I was intrigued for some time already about the possibilities rising from taking some photos and giving them a rather radical digital treatment. Here is an excellent use of this technique (thanks to Joshi Daniel for the link).
This is one of those things that make me proudly warm inside and unexpectedly rise my expectation. What a great learning resource! There are very well made video presentations and even suggested pop quizes, middle-school-like. I especially like this one.
(via The kid should see this)
Today I got to walk the "Escaliers de Québec" trail ("Stairs of Québec") with André and Charles. I like to stroll in the Old Québec, and I of course used a few of the stairs joining the high terrace with the "basse ville" (lower town ... no, not downtown). But this was special because we did most of the existing public stairs in one go, starting from the "Joffre" stair and going around until the "Cap Blanc" stair. This took about 5 hours, counting a bit more than an hour snack pause in the middle and the end walk back to the car. We had an excellent weather and Québec, under the fresh light of spring, is gorgeous to look at. I liked it quite a bit. A nice start for the hiking season of 2012.
I didn't follow this story closely, but you can get an idea reading in sequence this and then this. And perhaps look at this video and then this video.
If you don't have the time, here is the executive abstract: some self-proclaimed vigilante environmentalist group profferes veiled violence threats against ideas, people and objects (full ludditism throttle) that they are misinformed about, concerning research on genetically modified wheat. Misinformation seems to come from negligence or, worse, stupidity, or, worst, malevolence. Then an attempt at proper information is made. If you peruse those links, you can see the clear differences in approaches: a powerful profusion of contents towards form that speaks volumes.
The story is still unfolding, thus I can't guess what will happen. We'll have to wait for May 27th and see. But what captured my attention was the well exhibited battle between ignorance and wisdom. Between emotional hysteria and scientific curiosity. I was spared this ugly human social habit, at least in its serious forms (but I had my doses of emotional NIH and OMG feces thrown at me).
It thrills me to see logic and rectitude so clearly displayed as in this text. But it boggles me to no end that such displays are still necessary so far in human society's development. I almost need to channel Ayn Rand.
Today's APOD image (attention, big) is thoroughly fascinating! In something which seems a simple 500mm lens photo capture, we can see Jupiter's moons! Jupiter is a bit more than 140000 km in diameter and its biggest sattelites (in order of proximity to their "parent: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) are stretched between 400000 to 1 million kilometers from Jupiter's surface. And yes, we can also see the ISS. So many things that trigger my telescope hunger...
Reasons for this post are twofold. Let's get the shallow one out of the way: I really like the graphic design of http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com. We would probably be much better off if things on the web looked more often that good. So, reason one, form.
The second reason is of cours contents! I keep on my desktop (and sometimes even get a few minutes to read through it) this well written guide to logical fallacies and the art of the debate from Glen Whitman. Jesse, Andy and Som had the excellent idea of putting everything i short paragraphs with excellent (and humorous) examples that make things much easier to remember (contact information and credits for the authors are in the footnote of the http://yourlogicalfallacyis.com site).
I especially dig the poster formats made available for free, which I gladly downloaded to print (and donated a meager something for -- for it or for the beer that went into its creation ;-).
Computers are for me the essential tool for self-preservation since more than 20 years already. I interface with a computer or other 70% or more of my awake time. Thus I hold as a principle that computer peripherals (display, keyboard, mouse, sound interface) have to be ergonomically-high-quality. And this, even if, given Moore's law, it is not useful to excessively spend on latest and greatest of number crunching sand-and-electromagnetics derivatives (chips, memory, disks).
Until recently, I was thinking that I had this principle well pinned down. Then, a few weeks ago, I started to feel piercing RSI related pain in my right shoulder. The reason is that regular keyboards are stupid and force us to move the right hand more than 20 cm to the right each time we need the mouse. I am a fan of profusive keyboard shortcuts usage in my usual program. But, in this age of the Internet, browsers badly done, combined with web pages that are devil's fruit when it comes to ergonomy, I can't really avoid using the mouse.
And then my incredibly long and painful quest started: to find the right keyboard for my normal usage. And I humbly learned that I know nothing about keyboards. And I guess you will thank me that now I can send you read this and particularly this. Yes, I knew and used the mythical IBM Model M, and instinctively knew, based on that, that I missed something.
I started first to look for a keyboard with the exact same layout as a full keyboard, but without numeric pads. This was important to me because of the prominent use of arrow keys as well as of the 6-key group (Ins/Del+Home/End+PgUp/PgDn) in my daily work (code editing). I found out that these are almost non existent in the normal (sub 30$) price range for normal keyboards.
Then I seriously started to look for a mechanical-switch keyboard, but I still find them expensive (HHK is north of 300$, stars like Filco, Cherry, Realforce, Leopold are not far behind). There is, since only a few days, a "tenkeyless" available in local specialty stores, which is "only" around 70$. I guess I will get one of these too. It is made by Cooler Master (and this is a reason for some reticence, because of the heavy eye-piercing branding this company professes).
But eventually my long winding wanderings brought me to stumble upon the exotic niche group of tracking-point users. I always had a ThinkPad provided by my work. This is really nice machine and the only one in wide commercialization that comes with the tracking-point. But I never got around to actually using the tracking point on these. Piqued by curiosity, I set on the adventure of learning if I can get used to it and I discovered that:
Lo and behold, I went out on the intertubes and bought a Lenovo ThinkPad standalone laptop USB keyboard with tracking point (the strange thing in the photo). I only had if for 4 days now but I guess it was one of the best computer-related acquisitions of the last 5-6 years (since my semiprofessional LCD displays in 2007, actually).
The things I love best about this keyboard are the trackpoint (of course); the very short travel of the keys (scissor switches of rather good quality); the arrow keys and the 6-key pad placed in almost-normal layout and in reacheable distance. (divagation here: I already owned one of those abominations of a laptop with the 6-key pad stretched out in a single-key column at the rightmost (thus interfering with all the essential -- Enter, Backspace, R-Shift, R-Ctrl -- real rightmost keys).
What I don't care about in this keyboard: the Fn key should be at the right; the context-menu key at the right of the space bar shouldn't be there; the sound volume keys are flimsy and non-tactile; the quality of the materials is not quite that of the keyboard on my ThinkPad T40, but it is still very good compared with normal keyboards and mice.
Anyways, if you have mouse-related RSI and don't care to spare 60$ (+20$ taxes and shipping), then you might well give this one a try. Remark that an acceptable-quality membrane polydome keyboard + an acceptable-quality mouse (Logitech or Microsoft) sets you back almost that anyways, and comes with the built-in silent torture to your shoulder and wrists.
That's it for now. I'll come back soon with a description of the "clavier de mes rêves" (keyboard of my dreams -- in oh so mundane English ;o).
I guess it's my turn (heh) at a bier review. Some time a go, two of my former students contacted me wanting a little helping hand with their final year project, which involved a Quebec microbrewer of a rather apart inspiration: "Le trou du diable". I promised to myself to taste a few of their beers, which I saw in "specialty" shops locally (but I guess I will have to make my mind one day and really go in that microbrewery tour I promised to myself for a few years already).
I tried first the "Schieve Tabarnak". The creator's description is over at the link. I will just say that it is a very nice beer. Very different. Extremely rich taste with perfectly distinct aromatic notes. Lets a very pleasant bitter aftertaste that disolves slowly to let behind a subtle sweetness inviting to another sip. Not too strong, just enough. The yeasts are very visibly present but they don't become obnoxious at the end as it sometimes happens with these beers (and I guess this is thanks to the well equilibrated suspension that they form).
I guess this one is a keeper for me.
Yeah, it's my τ ... errr... turn, it just makes sense to me.
This Teleread article says it all much better than my currently common-cold-virus-bogged brain could do it right now. This is why I steered clean of e-books until now. Oh yes, my curiosity was long ago piqued (what with being able to transport my personal library in my pocket and other shallow conveniences). But the old traditionally-educated eastern european that I am (for good and for worse) sees books as a 500 years institution woven with respect, mutual trust and pride-driven decency. Meanwhile e-books are oh such a technologically great and socially responsible idea, bogged down with petty commercialism, narrow-minded egotism and stupid execution.
It's not that Amazon did it in this particular case (removed Stephenson's "Reamde" from legitimate owners' e-readers) that gets to me. Much more important than the cretinous execution (that surely will cost them clients or at least creed points), is the fact that they can do it and will do it. This is definitely a step back in our endeavour (?) to reach a civil (as in civilization) higher ground.
It seems to me like the much sought after need-for-speed that gets fed into us with our food, our daily social interactions and our freaking technology shoot-ups, makes us way too much over-eager. We are ready to accept sub-par grammar and spelling quality, bad typesetting and shallow quality, trumped rights and social submission so that we have it now and have it all. Where did the old pauca sed bona go?
Yes, this is an example of why I like chemistry so much (via The Kid Should See This).
I love animation. And I was really spoiled in the latest years with the great realizations of artists and great advances of technology. But I think "The fantastic flying books of Mr. Lessmore" is my favorite now. An artistically and visually beautiful metaphor of books and reading (another passion of mine).
If your internet usage is not limited at e-mail and ping (and even the...) you most assuredly heard of law projects pushed to USA Congres (so called SOPA and PIPA).
When reading about those, I was forced to think to the future of this site and its related services.
Would I be better with a .ca (or even a .ro) domain name and out-of-US geographically located server? Granted, it might cost me 3-5 times more, not to speak of all the trouble with changing base public domain names, but it is probably worth it.
What do you think/do about all this?
I had a steady liking for Terry O'Reilly's radio shows on CBC for a long time now. He started a new show recently: Under the Influence (a worthy companion of his older show, Age of Persuasion). This week's episode is absolutely great! If you're enraged by sexism (or even only concerned by it) and you'd like a week-end's worth of infuriating soundbite memories, you definitely shouldn't miss this: Men are from Sears, Women are from Bloomingdale. I love the careful data research, the comical yet subtle presentation and the profound socio-psychological suggestions and findings. Well worth 30 minutes of auditory and brain candy.
I was intrigued for some time already about the possibilities rising from taking some photos and giving them a rather radical digital treatment. Here is an excellent use of this technique (thanks to Joshi Daniel for the link).
(yeah, I risk to become the target of irony of my french speaking friends, for my lack of "cultural experience" ;-)
Yepp, the difference between mere mortals and genius talents might well be a puny semitone. But if you ever hoped to once prove that your're a musical genius, try Tim Minchin's test for a humbling experience!
Wow! Just wow!
Catchy name, huh? Trombone Shorty is the artist name of Troy Michael Andrews, an excellent jazz instrumentist. His latest album, For True, catched my ear while idly browsing on a (too) big online music store. I bought it and, boy, am I delighted! Try for yourself:
Christopher Hitchens died today at the age of 62, from esophageal cancer. May his memory and his explosive literary and journalistic creations continue to make us better forever.
Let's see what gives: libre.tibirna.org is up. A few projects I decided to adopt or that I was pursuing for some time but never made public are already there. My interest for qgit comes from the almost complete switch to this tool in all projects I was with (last to be converted, hopefully next year, being my daily job). I used eqonomize for a 3 or 4 years already (after having used cbb for 10); mighty little app; needs some love. The others are not even born.
Ben Goldacre about battling Bad Science (yes, with capitals). All things we know and get outraged about, but not outraged enough to do something. Ben does things (and he finds it amusing to be answered with bullying and threats for his efforts) and I very much like his enthousiasm. Pay particular attention to the depressing humor of finding bias in litterature that studies bias in scientific litterature.
(New) Scientific American published recently its digitized archive of years before 1900 online. It will only temporarily be available for free. The power of the internet is such that fundamental disciplines like history or sociology get rejuvenated after millenia of establishment. I find this fascinating. Just citing from the first number of the first year (August 28, 1845):
Lowell As It Was And It Is by ref. Henry A. Miles is a neat 18mo. 234 pages just issued by Powers & Bagley, Lowell. It is full of facts of general interest. We learn from it that the Merrimac Company (whose dividends are so often quoted) employs 1250 women, whose average earnings considerably exceed 2$ each per week above the cost of their board. The laboring men average 85 cents per day above their board; fifty-six overseers receive 2$-each per day with occasional premiums...
The storm of puzzling and reflections that this brings to one's mind is boggling. And it is just a very small piece. A real treasure.
Semi-pedagogic, semi-historic and fully funny 
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
printf("My homage\n");
}
I tasted this Rhone Valley wine tonight and I was quite pleasantly surprised. I bought one bottle of Chateau Pesquié 2007 at one of Québec govt's monopoly wine stores (saq) almost two years ago. I kept it in the best conditions I could afford, but decided to finally taste it now (it has a 10 years aging rating). It is a really strong wine (14.8% alcohol) but with an excellent aroma and an exquisite taste. Goes nicely with strong taste meat but also, surprise, with chocolaty dessert (the high alcohol, I believe). Nice discovery. I'll try to get some more in my next wine rally.
How to live before you die (via ted.com from standford.edu)