The 21st Century is Awesome

It's so awesome that with technology making music is so much easier for people. With that instrument, you basically take out any type of real rote practice like a piano or violin. It's all about what music you are actually feeling. That instrument is the amplifier of the soul.

Apparently the software for it is open source, too.

ChronicTree

Have you even been curious about what Jason looks like at ChronicTree? Well, here's a picture for you:

oh my...

...Sandra, could we perhaps get a translation?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-TyJ71K__s

Tonight

Tom talked of Japanese politeness. I just recently saw this documentary on the google video. I share: Tada!

Is this really like Japan, Tom? Do they really have salt licks outside of the Sushi places?

Posting a picture.

Tea Links

So, apparently there is ice on Mars.

Suggested Tea Trivia Question: What percentage of the water once present on Mars is thought to be trapped in its polar ice deposits?
Suggested Tea Discussion Question: The force of gravity on Mars is measured to be about 40% of what it is on earth. How kinky do you imagine Martian sex to be? Also, how cool would it be to make a martini with Martian ice?

***
There are kids out there making some super totally rad Rube Goldberg Machines. That must be quite a group house.

Suggested Tea Trivia Question: What was the name of the comic strip character created by Rube Goldberg who introduced the world to the now eponymous machines?
Suggested Tea Discussion Question: Discuss what would make a poor excuse for a Rube Goldberg machine. Examples: Breathalyzer, bathroom door opener, etc.
***


You know what that is? It's a projection of a tesseract. You know what happens when you click on that picture? You will see an ANIMATED projection of a tesseract. My A Wrinkle in Time-loving self is quite happy right now.

Suggested Tea Trivia Question: Name the other three books with A Wrinkle in Time that comprise Madeline L'Engle's Time Quartet
Suggested Tea Discussion Question: Nothing to discuss. We're all too mesmerized by the tesseract.

Book Scanning (discussed 2007-03-06)

Wasn't last Tuesday's Tea great? You bet it was.

Remember when we were discussing automatic book scanners, and Google Books? You bet you do.

I did a little research (starting 3 minutes ago, and continuing until 1 minute ago). According to USA Today,

Digitizing a book can be almost as tough as writing one. Here's how it's done:

1: Convert each page into a digital image by scanning or photographing it.

This process is often done by hand, usually by low-wage workers in India and China. These workers place pages onto an ordinary computer scanner, one page at a time. At top speed, they can scan about 100 pages an hour.

Automated scanning machines, much like copy machines, do exist. But most require the pages to be cut out, a poor choice for rare books. Recently, start-ups such as Kirtas Technologies of Victor, N.Y., have introduced automated book-scanning machines that can turn pages. Kirtas' book scanner uses a robotic arm to flip pages past a 16-megapixel Canon digital camera.

....

Robots! Look, here it is, BookScan:

Here is another one, called BookDrive:

I worry that the robots are reading and learning while they are scanning. True, these robots do not have legs. But they may be talking to other robots that do. And who is to say what features will be added to the next version? "Now, scans 7200 pages per hour! Also, it has legs."

week one and two breakdown

These are very exciting breakdowns of every one's score for the last two weeks. Don't you all want pages of raw data posted here? Somehow, I think I should officially give props to the USGS, and this guy Ed who emailed me some info for all this.

week one and two winners

Here are some tiny pictures about water. Note that I've made it so small you can't even see the numbers on the graph. I should work on my presentation. I don't think I'll include the Excel data.
David E. won the first week. Chris P. won last Tuesday. Ah, the double irony, he doesn't drink, and he wasn't even there!

First Post!

Welcome to Tuesday Tea.