cuteness of the day

Zack Morris and his Cell Phone Dethroned

Ms. "Web Reporter", you are now the reigning Queen of using "Overeager Future Devices".

The 20 Worst Lyrics In History

"Time is like a clock in my heart"

Blow Up

Some very cool footage of a virtual experiment done by the University of Chicago this week. (Warning: Movie is processor intensive)

Story from the Sun-Times below, a more detailed explanation can be found here:

Star 'blown up' by U. of C. team

March 23, 2007

BY DAVE NEWBART Staff Reporter

As bright orange and red flames engulf a star in outer space, it looks like something out of the movie "Star Wars.''

But it's in fact a complicated research project unveiled Thursday by researchers at the University of Chicago. Instead of blowing up the Death Star, these scientists "blew up'' a so-called White Dwarf Star -- on a computer -- to help learn more about a mysterious force known as "dark energy.''

The mystery of dark energy

The project, presented at a conference in California of the world's top space physicists, is the first ever to simulate in 3-D how a star explodes in graphic detail. It took software running on two powerful supercomputers -- operating for the equivalent of 58,000 hours on a desktop computer -- to produce the virtual explosion.

The explosion, scientists hope, could shed light on dark energy, which is what researchers have called the force behind the universe's continued expansion. So far, scientists don't know why the universe is not only getting bigger but at a faster and faster pace. But they believe the energy produced when stars explode at the end of their lifetimes -- which can last tens of billions of years -- has something to do with it.

Scientists have been trying to use computers to simulate the natural explosion process of stars for years. But they haven't been entirely successful because no one has ever seen inside the stars, which are light years away in distant galaxies.

Harvard astronomist Robert Kirshner, who wrote a book on using the explosions to measure dark energy, wants to see U. of C.'s model developed more fully, but said so far their work "looks very promising.''

Beyond the Big Bang

Exploding stars are also believed to have created elements in the universe not created by the Big Bang, such as iron and carbon. The virtual explosions will help scientists learn more about that process, said Robert Fisher, a research scientist at the U. of C.'s Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes.

In addition to the science, Fisher admits it's fun to work on blowing something up that in real life is the size of the Earth and which would reach temperatures in the billions of degrees.

"It's like when you were a little kid, you want to know what happens when you set off a firecracker,'' he said. "This is just really a big firecracker.''

He's Still Just A Rat In A Cage

The torch-bearer for teenage angst is back... officially.

Thom Yorke - The Clock

He might be playing an acoustic guitar, but this performance (from the henry rollins show on IFC) is straight electric. Awesome.

Brawndo: It's Got Electrolytes

From the Chicago Tribune:

March 15, 2007

Q. On its label, Gatorade A.M., a new sports drink, says it "helps put back the fluids and energy you lose during a full night's sleep." Should we lie awake and fret about sleep draining our reserves?

A. Craig Horswill, principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, says people lose, on average, about 2 pounds overnight, thanks to urine production, water vapor lost while breathing and sweating, and the liver also loses some of its energy reserves. People regain it all quickly by taking fluids and food, he adds. Despite what the label says, Gatorade's new "thirst quencher" is not meant to be an eye-opener for layabeds, but a pick-me-up for those exercisers who hit the gym, pool or track soon after rising. Of those early birds, "nearly 50 percent of exercisers aren't fully hydrated before their workout," the company claims on Gatorade.com. Horswill says the drink's breakfasty flavors -- orange-strawberry and tropical-mango -- may get people to replenish themselves fully. The Gatorade formula's electrolytes help the body retain the drink longer than plain water, and carbohydrates in the drink provide energy, he says.

Jason Conviser, an exercise physiologist at the Center for Partnership Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, agrees that the body is dehydrated after a night's sleep. "But hydration in the morning can be achieved by drinking a glass of water," he says, and the overnight loss of electrolytes or energy typically is not significant.

Go See A Star War (on the local street corner)

They might as well just make a Star Wars national holiday with the amount of marketing that goes on, seemingly every year, to promote this, this... *disgust fading with reminiscences of original trilogy*... this beautiful, timeless movie:

By Associated Press

March 15, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Thirty years ago, in theaters near and far, far away, a movie opened the imaginations of millions, combining the magic of mythology and special effects to launch the "Star Wars" phenomenon.

A star of those films -- the brave little robot R2-D2 -- is about to take a turn collecting mail as the Postal Service and Lucasfilm Ltd. commemorate that movie launch.

The post office is wrapping mail collection boxes in some 200 cities nationwide in a special covering to look like R2-D2.

It's part of a promotion for a new stamp to be announced March 28, said Anita T. Bizzotto, the post office's chief marketing officer.

"It's a little teaser for the upcoming announcement and we decided to have a little fun with it," she said.

About 400 mailboxes will be covered to look like the stout droid. "When you look at a mailbox, the resemblance to R2-D2 is too good to pass up," Bizzotto said.

While postal officials would like people to look for these mailboxes and maybe even drop in a letter, Bizzotto urged people not to tamper with them, noting that's a crime.

R.O.F.L

This piece makes me think there should be some sort of hall of fame for comedy editing. Definitely a clip to watch all the way.

Breakup Letter YTMND

Funny reading of a breakup letter on YTMND.

Apple Unveils New Product-Unveiling Product

"Today, Apple is releasing a piece of innovative new technology that will forever change the way innovative new technology is released."

The iLaunch, as the new product is called, was then raised up from below the stage, prompting the audience of technology journalists, developers, and self-professed "Apple fanatics" to burst into a five-minute standing ovation.

Link to The Onion

Gotchyerass, Motherfucker

"Scooter" Libby, one of the most prominent neoconservatives in the administration, is now a convicted felon. There's already reports that, given the evidence that emerged during the trial directly implicating Rove, Armitage, and Cheney, that if prosecutor Fitzgerald doesn't seek indictments, he could have charges of prosecutorial malfeasance leveled against him, and he would not stand for that.

Here's hoping he goes for the jugular. I don't want to wait til 08 for Bush to be out of there.

Top heavy Jones traded to Jets

To NY: Jones, 2007 second round pick
To Chicago: 37th pick in this year's draft

I think Jones was worth more than that.

Click here.

tyrus dunk

Coke

Also...I went to see Pan's Labyrinth this weekend and this was in the pre-preview-commercial section of ads they feed down your throat:

http://motionographer.com/media/coke_nexus.mov

It made me smile pretty big.

Traffic on the Information Superhighway

I don't know how long it's been out...I might be behind the times...but Google Traffic looks about as badass as everything Google does. Hopefully it's accurate.