Watch the middle

Barack Obama Is Your New iPad

I had no plans to buy an iPad—I have no plans to ever buy an iPhone, and if I do you are authorized to strike me in the face with something sharp and rusty—so I did not really follow the frenzy of speculation on all the functions what we until very recently referred to as the Apple Tablet might contain. Still, I'm a little taken aback by the immediate and vocal lack of enthusiasm for the product. What does it lack? What was everyone hoping for that did not materialize? This is a very rough thought that I may or may not refine, so take it as such, but the iPad is a lot like Barack Obama: Everyone was able to project their own fantasies and aspirations on a product with which they were mostly unfamiliar, only to sour on it once they realized that it did not live up to their impossible expectations. Only with the iPad it took about seven minutes for the disappointment to set in. I don't know what that says about our accelerated culture or how we confuse hype and excitement for the tangible realities of life, but it says something. I mean, probably. Like I said, I'm still trying to work it all out.

Source: The Awl

Massive Earthquake Reveals Entire Island Civilization Called 'Haiti'

 
Americans laid eyes on actual Haitians for the first time on Jan. 12.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—Less than two weeks after converging upon the site of a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake, American anthropologists have confirmed the discovery of a small, poverty-stricken island nation, known to its inhabitants as "Haiti."

Located just 700 miles off the southeastern coast of Florida, the previously unaccounted-for country is believed to be home to an estimated 10 million people.

Even more astounding, reports now indicate that these people have likely inhabited the impoverished, destitute region—unnoticed by the rest of the world—for more than 300 years.

Researchers believe this was once the capital, though it's unclear if the Haitian people ever had a truly functional government.

"That an entire civilization has been somehow existing right under our noses for all this time comes as a complete shock," said University of Florida anthropology professor Dr. Ben Oliver, adding that it appeared as if Haiti's citizens had been living under dangerous conditions even before the devastating earthquake struck.

"Of course, there have been rumors in the past about a long-forgotten Caribbean nation whose people struggle every day to survive, live in constant fear of a corrupt government, and endure such squalor and hunger that they have resorted to eating dirt. But never did we give them much thought."

Added Oliver, "Had it not been for this earthquake, I doubt we would have ever noticed Haiti at all."
Though anthropologists said they still did not know much about Haiti's history, they claimed that, by observing the Haitians' reactions to this particular disaster, and studying the way the people had come together and taken solace in one another's sorrows, it appeared as if most of them were accustomed to tragic, even horrific, events.

Researchers also came to the "startling" conclusion that Haiti's inhabitants must have at some point in their history been exposed to the English language, as many seemed capable of uttering such phrases as "Help us," and "Please don't abandon us again."

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"They are normal people just like you and me," said Harvard University's Aimee Coughlin, who before last week had never come across any mention of the struggling island republic, whether in conversation, on television, or while scanning the front pages of newspapers. "They communicate with one another, they have families and loved ones, and they value religion. However, judging by the way they are fending for themselves—a position they seem almost resigned to—it's clear these mysterious Haitian people don't have much else."

According to Coughlin, the Haitian civilization was discovered on the night of Jan. 12, when relief workers were rushed to several resorts in the Dominican Republic to see if any American tourists had been injured in the quake. During an aerial tour of the island of Hispaniola, members of the Red Cross noticed signs of human life coming from Haiti.

"When we first landed there, I thought, 'No person could possibly live here,'" Oliver said. "Not only did the arid landscape look incapable of sustaining any sort of agriculture, but there was absolutely no infrastructure either. Had we known about this desperate, desperate place sooner, perhaps we could have shared some of our technological advancements with them."

"I've vacationed just miles away in beautiful St. Kitts many times," Oliver added. "Never did anyone say anything about this Haiti place."

Members of the world community were equally shocked at the discovery of such an impoverished civilization. U.N. representatives noted that Haiti's location puts it in the direct path of recent natural disasters such as Hurricanes Jeanne, Hanna, and Ike, disasters that probably caused massive flooding, disease, and death.
Likewise, leaders from a number of Western nations announced Tuesday that they were dumbfounded to learn people were still living without decent shelter, hospitals, or regular access to food and water.

"They must have had no way of communicating with the outside world, because had we known about these Haitians, we would have done everything in our power to help them," U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said. "Of that I have no doubt."

Source: The Onion

Comics for Girls

Source: Cracked

Thomas Friedman: People Will Have Jobs When They Start Their Own Businesses And Hire *Themselves* Read more at Wonkette

Poorly executed human mustache Thomas Friedman has a solution to our country’s unpopular “no jobs problem.” It involves like, everyone starting a business, right? But see the incentive (or “moral hazard”) is that everyone’s going to be selling products they invented themselves. “Obama should make the centerpiece of his presidency mobilizing a million new start-up companies that won’t just give us temporary highway jobs, but lasting good jobs that keep America on the cutting edge. The best way to counter the Tea Party movement, which is all about stopping things, is with an Innovation Movement, which is all about starting things.” If you have qualms, though, don’t have qualms! Thomas Friedman has already figured out where we’re going to get the child-aged middle schoolers (?) that are required for all new businesses.
Yup:

And to reignite his youth movement, he should make sure every American kid knows about two programs that he has already endorsed: The first is National Lab Day. Introduced last November by a coalition of educators and science and engineering associations, Lab Day aims to inspire a wave of future innovators, by pairing veteran scientists and engineers with students in grades K-12 to inspire thousands of hands-on science projects around the country.

America will be the #1 exporter of vinegar/baking soda volcanoes in under five years, minimum.

Source: Wonkette

Farmer Shoots 51 Cows Dead Then Self

"Copake, NY, United States (AHN) – A 59-year-old dairy farmer has killed 51 cows in his Copake barn with a rifle and then shot himself dead.

Dean Pierson was found dead by a neighboring farmer, who then called 911. A trooper who responded and came to the scene found the victim and 51 cows dead inside their milking stalls.

Only milking cows were killed. There were heifers and calves in the barn that were not shot.

Investigators of the bizarre case have yet to determine the reason for the suicide and mass cow killing.
Neighbors of Pierson later dug a large trench near the barn and buried the dead cows there. They did not want to comment on the incident saying they leave it to the suicide victim’s widow and the police to do the talking."

Source: Inquisitr

The Real Meaning of Flags

Source: imgbit

Thank you, Savannah

"Last night while watching the monstrosity that is the stage play of Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself on DVD with Ben and Kevin, a huge huge crash came from down the street. It sounded like a giant pane of glass being dropped on concrete from a really high distance. What it actually was was a car crashing into the side of a house a few houses away, on the corner of Drayton and Jones.

No one died and it didn't seem like anyone was hurt, really. We went and looked at the giant hole in the house, talked to a mutual friend who saw it happen, and then eventually went back inside to finish the play.
A few hours later, after police tape was put up and the car and people and the cops were all gone, this is what was there:

Someone looked over there and saw not the place of a terrible car accident, but the opportunity to live out a dream."

Source: What

One quarter of US grain crops fed to cars - not people, new figures show

"One-quarter of all the maize and other grain crops grown in the US now ends up as biofuel in cars rather than being used to feed people, according to new analysis which suggests that the biofuel revolution launched by former President George Bush in 2007 is impacting on world food supplies.

The 2009 figures from the US Department of Agriculture shows ethanol production rising to record levels driven by farm subsidies and laws which require vehicles to use increasing amounts of biofuels.

"The grain grown to produce fuel in the US [in 2009] was enough to feed 330 million people for one year at average world consumption levels," said Lester Brown, the director of the Earth Policy Institute, a Washington thinktank ithat conducted the analysis.

Last year 107m tonnes of grain, mostly corn, was grown by US farmers to be blended with petrol. This was nearly twice as much as in 2007, when Bush challenged farmers to increase production by 500% by 2017 to save cut oil imports and reduce carbon emissions.

More than 80 new ethanol plants have been built since then, with more expected by 2015, by which time the US will need to produce a further 5bn gallons of ethanol if it is to meet its renewable fuel standard.

According to Brown, the growing demand for US ethanol derived from grains helped to push world grain prices to record highs between late 2006 and 2008. In 2008, the Guardian revealed a secret World Bank report that concluded that the drive for biofuels by American and European governments had pushed up food prices by 75%, in stark contrast to US claims that prices had risen only 2-3% as a result.
Since then, the number of hungry people in the world has increased to over 1 billion people, according to the UN's World Food programme.

"Continuing to divert more food to fuel, as is now mandated by the US federal government in its renewable fuel standard, will likely only reinforce the disturbing rise in world hunger. By subsidising the production of ethanol to the tune of some $6bn each year, US taxpayers are in effect subsidising rising food bills at home and around the world," said Brown.
"The worst economic crisis since the great depression has recently brought food prices down from their peak, but they still remain well above their long-term average levels."

The US is by far the world's leading grain exporter, exporting more than Argentina, Australia, Canada, and Russia combined. In 2008, the UN called for a comprehensive review of biofuel production from food crops.
"There is a direct link between biofuels and food prices. The needs of the hungry must come before the needs of cars," said Meredith Alexander, biofuels campaigner at ActionAid in London. As well as the effect on food, campaigners also argue that many scientists question whether biofuels made from food crops actually save any greenhouse gas emissions.

But ethanol producers deny that their record production means less food. "Continued innovation in ethanol production and agricultural technology means that we don't have to make a false choice between food and fuel. We can more than meet the demand for food and livestock feed while reducing our dependence on foreign oil through the production of homegrown renewable ethanol," said Tom Buis, the chief executive of industry group Growth Energy."

Source: The Guardian

Chocolate-Covered Cherry

"Wear it today, eat it tomorrow? Proof that dresses made of chocolate are literally good enough to eat, German supermodel Alena Gerber poses in a dress whipped up by the famed Christmas-cookie bakery, Lambertz, at a fashion show in Munich. She's probably also wearing the perfect go-with undergarment – classic edible panties – but we're already imagining how Gerber would look in a frock of strained carrots."

Source: World of Wonder

Flying R2-D2, you are doing it wrong

"By: Scott Allaine

You know I can't help but like Star Wars. Even with the new stuff, I watch it. Recently, I was watching the Clone Wars cartoon and noticed something odd about the way R2-D2 flies. I know what you are saying...."the odd thing is that he flies at all. Why didn't he fly in episodes 4-6?" Who knows. Here is the best image I could get of R2-D2 flying (from wookieepedia).

What is wrong? Well, maybe you can't tell from the image I posted. Here is a diagram of flying R2-D2.

If R2 (I can call him that because we are good friends) was flying like that, why would that be a problem? That would be a problem if he was going at a constant speed. I re watched the end of Clone Wars (the movie) and it seems like R2 is flying at a constant speed. Why is that problem? Let me draw a free body diagram.

If I assume that R2 is flying horizontally at a constant velocity, and the the "thrust" is at an angle theta from the vertical then:

I guess I should say I am using g as the local gravitational field for whatever planet he (R2) is on. Is R2 even a he? Maybe R2 is a she. I don't know. The point is that the vertical component of the thrust must equal the vertical component of the gravitational force. So what you say? Well, that leaves the horizontal component of the thrust so that the net force in the horizontal direction is:

Obviously I have missed the air resistance force on R2 while he is flying. That is what makes the net horizontal force zero, right? Well, let us calculate this. First, some assumptions (or maybe starting declarations):

• I would assume the world is like Earth because they seem to jump like a person on Earth. Needless, I will call the local gravitational field g.
• Also, I will assume other things are like the Earth. Most importantly, the density of air (I will call rho) - if it is even air.
• I am not sure what the air drag coefficient for R2 is, but I will call this C. I assume this value will be somewhere between a brick and a sphere.
• Let me call R2's linear speed v. This will need to be estimated later.
• I will need to estimate three things about R2, its mass ( m ) volume ( V ) and cross section area in the direction of motion ( A ).
• Finally, I need to know R2's thruster angle. I will call this angle theta from the vertical.

If R2 is moving at a constant velocity, then the forces in the x (horizontal) and y (vertical) directions will be zero. I will assume there is air resistance in the horizontal direction, and I will use the following model for the magnitude of air resistance:

So, the x- and y-direction equations for force are:

I will solve the y-equation for F_thrust and put that into the x-equation. Doing this, I get:

Let me tell you where I am going. If R2 is firing is thrusters a little forward and moving at a constant speed then I suspect R2 has a very low density and the thrusters are not pushing very hard. So, from the above stuff, I will solve for the mass.

Here are my estimations (you are welcome to come up with your own):

• rho = 1.2 kg/m³
• Area: Wookieepedia says that R2 is 0.96 meters tall. Using tracker video on an image of R2, I am going to approximate it as a rectangle that is 0.42 meters by 0.62 meters for an area of 0.26 m²
• Wikipedia lists the drag coefficient for a smooth sphere as 0.1. It has a smooth brick with a coefficient of 2.1. A skier has a coefficient of 1.0. Wikipedia does not list the drag coefficient for R2, but a value of around 1.0 seems reasonable.
• For the velocity, I took it a little far. I was just going to ballpark guess at his speed, but I didn't. I used Tracker to look at R2's motion in Clone Wars where he flies to rescue Padme. From this, I get a speed of 2.3 m/s.
• I already said I would assume Earth-like gravity. So, g will be 9.8 N/kg
• Theta is about 35 degrees (although it could be as high as 45 degrees).

Using these values, the mass of R2 is 0.1 kg. Yes, 100 grams. How do I know I am correct? I know because Wookieepedia doesn't list R2's mass or weight. They know it is silly, so they left it off.
If this mass is so low, I think R2 doesn't even need thrusters. He would just float (which would actually change my calculations above - I left off the buoyancy force). By my estimations, R2 is about .42 meters in diameter. This would put its volume at about 0.1 m³ and R2's density would be:

I was originally thinking that maybe R2 was made of styrofoam - but that has a density of about 40 kg/m³. So there."

From: dotphysics

Banksy to Premiere Documentary at Sundance Film Fest

 
"Heading out to Utah this weekend for the start of the Sundance Film Festival? If so, one of the hardest screenings to sneak into is sure to be the just-announced addition Exit Through the Gift Shop a documentary by none other than everyone's favorite anonymous celebrity street artist, Banksy. The film is described as a behind-the-scenes peek at Banksy's work, or as Sundance promotes it, "a remarkable documentary that is part personal journey and part an expose of the art world with its mind-altering mix of hot air and hype." Rumors are that this will be when the secretive artist finally reveals his true identity. But even if he did, would you really believe it? The guy is tricky. Here's the trailer:



This isn't the first time Banksy has been connected to filmmaking. You'll recall he premiered a documentary for his high-profile exhibition in Los Angeles a couple of years back (grainy, hand-held video of which can be found here) which showed his work on projects like his famous Paris Hilton album hoax. The artist was also the subject of last year's bizarre prank film, , which didn't star him (or did it?) but did feature Joan Collins."

From: Unbeige

Tender Places

The Launch

 

After roughly 750 links in the past year, I've decided to archive my news/media aggregation on a new blog in addition to posting them on facebook.  Let's see how long this takes to bore me.  Start timing now.

Skydiver to Break Sound Barrier During Freefall

"Hugh Pickens writes "Over fifty years ago American Joe Kittinger made history by leaping from a balloon at 102,800 ft and although many have sought to repeat the feat all have failed. Now BBC reports that Austrian extreme sportsman Felix Baumgartner will try to break the long-standing record for the highest ever parachute jump, skydiving from a balloon sent to at least 120,000 ft and it is likely that in his long freefall of more than five minutes, he will exceed the speed of sound about 35 seconds into his descent — the first person to do so without the aid of a machine. "No-one really knows what that will be like," says Baumgartner. Although challenges in the endeavour include coping with freezing temperatures and ultra-thin air, a key objective for Baumgartner will be to try to maintain a good attitude during the descent and prevent his body from going into a spin and blacking out. "The fact is you have a lot of different airflows coming around your body; and some parts of your body are in supersonic flow and some parts are in transonic flow. What kind of reaction that creates, I can't tell you," adds Baumgartner."

Source: Slashdot