Geeky Posts

Soon, we will never leave the house

Google plans to do for art galleries what it did for maps and street view.

I can’t wait till I can Google my groceries.

Nerds!

UMD professor on Nova Science Now

University of Minnesota Duluth Biology Professor Matt Andrews appeared in the “Hibernating Humans” segment on last week’s episode of Nova Science Now.

Dr. Andrews has been active in the field of hibernation since 1995 and has used his background in molecular biology and protein-DNA interactions to identify genes that regulate mammalian hibernation.

Center of the Universe

A physicist explains why parallel universes may exist

These guys stole my idea circa 1997, probably while they were cruising the astral plane, that our universe may be one among many, perhaps overlapping. Not to draw on the big picture here, but any thoughts? Verify your veracious vicissitudes and I will venerate you.

UMD professor in Antartica

UMD Geological Sciences Professor John Goodge traveled to Antarctica to collect and analyze rocks to build a better picture of the continent hidden beneath the polar ice cap.

Check out the New York Times slide show Rocks, Ice and Science in Antarctica and the Scientist at Work blog to get your geek on.

Great weekend killer

I’ve been doing this in St. Cloud for a looong time and finally it will be simulcasted in Duluth. If you have a group of friends with an array of arcane interests and an arsenal of reference books and computers, you have to sign up and play from here. Oh, and you have to stay awake for 51 hours. Or just get a taste simply by listening in Feb. 11-13.

kumd.org | kvsc.org

Nerd Nite a success

Congratulations to Nerd Nite, the excellent night out at Teatro Zuccone.

Talks about rock tumbling, Star Wars prop replicas, and astronomy marked the evening as what it could be, at its best: a showcase for the passions of individuals. [If the talk on Fan Fiction fell short, it only fell short because the speaker was talking about someone else’s passions, not her own.] I had no idea the energy and the technique involved in rock tumbling. I had no idea the complexity of recreating (replicating) the props used in the first Star Wars movies. And, well, a bedroom designed so that the Big Dipper can be viewed in 3 dimensions from various other stars in the Galaxy, well, wow.

I enjoyed myself, I met a new person, and I felt the passions of others. What more could I ask for $5 admission and $3 for a bottle of Minnesota-brewed soda pop?

Thanks to the organizers, to the Zuccone for hosting, and to the presenters for a great night out.

Short Circuit at Teatro – Saturday

Duluth Short Circuit

An evening of experimental electronic music featuring Tim Kaiser, Low Gain and Talking Computron.  Ethereal sonic landscapes, 8-bit Game Boy mayhem and circuit-bent mash ups for all ages. Tell your nerdy neighbor!

Google is already in Duluth

Installing a typical home TiSP system is a quick, easy and largely sanitary process — provided you follow these step-by-step instructions very, very carefully.

TiSP: Going with the Flow

Ensculptic — Minnetrista, Minnesota

Ensculptic Ensculptic interior

The name of this house is “Ensculptic,” which is short for “environmental sculpture in plastic.” Most people prefer to call it the “Mushroom House,” “Flintstone House,” “Hobbit House” or simply “That Weird House in Minnetrista.”

The place is now known as “The Foam House” on Houselogic’s “7 Crazy Houses” list.

Nerd Nite #7

battleship copy

The nerds are at it again. Come on out for accidental learning and intentional awkwardness.

New Year’s Eve Nerdliness

Dragon Port Games will have an overnighter to ring in the New Year. Games of all types are available to play for free, and experts will gladly show you how to play something new. They might even let you win.

Kids are welcome with their parents, too; soft drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.

Swing by.

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse 2010

Cool new census tool

New York Times: “Mapping America: Every City, Every Block”

Do with it what you will. I think it is very interesting.

Reshaping Live Electronica

Calling all computer-music fans! Dig this! 3 Reaktor ensembles running simultaneously through Live6. The main keyboard (with cleverly placed stickers) houses a dominant ‘effect’ range (left 8 white keys) and a dominant ‘loop’ range (right 8 white keys). The other two midi boards are used for volume, some delay effects, reverb (and it’s decay), and misc. VST’s. I created the loops in Live6 prior to loading them into this set to record. Enjoy!

PS: I apologize for the sound getting a bit nasty in there. it was recorded from an iPhone, hanging on a ceiling fan.