Siloam Tunnel dates to about 700 BC

September 10th, 2003

(via Nature)

The Siloam Tunnel, according to Biblical verses in Kings 2 and Chronicles 2, was built in the reign of King Hezekiah – 727 BC-698 BC. Carbon dating of plant material and thorium dating of stalactites puts the tunnel’s age around 700 BC.

Optical Illusions

September 10th, 2003

A site full of optical illusions.

My favorite: ‘The Music’

An Online Periodic Table

September 9th, 2003

A particularly beautiful online periodic table from the Royal Society of Chemistry. Each element links to its chemical data.

RIAA sues 12-year old girl – Update

September 9th, 2003

According to The Register, and just about every other blog in existence, the RIAA is suing a 12-year old girl in its latest batch of 261 lawsuits. Here’s Dan Gillmor’s take.

They settled – for $2000.

Anniversary of the First “Computer Bug”

September 9th, 2003

(via Slashdot>

A moth trapped in a relay in a Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator was logged as the ‘First actual case of bug being found’ on Sep. 9, 1945.

Happy Birthday John Paul!

September 7th, 2003

It’s John Paul’s 20th birthday today. So, we now have one child successfully out of teenager-hood.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Andy

September 5th, 2003

My brother Andy is (shh!) 44 today, just a few years older than me! <ZAAAP> Yow! Okay, okay, a year YOUNGER!

MIT OpenCourseWare

September 5th, 2003

(via MetaFilter)

MIT is putting their course materials online. Lecture notes or videos, handouts, quizzes. Cool!

Supercows!

September 5th, 2003

Super cows with the potential to produce 14,000 liters of milk in one lactation.

Bummer! When I saw the title, I was hoping for a gang of crime-fighting cows.

Beloit College Mindset List

September 5th, 2003

(via The Shifted Librarian)

For six years, Beloit College in Wisconsin has been distributing the Mindset List to its faculty and staff. It serves as a reminder to them of the perspectives of the students of the current incoming class. Here’s this year’s list. A few of my favorites:

Bert and Ernie are old enough to be their parents.

There has always been some association between fried eggs and your brain.

Peeps are not a candy, they are your friends.

‘Real’ map of Europe

September 4th, 2003

(via boingboing)

Interesting – a map of Europe with each country named what its inhabitants call it.

Free movable toys and cards from cardboard

September 4th, 2003

(via I forget)

Plans for some neat toys and cards you can make from cardboard or stiff paper.

Matrix ping-pong

September 4th, 2003

(via boingboing)

How ping-pong would be played in the Matrix – from a Japanese game show.

What does a cloud weigh?

September 4th, 2003

(via I forget)

About 100 elephants.

How about a hurricane? Forty million elephants.

King Arthur: What? Indian or African elephants?
Old man from scene 23: I don’t know that! YAAAAAGH!

Gosh! Even Republicans don’t like Ashcroft!

August 29th, 2003

(via IP)

They must be traitors, too!

Would you llike to come up and see my etchings?

August 29th, 2003

(via devnull)

This guy is amazing!

Maybe IT outlook isn’t so bad

August 29th, 2003

This entry on the Cincom Smalltalk blog brought up this article in Business 2.0 magazine, opining that maybe the market for IT jobs will be looking better in the not-too-distant future.

The Economist on SCO vs Linux

August 29th, 2003

(via st)
A good piece in The Economist on SCO vs Linux

Bees got Ashcrofts!

August 29th, 2003

(via Nature)

Bees, and other hive insects, have an elaborate police state. Total Insect Awareness, anyone?

Happy Birthday Ben!

August 12th, 2003

Happy Birthday, Ben!

18 years old. You can fight, vote, but not drink.