So I fairly recently switched from Fedora and KDE to Kubuntu (Unbuntu with KDE) (because the problems with package repository conflicts were driving me crazy), then from Kubuntu to Ubuntu (because I was immediately turned off by the new KDE 4.1 simplifying/candy-ifying makes it looks too much like Windows, and they’ve reduced functionality). Read on…
From SlashDot: Scientists Build Neonatal Incubator From Car Parts. Neonatal incubators normally cost about $40,000. He built one for less than $1,000 using car parts. The article points out how this could be a boon for developing countries, not just because they’re cheap, but because they’re easily and cheaply maintained. Aparently, developing countries get plenty of donated neonatal incubators, but they can’t fix them once they break, and they do that alot. Here’s the original article.
I’ve talked before about how wonderful Stack Overflow is. I found this great post today listing free books and quick reference cards. There are a lot of out of work geeks out there that could use a refresher or some cross-training.
The largest sources out there seems to be Added Bytes and 37Signals. I hope to compile and publish a list soon too, because I have a bunch of links to documentation on various software packes and languages.
I set up set up these three movies at the top of my Netflix queue:
I am a long-time fan of I Can Has Cheezburger, a very funny website with animal pictures. Most of them are of cats. If you’re more into canine comedy, there’s I Can Has Hotdog. It turns out that the parent “company”, Pet Holdings (you gotta love double entendres), runs a whole bunch of websites like like that. Read on…
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s
it… don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out
eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer;
that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving
it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow
eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is
nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables
to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good
source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop
can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of
vegetable products. Read on…
Found on Slashdot: Energy-Generating Floors To Power Subway Displays In Tokyo.
In short, they’re installing piezoelectric circuitry in the floor. Piezoelectric devices convert pressure to energy and back. Squeeze them and they generate electricity. Send electric waveforms into them and they vibrate to the pulses and make sound. It’s what watches use for buzzers. The system is going to be used to power ticket gates and display systems. Here’s another article on it with more of a technical slant.
Two words: Too Cool!
From Asylum (I think they’re part of AOL): The Most Wonderfully Geeky Moments of 2008.
I think it’s fair to say my qualifications for considering something geeky is a whole lot higher than the general populace, but if you give them a little leeway on that front, it’s a very enjoyable article.
I never saw this website before (I think I got the original link from Digg), but there’s lots of good stuff there, for people with a lot more free time than I have.
I heard of this article on the Howard Stern show today. It’s from the New York Post, and it’s called YOUR BOSS IS NOT LISTENING. Let me be the 824th to say DUH.
I find two things interesting about this article interesting: