Wednesday14: Colonizing the Solar System, The Czar and Brain Uploading

In the 1950-1970s there were some crazy ideas about space exploration and technology. There was a man (who's name I can't remember) who had some ideas that were more radical than others. Although many of his predictions came true, his idea for colonizing the Solar System has yet to happen, thankfully. His idea was to use nuclear bombs to push planets into the right orbit for habitability around the sun. Additionally, we could use atomic weapons to strip away gas from Jupiter to make it more habitable. Crazy, but maybe also creative.

Bill Clinton sent out and interesting warning about recent develops with Russia. I don't usually talk too much about politics but for some reason I found this interesting, if not worrying. Clinton thinks that due to some comments Vladimir Putin has made recently, that Russia is looking to the past to expand their country - pre WWI past. That's right, Putin is talking like he wants to restore Russia to its former glory of the Czar years. This could spell bad news for everyone.

I read a very interesting article on the possibility of uploading a human brain to a computer. The idea is not new, science fiction has played with it before such as in the recent movie Transcendence. But even though it's not a new idea, is it even possible? The article outlines 8 reason why it could be very difficult. Without going into the details of each point it basically comes down to our understanding of consciousness. We simple don't know what truly makes up sentience. We don't know why I subjectively like chocolate so much when someone else (receiving essential the same stimulus input) would hate it.

On top of that, if we did come to understand consciousness it may be that the very nature of consciousness is incomputable. In addition to the spiritual metaphors that explain consciousness our sentience may be a higher form of matter, or a consequence of quantum mechanics. It may even be a simple force of nature that simply exists, like mass or gravity. It's interesting to think on. I believe that the human mind is much more complex than we currently understanding and that consciousness is much vaster and deeper than we think and certainly can't be simply "uploaded" to a computer - technological constraints or not.

Bees have been dying all over the country and scientists might finally know why. Bees are essential to crop production, being responsible for over 30% of the worlds food supply. Obviously, bees dying out in mass quantities over the past 10 years is very troubling. They now believe that this is linked to a certain kind of pesticide used in many crops across the US. Although the pesticide may not be inherently lethal, it causes the bees to abandon their hive and damages their health.

After an awesome request for funding from artists at The Oatmeal, Elon Musk has agreed to help fund a Nikola Tesla museum and park. The cost will be $8 million, but that's small change compared to the kind of projects Musk has invested in previously. It's great to see a good cause come to fruition. A Telsa museum will be something to see indeed.

The US military thinks it would be able to destroy Godzilla in a couple of days -so rest easy.

Tuesday13: Unlimited Heat, A Rat's Nightmare and Batman

Today I have a few quick things to highlight.

Scientists have been able to perform research on a particular substance (Graphene, I believe) that may break down some of the laws of thermodynamics - of which I know nothing of. Basically this substance can hold exponentially more heat the more of it there its. This contradicts that law that says that a substance should hold a set amount of heat regardless of the size. This could have applications for energy storage or protection.

Rat's are the go-to animal to use in tests of almost any kind. From psychology to drugs and neurology, rats are the creatures that get all the attention, and abuse. A test that was made years ago was talked about in an article today. Put a rat in a large empty box. It doesn't sound like much but the study is usually based around how the rat reacts to a new surrounding. Do they venture out quickly, looking for a way to escape? Or do their survival instincts tell them to stay put and wait for danger? Some horror movies play on similar concepts and it's interesting to think what I would do in a similar situation.

The internet has be a-buzz with a new image release by Zack Snyder, director of the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie. By upcoming I mean in year's time. The image is of the batmobile and batman in his new uniform, supposedly Ben Afleck is the one in the picture. (He is the one that will be playing Batman but we don't know if the picture is him) I wasn't very impressed with the costumer of the car, but maybe I'm crazy. Nolan's Batman needed more time to age.

Microsoft will now be selling the Xbox One with out the Kinect for $100 less. Many people say this is a poor move, some say it was their only move to be able to compete with huge PS4 sales.

If you want to please a man don't get him a new car, get him the millennium falcon, duh. Disney has a fun showing a wife getting her husband the ultimate Star Wars gift for their anniversary. Though, I confess I don't know what it was advertising....

Monday12: Glaciers, Ethical Robots and Dream Control

There is lots of great stuff today to start the week off.

To begin, NASA made an official announcement regarding Antarctica's glaciers. The glaciers are melting, and they're melting fast. Not only that, but we've reached the point of no return, no matter what we do, they will continue to melt. By 2100 the particular shelf they are studying will be gone, which will increase sea levels up to 4 ft. Other articles related to the subject that other glaciers and ice caps will also be melting at a similar rate and the sea could rise up to 13 feet. Obviously this means big trouble for many coastal cities. The incredible thing to remember is that this is FACT, not speculation or theories, but data. This will occur.

It reminds me of another video I saw today from "This Week Tonight" where the host calls out how ridiculous it is to question climate change. It is real and it is science.

An interesting question was posed in several articles today. As we get closer and closer to truly automated and self-driving cars there is an ethical problem that arises. Should my robot car kill me to save 2, 3 or more people? The example scenario is that your tire blows out while your automated car is driving. It can't swerve left because that will take you into on-coming traffic, the road is too slick to effectively brake so it swerves right, sending you off a cliff. I don't know what the answer is, but robots, or rather, their programmers deciding our fates is an interesting future.

Scientist have been able to make some headway in the dream world. Using small electrical pulses at a certain frequency (don't quote my science please) during REM sleep they are able to induce lucid dreaming. This allows the dreamer to become aware of their dream and take control of it. There is obviously some recreational possibilities that come to mind but scientist are looking for the therapeutic side of such applications such as helping victims of PTSD who suffer nightmares overcome their dreams and sleep well.

We still don't know why we age. We may never know. Some say it's our blood, others say it's genetics. I read a whole article outlining some of the possibilities. It's quite interesting and scientists are working harder than ever to solve it.

Stonehenge is very old. It was once thought that it was built by a migrating people but recent evidence shows that "civilization" has been in the area for many years and they were stable, not migratory.

Tear hold many surprises and many shapes when put under a microscope.

Enjoy your Monday.

Friday9: Alternate Histories, Short Stories and Religious First Contact

It's the weekend, finally. As with most posts I have something to mention about Star Wars. I read an article from someone who watched the entire series back to back and did an honest review. He, like I, grew up on the prequels and there is a soft spot in our hearts for them-even if they are terrible. He was kind to the prequels but is quick to point out how superior and well crafted the sequels are.

I also read a post that talked about the best Expanded Universe stories of Star Wars. Three of them were stories I am very familiar with including, Clone Wars (both versions) and The Knights of the Old Republic. Without boring you with the details, I recommend looking it up.

io9.com does a cool series of posts asking users to come up with 6 word sci-fi stories. They highlighted some of the best so far and they really are brilliant. Unfortunately, I can't remember any off the top of my head, but look it up, it's fun.

Another great, more thought-provoking post was about if humanity is ready to encounter alien life. Psychological studies say no. We are not mentally ready for first contact due to religious beliefs. Most people, when asked how they would analyze a situation with aliens fall first on their religious beliefs before looking to scientific standards or logic. I agree with the psychologist conclusions however I do believe that instead of thinking of religion as a bad, brain-washing or blinding thing, that it can be a frame to the scientific glasses of perception. If we see things through logic and science but put them in context of our own religious beliefs I believe we can confront difficult questions such as E.T. I also feel strongly that the two, namely science and religion can be paired in such a way that is not only functional but also progressive and beneficial.

Remixes of the internet can offer some fun, and interesting entertainment. For example, using the sound board from the new Godzilla trailer and cutting it with clips from Jaws. It really is quite awesome and makes Jaws seem 10x more terrifying.

Another great one is recutting Frozen to appear like a horror movie. Or Dumb and Dumber to look like a romantic drama. It's amazing what you can do with some editing knowledge and context.

Finally, the international news. Brazilian police are threatening to go on strike during the world cup unless they receive higher wages. This could be a very dangerous situation considering the current crime rates in Brazil but also the influx of tourists during that time. Hopefully everyone comes to their senses and things run smoothly for the games.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday: Map of the Universe, The End of History Illusion and Brain Damage

Today actually had some very interesting articles that I'm excited to talk about.

The first one is about a computer model astrophysicists have been creating that was just completed. The model maps all the galaxies in the universe. This in and of itself is not unique but the model also adds in dark matter and charts the formation and collection of all these particles 13 billion years in the past. The video is very cool to watch. The model maps an area 350 million light years across. It's very humbling to think how massive the universe is.

The end of history illusion. Sounds like a sci-fi movie title, or maybe just the illusion that time will go on forever. It's actually a psychology concept that demonstrates an interesting principle when it comes to thinking about ourselves. Our past selves are more prone to predict that we will not change, that 10 years down the road I will still like and do many of the same things. However the reality is that I will change quite a bit. On top of that, my current self will look back 10 years think how odd my likes were or how far I've come. In the end, we change more than we think we will, but maybe not as much as we see in retrospect.

Another very interesting story was about a very average man who got into a fight and suffered a concussion. I emphasize his normality because of what happened due to his injuries. After the fight he suffered from PTSD but he noticed something different about the way he saw the world. He could see everything in patterns and shapes. It was like the world was broken down into its individual frames and he could see the geometric pattern emerging from everything. This man had become a Savant. He didn't have any mathematical training but after pursing college, his abilities are progressing rapidly and he is able to make amazing calculations and observations. The part that I find most interesting is that after scanning his brain scientists believe that the abilities he is manifesting is something innate in all of our brains. He was not a born Savant, but was awakened to it. This hints at a massive potential for our minds and the future of unlocking them to do great things.

Some side topics include an article about the movies that have made a huge impact in visual effects. The very first on the list was Metropolis, which is amazingly ahead of it's time both in effects but also message and philosophy. Star Wars, ET and many others are also on the list.

The rumored title of the upcoming Star Wars movie is said to be "The Ancient Fear." We'll see if it's true. I personally don't mind the title. Other Star Wars rumors hint that characters in the soon to be released animated show "Rebels" will appear in Episode VII.

I hope today was a little more thought provoking. What are your thoughts on the mind and the universe?

Tuesday6: The Future, Religion in Science Fiction and the burning question about microwaves

I watched a parody video on what the future is really going to be like in 40 years. It starts out with our hopes of flying cars and such but changes quickly to the reality of a run down, dark and dirty future. It's parodist because of how "happily" it presents the future. In the future, shoes will be a big thing! You'll fight anyone to get your hands on one. In summary because of global warming, falling economic systems and antibiotic immune diseases we'll all be living in the post apocalyptic world television keeps suggesting we will.

I read a thought provoking article written by someone who found spiritual meaning in the science fiction movies and stories he encountered while growing up. His first was with Star Wars, then Star Trek and others. Each does have a unique approach to spirituality and religion. It's an interesting topic to think about.

You've always wanted to do it, but never have. Admit it, you've always wondered what would happen if you stuck metal in a microwave. Well of course, it has been done before but today I got to watch a video of tin foil in the microwave. It's quite exciting! I also learned however, that tin foil can actually be safe for your microwave! The trick is to not let it get too close to the edges, have it as smooth as possible and not be covering all of your food. You learn something new every day. (Not that I recommend actually trying it.)

Climate change, in case you hadn't heard is kind of a big deal, and very real. Another post with many maps shows how temperatures (in various ways of measurement) have drastically risen in the past 30 years. It is honestly a little frightening to consider the future as headed in the current direction. It very well could be in my lifetime that we see dramatic results of these trends. On a side note I also learned that the current supply of oil will last us for 40 more years. This was another post that came out as some random facts from a an financial analyst firm, but all the facts are very interesting and very telling of our times.

I had forgotten that Godzilla was just a guy in a suit! That's kind of fun to think about. It turns out the same guy played the suited lizard for over 20 years. Ah, the things you learn on the internet.

Monday5: Google Delivery, Neutrality, and Twitter Shopping

Welcome to a new week of summations.

Just when you thought Amazon was going to be the next and only name in direct-to-home grocery delivery Google steps in. That's right Google has now opened it's same day shipping services to select communities in New York (and another few cities, I'm sure SF is included) This means you can sit at home and order anything you might need, toilet paper, cookies or a new TV and have delivered to you in a matter of hours. This could be the next revolution that takes humanity to Wall-E level.... or logistics could prove to be too difficult and it will flop. Only time will tell.

Net neutrality is a huge topic across the web, obviously. If you are unfamiliar with the subject it is basically the issue of whether internet content and access in universal and unlimited or if certain corporations (read Comcast) can limit the amount of broadband or speed of certain sites or types of content. I bring this up because CPG Grey posted a video today asking people to rally behind petitions to have the government keep net neutrality. It really, truly is the better option, an option that all of Europe, Brazil and other countries have already gotten behind but the U.S. is taking it's time to decide.

Big corporations will argue that they will be able to better provide networks if they can charge companies (like Netflix) for the extra broadband they use. Netflix has already struck a deal and pays Comcast to access faster speeds. However, the claims of these corporations should be taken with a grain of salt.

You can now add items to your Amazon shopping cart through a tweet. You've already been able to make purchases with a tweet using a connect Chase account but now you don't have to worry about remembering to add a product to your cart after seeing in on Twitter, you can do it immediately. I of course, don't remember the hashtag you're supposed to use but I'm sure you can figure it out.

Speaking of Twitter there's a fun account that just posts snapshots of very well timed, oriented or created shots in movies. The account is called Perfect Shots and I recommend checking it out.

Friday2: Stephen Hawking, Luck and Digital Paper

I've written a few times about artificial intelligence. Obviously I'm very interested in sci-fi and the ideas and technology related to the future. Nevertheless, I think there have been more AI articles than typical recently. One that I read today draws particular attention because of who wrote it; Stephen Hawking. Yes, the master physicist has weighed in on the AI topic. He warns that artificial intelligence could quickly grow out of our control. We have no way to anticipate the kind of leaps or advances that could take place once artificial intelligence is achieved. And he sees our current efforts to prepare for the "singularity" or advent of AI as minimal and insufficient. He gives the analogy that if an advanced alien civilization were to contact us and tell us they would arrive at earth in a few decades would we sit idle and do nothing to prepare? Of course not, it would be "all hands on deck" for all sectors. That is what he likens the coming of AI to and yet we aren't giving any preparation to it.

Some may argue that the real possibility of AI is remote and still seated in science fiction. Others would argue that even if AI did come, it wouldn't be a serious issue. While it is hard to plan for uncertain futures, it is important to look at all possibilities of our future and the probable outcomes of our current course. AI is likely to become real, and we need to be ready for it.

To the more trivial subjects. A Russian man was highlighted in the news because of his extraordinary luck. He has survived a plane crash, multiple car, and train crashes and many near-death incidents and come out alive. And now, he has won a million dollar lottery. If your curious as to what his fate will be in the future please talk with Bruce Willis and M. Night Shyamalan.

I saw a very cool prototype of a technology that uses bendable screens, almost like paper. It has all the full capabilities of a smart phone but is comes in 3 folded and flexible panels. Folding out the panels in various configurations will let you switch between different functionality such as map viewing, duel screen sharing and much more.

Have a great weekend and don't forget Star Wars Day! May the force be with you!

Thursday1: Resumes, Ad Jingles and Robotic Bees

There are many ways to put together resumes and there a dozen differing opinions on what the best practices are. Regardless of what the "experts" say there are some resumes that are simply awesome. An article showed how one graphic designer put together a resume of gifs and it's fantastic. It let on to show many other creative ways to show a resume, like the web programmer who built a webpage to look exactly like Amazon and he was the product.

There is a funny music video of a band (or singer) that sings about how badly they want to have their song used in an advertisement. They even show how the ad could be used throughout the video. I know, it's not that interesting but it was mildly funny to me at the time.

Another very interesting video I watched showed a vision of the future that was quite unexpected. To replenish fields and increase crop productivity companies of the future will use robotic bees to pollinate plants. The "drones" are tiny robots that can perform all the essential functions needed to pollinate and they can even defend themselves from predators. It's an interesting concept, though I'm not sure how realistic. I do however, think that the need for an alternate form of pollination may become more real. I recall reading several articles over the past several years about declining bee populations and the reality is, without bees, we don't eat.

Finally, there was a fantastic chart that showed science fiction technology predictions that came true and charted it on a timeline. Things like satellites, video calls and nuclear bombs were all predicted years before hand. H.G. Wells seemed to make the most appearances on the list of sci-fi come true. The prediction that got it right furthest in advance was solar sails, predicted 145 years before they became a reality.

Wednesday30: Fractals, Facebook and Time Travel

There's a great video (that you can see on my Google+ profile) of a noir style short video that explains the beauty and complexity of fractals in an entertaining way. It's a story of a private eye who's out to solve a mystery for a "dame" where he is met by a guru that asks him 3 riddles. I won't ruin the rest but it's worth a watch and you might actually learn something.

Facebook held a big developers conference today. The news wasn't terribly interesting but I'm sure we'll feel it's effects in months to come. Facebook will be changing the way we log in to external apps and the way apps communicate to each other. They're also shifting focus to fix bugs quicker and provide a better experience rather than rapid adaptability.

I watched a great sci-fi short video of 2 women on a space ship of some kind that is equipped with a 3 minute time traveling device - reminiscent of Galaxy's Quest's sphere that lets you reverse time for 13 seconds. Without spoiling the ending the two astronauts are in trouble and have to use the device to change the future. The future is certainly changed, but not in how they or we expect.

Another video, I guess I watched a lot today, is about the meaning of auto makers and their cars. I honestly don't remember many of them. Some of them were unique in their meaning or origin, many were simply the founder's name or a factory name.

I read a post about 10 more theories of why the dinosaurs went extinct. It could have been anything from mushrooms to thinning egg shells. Interesting stuff but it still all seemed to start with the meteorite that landed 28 million + years ago.

A cinema analyst has predicted that Star Wars Episode VII will be a very successful and high grossing movie, possibly breaking records. This would put it on par with movies like Titanic and Avatar (both James Cameron films) that made over $1 and $2 billion respectively.

Scientist have figured out how the Egyptians moved the giant stones that made up the pyramid. It was wet sand. It turns out that getting sand just wet enough allows you to slide things across it with half the energy it would usually take. So there you have it, so much for the alien theory and Stargate.

Apple is ridiculously rich. It could buy (I'm trying to remember most of these) Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora and a few others and still have $54 BILLION left over. Wow.

There was a lot from today, please look into these things and learn from them, or at least correct me. :)

Tuesday29: Star Wars Movie, Copy Machine and Brain Computers

Let's get the exciting news out of the way. You've probably already hear (nearly every company I follow seems to have posted about it at some point) but J.J. Abrams and Disney have announced the official cast of the new Star Wars movie. The movie will take place 30 years after Episode VI and will feature many of the original cast like; Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2. I'm not very familiar with the cast they've chosen but it looks promising. The only name that I can still remember is Andy Serkis aka Gollum of LOTR. That alone has me excited for the possibilities and although he's become known as a CGI an facial expert (like his role as Gollum or Caesar in Planet of the Apes) he makes a great live-action actor as well.

I watched a funny parody-type video that was made from actual Ohio court documents. It goes through a trial hearing that escalates over the definition of a photocopier. It's funny because of how ludicrous it is. Another reason to not study law I guess, too many technicalities.

Scientists have developed a computer chip modeled after the human brain. That alone sounds like science fiction and is kind of awesome. The even more incredible fact is that it can operate (I think these were the numbers, remember I try and pull all of this from memory) at 9,000 times the processing power of current computers. It also uses only needs 20% of the Watts of common computers to function. This could be the first step into a very interesting future.

Microsoft has a fun development on the keyboard. Using infrared scanners and some predictive algorithms they've found a way to eliminate the use of a mouse while using a keyboard. You don't have to take your hands off of home row to zoom, scroll and change pages. It looks like you are operating an iPad but hovering slightly above the keyboard. It actually appears very intuitive and I look forward to the next step in a 70 year+ old user interface for typing.

I learned today that Tesla sells swag, so that's cool. Get a t shirt, bottle or bag with Tesla branding. They even have baby clothing. Honestly it just makes me want to get a car even more.

The new Godzilla trailer reveals some new developments... apparently Godzilla fights another monster, a monster that appears to be Mothera.

And finally fan made videos are awesome and CG effects for the masses have only brought about more coolness to enjoy. See Star Wars vs. Harry Potter which I believe is a just portrayal of the outcome. Look it up.

Monday28: Killer Bugs, Nerds, and Government Suing

Bill Gates, also known as the richest man on earth is also one of the most charitable and "philanthropic" people on the earth as well. He has donated millions (probably billions) of dollars to charity including the foundation he created. His recent efforts have been centered around curing diseases and improving life for 3rd world countries.

He recently tweeted an infographic the most deadly animals on the planet. It charts deaths per year by animals such as the shark (10 deaths), hippopotamus (something like 500!) and more. Humans of course are one of the largest killers of people. But the most deadly animal by far is the mosquito. I think the number was somewhere around 600,000 people die a year due to diseases carried by the mosquito. It's a huge problem and one that Bill Gates has decided to tackle head one. I believe he has what it takes (and not just financially but his ambition and knowledge) to solve it.

Tesla is suing the government. It's nice to be reminded once in a while of a few of the principles of democracy and freedom - such as the right and ability of citizens and corporations to sue their government. Tesla claims that the government unfairly awarded a non-compete contract with a space launch and satellite company - which comes directly in line with Tesla's goals to help NASA in the future. Elon Musk is a fiery guy and he won't back down the face of a battle, especially when he knows he's right. More power to him, I think he deserves the win and the government needs to be put back in it's place.

Happy news, it turn out Utah is the nerdiest state of the country. I feel very proud to be a small part of that, and admittedly I'm a little surprised, I knew we were nerdy, but number 1? That's awesome! A recent chart breaks down about 10 different factors that go into a states nerdiness. It was made by the same people who rated who likely a state was to survive a zombie apocalypse (Utah was raked #5 I believe). The chart also has a map of all the nerdy states and as a warning to all my fellow nerds - the south is to be avoided, it is a nerd wasteland. I highly recommend looking up the chart and seeing all the factors that went into it like Magic the Gathering players, comic book sales, DnD players and so forth. Nerds unite!

Other videos and news: An unpickable bike lock - a little complicated but a fun engineering feat. I don't remember the guys name but he release another video of his mind boggling body. Yep, he's a body builder but not your normal body builder, he's a master of calisthenics and it is awesome to see him practically walk through the air using just his arms.

Happy Monday and good luck for the week ahead.

Friday25: Rockets, Star Wars and Nike

I've talked about SpaceX and their launch of a reusable rocket but I just wanted to confirm the news that they were successful. Despite only predicting a 30% success rate, they were able to deploy the "feet" of the rocket that let it have a soft touchdown in the ocean. This could open up a way to much cheaper space travel and even trips to Mars...

I've been watching Star Wars: Clone Wars and I must say that for a "children's" cartoon, it is quite epic, and often times dark. That being said I read some article about Star Wars today, including a video talking about the Expanded Universe of Star Wars.

This video tell about the many, many pieces of literature and media that have been created around the Star Wars Universe. There is a catalog of all these events, characters and story-lines. Now that Disney controls the franchise they will begin condensing and creating the official canon of all things Star Wars for the shows and other things to come.

I also read a post about some unknown facts about the lightsaber, I'll spare you the nerdy details but basically it's awesome.

Nike recently released an ad for the world cup. It's 4 minutes long but every second of it is gold. It shows a group of kids taking on the roles of some of the biggest names in soccer and playing an intense game. The world cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. If you've never watched it before I highly recommend giving it a try.

There was a humorous anti-bullying video that casts light on a funny reality; The nerds of today are the bosses of tomorrow, so be careful who you bully.

There was a touching video of a older man finding out that he was going to be a grandpa. It has of course gone viral like many of these videos do but it is rather touching. The article attached to the video also discussed why we feel emotional about our offspring and posterity. Evolution has built us to reproduce and our genes are really the only lasting thing that we can pass on. That may sound like a very scientific or emotionless way of viewing it but I belief it's rather profound. Our posterity is our ultimate legacy to the universe.

Thursday24: Disease, Parkour and Movie Changes

In the Middle East there is a celebration which brings many people together for religious reasons. If that isn't a vague statement, I don't know what it is. The point of that statement is to frame some health news. There has been a recent outbreak of the MERS virus. The MERS virus begins with cold-like symptoms that can escalate to death. It is similar to the SARS virus but less contagious, however, more deadly. With the religious gathering coming, scientists are worried that the disease will spread further-already over 200 people have been infected.

I think the idea of a virus destroying the world is not a new one but this certainly makes you pause and think. I don't believe MERS will be a scourge upon humanity but it's interesting to think about how easily it could be to start a pandemic...

Angry Nerd from Wired magazine claims that parkour (aka free running) should become its own movie genre. I hadn't considered this, or it's feasibility but he made a good point. Martial arts become its own genre of film, one that's expanded and grown greatly over the years and produced some amazing films. The movie, District 13 is a great example of a parkour film and even though the plot is a "vehicle to show off parkour" it's still not half bad.

I read an interesting that highlighted original versions of movies before they came to the big screen. For example, Star Wars was going to be more Lawrence of Arabia style, or in other words kind of like Avatar. (Train the locals, in this case wookies, to fight back against the Empire). The Truman show as originally going to be more of a sci-fi thriller than the humorous drama it is. Ghostbusters were originally going to be called ghostsmashers and be much more serious.

The post made me reflect on the creative process and how much things change. The original ideas of these films could still be equal good and may deserve exploring. I guess will have to check it out in a parallel universe.

Wednesday23: Burning Houses, World Cup, and Footprints

I read a relatively long post on Medium today that has stuck with me. It written by a man who started a painting business with his close friend. They were able to land a large deal to paint an expensive mansion in California. The man's friend had all the responsibility for the business including ownership and liabilities. During the course of the project the house's garage caught fire and was destroyed. It spread and became a wildfire that burned 45 acres of land. All of this happened because the man made some foolish mistakes during the project in how he stored the paint etc.

The point of this story is that from the moment he found out about the event and many months after he pondered how someone could forgive their best friend for ruining their future. In the end his friend was able to forgive him, in fact he didn't even need to. When you don't cast blame, you don't need to forgive.

The World Cup is coming in June and there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the politics and allocation of funds for new stadiums in Brasil. I browsed through a post that showed the 12 stadiums in their current stage of completion. For the most part their finished and ready to go - and beautiful. There are a few that are rushing to get chairs and other completions in before test events in May.

Gizmodo (or io9, their similar sources) posted an article with 10 interesting sites that will calculate all kinds of obscure values for you. For example, you can play with the numbers in the equation (I forget the name) that predicts the probability of intelligent alien life in the universe. You can also calculate how many Earth's it would take to support your lifestyle. It's interesting stuff to think about, it's also fun to play with data.

Apparently there's a company in Idaho (Boise) that lets you pay to smash things. In all honesty, I would pay to be able to smash a computer or something else fun with a bat. It could be a great stress reliever.

Tuesday22: Of Writing, Boom Canons, and Bad

Since I am both interested in science fiction as a subject and working towards writing science fiction I read about both the subject and the art of writing.

A humorous post today detailed things sci-fi publishers are tired of seeing in new books. Some of these things include; vampires, fairy tale retellings, controversial events/topics (rape, incest, etc.) time travel, mermaids, zombies, puns and many more. So if you're writing avoid these, and if you're reading, your're probably tired of seeing or hearing about these things already.

Eastern Europe and Russia seems to be more extreme in their fun and craziness. Recent case is a video from somewhere in that region in the world of a couple of young adults making a canon out of a garbage can. The results are awesome, look up the video.

I watched a funny video by College Humor that had a group of friends that were trying to decide on what to do and were having a very difficult time because everything was "bad". That is, every activity that wanted to try was somehow tied to a corporation, practice, product or image that hurt the environment, oppressed the weak or was somehow wrong. It shows some of the irony and silliness in many modern environmental movements - especially the "hipster" culture. That's not saying environmental movement aren't a good and necessary thing, we just need to be careful how far we take it - like anything in the world.

An economist talked about how the internet, in ways, undermined some of the founding principles of capitalism. He suggests that because everything became accessible and free, there were no products of value, that goes against the value trade and creation at the heart of social media.

Monday21: Robots, Cement, Sci-Fi Instruments, and SpaceX

It's been over a week since my last post but since neither of us are here for excuses, we'll jump right in.

A group of students (and professor) have developed a new compound of cement that if used, would last over 100 years before it needed replacing. Not only that, it's flexible (actually bendable) and completely water repellent. Pretty cool stuff.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the popular video games Myst and Doom. I never played Doom but I do understand it's impact on the FPS world of video games. Myst, was fantastic. I loved watching my parents play it as a child and I love the upgraded version as a teen. It was fun to reflect on these games and that it's been 20 years!

There was a fun post today that showcased 3 instruments used to make some of the most recognizable sounds of sci-fi. One of the instruments is used by holding your hands in the air, I believe it was called a Thorimum? Anyway the sounds from this instrument and others are found in movies like the Matrix, Star Wars, Star Trek and many others. The origin of many sound effects and music can be very interesting.

The news that I am personally excited for is the recent Space X launch. Space X is a company owned by Elon Musk (see modern-day Tony Stark) that is the first private organization to send a rocket to space. They recently sent a payload to the ISS but what was different about this launch was that it used a new kind of ignition rocket, one that can be reused. There is a video of a drone filming a test launch and it's quite spectacular to see it boost up and then slowly lower itself down again. It's awesome to see space travel and exploration get more and more attention.

At the Detroit auto show Honda showed off their 14 year old project, not a car, but a robot. I can't remember the name of the robot, but you would recognize it if you saw it. Through the years it's form has stayed relatively the same but it's become more and more versatile and flexible. It kicked a soccer ball, danced on one foot and poured a glass of water. Our robot overlords may be closer than we think.

Occulus Rift will make terrifying horror games, there's a funny video to prove it.
Astronauts have all been using the same watch since the 70s and it's beautiful.

Here's to a week full of mysteries, fun and internet randomness!

Tuesday8: The future of the future, clockworks and monopoly

I enjoy science fiction, more and more as I read and study it. I also enjoy "predictions" of the future. There was a post today that tickled the nerd, techie, and thinker in me. I can't remember the site (or even the name of the article, I may have to break my rule and go find it to put a link in) but it outlines a very in-depth study done on the future of various sectors. Everything from health to energy to neuroscience and more. It uses a wonderfully put together graphic that shows things we can expect in the next 3 years, 15 and 30 (rough numbers). Things like, self healing materials, technology aided telepathy, nano machines building themselves and much, MUCH more. It's awesome and highly thought provoking.

I watched a mesmerizing video about an Swiss watch making company putting together one of their watches. It was elegant, beautiful and very interesting all at the same time. I can't image being of the assemblers (the clocks are handmade) and the steady hands they require.

Comcast has been in the news recently for it's proposed acquisition/buyout of Time Warner Cable. This would create a massive company that would control the majority of all internet subscriptions. They are the two largest providers of internet in the country. The funny part, is that in Comcast's brief about the merger, they claim that it wouldn't create a monopoly, that there's enough competition from "international companies" to justify it. While it's true they don't really compare to ATT or Google, if the merger took place it would lock in millions of customers who are already faced with limited options for an internet service provider. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

There's a lot more commentary that can be made on the 1st and 3rd topics today but I'm going to hold back for now.

Map equivalent of Texas's area basically shows how huge Texas is. This is doing nothing for the Texan ego.
For those of you following the Star Wars Tournament bracket (I know, it's a big deal) Obi-Wan-Kenobi is the champion, ending the tournament in a close battle with Darth Vader.

Enjoy your Tuesday (what's left of it) and think about the hump that is tomorrow.



future post, texas, clock, comcast

Monday7: Stocks, Dark Matter and Godzilla

I'll get the less exciting things out of the way. The stock market has apparently, been dropping and/or going wild. Some analysts are comparing graphs of today's situation with other "bubbles" that burst in the financial world. Admittedly it all goes over my head and admittedly I don't care.

Scientists have recently discovered an anomaly at the center of the galaxy that appears to be the first sighting or physical evidence of the theorized dark matter. The center of the galaxy is an extremely happening place. Scientist found a burst of gamma radiation coming from the center after "subtracting" or normalizing regular gamma radiation that can be accounted for by stars, etc. It's not definite as there are possibilities that it could be something else. Either way, it's exciting news.

There's a new Godzilla trailer that came out today. It's over two minutes long and gives us a better glimpse into our characters and the "birth" or "discovery" of Godzilla. I saw lots of radiation signs so that could be fun. The movie will be epic and from the looks of it, humanity does not stand a chance against the lizard from Japan.

A billionaire is selling his mansion somewhere in Utah (it looks like Park City) there are some pretty crazy photos of everything this mansion has to offer including; couch in the bathroom, kitchen and living room that are part of the master suite, 5 bedrooms, full theater room that comes stocked with popcorn and goodies. In short, awesome, it's selling for something around 14 million. Don't forget about me if you buy it.

Today is world health day. Every year the WHO has a theme for world health day. This year's focus is on a particular kind of virus (name escapes me). Basically, mosquitoes are bad, look out and get rid of standing water.

There is a powerful car ad that you will probably see circle around. The message, in short, is don't text and drive. The consequences are deadly.

I caught up on a video posted by the Vlog brothers on YouTube. He got together with some animators (from another fantastic channel whose name is in German so I can't tell you what it is) and put together a video criticing our current prison system. The united states houses 25% of the world's prisoners. We hold more prisoners per person that South Korea and Russia! Yikes! It's serious problem, I recommend looking up the video if you're interested.

We've got another week ahead of us, keep your mind sharp and your brain active.

Friday4: WWII, Aliens and Brainwashing

The end of the week is upon us, and so are the countless, mindless posts of the interweb.

One of the most thought provoking posts I read (here at the end of the day) was about 10 alternate scenarios to WWII. They weren't meant as sci-fi predictions are alternate history fictions, but they certainly could be taken to that extreme. The author briefly outlines events that if they had turned out differently, could have altered the course of the war. Such events like; Germany invading Great Britain. Germany succeeding in taking Moscow, Nazis developing an atomic bomb, Hitlers assassination becoming a success and so forth. Very fascinating article, and I even learned a little about real history.

In a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Clinton said that when he first got into the office he had his aids look into everything about aliens. Specifically, he looked into area 51. When asked if he would tell us (the viewers) if there were aliens there he said he would. There apparently isn't. He made an interesting observation as well; he hopes for an alien invasion. He says that an alien invasion may actually unite humanity. Unity is certainly something we could use right now, and I believe he's right, improbable, but right.

An ad agency (after hearing about a middle school kids idea to save money by switching fonts, see TGIF) created a font that truly does save ink. The name of the agency, which the font is named after, escapes me. But they have a cool little video that accompanies it. The font is legible and pretty cool looking, it uses a series of small lines to make up letters. It may catch on, it probably won't but there's always hope.

Maps are wildly popular these days and I saw one that showed the major international exports of each state. Utah's was gold, which I found interesting. Many, many states were airplanes, which I also thought was a little strange.

Brainwashing is real, and possible, but impossible to test due to humanitarian constraints. (thank goodness) But I did learn that the term "Stockholm Syndrome" originated form an actual incident (not a scientist like I had originally thought) in Sweden. There was a bank robbery that led to a hostage situation that lasted for 6 days. When the police came to rescue everyone the captors fought back and defended the criminals. After everything was done some of the captors even set up a fund to help pay for the robbers legal defense.

You learn something new every day. Every moment can be a learning opportunity. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday2: Government Biotech, Microsoft and English

It's hump day. Really, there's nothing unique about Wednesdays other that the way it's spelled and our infatuation with its camel association (see Geico). I digress.

DARPA, which stands for something about defense and other cool things, is a branch of the defense department dedicated to research into new technologies. (It does more than that I'm sure) The article I read talked about some of the projects its working on which include highly intelligent prosthetic limbs controlled with your mind. They are also researching artificial intelligence. The article claims that if anyone is going to develop progressive AI (an AI that can improve itself) it will be them. They also discussed the possibilities of genetic manipulation to create elite human soldiers that are organisms, but not truly human. If that didn't send chills up your spine then you need to go see a chiropractor.

Microsoft announced some updates to it's operating system "Windows 8." Basically people were lost without the start menu and they had to bring it back. It's probably a smart move but in my opinion people need to get over it. They also announced further developments of their voice assistance "Cortana." This is of course, a reference to the AI in the Xbox game Halo. It is apparently very proficient and functions on par with Siri and Google Now with some added bonus features.

Amazon also had an announcement of it's own. They now offer a $99 streaming box. Basically a Roku but from Amazon and a few additional features. Could be good, look it up if you want to learn more.

I saw a funny video that anyone can appreciate but bi-lingual people may appreciate more, especially ESL learners. It ran through, in a Dr. Suess style, some of the blaring idiosyncrasies of the English language. Like how "brought" rhymes with "lot" and "drought" rhymes with "doubt." Think about that for a minute....

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is looking more and more interesting.
In N Out, Forever 21 and many others are actually very religious companies. (in addition to the often publicized Hobby Lobby and Chik-fil-a).
NASA broke up with Russia.
The most popular job in Utah (and Idaho) is Forestry Technician. - It's odd, but just as odd as CA being farmers.

That's it for today. I've read and watched a lot more but that's all that's coming or worth mentioning. What did you see today?

Tuesday1: Fools, Lightsabers and Exploding Air Conditioners

It's a snowy day here in paradise valley but it's brought out my nerd, which doesn't take much.

I watched a fun featurette that has recently been posted online detailing the life and times of the Star Wars lightsaber. I love star wars, so this was great stuff to watch. Most people may find it passingly interesting or simply not care. The evolution of the lightsaber is in part, the evolution of special effects. It starts with a vision and an idea, as you try to implement it you come across hurtles and often by accident you find solutions. Your finished product is much more refined than what you began with and the process is as beneficial as the product.

It is, of course, April Fool's day as well. I've read several articles about various tricks that have been played today and in the past. A particularly clever trick that has been unearthed from the past came from a 1957 BBC documentary. The narrator, in all his glorious British enunciation tells us about the recent spaghetti crop, that was very fruitful that year. Spaghetti farming, in case you were wondering, is a long-held family tradition in part of Italy and Sweden where spaghetti noodles are hand picked for freshness.

Other articles discussed how silly or stupid April fools is and another one discussed why so many tech companies get involved with it. Some examples include Honda's DIY car assembly. Yep, 180,000 parts to assemble in your home. Google had over a dozen different pranks. A beer company crafted a new draft made with helium and so forth. I hope your April 1st was enjoyable and fun either way.

Another article that was more mildly related to my work (home security and automation products) came from a discussion about a new YouTube video for the channel "Rated RR", a channel famous for it's propensity to blow up nearly anything- and in high-definition, heart-stopping, slow-motion! They basically demonstrated the ability to hack into everyday household items like a thermostat, video camera etc. While it was interesting the idea of hacking into someone's electronic systems I don't think anyone will be loading their thermostats with C4 like these fellows did. Regardless, explosions are fun.

In other news, Apple is suing Samsung, again. More patent problems, it's billions of dollars worth of stuff, could be fun, or not.
Stephen Colbert almost lost "The Colber Report" but not really.
Russia's economy is on the downhill turn.
Some movies don't need special effects to be awesome. (see Christopher Nolan)
And finally, putting yourself in cryogenic sleep isn't the best idea. It sounds really cool, but don't count on coming back from it.

Happy Spring, Merry April.

Monday31: Genetics, Habits and Time

Today brought some interesting articles, ones that were more thought provoking than normal.

I watched two videos that were a collaboration of the YouTube channels ASAP science and V Sauce 3. Both videos discussed the possibilities and current science of genetic manipulation. VSacue's video focused on if it is possible to genetically modify our current bodies to become stronger, smarter, faster, etc. The short answer is no. Genes, and the traits they determine are very complex and engineering them is very difficult. However, I believe that we may see a day when genetic manipulation becomes real and regular.

The other video focused on engineering genes in our children, choosing specific traits and qualities to breed a more intelligent human. Again, interesting thoughts that sound like science fiction. But if history has taught us anything (and continues to teach us) it's that science fiction often become science reality.

Another brief article I saw that had some interesting charts and graphics to go along with it was about the daily habits of highly creative people of the last several centuries. There were very well-designed graphs of Mozart's daily patterns, including baths, walks, composing and a lot of breaks for food. It also had other famous writers and composers.

I think our fascination with history's powerful figures is very interesting. I think there may be some benefit from studying their habits but at the same time, from what I saw, there was no pattern to their days across the board. One of the famous writers (I can't remember his name) spent only 2 hours a day actually writing while another spent over 11! Instead of focusing on what others have done to achieve greatness maybe we should look inside and around ourselves to discover what it is that will make us individually great.

The last thing I will bring up came from a website that I discovered today (via an article) called Clearer Thinking. This website has some interesting tools and training on how to improve many aspects of your life. The article I read featured a tool that they have created that lets you calculate how much your time is really worth to you. It asks questions about how much you make, if you would change jobs, how long you'd be willing to wait in line for a gift card and so on. It's quite interesting and while it's certainly not completely accurate (time and money are very subjective matters in my subjective opinion) it is rather insightful. It also gives several recommendations on how you can use your time or change your habits. It turns out, an hour of my free time is worth about $14.83. I'm not sure how I feel about that but at least I make more than minimum wage in my own mind's time.

TGIF: Virtual Reality, Typography and Reviews

Look a picture! I'll try add an something unique to each day.

Friday has arrived, finally. I'll try my best not to make excuses for not remembering things because it's now officially the weekend, but still, it is the weekend.

An article that caught my attention today about a clever discovery made by a middle school boy. Apparently he was looking for ways to save his school money (presumably for an assignment) and discovered that by changing the typeface, or font the school used in it's printed materials it could save 20%. He figured the same idea could be applied to the government. It turns out that the government uses Times New Roman font for it's THOUSANDS of publications that get printed EVERY DAY. By switching to a simpler font with thinner lines (the name of the font he suggest escapes me... maybe Garamount or something?) the government (including states) could save 400 million dollars! And that's just on the ink! You might need less paper as well. Why hasn't anyone thought of this before? Why are we changing this immediately? The world may never know, but at least we hope it can act on it.

I read a couple of reviews for the new movie "Noah" coming out this weekend (I think). I am very interested in seeing this movie and the critics seem to be confirming my interest. From the two articles I've read I've gathered that the movie is very liberal in applying the biblical tale of Noah. Yes, there's an ark, a family, lots of animals and a flood but much of the filler is very different, and apparently very unique. It was said that the effects combined with the filming style, story and unique approach to the characters makes the movie much deeper than anticipated. I won't go into much more detail. Even though this blog is intended to catalog my daily internet musings I may have to find time to add a few more comments on the movie once I see it.

I watched a Verge video on virtually reality. In case you hadn't heard, Facebook bought Oculus Rift, one of the most talked about and promising prospects for real virtual reality. The video seemed to be less enthusiastic about the experience of virtual reality - specifically from Rift. This is different from many articles I have read that have praised and adored everything about Oculus. Either way, the future will certainly hold some interesting surprises for virtually reality, and most of them won't be for gaming.

I also wanted to briefly mention some posts both today and tomorrow that going on at Gizmodo talking about the Singularity. Specifically the organization called Singularity University who's mission is to be at the forefront of new technology and development and prepare humanity for what's ahead. It's all very interesting stuff. I won't explain the Singularity because i technically didn't read an article about it today and for now, that's the rules I'm setting. Please look it up and tell me what you think.

A lesson I've always known all along but I'm rediscovering even as I write only the second post is that articles and posts from places like BuzzFeed, ViralNova, UpWorthy and even Business Insider are essentially, worthless. Surprise! But I also must admit they are often entertaining and the humor frequently rings true. They are still, nonetheless, of no real value to the intellect.

Thursday; A rainy day and other things

One of the first things that comes to mind today were the reports of President Barak Obama meeting with the Catholic Pope. I overheard on the radio that such encounters are usually politically motivated, which is interesting. Shouldn't the most powerful man of the free world want to meet with one of the most charitable, influential and examplared spiritual leaders for reasons other than politics? How about some spiritual guidance? Even just shooting the breeze with the Pope sounds like an awesome opportunity.

Big news in the tech world as Microsoft's newest CEO [insert his somewhat hard to remember name here] announces some changes and developments for the company. The big announcement was that office products (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) are now available as apps for the iPad. Hurrah! I don't own an iPad so it doesn't directly effect me but from the screenshots I've seen all the apps look and function wonderfully. This also signifies a different direction for Microsoft by focusing on providing software products regardless of whether you use a Microsoft platform or piece of hardware.

An interesting article from Business Insider discussed why consumers aren't ready for wearable tech. Without going into too much detail it essentially boils down to a few points. Too expensive, not trendy/fashionable, socially odd, and wearing something on your body is much more "intimate" and committed than carrying a phone on your pocket. It's going to take some getting used to.

That's it for today, I tried wracking my brain for more but alas, the internet robs my memory of the precious moments I shared with it today. Until tomorrow evening.

Introducing: A Daily Summation

Hello there, my name is Gary Arnold. I am a social media manager, and business development strategist for a security alarm company. Have I bored you with that title? No? Well, let's move on. I'm starting this blog for several reasons, one of them is you.

One, for my job I write blog posts and brochure copy, but I'm not a copywriter. The last English class I took was five years ago - also, I hated English classes in High School.
I've found myself enjoying more and more the writing process. It's kind of exciting to see your words get printed in a brochure or get shared across the web. So in an effort to practice and hone my writing skills, I will write more.

Two, I am highly interested in new technology and business ideas. That being said I am happy to at any moment ditch all electronic devices and go on a week long camping trip if it's offered. I don't consider myself attached to my tech (I don't even have much to begin with), I don't much care for celebrity gossip (at all), and I'm sick and tired of Facebook. But, I still love to read dozens of articles a day, keeping up on trends and ideas that interest me and I want to share what I find and continually learn. Which leads me to my third point.

I read roughly 30-60 articles a day. Really that's an arbitrary estimate but still, a lot. But I find myself at the end of the day not remembering hardly anything of what I've read. Now, to the internet's credit, most of what I ready and/or watch probably isn't worth remembering. But some of it really is. There are some incredible, inspiring and beautiful things to be seen, heard and read on the internet - and I want to remember and apply more of it. So, in an effort to better remember what I read and see while hopefully becoming more insightful and creative, I will blog about my daily internet wanderings.

My goal with this new blog is to "summize" at the end of each work day, everything that I can remember from what I've read during the day. My memory certainly isn't perfect, nor is my grammar, spelling, or really anything else about me. But in an effort to improve memory and really "get more" out of the world wide web, I will be blogging (hopefully every evening) some of the highlights of what I remember reading and discovering throughout the day and probably adding some commentary as well.

I hope that you will benefit from my summations. That, maybe you'll find me funny, or smart, or helpful, or insightful. Whatever it is I hope that you can gain a little from a summized day from your friend Gary.

Disclaimer: For now, I don't plan on adding links to what I say. My goal is to not ever look back and search for the articles I've read in an attempt to remember it. It's all from pure memory. If you want to read more about what I mentioned, google it. If I don't remember a key part of an article that I'm summizing then I will try my best to substitute it. For the most part I read articles based around business, tech and tech companies, sci-fi, fantasy, marketing, social media, random fun, worthless buzzfeed, and other random social articles I come across. I will post a list of the YouTube channels I subscribe to and a list of my website "rounds" - the sites I visit several times a day, in a later post.

That's it. I'd love to hear what you think and I'm very open to suggestion on where to search, read and discover new and interesting things on the internet.