard Sean Lennon? Great stuff! They even use a melodica, Isaac and I have created a few songs with our own melodica.

from NPR's All Songs Considered.

Video: Turbo Face

This commercial reminds me of my friend Chris. Especially at about 17 seconds. Hope you're doing OK, and frequently making your "turbo face".

Movie: Green Lantern

We all need a super-hero fix sometimes. "With the ring comes great responsibility." Don't forget it.

Geology: Tectonic Music Mashup

Video of a Geology mashup which takes earthquake XML data and projects it both visually to Google Earth, and acoustically to their speaker matrix.

Here's a sample XML feed from the US Geological Survey.

Life: Geographic Certainty

This article from EverydayIsAwesome introduces the concept of "Geographic Certainty." It is a moment when you are in the exact time and place and dimension that you are supposed to be. Athletes refer to this sensation as being in "the zone."

My question, is how to increase the moments of geographic certainty. I want to spend more time in the zone.

As Denise and I approach our anniversary, one method I've found wildly successful is geographic proximity to my lover. In this time/space dimension, this is exactly where I'm meant to be.

Happy Friday!

Guitar: Don't Fear The Reaper

From GeekDad, Don't Fear The Reaper

Remebering Our Family For Veterans Day

Thank you veterans in our family.

• Thank you for making us proud at football games when we put our hands over our hearts and sing the national anthem
• Thank you for giving us real heroes to believe in. Ones other than the video game commercials who walking around shooting helicopters with a smile on their face.
• Thank you for sharing your lives and stories with us, even after you've been forced to see some very terrible things.
• Please thank your immediate family for us too. They go through their own horrors, and still make time to help nurture our own family

We love and cherish you. Please stay safe.

Music: Los Lobos Yo Canto

Watch out, we'll be pushing the couches against the wall for a cumbia. I heard this originally on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert.

Philosophy: Wag More, Bark Less

IMAG0135
Originally uploaded by mhughen.

Noticed this in a parking lot near my office. Seems a respectable life philosophy.

Science Fair: Go Faster Than The Wind

Good documentary from Make, regarding building a wind powered vehicle which goes faster than the wind. Seems to go against intuition and would make a great project.

Games: Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures

Online game, waiting for I to test.

Pictures: Adventures at the HHH Ranch

HHHAdventure
Originally uploaded by mhughen.

A face-off between porcupine and white tail buck at the corn feeder.

Thanks Ernie for the views from the wild west.

Links: Monday Link Roll

Pac-Man skeleton.


Suiseki is the Japanese art of selecting and arranging stones in aesthetically pleasing forms.

Sailing: Trip to Key West

I told my friend Mike the next time I go to Key West, it should be on a boat. I wanted to post this email conversation we had while discussing a home-made sailing documentary I noticed on line called Hold Fast. I haven't watched this yet so it very well may be NSFW, but their tag line is Stories of maniac sailors, anarchist castaways, and the voyage of the S/V Pestilence... (sounds fun doesn't it).

Mike's classic response was this, can't wait to go. Have to learn to sail first, but there's always YouTube.

If I could leave right now without losing my job I would. Caroline would have to go though...and wearing a big blue hat.

Caroline's job would be to feed the birds and talk to the sea animals for "proper" directions. And everyone knows that the only way to treat a guest is by having a tea party. Special guests would include "Quiet" her stuffed rabbit, and whatever interesting animals happen to pass by. It's interesting...sharks always had the best table manners.

Isaac would have a very different job...to ward off scallywaggs and pirates with rock and roll music played on a special guitar and amp powered by moonlight collected by thousands of diamonds in designs from a dream he had as a baby about Woodstock. Of course; he would play a ballad; but only if a mother sea turtle asked.

Our job however is the best...sit back and steer the boat with a toe while taking it all in. And harmonize of course.

Games: Missing Mechanism

Missing Mechanism looks fun.



from Woot.

Movies: Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows

Honestly Harry, you are the "chosen one," surely you can come up a more original charm besides "Expecto Patronum."

Hannah: Congratulations Hannah

via NatalieDee.

Football: Pictures of the Eagles Center

Pictures from Isaac's Football team, the Eagles, picture stream (credits are probably to his mother).

Space: NASA Images of Comet Hartley 2

Close up views of a comet from NASA.

Books: Amazon 2010 Top 10 Science Fiction List

Fun reading for cold, snuggly nights.

Happiness: Happiness Exercises

Looks like a fun new website. She gives exercises to work your "happiness muscle."

This is her warm-up:

• Say thank you
• Unexpectedly compliment someone
• Look around
• Be generous in line
• Stretch and breathe

Music: Accoustic Cartoon Mix

from Geektoplasm

Dia de los Muertos

Thank you Ancestors for our rich history, our culture, and the immense love we feel from you daily.
We honor you and your adventures.

Music: Feliz Dia de los Muertos

From NPR's All Songs Considered, a mariachi band with a banjo!

Optimism: The Glass Is Always Full

from Neatorama.

Lego: Frog Dissection

Can you smell the Formaldehyde?

Halloween 2010

Hercules, Poseidon, and Aphrodite have returned from a great night of trick or treating! Isaac hit the mother load of chocolate. It was a beautiful night for the neighborhood kiddos. Great time had by all! :)

Baseball: Dungeons and Dragons

About the only time of year I enjoy watching baseball is the world series. And with a Texan team playing, it seemed an even more interesting contest.

To this point; however, this comic seems to sum it up pretty well. D&D anyone?



from GeekDad

Quote: Just Because He's Angry ... Doesn't Mean He's Right

... or even well-informed.

Something to think about when dealing with a customer, a leader or even a neighbor.

It's easy to assume that vivid emotions spring from the truth. I'm not so sure. They often come from fear and confusion and well-told stories.

So true. Sometimes I think some use anger as a self-generated tool to avoid real debate and deliberation. They seem to think, "if I can scare them, they won't want to have a discussion." I must admit, it works perfectly on me.

Dear angry person, I'm afraid of you, please move along.

from Seth Godin.