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4101
Living Room / 2500 Year Old Computer Rebuilt with LEGO!!!
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 08:27 AM »
Feel free to crap your pants at any time... This computer is 2500 years old, and was only understood in the last few years.

And now, it has been rebuilt with LEGO!



Video from 2010, but I'm betting few people have heard of this, and would really like the LEGO angle there. :D

More info here:

https://en.wikipedia...ntikythera_mechanism

Kind of makes you rethink things in terms of just how "advanced" we are now. e.g. How many ancient structures can we still not build?
4102
Living Room / Text Messages on Your Contact Lenses?
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 08:11 AM »
Could be very cool, though I'd worry about the safety. I kind of like my eyes. I'm quite attached to them. :P

http://tiny.iavian.net/hki (Drudge fast link)
http://www.telegraph...ur-contact-lens.html (Slow link)

Text messages direct to your contact lens

 Ghent University's centre of microsystems technology has developed a spherical curved LCD display which can be embedded in contact lenses and handle projected images using wireless technology.

 "Now that we have established the basic technology, we can start working towards real applications, possibly available in only a few years," said Professor Herbert De Smet.

 Unlike previous contact lens displays, which are limited to a few small pixels to make up an image, the new technology allows the whole curved surface of the lens to be used.

 One application suggested by the researchers is a "one pixel, fully covered contact lens acting as adaptable sunglasses".

 "This is not science fiction," said Jelle De Smet, the chief researcher on the project, who believes commercial applications for the lenses will be available within five years.

 "This will never replace the cinema screen for films. But for specific applications it may be interesting to show images such as road directions or projecting text messages from our smart phones straight to our eye."

 The innovation is the first step towards "fully pixelated contact lens displays" with the same detail as a television screen.

 The lenses could also be used for medical purposes, for example to control the light transmission toward the eye's retina in case of a damaged iris.

 For cosmetic purposes, the lens could be used the iris of the eye a tuneable colour, allowing the user to change it to suit their mood.

Built in sunglasses & different eye colours would be cool. Though I'd not really be up for telco spam...
4103
General Software Discussion / Re: File sharing advice
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 07:50 AM »
Well, this probably isn't very practical for you, but I'll throw it out there anyways...

Over the last while I've been doing a lot of work on Samsung's Family Story product. It's basically a mini-social network where up to 20 people can communicate very quickly and easily. It hooks in with the rest of the Samsung social network through a Samsung Account (or a mobile phone number, etc.).

Sharing in the network is relatively simple and allows for easy collaboration. Emphasis on easy.

Now, this is unlikely to be all that useful for you as a lot of this stuff hasn't been officially rolled out yet. However, the basic idea is there, and if you can locate anything that allows for similar collaboration, it should fit the bill.

The APIs for most services are usually ok to use for simple things, so you could relatively quickly write up something to pull down pictures, etc.

Flickr is a yahoo company, I'm fairly certain.

They are.


I'd be inclined to wonder how complicated (if at all) the web code to upload a picture would be. If it's easy enough to do, and you're not planning to provide guest internet access. Then you could set up a temporary local web server (IIS comes with windows) that had an upload pics to wedding party option on the main page. Then have the WiFi's WAN gateway sent to the local web server so all web requests go directly to it (might require a redirect script, but it makes for a can't miss target.).

It's totally hands off (mosaic display software would just target the server's upload folder), and would it open up the possibility of letting folks browse all the photos taken live without risk of deletion. side benefit being as it's a closed loop there is no risk of data leakage.

And the Flickr API is pretty good. I've used it.

The Facebook API is usable.

You could have people post to specific albums, then download new content from there.


But honestly, Box.net or Dropbox would likely be the easiest for everyone. You could then simply monitor the folder. A LOT less work. You only need to set up the collaboration with people... and that's where all the real work is. It's analogous to the Samsung Account, and how they integrate all the services. (I'm not sure what the official name will be when it's all rolled out as I suspect that the name I'm looking at may just be an internal code name - it's not all that sexy at the moment.)

Both Box.net and Dropbox have mobile applications, so, that solves that. They're both quite good, though I'd recommend Box.net probably. The simplicity of a folder is just so much easier. And they already have excellent sharing options.
4104
General Software Discussion / Re: Text based alternative to PowerPoint
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 07:20 AM »
You will be hard pressed to find many people that loathe PowerPoint more than I do...

That project there looks darn cool!  :Thmbsup:
4105
75234_472772799428177_743665038_n.jpg

:P

And when a joke isn't elected, it gets shot! :P
4106
General Software Discussion / Re: FLV downloader needed
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 05:24 AM »
Renegade thanks for info but the first site is the one that Hijacked all my web pages and wouldn't download anything but the infomercials on utube or dailymotion, I should have said it's name but it might work foe someone else. The second is the one I've used for years and utube bought them out and I can't seem to get it to work with either anymore! Even from utube itsself :(  But thanks again for reply.

That's odd. I always pay attention when installing software, and never install anything that is bundled, so I've never had a problem. It's working brilliantly for me still. Not sure why you'd have those problems there. :( I started using it based on recommendations from some other DCers.

For the FF plugin, I've not updated it in a bit (a few weeks), and it's still working for me. I wasn't aware that they were bought out. Looking at the site, it doesn't look like it was bought out by Google. Testing it again, and it's still working... Not sure what's up there.

Anyways, there are lots out there. Hopefully someone's suggestion works out for you.
4107
Living Room / Re: Be Careful What You Download - Or Go To Jail...
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 05:16 AM »
But, said the judge, the material could have aided a terrorist and such serious offences would always carry a prison sentence.

Or how about a knife, any knife, including that one in the kitchen you use for cutting vegetables. We are all murderers based on this logic, because those knives can be used to kill people, which is a serious offense and would always carry a prison sentence. And technically, it is possible to kill someone with a spoon, too, so everyone with a spoon should also be locked up.

+1

Incidentally, the top murder weapon is???

Believe it or not...
Baseball bat.

4108
4109
Why is this in the silly humor thread? There is nothing silly or humorous about this.

Check the above posts about dangerous pranks - which is why I called it "unfunny". Also, I didn't think it warranted its own thread.
4110
General Software Discussion / Re: FLV downloader needed
« Last post by Renegade on December 08, 2012, 02:07 AM »
I'd recommend this program:

http://www.youtubedownloadersite.com/

And this Firefox plugin:

https://addons.mozil...ideo-downloadhelper/

I use the first 99% of the time, and it's great. It conked out for a bit, so I used the FF one there, then went back to YTD.

4111
A prank turned unfunny:

http://www.cnn.com/2...tal-death/index.html

Hospital nurse found dead after taking prank call on Catherine

 :huh:
4112
Living Room / Be Careful What You Download - Or Go To Jail...
« Last post by Renegade on December 07, 2012, 07:33 AM »
So, this poor woman downloads some stuff onto her phone to read... then gets sent to jail for it.   :'(

http://www.telegraph...terror-magazine.html


Sentencing her, Mr Justice Fulford accepted she only downloaded the material to see what had driven her brothers to terrorism.

...

She pleaded guilty last month to having material which was likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

This was two editions of al Qaeda’s Inspire magazine on a micro SD memory card in her mobile.

...

"She is of good behaviour and a good Muslim.

"Against this background, I accept on the evidence before me that this defendant gathered together the contents of the SD card in order to explore and understand the charges which her brothers faced.

"There is no evidence that she was motivated by their ideology or was preparing to follow them.

"She had damaged what could have been a potentially blossoming future by committing these offences."

But, said the judge, the material could have aided a terrorist and such serious offences would always carry a prison sentence.


Thought crimes. Pure and simple. She's guilty of nothing other than trying to understand something. i.e. A thought crime. Which must "always carry a prison sentence."

It just doesn't get any more Orwellian than this.

Ooops... That's not true. Just wait until tomorrow... There will be another person convicted of thought crimes.

Oh, and just for the sake of committing a though crime, I'd like to post some information that could "aid a terrorist":

https://en.wikipedia...tion_characteristics

A simple, commonly cited, chemical equation for the combustion of black powder is
2 KNO3 + S + 3 C → K2S + N2 + 3 CO2.

A balanced, but still simplified, equation is
10 KNO3 + 3 S + 8 C → 2 K2CO3 + 3 K2SO4 + 6 CO2 + 5 N2.

Although charcoal's chemical formula varies, it can be best summed up by its empirical formula: C7H4O

An even more accurate equation of the decomposition of regular black powder with the use of sulfur can be described as:
4 KNO3 + C7H4O + 2 S —> 2 K2S + 4 CO2 + 3 CO + 2 H2O + 2 N2

Black powder without the use of sulfur:
6 KNO3 + C7H4O —> 3 K2CO3 + CO2 + 6 CO + 2 H2O + 2 N2

Information is just that. Information. (I'm tempted to quote the intro to "The Prisoner".)

Information is not a crime.  >:(

I own a copy of the Anarchist Cookbook, and have for around 20 years or so. It's a fun read. Does that make me a criminal?

Nuff said.
4113
A friend posted this on FB:

Yeah, ok, fine. But will McAffe have a 30-day trial?

:P
4114
General Software Discussion / Re: software for converting numbers to letters
« Last post by Renegade on December 06, 2012, 10:38 PM »
Something to start with: Convert A Number into Words

Would be just a matter of providing some way to offer additional languages then, eg. extra arrays, remote call to Google Translate, etc.

That was pretty cool!

I built it, so here's an EXE:

4115
Please note my introductory comment where I said: When it comes to practical jokes, this one is just bloody evil!

That was not intended to be a taken as a compliment.  ;)

I noticed that. I just didn't comment on it. You were right about it. But perhaps understated it. :P :D
4116
Living Room / Re: Anti-Addiction Drug
« Last post by Renegade on December 06, 2012, 09:33 AM »
Here's a very timely article and event:

http://www.activistp...arijuana-smoker.html



Steve Marlowe, peaceful person and long-time marijuana advocate, was driving his peace signed car in Florida in October, 2012 when he was arrested for 19 grams of cannabis (marijuana) - a misdemeanor. Instead of pleading guilty and paying a fine, Steve says he has done nothing wrong and wants a jury to hear his case, believing at least one juror will have common sense, see the unfairness and vote not-guilty. 64 years old, Steve uses cannabis for his arthritis, preferring it over debilitating prescription medications. He faces up to a year in jail if found guilty.

Steve's first court appearance is Dec 12, 2012 at the Sumter County Courthouse, Courtroom B, in Bushnell, FL. Calling on all supporters of legal marijuana and jury nullification to be there to support him.

Learn more about the power of a jury at The Fully Informed Jury Association: http://fija.org

Screenshot - 2012-12-07 , 2_30_59 AM.png

I really wish this fellow all the best.

The video is well worth a watch.

Acid test quote: "I'm just a 64 year old man who wants to be left in peace."

And... Keep in mind... You can't patent pot. ;) Any bells ringing yet?
4117
From the Dept. of Hidden Agendas comes:

"House approves resolution to keep Internet control out of UN hands" ... by ... wait for it ... 397-0.

Can anyone say Hot Potato? This is the Congress that will gleefully wreck the country by letting us lose our AAA credit rating (so Bankers with short-derivative-whatevers can skim more cash) and play games with debt bankruptcy ceilings... and they can find it among themselves to vote 397-0 to keep the UN out of the internet?!

Ingredients: Barrel. Fish.

Directions: Leave in Sunlight to cure for 3 days until nice and rotten. Serve on top of legislation when they whine that they can't get consensus even though the country risks economic implosion. Serves 12 bills.

http://thehill.com/b...trol-out-of-un-hands

Thank God.

The Internet in the control of the UN is absolute Orwellian tyranny. The UN is nothing less than purely Satanic. And I mean that in the worst possible way.

I love Slayer, but compared to the UN? They're about as Satanic as a Cheeto is a nuclear bomb.

Considering how feckless and ineffective (by design) the UN has been for most of it's existence, it's probably just as well.

You can't have an effective world governing body when a tiny group of players (all armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons) individually hold absolute and unchallengeable veto power over anything and everything the UN "resolves."

But then again, the UN was never set up with the intent to be a governing body. It's never been more than a public forum and debating society at the best of times. Much like the Student Councils and Student Senates in most high schools and universities. It has all the trappings of a government body - but none of the real authority.
 :-\

You are far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far more optimistic about the UN than I am.

My opinion is pretty much orthogonal in almost every way. The UN has been very effective in instituting its Satanic tyranny and socialist/fascist policies of destruction and rape. It's a long term game for the UN, and they're doing very well in bringing about their sickness.

The UN is set up as an organization to bring about complete world tyranny and misery.

Do a quick search on Agenda 21.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=agenda+21

These sickos think that vitamins should be by prescription, and that dosages should be far below any kind of nutritional value.

UN = Evil. Not "differently evil". Pure evil.

("You" here is the generic "you" or "one".)

If you start looking into the UN in greater detail, you will vomit. If you don't vomit, you didn't look into the UN, but rather just tried to get some sort of self indulgent satisfaction. It is not possible to peer into the Abyss and not have it affect you.

Any time that the UN does any "good", they are advancing a different agenda that is utterly Satanic and evil.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... Do not believe me. Look into this for yourself. Doubt everything I say. Call me a liar. Tell me that I'm a crank/kook/nut/whatever. But do look into it for yourself.

While I think that the current US govt./system is broken/evil, it pales in comparison to the UN. I'm very glad that some semblance of sanity prevailed, and that the US told the UN and ITU to piss off.

The Internet under UN control will be the end of freedom. They will try to "protect" people... It won't work... Anytime someone wants to protect you... mass graves follow. Simple lesson in history.
4118
Extremely Scary Ghost Prank. (When it comes to practical jokes, this one is just bloody evil! :tellme:)



Hahahahahaa~! That was one very well done prank! ;D

While I do love horror flicks, really, these kinds of pranks are kind of unfunny. I've seen others like this and was amazed that nobody got hurt. Too many pranks put people into a possible "fight" mode. One of these days, someone is going to get killed.

It reminds me of that Egyptian television prank where someone did get punched a few times.

Can you imagine the second part of the video above done in Texas? Someone would think it's a zombie, pull a gun and shoot the actor in the head. Would you blame him? I wouldn't.

I do kind of like the humour, but... man... they just seem a bit dangerous to me.
4119
I have to cling to my theory that people aren't going all Mr. Burns "Ooh, if we dumb down the educational system then we can get rich with X, Y, and Z." Not *quite* that brutally direct.

You are far more optimistic than I am there.

https://duckduckgo.c...otte+Thomson+Iserbyt

Lots of references there. First link is the smoking gun.

However... be forewarned... if you wish to go down that road and find out more on the topic, you will find that its enemies are many and diverse. You will regularly encounter stuff like:

69410_10200125932941286_1986489274_n.jpg

HA! Managed to work that into a joke even~! :D

4120
Living Room / Re: Security, Law, Ego, and Patheticness
« Last post by Renegade on December 06, 2012, 07:46 AM »
So, any suggestion on a good portable EXIF reader/viewer?

Not FastStone. Just checked. It doesn't tell you jack.

Mostly when I've been interested in EXIF data, I've just done it all in Visual Studio... Not really very useful for others. :(


Is this the same as MetaData? Because deleting it risks turning you into a Terrorist per other threads!

Yep - same thing. And nope - not worried as I'm already guilty of a thousand other things to label myself as a "terrorist". Still, filling the piggy bank a coin at a time works. :D Oh... and that's another way in that I'm a terrorist - I have physical silver.  :o
4121
Guess we shouldn't tell these people how the thermostat for their heating/cooling systems work then huh?
(Hint: Mercury switch... (Derp!))

Kind of makes you rethink whether the "kooky conspiracy theorists" have a point when it comes to the deliberate dumbing down of the education system. (Hint: I think they're bang on the money.)

It's difficult to imagine anything much stupider. I'm sure I'll trip across something more idiotic tomorrow though.  :-\
4122
Living Room / Re: Hurricane Sandy Discussion Thread
« Last post by Renegade on December 06, 2012, 07:09 AM »
Adding insult to injury... something no self-respecting petty bureaucrat should ever ignore the opportunity for...

VIA (video here)
http://www.activistp...with-failure-to.html

http://newyork.cbslo...n-property-citation/

Residents in one Queens neighborhood are crying foul after they were written up for failing to clean up the city’s own mess. It is yet another new complication in life after Superstorm Sandy.

Rosanne and Joe Cavaliere are still trying to clean up from the hurricane.

They have branches through their roof, busted front windows, and, to add insult to injury, they recently received a citation notice from the city.

A city tree falls on their house, so, they get a citation... Nicely done!
4123
Living Room / Re: I gotta try this...
« Last post by Renegade on December 05, 2012, 11:10 PM »
Next, start texting random people with "I've hidden the body... Now what?" :P

"The goods are at the drop zone.  Awaiting further instructions."

 :Thmbsup:

"Hey - Purple wire or red wire to arm this thing?"

4124
Living Room / Re: I gotta try this...
« Last post by Renegade on December 05, 2012, 09:53 PM »
Next, start texting random people with "I've hidden the body... Now what?" :P
4125
Living Room / Re: Security, Law, Ego, and Patheticness
« Last post by Renegade on December 05, 2012, 09:13 PM »
I learned a long time ago to remove the EXIF and any other exorbitant data from my pictures...

It was an important consideration for me when I wrote Photo Resizer, and particularly for when I added in cropping. IIRC, I only delete the thumbnail and leave other things alone.

But really, while you might not expect your mom to know about EXIF data and the like, a guy who used to run a security company? Seriously?
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