These Rocks … rock. (yeah, I went there)
Known today as Ringing Rocks Park, the rock field occupies 7 acres of an otherwise wooded area, and is over 10 feet deep with boulders. Only about a third of the rocks ring, and for a long time why the rocks rang at all was unclear. However, in 1965 a group of scientists crushed, broke, and sliced the rocks. After performing numerous tests, they found that while all the rocks do in fact ring, they often do so at tones lower than the human ear can perceive. Interactions between these low tones create any audible sounds. However, the exact mechanism Read more…
On artificial life
A 1997 conference was organized in Casablanca by The Islamic Fiqh Council. A consensus was reached “that cloning does not bring into question any Islamic belief in any way. Allah is the Creator of the universe but He has established the system of cause-and-effect in this world. Sowing a seed in the ground is the cause but only Allah produces the effect from it in the form of a plant. Similarly cloning is a cause and only through Allah’s Will it can produce the effect. Just as the person sowing the seed is not the creator of the resulting plant, Read more…
The joy of stop motion
Apparently this took 61,000 photos, 9,600 prints, and then another 1,800 photos. I think it was worth it.
The iPad
My parents, Mary, and grandparents went in on an iPad for me! One was on order from Apple, but we went to the Tacoma Mall this morning and got in line early for the grand opening of the Tacoma Apple Store. We were able to snag one (and will be canceling the online order shortly). I’m pretty smitten. I know what I said earlier: I wouldn’t want an iPad unless it could replace a laptop, but already I can tell it’s pretty close. I use my laptop for many things, and this would fill the gap on most of them. Read more…
Women in Movies
I think this video raises a good point: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF6sAAMb4s?wmode=transparent] If you’re not in a place to watch it, it’s a test for movies about whether there is a “female presence.” Not that it’s feminist, or even portrays women well. Just as to whether it even portrays women at all. The test: 1) Does it have two or more women in it (with names). 2) Do they talk to each other? 3) About something other than a man. As the video points out, a surprising number of movies don’t meet these three, pretty simple points. Of course, some stories won’t Read more…
More of the cubs … with actual video this time!
via blog.thenewstribune.com
Some days you just can’t break into a car …
via youtube.com
^