Welcome to the Future videos

Life is so strange.

I couldn't get away.

Trevor something does not exist.

Electric dreaming

Do they dream of electric sheep?

Are you ready for the retrofuture?

Fashion 2016: Human Touch

2016 will finally see the Rick Springfield Human Touch fashion come to life.

TIL: nike logo cost $35

Carolyn Davidson was originally paid $35, but later was given shares, now worth approximately $0.5M.

Star Wars chess

I was looking online for the real Star Wars chess, first observed in the Millenium Falcon in A New Hope. It turns out its official name is Dejarik

• rules

I haven't seen an online version, but I'll keep looking.

Mark Hamill

"Put the holiday special on there as an extra."

Hero's Hero

Stacking Spheres

I made a quick animation in Fireworks to show how the pyramid stack (HCP?) would work - 20 spheres is the correct solution.

Skellig Michael

When you see the Skellig Michael, do you think Cthulhu's home, R'lyeh, because of the cyclopean masonry?

21-87

21-87 at CFB

Star Wars Old school PC games

• Dark Forces Featuring Kyle Katarn

SNL Star Wars Toy Skit

"It goes pssshh psssh ssssss ffffshssshsshs."

Student Video of the Kinnickinnick: THE DAM DECISION

Sithin' on the dock of the bay

Not sure it is an exact resemblance, but it's funny.

General Grievous sound-alike

If you listen closely to the voice of the Neomodian standing next to Nute Gunray in Attack of the Clones (is that Rune Haako?), his voice sounds a lot like that of General Grievous, however Mathew Wood is not credited with this voice, at least in the wookiepedia.

Bridge experiments

 Mass Power Ratio
Apparatus [g] 
Loader 50 
Scale 235 
Bucket 498 
  
TOTAL 783 

Arch Bridge

Note: archlike, using straight lengths of balsa wood

Mass                         23 g
Rocks                      8670 g
Total mass load at failure 9453 g
Efficiency                  411

Separated Warren Truss

Note: had to modify the center to fit the prescribed loading device

Mass                         19 g
Total mass load at failure 4880 g
Total load                 5663 g
Efficiency                  298

The Forest

Forest

Rock School

Bill Fisher introduced me to this show - I bought a video tape from him so I could watch the episodes he recorded again and again.

Episode 1

Episode 1 (1/3)

Episode 1 (2/3) - the Communards on the piano

Episode 1 (3/3) - synth sound waves

X-wings

1. Today, I never realized this before, but it looks from this picture, that the number of the fighter example Red 2 matches the number of lines on the wing. Thus to identify which xwing you are referring to, there are stripes on the wing. Y-wings use a more elaborate - set parentheses or brain diagram looking join to the tail of the head (by the cockpit). 2. Yesterday, I was thinking how they suggested that the X-wings were antiquated, and how George lucas used WWII films to correlate with dogfight action in Star Wars, that the X-wings might parallel the idea of Bi-planes (Beechcraft C-43, Fairey Swordfish)

Social Network Titles

I love the font, specs, size, music, and the atmosphere of the opening scene (after 0:12). The school shots remind me of nighttime at Johns Hopkins.

REI

Nice take on Black Friday by REI

Star Trek Philosophy

Read this a few weeks ago and it seems to keep coming up in my life, so linking here, so I can find it quickly. Philosophy of Star Trek

.

Killer Song History

Different versions of the Killer song. I heard the ATB one first, then George Michaels, so I discovered them out of order.

Adamski (w/Seal) - 1990

Seal- 1991

George Michael - 1991

ATB - 1999

Bastille - 2012

Stone+Alloy

This is the website we've been working on for the past few months, Stone+Alloy. It's been fun to work on, the site is designed with a material design philosophy, the graphics are beautiful and the products are well-rendered. I worked with a team of offshore developers that were pretty competent in Java and JavaScript, making the design come alive. It also has a soft photographic feel, with a more uptown feel than most of the sites I've had a chance to work on.

Star Trek: Renegades

Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

Namekagon River, WI

On July 31, 2015, we scouted out the Namekagon River as a site for kayaking, but unfortunately did not get to this summer. Here are some of the shots we took.

References:

• Wisconsin Trail Guide - has lots of information, including the inspiration for this trip.
• Trail map

Pepe Mujica

Part of the problem that politicians have is that you can tell what their real underlying quest for power is because of a vendetta they are carrying. No matter what they promise the electorate to get elected, there is often, a score they wish to settle and their true quest for the job. Scott Walker was looking to get back at the University system for some failing they did not provide to him. George Junior was looking to settle the score for his father in Iraq. Hillary has something to prove because of her husband's infidelity. These people don't really have a long-term vision for the country, these are people that don't care about their fellow citizenry, they just want power for themselves to complete their quest for revenge."

At the end he says, "I don't have any scores to settle." This exemplifies what we need from a candidate representing a democratic electorate. Vengeful candidates will only lead a system back to oligarchy.

Internet speed comparison

• Baldwin Telecom High speed internet: 7.42 Mbps
  
• ATT UVerse: 6.46 Mbps
  

GM

Hey mum

Reggie Watts TED

Oh wow this feels like how I think, artificial English accent and all.

Apple River: Black Brook Dam to Hwy 65

Let in at Black Brook Dam

45.263809, -92.403091

• Black Brook site

River hazard: down trees

Trees blocked primary channel, fortunately a large set of tubers were going to the left and made some calls to go left. I'm glad, because the primary channel was unpassable.

Let in: Little Falls

• 45.273545, -92.418198

Pike Hole Rapids

Some people ahead said not too worry, not anything to worry about, but I saw 3 huge dips, walls of water, and though I made the first two, flipped on the third and was dragging for a while. Some scars on my right thigh, lost sunglasses, but could have been worse. Next time might try portaging on the left, where I saw the tubers climbing in. It was kind of sudden and not like the rest of the river up until that point nor after.

• This article says: "You can exit the river before the Pike Hole rapids on the left side of the river after passing a rock cliff about 20 feet high."
• Old article about the falls
• bridge view
• cliff view
• American whitewater article rates it a Class II+ But I feel that part was a III.
• Facebook photos (other)
• 45.274778, -92.428201
• 

River hazard - trees blocking

I made a cursory scan and it seemed like the tree angle at the far right was passable. I made it but lost my Sony camera in the brush, it fell off, but as I made it under the tree, I could not relocate it. Can't tell if it floated or fell - never tested its bouyancy before this incident. Sad because it might have had some good shots of the rapids.

Interesting flow

At one point you can go full left or right, the current actually led me first to the northern channel, but I was able to steer back to the primary channel.

Let out at 150th St.

45.279579, -92.471765

Let out at Random

45.270097, -92.499943

Willow River Access

• Cylon Wildlife Area
• Cylon Wildlife Area Map

Kayak Cart

I made a homemade equivalent of the product like "Kayak and Canoe Cart with Pneumatic Tires" for roughly $45 using parts and pieces from Ax-man and Menards. It is meant to solve the problem, of not having a shuttle, wanting to solo kayak, and not wanting to inconvenience someone else for a ride, and/or not wanting to have to lock up / be away from your equipment either.

Parts

• 2x6 x 2-ft. wood (2.09 at Menards)
• 2 wheels from Ax-man Surplus (also saw similar ones at Harbor Freight: Rigid 6" castor), but there exist even less expensive castors also available. As much as I'd prefer bouncy air tires (even bike tires), I have trouble knowing where I'd get the axle to attach to the assembly.
• 8 5/16" x 3" carriage bolts
• 8 5/16" galvanized wingnuts

• cold chisel for cutting squares in wood for back of carriage bolts
• hammer, for use with chisel
• crazy glue
• 9-ft. kayak tie-down

Steps

• Cut wood base to suit, sand block of wood to desired width. Note: to reduce weight, I'm considering drilling holes in the wood to reduce the mass, kind of like Mongoose Californian rims would do. I'm already adding enough mass and the Kinnickinnic River is very shallow.
• Using Castors as a guide, mark and drill 5/16" holes in wood
• Using cold chisel, make a square indentation in the wood where the carriage bolts will go
• Using carriage bolt as a guide, align two washers and bond with crazy glue Repeat for 8-sets of washers, 16 washers in all.
• Insert carriage bolts Flush
• Insert bonded washers between castors and wood. This will act to maintain a gap for the tie-down to slide through.
• Use wingnuts + washer to secure to wood.
• Insert kayak tie down, and wrap around back 1/3 of kayak. Secure snugly. Pull/carry using front strap. Store paddles and equipment securely inside for transport. You are now ready to hit the road (and/or sidewalk).

The unit fits behind the seat of my Percussion. If it does not fit, then remove the wingnuts, and store the parts in a drybag for reassembly at the take out point.

Starhunter Time Travel

If you easily get frustrated by Sci-fi time travel situations where the episode keeps repeating itself, do NOT watch Starhunter "A Twist in Time". Oh my god, it's not just the horrible acting and yelling that keeps repeating, it's as if they used the exact same footage. Maybe it's my longing for order on a spaceship, a) it's not clear what is going on, time-wise, b) it's not clear what this prisoner wants, c) he's a crazy SOB, always talking to himself like Ruby Rhod of the Fifth Element, and d) taunting with a gun at the camera.

Big Bang Theory Movie Problem

Planning a Kayak trip for the family is often like the Big Bang Theory Movie multiobjective problem

Kayaking: Star Prairie Apple River Route

Route

Map link

Let in

Seems like a nice enough entry point in Star Prairie, at River Island Park 45.196804, -92.532174

Note: there is public parking approximately 350 ft. to the east on the other side of 65.

Another let in

Where the Apple River Kayak outfitter let us in on a family trip earlier this year. Nice ripples here (Stage I - loud but mild). 45.191772, -92.556036

Take out by Outpost Bar & Grill

45.162982, -92.591984

Last take out before dam

Final let out before the dam: 45.140937, -92.636280

References

• Star Prairie Utilities Community Facilities
• 
• Boating Links
• H Let in

Kayaking: Somerset Apple River Route

Route

I spoke with a manager at the rivers edge tubing park yesterday, inquiring about getting in At their location. He strongly discouraged mixing tubers and kayakera on that stretch of river. He said after labor day it's not an issue.

From Riverdale Dam, to Downtown Somerset, WI

Let In

45.130538, -92.640508

Takeout

45.126025, -92.673713

References

• Somerset Parks and Recreation Map