Biometrics spreading

From Boing Boing

However, in order to get inside the statue, you have to stow your gear in a locker... that requires you to use your fingerprint as a key!!! You can also pay with a credit card, that way if anyone hacks the machine, they can have your print AND your credit card information. This must be in place to protect us from those Al Qaeda frogmen that are clever enough to swim ashore, but are too stupid perform their dastardly deed at night where they can circumvent the locker bay by climbing the seemingly easy-to-climb wall.

And also at Boing Boing

Today Breanna went to a tanning place in her hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas to get a spray tan. The person asked to take an electronic scan of her thumbprint in order for her to be allowed to get her spray tan. Breanna, sensitive about her privacy being violated (rightly so) refused to allow them to make and permanently store an electronic scan of her thumbprint -- she isn't "joining a program" she simply wanted to purchase a single tan and have it applied at that time. When she refused, the woman was offended, saying "it's for our computer system" and when neither would budge, Breanna had no other choice but to leave.

It was probably using this software.

Micro Heros

This is freaking awesome! I love all of these little super hero pictures. they look just like they're from a Gerry Anderson production.

Comics Day

Young Avengers #3
I like where this is going. We now have the secret identities of the heroes, but no more. I loved the "This completely violates Growing Man continuity". They may not be experienced heroes, but they know a lot more than many would expect. I like the Vision's Avengers contingency plan, which is a nod to the Avengers Next book from a few years back. I like Patriot's connection to the original Captain America, Isaiah Bradley.
And the little stunt pulled by Cap and Iron Man at the end will guarantee that they will not be listened to by the team.

Teen Titans #23
Dr. Light is a badass. I like that it takes the Titans, ALL the Titans to bring him down. I do wonder where this fits with The Outsiders, considering who collects Dr. Light and how. He made his point. He is no pushover, and the secret is spreading. Interesting how after Speedy reveals her secret, everyone but Superboy does as well. Hmm.

OMAC Project #1
It wasn't amazing, but I enjoyed it. Wonder Woman and Booster Gold are on the trail. I really want to see Booster take Max down, but I'm sure it be Batman. As an alternative, Booster should slug Batman. My guess on who deleted the files is Skeets.

PS 238 #11
This is a fun book. I think it would make a pretty good RPG campaign.

Robin #137
I like how Tim is a thinking hero. He doesn't just react, he learns from past events.

Amazing Spider-Man #519
Moving day. Like Mary Jane, I like this immersion into Peter's world. It sets up some interesting dynamics and lays the groundwork for Spider Man to stay with the Avengers. Aunt May and Jarvis, Logan and Mary Jane. Hmm.

Connecticut Approves Same-Sex Civil Unions

One step forward...

When we look at Connecticut's recognition of same-sex civil unions in this context, we see how huge it is. Yes, many municipalities, universities and private employers, including 200 Fortune 500 companies, offer domestic partnership benefits. Yes, many religious denominations celebrate gay unions, with Reform Judaism recognizing gay marriage.

But, until yesterday, no elected state legislature, without having been forced by the courts, passed a bill recognizing same-sex civil unions. When the state's democratically elected Republican governor (albeit elected Lieutenant Governor, but who assumed her current position in accordance with the state Constitution when her predecessor resigned) signed the legislation, the bill became law. Now, the whole nation is watching.

I support gay marriage, but I understand that many people don't. This gives a compromise position. It isn't called marriage, but it gives the same benefits. It is still not correct, but one step at a time.

The enemy of the perfect is the good.

NASA Tests Shape-Shifting Robot Pyramid For Nanotech Swarms

I for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

Like new and protective parents, engineers watched as the TETWalker robot successfully traveled across the floor at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Robots of this type will eventually be miniaturized and joined together to form "autonomous nanotechnology swarms" (ANTS) that alter their shape to flow over rocky terrain or to create useful structures like communications antennae and solar sails. This technology has the potential to directly support NASA's Vision for Space Exploration.

"This prototype is the first step toward developing a revolutionary type of robot spacecraft with major advantages over current designs," said Dr. Steven Curtis, Principal Investigator for the ANTS project, a collaboration between Goddard and NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Using advanced animation tools, Using advanced animation tools, Langley is developing rover operational scenarios for the ANTS project.

The robot is called "TETwalker" for tetrahedral walker, because it resembles a tetrahedron (a pyramid with 3 sides and a base). In the prototype, electric motors are located at the corners of the pyramid called nodes. The nodes are connected to struts which form the sides of the pyramid. The struts telescope like the legs of a camera tripod, and the motors expand and retract the struts. This allows the pyramid to move: changing the length of its sides alters the pyramid's center of gravity, causing it to topple over. The nodes also pivot, giving the robot great flexibility.

In January 2005, the prototype was shipped to McMurdo station in Antarctica to test it under harsh conditions more like those on Mars. The test indicated some modifications will increase its performance; for example, placing the motors in the middle of the struts rather than at the nodes will simplify the design of the nodes and increase their reliability.

The team anticipates TETwalkers can be made much smaller by replacing their motors with Micro- and Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems. Replacement of the struts with metal tape or carbon nanotubes will not only reduce the size of the robots, it will also greatly increase the number that can be packed into a rocket because tape and nanotube struts are fully retractable, allowing the pyramid to shrink to the point where all its nodes touch.

These miniature TETwalkers, when joined together in "swarms," will have great advantages over current systems. The swarm has abundant flexibility so it can change its shape to accomplish highly diverse goals. For example, while traveling through a planet's atmosphere, the swarm might flatten itself to form an aerodynamic shield. Upon landing, it can shift its shape to form a snake-like swarm and slither away over difficult terrain. If it finds something interesting, it can grow an antenna and transmit data to Earth. Highly-collapsible material can also be strung between nodes for temperature control or to create a deployable solar sail.

Additionally, the nodes will be designed to disconnect and reconnect to different struts. If a meteoroid or rough landing punches a hole in the swarm, the system can heal itself by rejoining undamaged nodes. "Spacecraft are so expensive because failure in a single component can cripple the entire spacecraft, so extensive testing and redundant systems are employed to reduce the chance of catastrophic failure. We wouldn't live long if our bodies worked like this. Instead, when we get hurt, new cells replace the damaged ones. In a similar way, undamaged units in a swarm will join together, allowing it to tolerate extensive damage and still carry out its mission," said Curtis.

The pyramid shape is also fundamentally strong and stable. "If current robotic rovers topple over on a distant planet, they are doomed -- there is no way to send someone to get them back on their wheels again. However, TETwalkers move by toppling over. It's a very reliable way to get around," said Curtis.

Extensive research in artificial intelligence is underway to get the robots to move, navigate, and work together in swarms autonomously. The research includes development of a novel interface that integrates high-level decision-making with lower-level functions typically handled intuitively by living organisms, like walking and swarming behavior. All systems are being designed to adapt and evolve in response to the environment.

The research was initially funded by the Goddard Director's Discretionary Fund, which supports innovative projects with the potential for a high payoff even if the chance of success is low. Many past projects have blossomed into new instruments, flights, or research directions. McMurdo station is run by the National Science Foundation. For images, movies and more information, refer to: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplorers/ants.html

An unexpected "Welcome Home"

This is really cool:

Composed mostly from the generation that served in World War II and Korea, they call themselves the Maine Troop Greeters. They have met every flight bringing troops home from Iraq for nearly two years — more than 1,000 flights and nearly 200,000 troops.

"Here they come. Everybody get ready," said Joyce Goodwin, 71, her voice full of excitement, undiminished by the hundreds of times she has shown up to embrace the returning troops.

As dozens more Marines came down the corridor, the applause grew louder and was accompanied by handshakes, hugs, and a stream of well wishes: "Welcome home." "Thank you for your service." "God bless you." "Thank you for everything."

Sci Fi Channel series in development

Now, most of these don't do anything for me, but Urban Arcana, Heroes Anonymous, and Those Who Walk In Darkenss look interesting. What I find interesting is there is no mention of D&D, D20 Mondern, or Wizards of the coast.

•An untitled project executive-produced by Academy Award-winning actor/producer Michael Douglas, based on the work of the late author Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House). Storylines and themes from Jackson's catalog of supernatural short stories will be woven into her real life experiences transitioning from urban mom to small-town matriarch.

•Heroes Anonymous, a live-action series based the comic book created by Scott Gimpel and Bill Morrison which follows a group of 20-something aspiring superheroes who form a support group to help them discover their own identity while carving out their secret identity. The series will be executive-produced by Lawrence Bender (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction), Kevin Brown (Legend of Earthsea, Roswell) and Karl Schaefer (The Dead Zone). Gimpel and Morrison will write the pilot.

•Those Who Walk in Darkness, a drama based on John Ridley's (Three Kings, Third Watch) best-selling novel of the same name about an expert team of S.W.A.T. police whose primary mission is to hunt down and capture people who genetically possess super powers. John Ridley will write and executive-produce in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

•Urban Arcana, an action series inspired by the Hasbro/Worlds of Wonder role-playing game which follows an undercover detective who must protect the human population from the influx of chameleon-like, mythological creatures from a parallel world. Aron Coleite (Crossing Jordan) will write, with Gary A. Randall and Rockne O'Bannon (The Triangle, Farscape) executive-producing in association with Fox Television Studios.

•Tomorrow's Child, a series centered around a young girl who was horribly burned in an accident and saved by a special skin of extraterrestrial origin, which gives her powers beyond human comprehension. She travels the country pursued by the government while looking for the origin of her powers and seeking out others like her. Produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and Gary Foster's Horseshoe Bay Productions (Daredevil, Elektra).

•Time Tunnel, an updated interpretation of the classic 1960s television series created by Irwin Allen. The new series centers on a female scientist and a government agent who find themselves trapped in time when an experimental time travel project is sabotaged. Produced with Fox Television Studios and Kevin Burns and Jon Jashni of Synthesis Entertainment. Allen's wife, Shelia Allen, will produce. Written by John Turman (The Hulk).

•3:52, from distinguished television writer/producer John Tinker (Judging Amy, The Practice), takes place in the wake of the sudden disappearance of 2 billion people from the face of the Earth. The series, named for the time of the vanishing, will be told from the point of view of a small Maryland town.

The network also announced the following alternative series:

•Barbarian Chronicles, a half-hour animated ensemble comedy from Brendon Small, creator of the offbeat strip series Home Movies. David Letterman's Worldwide Pants will produce along with Small.

•Seriously Baffling Mysteries, a half-hour mockumentary hosted by Jonathan Frankle, which goes in search of the paranormal on a shoestring budget. In each episode, production chaos and behind-the-scenes dysfunction interrupt Frankle's attempt at supernatural investigative reporting.

I'm betting, though that the cheapest ones to produce will be authorized.

Rethinking the various Ages of Comics

An interesting reinterpretation of the Golden/Silver/Bronze ages of Comics. I think it matches up pretty well. There is a lot of really good stuff out there.

New from Stark-Fujikawa

This is cool. Hopefully it will help people to walk.
Later, we can make powered armor.

HULK'S DIARY THAT IS ON THE INTERNET

My wife turned me on to this site, which is odd, as I am the comics reader in the family and she is not. It adds a little bit of joy back into the world. Just reading it gives a smile to my face.

HULK KITTY UPDATE FOLLOWS SO PAY ATTENTION IT IS IMPORTANT.

HULK STILL WANTS A KITTY.

and

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Hulk got email from Puny Human named Jane and guess what it shows in the picture that was attached to the email that Hulk got?

IT IS A WHOLE GALAXY OF KITTIES AND BUNNIES AND THAT IS EXCELLENT!! Science is excellent for discovering such a wonderful thing as a galaxy with kitties and bunnies!

(Yes, Iron Man! Hulk knows that is called a "nebula!" Galaxy is a better word!)

I love this.

Media Purveyor

Media Purveyor is a media management application. It can view, browse, and edit; plus it can set metadata. What I like are the keywords. You can set an arbitrary number of keywords that you can search on with it to find media. You can also search on other attributes of the media, such as height, width, color depth, etc. It has become my image viewer of choice.

PostSecret

Some of these are brutal. But I find it fascinating to see a glimpse of someone else's life.