"What a wonderful world" sang Lous Armstrong, and he certainly got that right. Here's a selection of quite interesting articles from all over our remarkable planet.

SCIENCE

BBC News - Science & Environment

Aborted lift-off for spaceship
The US firm SpaceX aborts the lift-off of its Falcon rocket and Dragon ship to the International Space Station.

Silicon trick for next-gen memory
Researchers reveal details of a promising way to make a fundamentally different kind of computer memory chip.

Japan urges cuts in power usage
Japan urges businesses and households to cut electricity use by up to 15% to avoid possible blackouts.

Wild spring weather baffles bugs
The wettest April in more than a century has caused problems for many UK butterflies, bees and other bugs, say conservationists.

WORDS

New words images on Photobucket

words

Words

ANIMATION

Laughing Squid» Animation

This astonishing paper craft stop motion animation is set to the song “Østersøen” by the band Ödland. The animation was directed by Vincent Pianina & Lorenzo Papace.

via Colossal

RADIO

American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources

ICOM to Support Boy Scouts at National Jamboree and at Local Council Level

Against the backdrop of the 2012 Dayton Hamvention® -- the largest gathering of radio amateurs in the US -- ICOM America announced a sponsorship agreement with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for the organization’s 2013 National Scout Jamboree. As the BSA’s official Amateur Radio transceiver supplier for the jamboree, ICOM will provide equipment and technical support for the K2BSA radio operati...

The K7RA Solar Update

The average daily sunspot numbers for the past week rose nearly 25 points, or about 27 percent, to 117.3. The big day was Monday, May 14 when the daily sunspot number jumped to 156. This was the day after four new sunspot groups, numbered 1481 through 1484 arrived. Sunspot numbers for May 10-16 were 93, 102, 85, 138, 156, 125 and 122, with a mean of 117.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 130.7, 136.4, 129...

SCI-FI

Old Time Radio Episodes

"What evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

The Shadow (1937-54) aired "Death Rides High" on May 18, 1947, 65 years ago yesterday. In this harrowing episode the Shadow finds himself trying to break up an alien smuggling ring after being tipped off in his native New York City. Flying to Mexico undercover, his alias is discovered and soon he finds himself (and Margot Lane) facing imminent death. A tale that could easily be ripped from today's headlines, how does the Shadow fight corruption, a human smuggling enterprise, and those out to murder him at all costs?

Warning:  the opening minute portrays brutality of the most vile sort, and may not be suitable for tender ears.

"The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay!" -- The Shadow

(Cover above left, April 1943 -- Cover above right, September 1932)

Play Time: 24:30

{play}/images/audio/radio/Shadow 470518 36 Death Rides High.mp3{/play}

CULTURE

Open Culture

Scholars of ancient history and IT experts at Stanford University have collaborated to create a novel way to study Ancient Rome. ORBIS, a geospatial network model, allows visitors to experience the strategy behind travel in antiquity. (Find a handy tutorial for using the system on the Web and YouTube). The ORBIS map includes about 750 mostly urban settlements of the Roman period. Users of the model can select a point of origin and destination for a trip and then choose from a number of options to determine either the cheapest, fastest or shortest route. Select river or  open sea transport for the cheapest route. Pick road travel by pack animal or wagon for the shortest, but most expensive, trip. In creating ORBIS, historians used ancient maps and records along with modern-day weather information and results from experiments sailing in ancient-style ships to calculate the travel conditions of 2,000 years ago.

Aside from the site’s interactivity, there’s enough discussion in ORBIS about ancient Roman transport to satisfy the biggest history buff but the real fun is in exploring how people and goods were moved across the empire. Cities on the edge of the empire, for example, were more expensive to transport to, even if they weren’t that far away. All trips vary in time and cost, however, depending upon the time of year and mode of travel. The fastest route to deliver wheat from Carthago (modern-day Tunisia) to Londinium (London) would take more than 27 days under the best travel conditions (during July). Cargo would move across the Mediterranean by open sea, across southwestern France by riverboat and along the coast to southeastern England. The cost? A little less than 8 dinarii per kilogram of wheat using a donkey for land transport. Compare that to other routes that eliminate the open sea during winter months, or road travel to save money, and you’re close to understanding why it was no picnic ruling the Roman Empire.

Play Caesar: Travel Ancient Rome with Stanford’s Interactive Map is a post from: Open Culture. You can follow Open Culture on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and by Email.

as soon as i leave my dealer's

submitted by robmandark [link] [62 comments]

Found a new munchies treat for the husbENT...

submitted by SparxD [link] [62 comments]

SMOKE & MIRRORS

Mighty Optical Illusions » Art Installation

Take a Walk On the Bâtiment

Unless you’re Spiderman, hanging off  the side of a building can be rather exhausting and crawling or walking along its facade are even more impossible. Fortunately, for all those wannabe superheroes, artist Leandro Erlich has developed a system that allows you to see what you would look like as a gravity-defying, building-climbing comic book character. [...]

The Illusion Chair

If you’re looking to take a seat, Masayuki Hayashi has you covered -provided you happen to approach his chair from the right side. If you approach from the left hand side, you’ll instead be left wondering “where’s this chair he promised me, and what’s up with all these weird black lines?” That’s because the artist’s [...]

BOOKS

Bookgasm » Sci-Fi

Thomas World
What if a character in a story suddenly became self-aware? What if it was a character in SIMS or Second Life, or any of the other countless computer simulations out there that run on intricate programs and the occasional keystroke of a nameless, faceless person? What if that self-aware character (simulation?) were you? THOMAS WORLD [...]

The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, Volume 6
Editing a “best of” short-story anthology is challenging enough, but according to Jonathan Strahan’s introduction to Night Shade Books’ THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF THE YEAR, VOLUME SIX, the past year was particularly daunting. On one hand, there’s the ever-shrinking roster of magazines devoted to publishing short fiction, along with the depressing closure [...]

Count to a Trillion
John C. Wright loves how the science-fiction format known as “space opera” allows him to take on huge concepts with equally larger-than-life characters, as evidenced by his popular “Golden Age” trilogy. His latest novel, COUNT TO A TRILLION, is likewise vast and expansive, to the point where it’s nearly impossible to contain in a single [...]

Necropolis
I’m guessing author Michael Dempsey is both a fan of the classic hard-boiled detective stories, as well as cyberpunk, because in NECROPOLIS, he manages to mash it all up into something different, yet also familiar. Noirpunk? Cyberpulp? Well, whatever you want to call it, it works. Barely, but it still works. Paul Donner is a [...]

ART

Lost At E Minor: For creative people » New Art

Before and after images of 30s, 40s, and 50s pin-up girls

Digital manipulation was nothing but a dream back in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. This series of before and after images of pin-up girls by one of the most important glamour artists of the twentieth century, Gil Elvgren, shows us how easy it was to manipulate regular photos of full figured women into beautiful paintings [...]

GRAPHICS

lines and colors :: a blog about drawing, painting, illustration, comics, concept art and other visual arts » Amusements

Since March of last year, a series of wonderful and whimsical paper sculptures have been anonymously left on tables and shelves in libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland.

It feels like something from a novel, and may in some way have a connection to the detective novels of Ian Rankin, but there is no indication he is involved, other than perhaps in inspiring a fan.

The sculptures are made from books and pages of books, and extol the virtues of book and libraries. They were often accompanied by notes, one of which reads in part: …” In support of Libraries, Books, Words, Ideas [...] and All things ‘magic’…”

There were, over a period of months, 10 sculptures left by the mysterious artist, who on the last sculpture left a note signing off with “Cheers Edinburgh it’s been fun!”

Most of the articles I’ve come across refer to images from this Flickr set of photos by Chris Scott.

WORDS

Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos

So it goes #23

This is Lacey's tattoo:

Like everyone else, I got "so it goes" from Slauterhouse Five. Personally, I have been through alot in life and have persevered. I believe that your experiences make you who you are, and it is important to look at life that way, instead of creating the excuse that your past is the reason for your flaws. So It Goes for me is just a reminder that life always goes on, and it is important to live in the present, instead of being stuck in the past. We miss life when we focus on the bad and the past. The blow flower and birds signify that although I was once tied down, I am now free to choose my own path. We are all free, it is just a matter of figuring out if we want to stick to a path (like the blowflower seeds when they are anchored) or go where the wind takes us.

This was posted as a part of “So it Goes” Saturdays. The phrase “so it goes” appears in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five 106 times. Can you help me collect 106 “so it goes” tattoos? 23 down, 83 to go.

SPACE

Sci-Fi-O-Rama » Photography

To The Moon (Time-Life Records)

Something of a special feature here, original photography scanned from the breathtakingly beautiful ‘To The Moon’ (Time-Life 1969) an audio and visual chronology that documents NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and (of course) Apollo projects. ‘To The Moon’ includes 6 doubled sided 12″ Vinyl’s full of famous radio transmissions and interviews, plus an accompanying 190 page slip case book, and that’s the focus of this post. Many thanks to Craig for the temporary loan!

The first thing that strikes when flicking through ‘To The Moon’ is the muted palette and hues of the colour photography. Bathed in a loving technicolor warmth, the imagery empowers the feeling of not just peering into the past, but through into another world, like suddenly everything could spring to life. What’s also unusual is the obscure nature or relative rarity of content, as you might expect in running and researching this blog I’ve mined many resources from this period, but scanning here presented gem after perfectly preserved gem.

A quick disclaimer on the scans, I’ve tried my best to match the tones of the book, but of course some scans work better than others.

Top Image: I often tend to start a post with the image I deem strongest, most outlandish or simply just the personal fave. The above is no exception, akin to a Renaissance masterpiece, with perfect pose and expression. What’s it all about? it’s part of development testing for the Mercury program, a researcher carefully measures how far a test subject, restricted by a pressure suit, can push ’spokes’ basically to gauge how away far the capsule controls should be.

Above: Gemini 6 splashes down 26 hours after launch. Once again a stripped back, gorgeous array of vivid colours, the fact that it’s slightly out of focus just adds to the painterly feel.

Above: Three early twin rotor helicopters (a type I’m unfamiliar with) sit against a cold and barren volcanic backdrop. No prizes for guessing this hostile landscape is Iceland, here the astronauts explore the lunar like terrain to help familiarise with the adventures that lay ahead.

Above: This abstract image is actually a long exposure of Astronaut Gus Grissom sitting within the fearsome ‘MASTIF’ (an acronym for Multiple Axis Space Test Inertia Facility). The g-force throttling, spinning MASTIF is designed to help teach an astronaut how bring a tumbling capsule under control.

Above: Engineers test a fragile-looking Mariner 4, this early interplanetary probe will embark on an 8 month fly-by mission to Mars.

Above: The Seven Astronauts of the Mercury Program try on their distinctive silver space suits. Composed of a rubber inner layer, and an outer aluminised shell these outfits are tailored to fit each astronaut precisely, to the point that even a few extra pounds would feel akin to being squeezed in a vise.

Above: An Atlas booster surges skyward from the launch pad carrying astronaut Wally Schirra. He rides atop inside Sigma 7, the tiny black and white capsule surmounted by the red escape tower.

Above: This ominous vast metallic structure is the inners of the gigantic liquid oxygen tank that forms part of stage 1 of a Saturn V Rocket, as used in NASA’s Apollo and Skylab projects.

Above: Friendship 7 (Mercury) soars skyward carrying John Glen. To myself as a child of the late 70′s/80′s Nasa missions predominantly mean the Space Shuttle and Cape Canaveral. This retro panorama of concrete towers, bunkers, pads and gantries (also at Cape Canaveral) seems somehow much more futuristic, a spaceport from which rockets hurtle to the furthest flung reaches of the solar system. Or alternatively on a somewhat darker note, this fearsome array of rapidly developed rocketry technology, birthed out of the Cold War’s arms and space race, also serves to remind how close our world came to nuclear annihilation.

Above: Prior to the liftoff of Gemini 5, Conrad and Cooper lie expectantly on their couches (combined photograph). This image is presented vertically from within the book, but it’s spun horizontally here, Cooper (right) looks almost waxen inside the helmet.

Above: 5 Days after the Soviet Spacewalk, several astronaut’s wives watch in tremendous anticipation as the first Gemini lifts off with its two man crew. Love this, a broad brushstroke of expression and emotion, much more than just one moment captured here, these faces beam back all the pride, thrill, terror and raw astonishment the Space Program can present. Or maybe it’s a just a summer snapshot with the greatest collection of 60′s sunglasses ever captured by camera.

Above: Astronaut John Glenn peers through a simulated capsule window, he observes star groupings at the Morehead Planetarium in North Carolina. Sighting on the vertical blue line which represents his flightpath, he learns to recognise the stars he will need as navigation guides when he gets into space. What to say about this one, definitely one of the most powerful in the book with a real Dave Bowman / 2001: A Space Odyssey feel, though of course Kubrick’s masterpiece arrived several years later.

It’s only fitting that we sign off with more details on the source, so last but not least here’s a few shots of the box, book and inlay, nicely showing off the colour coded vinyl, If your interested in picking this up then ebay of course is the best place to start, seems to crop up fairly regularly. Here’s a breakdown on the publication.

TO THE MOON – Book Plus Musical Recordings. Time Life Productions 1969. THE BOOK (Section II) captures the story in pictures and text for generations to come. 190 pages. – Slip Case Book: 12-1/2″ x 12-1/2″ (Includes records).

Dedication: To the yet unborn generations of the world who, in centuries to come, will be able to listen and understand that this extraordinary achievement was accomplished by “average men” like their fathers . . . Michael Kapp.

Side 1 – Prologue: The First message from man on the moon… The beginning of rocketry . . . Tsiolkovsky.

Side 2 – Prologue: World WAR II ends… US seizes remaining V-2’s and the German rocket team surrenders to the Americans.

Side 3 – Mercury: National Space and Aeronautics Administration is set up under the Eisenhower Administration.

Side 4 – Mercury: U.S. Space Probes… Russia photographs the moon with Lunik III… President Kennedy.

Side 5 – Mercury: Grissom’s Liberty Bell 7 makes a successful flight and sinks.

Side 6 – Mercury: Slayton is grounded . . . Ranger 4 to the dark side of the Moon.

Side 7 – Gemini: Russia, three-man capsule . . . Vietnam war escalates . . . Russian spacewalk.

Side 8 – Gemini: Armstrong and Scott dock with an Agenda but tumble end over end and must make an emergency landing.

Side 9 – Apollo: Grissom, White and Chaffee die in a ground test for the first manned Apollo.

Side 10 – Apollo: Schirra, Eiselle and Cunningham… the first manned flight with a Saturn IB.

Side 11 – Apollo: McDivitt, Scott and Schweickart prepare first manned test in space for LM… In Earth orbit, perform crucial docking.

Side 12 – Apollo: At Cape Kennedy during the long countdown Liftoff for Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins . . . Trans-lunar injection . . . Separation of Columbia and Eagle.

** Audio notes

If your even mildly into electronic/dance music, you’ll know that these hallow vinyls have been heavily sampled through the years. For further reading on that check this excellent post created by Craig (lender of book) over at DJ History http://www.djhistory.com/forum/to-the-moon

Here’s a taster, Lemon Jelly ‘Space Walk’, this track samples Ed White’s spacewalk during the Gemini program. Made more poignant as he tragically died in the Apollo 1 fire.

Finally I’d just like to point out how uplifting writing and researching this article in particular has been, To The Moon radiates a real sense of wonder and I hope that’s reflected. NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs were truly awe inspiring, this post is dedicated to all those involved.

SCIENCE

- The Naked Scientists ENHANCED PODCAST - Stripping Down Science

Naked Scientists ENHANCED PODCAST 12.05.13 - Cracking Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) sufferers describe symptoms of severe exhaustion, weakness, muscle pain and fatigue. But why, and what is science revealing about the underlying causes of the condition? We talk to a researcher who is probing the genetic links to the syndrome, a clinician with evidence that the muscles of patients accumulate acid when they exercise and a pathologist with post-mortem evidence of inflammation in the nervous systems of CFS sufferers. Also, in the news this week, the ants that help a pitcher plant to catch its lunch, the missile-hurling zoo chimp who plans his attacks in advance, and does non-coding DNA hold the key to how chromosomes recognise their opposite number? Plus, the cause of cheesy feet goes under the microscope in our Question of the Week...
Sat, 12 May 2012 23:00:00 +0000