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John Farrier's Blog Posts
When the month and day form the square root of the year, math geeks celebrate a special holiday. Well, presumably. I never made it past precalculus, so I'm only going by what the Associated Press says:
The math-buffs' holiday, which only occurs nine times each century, falls on Tuesday — 3/3/09 (for the mathematically challenged, three is the square root of nine). "These days are like calendar comets, you wait and wait and wait for them, then they brighten up your day — and poof — they're gone," said Ron Gordon, a Redwood City teacher who started a contest meant to get people excited about the event. The winner gets, of course, $339 for having the biggest Square Root Day event. Gordon's daughter even set up a Facebook page — one of a half-dozen or so dedicated to the holiday — and hundreds of people had signed up with plans to celebrate in some way. Celebrations are as varied: Some cut root vegetables into squares, others make food in the shape of a square root symbol.
How will you celebrate Square Root Day?
I'm a big fan of the genre of fiction known as alternate history. That's why I'm excited about a new novel by Harry Turtledove and Bryce Zabel called Winter of Our Discontent: The Impeachment and Trial of John F. Kennedy.
The point of divergence is that a Secret Service agent spotted the glint off of Oswald's rifle seconds before he fired. Kennedy survived November 22, 1963. Whether or not he would survive scandals that would rock his administration would not be so certain.
You can read the first chapter of the novel here, and the articles of impeachment here.
http://www.impeachjfk.com/
The point of divergence is that a Secret Service agent spotted the glint off of Oswald's rifle seconds before he fired. Kennedy survived November 22, 1963. Whether or not he would survive scandals that would rock his administration would not be so certain.
You can read the first chapter of the novel here, and the articles of impeachment here.
http://www.impeachjfk.com/
Khoda is a short film by Reza Dolatabadi made from 6,000 paintings that he created over a two-year period. It's a psychological thriller about a prison escape.
His other paintings are also quite stunning and I recommend checking them out.
Via Geekologie
Unshelved is a webcomic by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes about the staff of a public library. It's a focal point of librarian subculture as it's written from an insider point of view.
Every year for the past three years, Unshelved has hosted a contest called "Pimp My Bookcart", wherein library staffers trick out their bookcarts in outrageous ways, such as this circus-themed cart above. Click on the link to see this past year's winners.
A short film celebrating the wonderful gifts that (Klingon) teachers give to their students, and all of society as well. Directed by Gord McWatters, RT: 1 minute, 37 seconds.
Via Topless Robot
This short video by the geniuses at College Humor shows how the people who create products sold on informercials imagine a clumsier and stupider world.
Have you ever wanted to smell like a sweaty James Doohan? Well, then, good news! CBS is licensing three Star Trek-themed body fragrances in order to market the new movie in the series.
Bonus points: in the comments,give Alex ideas for describe a Neatorama-themed scent.
Link via Topless Robot
Bonus points: in the comments,
Link via Topless Robot
Johanna Sigurdardottir, an Icelandic MP, was elected Prime Minister of Iceland this week. She is the first openly gay prime minister in world history.
The 66-year-old politician lives with her partner, Jonina Leosdottir, a journalist and playwright. The couple were joined in a civil ceremony in 2002. Don't expect them to show up togetherfor photocalls, however – that's not the Icelandic way. Though she is famous across the island, having been a top politician for years, her lesbian union was no big deal in this calmly progressive nation of only 300,000 people.
"Johanna is a very private person," said an Icelandic government source. "A lot of people didn't even know she was gay. When they learn about it people tend to shrug and say, 'Oh'. That's not to say they are not interested; they are interested in who she's living with – but no more so than if she was a man living with a woman."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/world-gets-its-first-gay-head-of-state-1519068.html
Artist Saimir Strati creates enormous mosaics out of nails, corks, and toothpicks. Here is a picture of him at work on his 2006 portrait of Leonardo da Vinci. It's made entirely out of nails. You can see a full gallery of high-resolution photographs of his work at the link.
Link via Bits & Pieces
In high school and college, I spent hours writing overwrought, angst-filled, free verse poetry. Now today's spoiled and over-emotional teenagers can do the same thing, but with only a single mouseclick, thanks to the Adolescent Poetry Generator.
Here's a sample:
i am over adam he is my
night he's my world
and that made me cry, when i
take a drug u will surely stay
alive i log into my inbox, i've got
mail!! that's
faster than any
other mail,including the snail.
gotta write bak to bak.. hi
bak,what's up?
Link via The Corner
Superuseless Superpowers is a blog by an anonymous cartoonist who has taken up the task of chronicling the most useless superpowers. Above is his picture of the superpower 13th Bullet Proof -- being completely safe from 1 out of 13 bullets shot at you.
I gotta say that the most useless superpower I ever saw was in the old Palladium role-playing game Heroes Unlimited. It was clock manipulation: the ability to stop or change the time on a clock through psychic powers. I'll take invisibility or wingless flight over that any day.
Link via Radley Balko
ta' SoH neH chu' Doch vaD lIj Duj? Well, you're in luck! You can get your own Klingon language keyboard for only £43.99.
Link via Geekologie
Now kids can play airport more realistically with this Playmobil security checkpoint. Comes with a free box of latex gloves.
http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-3172-Security-Check-Point/dp/B0002CYTL2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top via Radley Balko, who found the customer reviews hilarious.
Popped Culture as a list of 25 strange throw pillows that you can buy, such as the pool of blood pillow above. Also available are ones made to look like the lap of a woman wearing a miniskirt (from Japan, of course), a Lego block, a Nintendo controller, and a Scrabble piece.
Link
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