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Weblog for May 2002

31 May, 2002

World Cup Fever is here [permanent link]: Yes, it is that time that comes ever four years: the FIFA World Cup fever is upon us. Football (or 'Soccer' as it is known in some 'barbaric' countries) is one of the world's favourite sport and while I am not a football fanatic, I can't help but be caught up in it ever four years. I could present a list of sites on the World Cup to choose from, but to keep it simple, use this Google Search on "World Cup" to get a list of sites to visit.

30 May, 2002

Great Minds, Great Ideas [permanent link]: Newsweek has an interesting article on two people who are making waves at the moment: Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway and Stephen Wolfram who has written a book, A New Kind of Science, which he believes will revolutionise the way we look at science. You will get a glimpse of what makes these people different from you and me.

23 May, 2002

Spintronics [permanent link]: Scientific American has an interesting article on 'Spintronics' or 'Spin Electronics'. Instead of using the electrical charge of electrons to transfer infromation, the quantum 'spin' of electrons are used instead. This may allow the creation of even smaller transistors as well as exotic quantum computers.

21 May, 2002

The 'Pregnant Guppy' [permanent link]: American Heritage of Science & Technology magazine has an interesting article about a very strange series of aircraft called 'Guppies'. The 'Pregnant Guppy' were used to transport NASA rockets during the Apollo missing. Read it to see how this amazing aircraft was designed and built on a very minimal budget.
Sex Differences in the Brain [permanent link]: Could the differences in the sexes (male and female) be due to the sex hormones? Scientific American looks at this question in this article on how hormones affect the sexes.
Stephen Jay Gould: 1941-2002 [permanent link]: Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has passed away. Famed for books like The Mismeasure of Man, he wrote on many topics, some related to evolution that led other evolutionist to disagree with him, especially Richard Dawkins. See this Reuters article for an annoucement of his death and a brief obituary.

18 May, 2002

Introduction to the Arch Revision Control System [permanent link]: I use CVS (Concurrent Version System) to keep a copy of my code. This includes using CVS to keep a copy of the 'source' code used to generate this web site. There are alternative Source Control systems out there and one that is generating some interest is Arch. This introductory article on Arch by Linux Journal gives an overview of Arch, how to set it up and start using it, and highlights some of the differences between CVS and Arch. For now, I'm sticking with CVS as I do not need the more advanced features of Arch. But things may change in the future. Subversion is another new revision control system that I'm keeping track of.

17 May, 2002

Flexible Display Screen on Clothes [permanent link]: Infosync has an interesting article about France Telecom inventing a flexible fibre optic screen that can be embedded in clothing, allowing it to be used as an electronic display. Plenty of interesting possibilities (especially related to advertising) with this kind of technology.
Meteorite from Mercury? [permanent link]: This BBC News article looks at a possible asteroid from Mercury. Its composition does not match other known meteorites and its formation suggests it came from a larger body, so Mercury has been suggested. Of course, this is still speculation but an interesting one.
Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth thanks to an Asteroid [permanent link]: It is commonly believed that an asteroid crashing into the Earth lead to the extinction of the dinosaurs and the rise of the mammals as a dominant species. According to this BBC News article, scientist now think that an earlier asteroid impact lead to the rise of the dinosaurs. Evidence has been found of iridium, a substance found mostly on asteroids at the time of the rise of the dinosaur, leading to speculation that an asteroid impact killed off many other dominant species at the time (reptiles, for example), allowing the dinosaurs to develop.
LawMeme: Commentary, Articles on Law, Technology and Policy [permanent link]: I occasionally find a website that I find very interesting. LawMeme is one of them. This website features, from their FAQ, articles and commentary on topics "generally pertaining to law, technology and policy." Give it a look and I think you will find its articles and commentary on current technological issues illuminating.
Business Week Special Report on Linux [permanent link]: Business Week has a special report on Linux. An interesting set of articles on the current mainstream business prospects for Linux.

13 May, 2002

How Sunglasses Work [permanent link]: How Stuff Works has this interesting article on how sunglasses work. If you have ever wondered about the different types of sunglasses and why the prices of sunglasses can differ by a huge amount, read this article to find out so you have more information on hand before choosing your next pair of sunglasses.
The Art of Office E-mail War [permanent link]: Salon has this article about the potential dangers of E-mail in office politics. Well worth a read to keep yourself aware of what some people may do to get ahead in an office environment.

8 May, 2002

"Don Quixote" Voted Best Work of Fiction [permanent link]: BBC News has this story about the story, Don Quixote, being voted the best work of fiction by a group of literary writers. The story of a deluded person who, after reading too many books, thinks he is a knight and goes off on conquests for his fair maiden, is a marvellous one. You can find the story on-line from this On-line Books search, so read it and enjoy yourself.

6 May, 2002

Using Viruses to Align Quantum Dots [permanent link]: New Scientist has an article about viruses being used to align quantum dots. The rod-like viruses have a peptide sequence on one end that is used to capture particles that make up a quantum-dot. These viruses can then be made to align in a pattern which has the effect of making the quantum dots line up. Possible applications for this include very dense storage or display system.
On PalmOS Expansion [permanent link]: Recent PalmOS devices have an expansion slot that can be used to hold memory cards. Over the years, various types of expansion slots have been used. Infosync has a series of articles (Part One, Part Two and Part Three) explaning the history of expansion slots on PalmOS devices, the types of expansion slots currently available and the current and future OS and software support for them.

2 May, 2002

Disney's "The Lion King" headed for IMAX [permanent link]: This DVDFile entry mentions that Disney is releasing its animated movie, "The Lion King", in IMAX format. Expect to see it on December 25, 2002. The main Disney page currently does not have much information. Expect more as the date draws nearer.
Remote Controlled Rats [permanent link]: This BBC News story talks about ratbots, or remotely controlled rats. Electrodes are implated in the brain of rats and, by transmitting signals, the rats can be made to move, stop or turn. The idea is to use such rats to navigate obstacles for use in investigating collapsed buildings and so on. Although the idea is wonderful, it can be chilling, especially if you consider the implications if the idea is used on 'higher' lifeforms. You can also read this New Scientist article for more details.
Hubble Space Telescope better after upgrade [permanent link]: BBC News has this story about the stunning new photos now being obtained after the third Hubble servicing mission to upgrade and replace the Hubble Space Telescope. There is still definitely a lot of future potential (and spectacular photos of the universe) in the telescope.

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