The insect is large enough to be seen in satellite photos and can be seen scouring the German countryside for food. To be fair this was posted on Slashdot, but it’s absolutely hilarious.

Click to see the Google Maps satellite photo of the giant insect.

In requisite slashdot fashion; I for one welcome our giant insect overlords.

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Categories: BJ, Entertainment
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Here’s a little article that was tucked away on the Time Online about the occurence and aftermath of Hammond’s crash.

He may not have broken a bone, or sustained even so much as a graze in the crash, but while rolling over it’s likely he’d been subjected to mountainous G forces. His brain would have weighed something in the order of 70 stone, and it was being tossed about inside his skull at 300 revs per minute. And all the while his head was being bashed endlessly into the bars of the car’s protective roll cage.

Imagine being in a washing machine on its final cycle, while being attacked by 30 burly men with pile drivers.

Read the rest of the article at the Times online.

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I’m sold. It takes a little while to convince a skeptic, but I admit that Global Warming is probably caused by humans. Let me preface all of this by first stating that the solutions presented as means to combat global warming have all been crap up to this point. Over the next few years more consumer solutions will be cropping up to provide reasonable alternatives to not only CO2 producing energy sources, but the energy market in general. From personal wind generators to more affordable and efficient photovoltaic systems. The cheapest consumer solution is a switch to nuclear power, with additional research and investments for low waste nuclear energy in the form of fast breeder reactors. I don’t think commoditized renewable energy is cheap enough nor neutral enough to the environment to provide a permanent solution. From the disruption of life in Hydroelectric dams to the huge mineral and agricultural costs of short term biomass fuels (Ethanol, Biodiesel). Short term biomass fuels can provide a needed relief from the oil based economy but its not going to save the environment. The land needed, mineral depletion of crop lands, and deforestation necessary to accomodate the increased farm land would serve more to harm the environment than it would to curb our positive output of CO2.

I fail to understand the continued hatred of all things nuclear. Actual I do understand it. It has more to do with the Incredible Hulk than Chernobyl. Sort of like how Al Gore has more to do with Global warming information than the smartest at NASA. Barring nuclear use, it will soon come time to put your money where your mouth is. Time for all the Kyoto protocol adherants to invest in personal photovoltaics for your home. If you can’t afford it, what makes you think the rest of us can afford such a large economic shift?

I came across an article on the BBC news website that pinpoints some of my thoughts related to global warming and global warming solutions.

Sometimes, simple ideas are the best ones. And what could be simpler than prioritisation? Nobody can do everything at once. We prioritise in our private lives every day. When we budget. When we plan our day. Businesspeople have to juggle competing demands; so do politicians.

Yet, when it comes to global issues – the biggest challenges facing the planet – we don’t prioritise very well. The media’s shifting spotlight often dictates what is most deserving of our attention.

We hear experts warn us about global warming, others tell us about HIV/Aids or about the tragedy of children missing out on education.

In an ideal world, we’d have the resources and ability to fix all the world’s biggest challenges at once. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world.

Click here to read the rest of the article at bbc.co.uk.

Oh and thanks to Andrew for providing a jumping-off point.

Categories: BJ, Philosophy etc
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Apparently during filming for a segment of the BBC show Top Gear, Richard Hammond was seriously injured when the rocket car he was driving flipped over. Here are some links.

The Independent

BBC News

Sky News

Reuters.co.uk

The Guardian

You can continue to follow the story at the finalgear.com website. They’ll be more on top of this than I am.

As a note, Richard Hammond also presented the Sky TV show Braniac which airs in the US on G4TV. Here’s hoping he makes a full and speedy recovery.

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I was actually reticent about purchasing tool tickets when I saw that the only ones available were going to be a side view of the stage. I’m very glad I’m dropped the money for my brother and I to attend the concert. Other than my own dislike for the audio mix that day (it have had more to do with the venue rather than the band itself), the concert was amazing. They had visuals set up for every song. 3d computer animatics that were showing on the central monitor array in the center of the arena as well as being projected on the floor of the stage itself, kept us visually entertained while tool thrummed away a greatest hits list from Aenima on. They didn’t play anything from Undertow, which dissappointed me a bit, but I’m sure I’ll get over it.

The setlist was: (here’s hoping I remember it)

• Stinkfist
• The Pot
• 46 & 2
• Jambi
• Schism
• Lost Keys
• Rosetta Stoned
• Wings For Marie
• 10,000 Days
• Lateralus
• Vicarious
• Ænema

It was great to hear Wings for Marie/10,000 Days in its entirety. Its certainly a very heartfelt song. Maynard stated he was still sick but still put on a good show. He was a little weak on Stinkfist but pulled out some great vocals by the end of the night. The highlight of the show was having a clear view of the 3d CG animations projected on the stage (we were on the third level), and a clear view of Danny Carrey (the drummer). We could see his feet. That guy’s a machine. Seriously, there were strobe effects timed to portions of their songs, as well as song specific cues for lasers and animatics. Not a single one misfired. The band was 100% in sync in every visual that bombarded the audience. My only frustration is with the fans.

A lot of people hate tool. I could never figure out why they were so hated until I saw their fans. This group would have been at home at a Limp Bizkit, or Linkin Park concert. Sure, the average tool fan probably spits vitriol at fans of those bands but the demeanor and dress are exactly the same. Combine the vitriol towards other bands with a notion of innate superiority, and you have the makings of a zombie like cult that does a disservice to the music. Fanboyism is the reason tool is hated by many.

Anyway back to the concert. I can’t say enough about seeing the drum solo for 46 & 2 live. I don’t know if the original recording was muddled on the studio album but there are some amazing things going on during that solo. For this concert tour the later parts of schism are sped up. I liked the changes. There also seemed to be more solo breaks for the guitarist (Adam) to explore things a little. I know one criticism of the band has always been their lack of groundbreaking guitar work. My biggest gripe was the mix. Everything was very tinny. There was a huge lack of deep bass. Now this could be because of the arena, or because of the how they were equalizing the instruments but at the beginning of 46 & 2 the bass intro was impossibly tinny with zero low end power to it. The funny part is that earplugs solved this little problem by lowering the treble (at least in my own head) It was actually perfectly balanced once the earplugs went in. (I always wear earplugs to shows now. The last thing I need to do is damage my hearing. I love music too much to let it go.)

All in all it was a good night. The band Isis opened for tool that night. They’re definitely worth checking out. They’re a progressive minded semi-metal band with ambient soundscapes underneath their music. Lots of percussiveness in the bass and drums with long ambient passages form the guitars. The vocals range from singing to a metal growl but the lyrical delivery is usually melodic rather than barked. They have a electronic ambient soundscape underneath their songs giving them a sort of wall of sound. They’re worth checking out. I’ve picked up Panopticon and am loving it.

Oh yeah, during Aenima Maynard changed the lyrics from “learn to swim,” to “Gotta piss.” He also changed “actresses,” to “urinals.” He kept crowing between songs during the encore that he had to pee. I figured he was just messing with the crowd like he always does but he did run off stage right after Aenima was over. The rest of the band stayed, hugged, cheered and generally congratulated each other and the crowd for putting on a great show.

Categories: BJ, BJ's Life, Entertainment
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Thar be certain days me’laddies, to talk like ye was pirates. Today be that DAY!! Due t’ me strict adherence t’ th’ shipmate`s life upon this very tide I canna type too long, suffice to say thar be problems livin’ in a world of bonnie collared business types. They seem t’ nay need any seafarin’ hearty speech.

I sailed’ t’ a tool concert wi’ me younger brudder last tides an’ Spencer be comin’ into town at th’ end o’ th’ week. I`ll be havin’ a review up an’ some other notes soon. I`ve been busy wi’ work an’ school. I be wishin ye sea dogs a good day. May yer timbers hold fast and yer booty be generous.

Follow this here link ter be transported t’ th’ Talk Like a Pirate Day Website.

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I’ve been pretty enamored with my DS Lite lately. It’s really just an excuse to play sidescrollers all over again. I bought a flashcart so I could play homebrew apps on the thing. Awesome choice on my part. We won’t get into the piracy aspect of such a purchase (I call them ill-gotten games), but playing regular GB, NES, Game Gear, SMS, etc, etc on the go with such a monstrously long bettery life is amazing. I understand that if homebrew were the objective that the PSP would be the wiser purchase, but you can’t play New Super Mario Bros, Kirby Canvas Curse, Sonic Rush, Castlevania: DS, etc etc almost ad infinitum, on the little Sony Power Pill. Expecially not with a 10 – 18 hour battery life.

I haven’t been irritated by politics enough to talk to myself in my car lately, so I don’t have any rants at the moment. I would chalk that up to the upcoming elections. Recent revelations by the Bush administration not withstanding (admitting to having secret prisons), there’s not a lot going on that hasn’t already been going on for years now. (When I refer to it being new I mean the actual forward nature of the Bush Admin. letting loose a badly kept secret.) After 25 arrests, only 11 people end up being charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the Big UK liquid bomb scare, while I still drive to San Antonio or Houston for a day long business trip rather than flying due to wasted time checking and retrieving baggage that shouldn’t have to be checked. Thank you Anti-Terrism watchdogs for jumping the gun. There comes a time when you need to wait for plans to be written and dates to be set before you begin arresting people for what’s being said rather than what’s being done.

On another note, I have discovered podcasts. No I’m not going to start my own podcast. I just realized I don’t have to miss “Wait Wait don’t tell me” anymore. Awesome. Too bad PRI has decided not to podcast “This American Life“, although they’ll stream it online.

Oh yes, one more note. I’ve been bearded as of late. I range from nicely trimmed to decidedly unkempt. As such, Sophia hasn’t seen me without any facial hair. Well i shaved the beard off and the first thing Sophia did when she saw me was open her mouth in awe then proceed to start touching and rubbing my face. Smart Girl.

I had sushi for lunch and my burps taste of wasabe.

Categories: BJ, BJ's Life
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Don’t worry I’m not going to poast all the articles I’ve missed, just the best ones.

Say what you like about seals, that they’re cute and so on, but I can assure you they are incredibly badly made. The slightest tug or nudge causes bits of them to come away.

Anyway, after much revving and many arguments with my wife about what sort of knot would be best, we finally had the beast on dry land. But then what? Momentarily I considered towing it to a nearby beauty spot where people were camping illegally. A rotting seal with no eyes or feet would soon clear them away. “No,” said another passing local, “you should turn it into a coat.”

Click here to read the article at the Times Online.

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