LHC Activation
August 6, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Picture of the Day, Science
Tags: 42, big bang, lhc
More info:
http://www.uslhc.us/What_is_the_LHC
http://en.rian.ru/world/20080805/115771418.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,570487,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything
Daddy Needs New Wheels
June 29, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Castle, Picture of the Day, Science
Tags: apple, electric car, tesla
I imagine if Apple ever decided to get into the automotive industry they might design something along these lines, except in Black. It definitely doesn’t have Apples design savvy for the interior of the vehicle and the computer interface. The trunk space is pretty limited even for a two seater, but the outside sure is pretty.
The picture is of the Tesla Roadster from Tesla Motors. A 100% electric car, zero to sixty in 3.9 seconds, a top speed of 125 mph, approximately 256 mpg and yes you can connect your iPod to it.
According to the folks at Crunch Gear, Governor Schwarzenegger will be speaking at a press conference about Tesla’s plans for new 4-5 seater sedans to come out in the next few years.
For a measly $100K or so, you can get one of these.
short notice
June 22, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Friends, Picture of the Day, Science, Squirrels, TimeWaster
Tags: midgets, need not apply, therapists
The Hulk: More Powerful Than Superman
June 2, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
5comments Categories: Insider, Marketing, Religion, Science, gnash-teeth
Tags: comics, hulk, superman
This will probably be the first of many posts to address the misguided, fanboy, delusional belief that DC Comics Superman could defeat Marvel Comics The Incredible Hulk. This is a topic that has always bothered me and my friend Lauren Miller recently reminded me that this gross, almost religious denial of fact continues.
An excerpt from Wikipedia
The Hulk possesses the potential for limitless physical strength depending directly on his emotional state, particularly his anger.[32] This has been reflected in the repeated comment “The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets.” His durability, healing, and endurance increase in relation to his temper.[33] The Hulk is also extremely resistant to most forms of injury or damage, including physical, psychic, environmental extremes, and is immune to disease and poisons. His powerful legs allow him to leap into lower Earth orbit or across continents.[34] He also has less commonly described powers, including abilities allowing him to “home in” to his place of origin in New Mexico, and to see and interact with astral forms. He has been shown to have both regenerative and adaptive healing abilities, including growing tissues to allow him to breathe underwater, surviving unprotected in space, and when injured, healing from almost any wound within seconds, including regenerating lost mass.
As Bruce Banner (and the Merged/Professor Hulk), he is considered one of the greatest minds on Earth. He has developed expertise in the fields of biology, chemistry, engineering, and physiology, and holds a Ph.D. in nuclear physics. He possesses “a mind so brilliant it cannot be measured on any known intelligence test”.[35]
The image ^ is from Incredible Hulk Vs Superman (1997) where the Hulk easily breaks the surprise hold Superman nabs him with and throws him into space.
So to summarize, the Hulks power (strength, durability & regeneration) is essentially unknown and possibly limitless. It’s important to note that magic, viruses, diseases, and psionics have no effect. He’s also the smartest man on the planet.
Let’s now take a look at this “Superman”.
Excerpt from Wikipedia.
As an influential archetype of the superhero genre, Superman possesses extraordinary powers, with the character traditionally described as “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound”, a phrase coined by Jay Morton and first used in the Superman radio serials and Max Fleischer animated shorts of the 1940s[75] as well as the TV series of the 1950s. For most of his existence, Superman’s famous arsenal of powers has included flight, super-strength, invulnerability to non-magical attacks, super-speed, vision powers (including x-ray, heat, telescopic, infra-red, and microscopic vision), super-hearing, and super-breath, which enables him to freeze objects by blowing on them, as well as exert the propulsive force of high-speed winds.[76]
As originally conceived and presented in his early stories, Superman’s powers were relatively limited, consisting of superhuman strength that allowed him to lift a car over his head, run at amazing speeds and leap one-eighth of a mile, as well as incredibly tough skin that could be pierced by nothing less than an exploding artillery shell.[76] Siegel and Shuster compared his strength and leaping abilities to an ant and a grasshopper.[77]
….The extent of his powers peaked during the 1970s and 1980s to the point where various writers found it difficult to create suitable challenges for the character.
Superman began as essentially that, a super man. Overtime though Superman was so over inflated with God like powers that it became too ridiculous of a storyline to continue. Ultimately though this alien, (but a very human alien) is charged with power from our sun Sol. His power is then finite and not able to increase depending upon his mood. His use of this power in turn must then diminish it. Additionally he is highly susceptible to psionics, magic, several viruses and of course Kryptonite.
It is simply too unbelievable that this little man, with his silly underwear, cape and boots could possibly pose a problem for the intelligence and raw power of the Hulk.
Another Reason MySpace Sucks
January 31, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
1 comment so far Categories: Castle, Marketing, Religion, Science, gnash-teeth
I’ve never liked MySpace. From a developer & user perspective - the interface, design, performance, “features”, you name it. I consider it a complete waste of bandwidth. The core concept isn’t bad, but the implementation and follow-thru I simply can’t condone.
That said, take a look at this piece, where alledgedly MySapce has no space for Atheists.
Social networking site, MySpace.com, panders to religious intolerants by deleting atheist users, groups and content.
Early this month, MySpace again deleted the Atheist and Agnostic Group (35,000 members). This deletion, due largely to complaints from people who find atheism offensive, marks the second time MySpace has canceled the group since November 2007.
I’m not interested in voicing my own beliefs or hearing about anyone else’s. I’m entirely content to let people do or believe what they wish to do so long as it doesn’t interfere with my own happiness. I find most religious beliefs (& sports, ugly people, foods with sour cream, short people, etc) personally offensive, so I avoid them. Had I stumbled upon a website, a TV show, or radio station that I did not care for its message - I move on and don’t come back. No one is forcing anyone to goto a web page, to read the contents and take a test afterwards.
I’m not clear on the legal issues without more definitive information, but it would seem that from a moral standpoint - unless this group violated the terms of service they should be allowed to exist right next to every other group.
I ask all of you who read my blog or otherwise find this page to join me in the public ridicule and denouncement of MySpace for it’s crimes against common sense (as it relates to it’s site structure) and should this article prove true, then doubly so. Delete your MySpace account and setup shop elsewhere. Your friends will follow.
Here’s a blog post which makes a few design points that I’m too lazy to articulate myself. http://www.moundalexis.com/tm/archives/000124.php
Night Castle A Complete Bastard
January 30, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Castle, Religion, Science, gnash-teeth
I’ve been trapped in my home for the last few days due to snow and the inability to get dressed. My reserves of smokes was depleted late last evening. Night Castle knew Morning Castle would want a cig, but he giggled and said, ‘not my problem’, as he lit up the last cigarette, around midnight. Those two have never gotten along.
In theory I could bundle up and try walking to the nearest gas station. Had Morning Castle been thinking properly, he would have just ordered some online or something last week. I can feel the craving inside, like a wild cat in a small cage, frantically pacing to get out. My jaws new natural state is to be painfully clenched.
Ironically I find all my lost lighters this morning too.
In any case I’m going into survival mode, which pretty much entails whinnying loudly like a lonely puppy.
Hotel Hygenie
January 28, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
1 comment so far Categories: Castle, Science, Travel, gnash-teeth
This is a disturbing video to watch - one of those hidden camera exposes about what really happens to the glasses you use in hotels. One health expert lists all the diseases you can catch from this type of practice. This in combination with how dirty you know the bedding is - I think I’m going to just start sleeping in rental cars and boiling everything before I touch it when I travel.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1329217643/bctid1329232712
Mostly Dead
January 27, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Science
This is an interesting article from NewsWeek, about how current methods of post cardiac resuscitation can actually lead to death. A better understanding of the mechanics at the cellular level, could lead to new procedures to increase the likelihood of cellular survival from oxygen deprivation, perhaps even hours later.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/35045/page/1
I Dream.
August 27, 2007 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Picture of the Day, Science, Squirrels
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hallucinations.png
Brain Hurting
August 27, 2007 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Insider, Picture of the Day, Science
I was re-reading a post about the brain from my dear friend Terrys blog, which reminded me she and I share much in common. It also reminded me I had this picture to share.
