mick

12:12 pm: Mars Trilogy
I read the Mars series by Robinson recently (a year ago). Since then, I have collected links which remind me of the books. I love living in a sci-fi novel...

Space Elevator with Green Mars.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ries/space-elevator-6y
http://io9.com/5058927/amc-brings-armageddon-to-red-mars
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F09%2F1718201
Inflatable elevator
http://io9.com/5286080/scientists-design-the-next-best-thing-to-a-space-elevator

Joint Mars Initiative
http://spacefellowship.com/2009/07/08/esa-and-nasa-establish-a-joint-mars-exploration-initiative/
http://spacefellowship.com/2009/08/25/nasa-suggests-teaming-up-with-russia-for-mars-flight/

India's Chandrayaan
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/08/1632226
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/12/1811258
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/14/1648203
http://io9.com/5087717/indias-first-lunar-mission-proves-a-smashing-success

Private Lunar Exploration (rockets)
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/25/1150202
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/01/0344230

Large robots
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/09/2316223
http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/what_could_possibly_go_wrong_e.php

Martian terrain
http://io9.com/5093957/the-texture-of-martian-geography
http://io9.com/5105132/stairway-into-a-martian-crater

Mars's lack of atmosphere
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/23/133225

Google's Tour of Mars
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/celebrating-mars-then-and-now.html

Phobos & a previous moon
http://io9.com/5068868/phobos-will-be-the-next-victim-of-moon+killing-mars

Adding hardy microbes to Mars
http://io9.com/5318924/if-theres-not-life-on-mars-well-add-some

A certain lichen has been found to thrive in space
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM72XRJR4G_index_0.html

Genome
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/28/208218
http://io9.com/5083925/a-maelstrom-of-weird-new-genetic-information

Moist mars
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/28/181245
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/news/phoenix-20080929.html
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/18/146252
(glaciers)
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/21/0021229
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/07/phoenix-lander-observed-snow-falling-on-mars.ars (water cycle)

Oxygen tech
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/19/1521250

New propulsion tech
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/27/175258
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F13%2F1624258
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09%2F02%2F01%2F142239
http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/06/1556208/Successful-Test-of-Superconducting-Plasma-Rocket-Engine
http://io9.com/5323516/earth-to-mars-in-39-days

Saturn & moons
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/10/enceladus_up_close.html
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/03/2150227
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/11/1544240
http://io9.com/5071146/saturns-moon-could-hold-spark-of-life
http://www.buzzfeed.com/scott/saturns-strange-aurora

New solar system
http://www.buzzfeed.com/akdobbins/new-solar-system
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F10%2F2053222

Planet found in different galaxy
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/06/10/first-extra-galactic-planet-may-have-been-detected/
http://www.kottke.org/09/05/the-search-for-a-nearby-second-earth
http://www.kottke.org/09/06/more-extrasolar-planetary-news

Water found 11 light years away
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08%2F12%2F21%2F1454250

Authors on Mars
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/12/planet-mars/updike-text
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/10/space-special/bradbury-text

03:56 pm: i heart science
Stems cells from adult skin cells using a virus based gene modification.

Darpa is asking for help with 23 tough math questions, regarding modelling the brain & evolution & nano assembly, etc.

Entertaining videos for each element.

Crows believed to use causal reasoning, which shouldn't be too surprising given the crow vending machine.

I lurve 3D printers (slideshow). Even better: printable housing.

Also awesome, extra senses like a radar.

Street corner science, what would you ask a Nobel winning physicist? Speaking of Nobel laureates, 61 of them endorse Obama.

Chinese claim to be working on electromagnetic drive that violates Newtonian physics. SpaceX finally got into orbit and took a great video while they did it.

We're getting a little better at watching asteroids hit Earth. Saw this one from last Tuesday hours in advance...

03:44 pm: awesome things
Mailing bricks in response to bulk mail

A new record for unmanned flight with a slick solar powered plane

Cows have a magnetic 6th sense

An interactive robotic installation with a googly eye on top of the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts that watches people walk by and occasionally does double takes

125 thousand western lowland gorillas found, doubling the previous census estimates

Miniature cows meant for small farms and backyards

Highly technical chocolate - Watch the first two for more on the process

Magpies are self aware

Every problem solved by MacGyver

05:55 pm: Hunter S. Thompson
Gonzo: The life and work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Playing in select theaters now-ish.

"Lessons from My Father: The Outlaw"
An essay by Juan F. Thompson

Fear And Loathing in the Mushroom Kingdom

02:48 pm: game links
Budget Hero - Balance the Budget game by American Public Media & the Congressional Budget Office.

RedistrictingGame.org from Sandra Day O'Connor

Immune Attack from the Federation of American Scientists that teaches college level intro to immunology.

Epsilon, a portal-like flash game that was pretty fun.

Hedgehog launch - buy equipment to send a furry creature into space from your backyard. Took my 33 rounds my first time. I hear it's possible in 3.

Two chess sets I might need: LED pieces and transparent/opaque pieces (also using LED)

02:26 pm: links
Crazy Rasberry Ants: tiny ants near Houston are eating electronics. "Crazy" is because they walk funny. "Rasberry" after Tom Rasberry, the the exterminator who noticed them. They are resistant to traditional ant-killers and have multiple queens. More info.

I love Savage Chickens:


Warren Ellis says we should start terraforming Mars already.

The Phoenix Mars Lander (Arizona.edu, JPL, NASA) landed in the polar region of Mars. It's goal is performing tests on the permafrost-like soil and ice and looking for organic materials. Equipment includes solar panels folded like fans, a arm with a scoop for collecting soil samples, a telltale for testing wind so samples don't blow away, a main camera for many pictures, a camera on the arm which can take pictures under the lander, a thermal and evolved gas analyzer for baking samples to see what happens, a microscopy electrochemistry and conductivity analyzer for measuring the pH and ion composition of samples, and a laser for measuring the dust in the air (link). They are playing this to the nerds well with twitter updates and video on iTunes. Here's a panoramic view around the lander, a descent photo and an old photo of a Martian sunset.

Fantastic photos of Saturn & its moons

"No Regrets", a book of bad tattoos has an online gallery.

Lost had alternate endings to protect the "who's in the coffin?!?" ending.

The Sharper Image is closing. Kinko's is now FedEx Office.

Tags: links

07:34 pm: Paul
I don't know of many Camp people on livejournal, but for those of you who are:

Here's a photo album of Paul. There were a few albums on myspace that all required logins and I figured that's no good. I'll be adding to that as more photos come in... If you have some to add, please let me know.

Also, there'll be a "Counselor Respite" this weekend after Paul's viewing on Friday. People are welcome to spend the night at Camp. There will be much hugging and telling of stories. Ben has some other activities planned for us. Should be good times.

10:27 am: Dana Rocks!
She gave me the best gift basket I've ever seen. The beef jerky smells so good that the cat keeps trying to steal it. I'm so lucky :)

Tags: valentine's

01:47 pm: Still Busy
Camp went well - the campers had fun, no one got hurt, we almost won the spirit competition and I got a plaque.

Dana is still in New Mexico studying. I'm looking forward to her phone working again. Stupid mountains. She'll be back in Lubbock tomorrow, taking the bar Tuesday through Thursday, and moving to San Antonio in early August. Yay :)

This weekend is scuba lessons. I need to go by tonight and sign up for them. I hadn't planned on taking them this weekend, but they take two weekends and I need to be finished with them by the cruise.

Next weekend I'm moving into our house. I've been trying to pack, but haven't gotten very far. Those darn kids keep encouraging me to stay up late. Speaking of which, pool with Paul is tonight.

10:42 am: Camp & Moving
I'm headed off to Camp until Friday. Yay for Camp. I'm a little nervous about being totally out of practice, but it should be a lot of fun. I'll get a workout and a nice tan. After Camp, I'll be in Lubbock until Sunday. Yay for Dana. She's only got two weeks left before the bar. After I visit Dana, she'll be headed out into the boonies for a week to have some secluded study time with her friends. I'll be home packing to move.

I gave my 30-day notice to the apartment complex at the beginning of the month, but I'm still not sure where I'll be living. I've put in an application of a decent little house very close to work. The neighborhood is a bit cookie cutter, with small lots and rules against parking on the street. But it has a nice yard, plenty of space and comes with a fridge so we don't have to buy one. They're supposed to let me know by Monday if I am approved to loan it. Very exciting stuff.