xkcd, for your Desktop!


Picture Courtesy: http://xkcd.com/559/

I have always been an xkcd fan, and recently, I set about to find some of choicest comics for a spiffy desktop background. After an hour's worth of looking, I decided there was just too much and I wanted to have full access to every one of Mr. Randall Munroe's fine drawings, and I then set my sights on a program that would grab the images for me. A so called user: "Andrew" at EchoChamber.me created a cool program (for Windows) (downloaded here) that, not only, grabs every picture off of xkcd's site, but also automatically sets one of them (at random) for your desktop background. Talk about helpful! You can read the entire Forum Chat at EchoChamber here it seems a lot of people have been looking for something like this, and I'm only trying to increase its popularity. Definately a cool program, if you are into xkcd, and if you have no idea what I'm talking about, go check out Mr. Munroe's odd, but cocky humor when you get the chance.

Thank You For Your Time.

A Roomba's Journey

Picture Courtesy of: http://miscellanea.wellingtongrey.net/comics/2007-01-08%20--%20roomba.png

A truly amazing discovery. I do not consider myself the first to find it, but I can still bring it to your attention. Many of you, including me, have stared at, goggled at, stood around gazing wondrously at your new Roomba and its seemingly chaotic roaming around the foot of your bed or couch.


Well, Ms. Nilay Patel decided to attached an LED to her's, and took a long-exposure photo of the entrancing path her Roomba took to clean her small floor space. I do believe she said it best:
"We've always suspected our Roomba was actually performing a complex dance loaded with hidden meaning and bewitching charm instead of just bouncing around, and now we've got proof...You can see the initial spiral path in the center, but after that it's a free-for-all that somehow manages to cover the entire room. Now if someone would just make a high-speed video set to the Benny Hill music, we'd be all set."
Check out her blog on Engadget and a higher quality picture of her 'lil Roomba's adventure around the room.

Thank You For Your Time.

Pirate Costume(s)

Thank You: http://www.rangebuzz.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/the-pirates-of-penzance-full.png

I am a person of many and varied interests (software & steampunk, pirates & pastafarianism, star wars & science, just to name a few), but i have been working on a pair of pirate boots (if you can imagine the combination of a flexible cutting board, leather jacket sleeves, shoes, and nifty buttons) and, in looking for inspiration, i have decided to give you all of my bookmarks on this subject, since I have a lot. Many of the links are for jacket creation (my next project), but some are for boots. The idea is that in me sharing my information, feel free to add any other useful site for piratey things in the comments below.

Late 18th Century Coat Pattern
Pirate Hat How To (Look for Sailor Pattern, or Basic Sailor)
Another 18th Century Coat Pattern
LoTR (but also Pirate-y) Trousers
Pirate (Jack Sparrow) Shirt (a Good Site for Costumes)
Tricorn Hat How To
Pirate Boots
Dress 18th Century Coat
Basic Pirate Garb Information (a Great Site About the Golden Age of Pirates)
DIY Tricorn Hat
DIY Captian's Suit (Search for Captian Julien) (Also a Good Site for Professor Snape Robes)
Great Jabot Picture/Example
Information on Sailor-Coats (a Great Site About the Golden Age of Pirates)
Information in Pirate Swords (a Great Site About the Golden Age of Pirates)
Jabot Information
Buy Pirate Boots Here (or Just Use for Inspiration)
Buy Pirate Shoes Here (or Just Use for Inspiration)
Buy Pirate Shoes Here (or Just Use for Inspiration)
Buy Pirate Over-Coat Here (or Just Use for Inspiration)
Buy Pirate Jabot Here (or Just Use for Inspiration)
Get Pirate Patterns Here
Buy Pirate Coat (1750's) Here
Buy Real (Antique & Expensive) Pirate Swords/Pistols/Weapons
Buy Assorted Costume Patterns Here
Buy Pirate Great Coat Pattern Here
Buy Frock Coat Pattern Here
Buy Pirate Shirt/Coat/Waistcoat Patterns Here
Assorted Historical Patterns
Buy Pirate: Shoes, Waistcoats, Jackets, Trousers, etc. Here
Buy Historical/Pirate Patterns Here

I do hope these sites help someone, so use them, peruse them, I do not care.

Edit: Another Really Good Site!

Thank You For Your Time.

Unusual Words and Their Respective Definitions

Thank You: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/US_Patent_775134.PNG

SAT time is here for all High-Schoolers, and to help with your much needed vocabulary boost for today, I give you: Scorpio Tales' Unusual Words! This is one interesting read, even if you are not preparing for flawed standardized tests (another post, I promise). The presents some of the oddest words like xerophongy (or a diet of bread and water), ginglyform (or hinge-shaped), sabrage (or the act of opening a bottle with a sabre), and krunkolibidinous (I would suggest you Crl+F to find the definition for this one) just to name a few. Try using one of them at your next cocktail party, and see who actually knows what it means (such as: "Well Jim, (no offence any good-mannered Jims out there) being a theif and all, I would say your quite quomodocunquize.")

Thank You For Your Time.

Debating IS Healthy and Helpful

Picture courtesy of: http://www.noblemother.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/tantrum.jpg

I don't know about the rest of the human race, but I tend to debate, a lot, and love doing it. I debate my school-mates about anything from the advantages of every particle being made up of vibrating Garden Gnomes (a hybrid String Theory) to the effects of Ayn Rand's controversial theory of Objectivism. So, naturally, once I saw Mr. Jay Heinrichs's article on teaching his children how to properly debate from their toddler years, I could not stop myself from laughing. (For you see, my younger cousin is one of the most annoying children I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, and he argues NONSTOP!) But Mr. Heinrich's definition of argue dates back to the Greek art of debate. He teaches his kids to sway crowds (pathos) using their emotions against them, using a good reputation (ethos) to their advantage, and logic (logos) to entirely prove their points. He goes into depth about the many ways he teaches his children to use these old (but obviously still effect) ideas to their advantage.

My only regret is that I did not have a father this pragmatic. I did not learn these terms, and the ideas behind them until well into High School (thank you, Debate Team) and have found them to be most helpful in debates with my colleagues and friends. They allow to question others' motives, and give an objective look at others' attempts to sway your thoughts.

I, personally, found this refresher course in basic debate nice, and would hope that others, too, find it to be informative and mind opening. As a closing, I will quote Mr. Heinrich with:
"And let’s face it: Our culture has lost the ability to usefully disagree. Most Americans seem to avoid argument. But this has produced passive aggression and groupthink in the office, red and blue states, and families unable to discuss things as simple as what to watch on television. Rhetoric doesn’t turn kids into back-sassers; it makes them think about other points of view."
Thank You For Your Time.

About this blog

This blog covers Programs of Interest/Usefulness, Amusing Pictures, Witty Anecdotes, Interesting Videos, Cool Sites, Awesome DIY Things, and the Various Opinions I have.