Friday, June 13, 2008

Friday Links!

We are absolutely loaded this week, so stop trying to work and start reading.

Leading off is a link from Brian Minsker to The Sky, From Above, a collection of stunning photographs from space. Some are among the most amazing I've ever seen ("Moonset, Over the Caribbean" is incredible), and there are source links to Johnson Space Center archives as well.

From Kato Katonian, a link to a fascinating Stephen J. Dubner (Freakanomics) article about a silver thief who was "too good for his own good".

From Gloria (otherwise known as "wife"), a link a story in the New York Times about dark energy and how it's driving scientists. absolutely crazy.

From Roger Ray, a link to a video that makes magnetic fields visible. It's extremely beautiful.

If you're feeling ambitious, here's a link from Sirius to an article titled The Top 5 Ways to Cause a Man-Made Earthquake. Also, a link to an outstanding article about Ada Byron, daughter of Lord Byron and assistant to Charles Babbage. Her plan for his analytical engine (the succesor to the difference engine) to calculate Bernoulli numbers is considerered to be the first computer program. Finally, here's a link to The History of Copy Protection, which I wish had been twice as long, because the old days of copy protection were quite inventive (remember the code wheel from Rocket Ranger?).

From the Edwin Garcia Links Machine, a link to a story about Namba Parks, one of the most amazing pieces of landscape architecure in the world. Also, a link to a moving and deeply emotional video of Bobby Kennedy's funeral train. The faces of the people watching (the video is shot from the train) are unforgettable. Next, a terrific video called DIY Skate Park, which is about the building of Burnside Skate Park in Portland, Oregon--by skaters.

From Steven Kreuch, a link to a book you might want to own--a copy of “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres”. A guy named Copernicus wrote it.

From Victor Godinez, a link an outstanding Batman fan film that includes some real surprises.

From Jarod, a link to the World's Strangest Looking Animals, and they certainly are. Also from Jarod, a link to Holovizio 3D, and the technology looks very promising.

Here's a story from Chris Meyer about burning a NeXT computer, which, as you might remember, has a magnesuium case. Also from Chris, a story about a watch returned to its owner--after 67 years underwater.

Remember the crazy rasberry ants in the Houston area? Now, the state of Texas is asking for federal funding to research them. Thanks to Garrett Alley for the link.

From Steven P., a link to a story in the Onion titled Liberty City Police Face Allegations of Incompetence, Brutality.

Also in the world of GTA IV, here's a link from Mike Gilbert to the intro of Naked Gun--in the world of GTA IV. It's terrific, and if you're too young to remember the intro to Naked Gun, there's a video of that, too.

From Frank Regan, a link to an article about a link to a new primary color. It's called squant, and it resides in your mouth.

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