The TurboNerd

What do you do with a Numbered, Limited Edition Titanium Star Trek Spork?

Why, you save the Earth, of course:



***Update: Thanks JoMadge for pointing out that I missed the "titanium" part. Fixed above.

Ok folks in spite of my distaste for all things LOLCATZ, I finally broke down and not only signed up on ICanHasCheezburgr.com, but I also created not one, not two, but three pictures. I guess McCain's Veep choice, Sarah Palin, inspired me. Hey she is just a few months younger then me. Plus she looks like an old college girlfriend of mine.


moar funny pictures


moar funny pictures


moar funny pictures

So, theturbonerd, your LiveJournal reveals...

You are... 0% unique and 14% herdlike (partly because you, like everyone else, enjoy singing). When it comes to friends you are normal. In terms of the way you relate to people, you are keen to please. Your writing style (based on a recent public entry) is intellectual.

Your overall weirdness is: 17

(The average level of weirdness is: 27.
You are weirder than 34% of other LJers.)

Find out what your weirdness level is!

Not bad:


Created by OnePlusYou

Another hit for Blizzard?

This is a very interesting video from the last TED conference on the nature of Memes (copyable information) and "Temes" (copyable technology):

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/269

If you haven't watched any of the TED (Technology Entertainment Design) Conference videos before you are missing out. They bring in some of the smartest and most interesting people on the planet in to talk about what excites them. Highly recommended.

This makes perfect sense:

I went to see SPEED RACER today in spite of the 35% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

My review:

You should go see SPEED RACER. The critics panning it are idiots who have apparently had their "child-like wonder" glands surgically removed.

I think I know why some people think it is merely a bit of flashy fluff sans story. This is an old school Good Guys versus Bad Guys movie updated with bleeding edge special effects. This is the movie you would have dreamed up when you were 9 years old after spending a Saturday morning munching on Sugar Pops while watching Speed Racer and Johnny Quest.

The reason the critics don't get it is that the world of Speed Racer is a child's world: eye popping colors, insane visual effects, and cars, cars, cars. The effects editing is brilliant and is absolutely integral to telling the story throughout(Must. Resist. Giving. Spoilers.)

More importantly this is the story about...(wait for it)...Family Values. It is the story of what it means to be a family and what it means to follow your dream for the right reasons.

I know I'm going to get barbecued for this, but SPEED RACER has a far more complex plot and more pathos than IRON MAN. Don't get me wrong, IRON MAN rocked HARD. IRON MAN had better acting, but SPEED RACER has a better story.

SPEED RACER is the shiny two-fisted fusion powered world of the future that you dreamed of as a kid. Watching it makes you feel like you are a kid again.

If you remember the least bit of what it was like to be a 9 year old sketching out race cars in the margins of your school book during class, then you will like SPEED RACER.

Go Speed Racer Go.

I am in the midst of writing a story and I have an unrelated idea that keeps pushing its way into my head and distracting me. So I thought I would throw it out to my friends to see if I can get it put back in a manageable Plot Bunny box. I think the idea is compelling, but I can't figure out how to turn this into a story. That is why it keeps intruding on my brain while I work on another story. So here it is. I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas:

( Click 'friend' and enter... )

I usually wander over to the FuMP (Funny Music Project) when filkertom  says he has released a new song. What did give us today? Pure gold:




So get ye hence and listen!

Cory Doctorow posted the blurb I sent in:

Tim sez, "Last year International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day was created by author Jo Walton in response to remarks by Howard V. Hendricks opposing 'the increasing presence in our organization [the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America] of webscabs, who post their creations on the net for free'. Today is the first anniversary of International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day and the celebration continues. Authors and artists, including notable singer/songwriter Tom Smith, are again celebrating by releasing some of their works into the wilds. One place you can find them is at a LiveJournal community set up for this new holiday." Link (Thanks, Tim!)

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed!

UPDATE:  BAH! This should have gone to the IPSTP community!

Bill Clinton sings about being back in the White House.

Enjoy.

It is stories like this that convince me that the Mainstream Media are a BIG part of the problems we have today.

Of all the things they could be spending time reporting on, this is not something that helps. Fluff and nonsense. All this proves is something we already know: that if you go back far enough, everyone is related to everyone else.

Duh.

Hmm, apparently it is bad PR to kill the funding for two wildly successful and popular NASA rovers. They still have to cut $4M from the program, but they aren't going to shut down one of the rovers after all.

They will be switching to an "every other day" schedule. That is entirely appropriate given the age of the rovers. One or both is likely to fail in the next couple of years anyway (they were originally designed to last only 90 days!). So, lighten their schedule to keep the accounting types happy and then  run them until they die.

Of course the irony is that by lightening the schedule, they are likely extending the life of each rover and thus INCREASING the total budget cost of the mission.

I love it when a plan comes together.

I wish I could say that I am shocked by this, but I grew up in a church that believes exactly what these guys are teaching to these kids.




Major cudos to the museum director for letting these guys conduct their creationist children's tours of that natural history museum. I love his reason:

"Presenting diametrically opposed opinions is a pretty American thing to do. Regardless of what the tour guide is saying, some of those kids are going to start thinking for themselves."

I was one of those kids. For me it wasn't a natural history museum that changed my views. It was public and college libraries where I was able to sort the truth out for myself.

I have a great respect for faith, but I have a greater respect for science. I hope these kids get the same chance I had to discover the wonders that science explores and explains.

This is crazy. The Spirit and Opportunity Mars Rovers are still active and continue to provide massive amounts of scientific data about Mars. I don't think NASA management can make a diminishing returns argument, since even some of the rovers' problems have revealed intriguing data about Mars

Time to write my congresscritter.

Given the recent passing of Sir Arthur C. Clarke, I thought it would be appropriate to recap the life of an extraordinary human being by looking at some of his more memorable quotes. I have taken all of the ones below from Wikiquotes.

I found while reviewing them that one speaks most clearly to me and is appropriate for the day of his passing:

We should be less concerned about adding years to life, and more about adding life to years. I have been very fortunate to have witnessed some of humanity's greatest achievements during the 20th century that is nearing its end. Yet we must admit that it has also been the most savage century in the history of our kind. If I can have one more wish, I want to see lasting and meaningful peace achieved in Sri Lanka as early as possible. But I am aware that peace cannot just be wished; it involves hard work, courage and persistence. As we welcome 2001, let us harness our collective energies to create a culture of peace and a land of prosperity.

Sir Arthur, you will be missed.

Well, a letter I wrote made Andrew Sullivan's blog today. Mr. Sullivan is a columnist for "The Atlantic" and a nationally known professional political blogger, I read his stuff most days, so I a little psyched that he posted my letter about the current biofuel debate.

You can read it here. Let me know what you think.

This one is for balthrop:

Prior to the Texas/Ohio primaries, Obama was really good at deflecting negative attacks using simple verbal judo. But Clinton's "kitchen sink" attacks seem to be drowning out his responses and blunting his momentum. It is apparent that this is giving Clinton "press momentum". They now feel comfortable parroting her lines as questions, but repeatedly ignore his responses.  Obama needs to turn this attack against his attackers while also maintaining his integrity.  Obama needs a lever to win the Press back.

So what one line could cleanly deflect the titanic mud storm that both Clinton and to a lesser extent McCain are throwing at Obama?  He needs something funny, obvious, and a bit self deprecating. Something that displays his wit while simultaneously reinforcing his core campaign tenets. He needs a line that would make those who attack him with negatives seem petty and mean spirited.

Is there a line that would instantly make most reporters feel like fools for helping propagate the politics of triangulation, deception, and fear? Is there a line that could shut the attackers up, if even for a minute?

How about this:

"They can throw all the mud at me they want. I'm already black."

Sometimes the perfect line just hits you.  This one hit me a few minutes ago. What do you think?