Et voila!! (that’s swedish for ‘oil dumplings’)

Posted on October 9, 2003 by Arthur

Science is so exciting so once in a while. et_voila.jpgIt’s so exciting sometimes that even poor programmers like me don’t know what to do with amazing breakthroughs. Take a look at that pretty image for a change.

Apparantly it’s a computer generated image of the West Nile virus. Researchers at the Purdue university have managed to solve the structure of this evil virus. Which is truly a breakthrough. However, looking at the picture, I keep thinking of the average plastic toy from the neighbour’s boy next door. Worst yet: the high-resolution image doesn’t really show any ‘high resolution’. It’s still a funny blue ball. Where are the fireworks for breakthroughs like this one?

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Orange savings account

Posted on October 8, 2003 by Arthur

Just the odd second ago, I ran into this ING Flash advertisement over at Reuters. It praises their Orange Savings Account. The Dutch bank also has commercials running on major American channels (frequently seen on CNN), advertising their unique banking skills. You’ve probably seen them: it’s one with the guy and the dog and the parkbench. Pretty funny so once in a while, that is, if you like surreal jokes.

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‘Obi-Wan Kenobi, You’re my only hope’

Posted on October 8, 2003 by Arthur

General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggleleiahologram.jpg against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father’s request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack and I’m afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.

That was in the late Seventies, when moviegoers marvelled at the hologram of Leia. Good news has come in the 21st century: the technology is here, but isn’t quite ready for primetime. Currently the company has only one 27 inch prototype model available, but the company is planning to make 3 more (all of them 42 inch). Note the comment on the page: they expect the price to be competitive with plasmascreens.

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The Ulysses Project

Posted on October 7, 2003 by Arthur

STATELY, PLUMP BUCK MULLIGAN CAME FROM THE STAIRHEAD, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. A yellow dressinggown, ungirdled, was sustained gently behind him by the mild morning air. He held the bowl aloft and intoned:
— Introibo ad altare Dei.

And thus starts the legendary Ulysses, the world’s most misunderstood book. For people who still attempt to get through the book, Chris Miller has started ‘The Ulysses Project‘. His goal is to make the book more approachable by providing illustrations per chapter. My favourite one (thus far) is the one for ‘Proteus‘. I can’t wait for ‘Ithaca’.

Slightly related, the filmifactation of Ulysses is scheduled for preview at the Foyle Film Festival. There’s a promo to download (12 MB), and there are some drawings available of the scenes.

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Ter Land, Ter Zee en In de Lucht

Posted on October 7, 2003 by Arthur

Don’t break your tongue on that last word. It means ‘air’, or better yet, ‘sky’. Today, The Gothamist comes with another item that reminds of something of the past. Red Bull’s ‘FlugTag’. It’s a game to ‘launch human-powered objects off a barge and keep it in the air as long as one can’.

30 years ago, a Dutch broadcaster (TROS) started a (Summer) TV series called ‘Ter Land, Ter Zee en In de Lucht’, where people are challenged to do basically the same (Dutch), and naturally make fools of themselves (Dutch). Actually, there were different challenges, as the title says and roughly translates into ‘At Land, at Sea and in the Sky’: sometimes participants goal was to keep driving (in whatever self-made vehicle) for the longest time on a small plank. Sometimes the idea was to drift for the longest time. Or flying, like in Red Bull’s ‘FlugTag’.

When we were little kids, we thought it was great fun. It surprises me that the program still exists. But then, of course it still does: How can you ever wipe out thirty years of entertainment?

Posted in Those-wonder-years | 4 Comments

Heroes and coincidences

Posted on October 7, 2003 by Arthur

One of my greatest heroes is the author/programmer Jeff Duntemann. Back in the days, one of his books and a disk with Borland TP 3.0 paved the road to my programming career.

I had a couple of conversations with JD about RoundAbout, earlier this year. I haven’t been able to work too much on it. Personal business and other stuff basically sidetracked most of my work on the e-mailer. But the conversation, rather, e-mail exchange, between us was surreal. The humble hero and the admiring programmer. It’s a strange world: I mean, Jeff Duntemann.

Anyways, in my hunt for typical Dutch scenes I ended up back at JD’s site. Apparantly in 2002, he visited the city I used to live in three years ago (scroll down to June 21st). Deventer. Jeff, if you read this, I’m pretty sure Alfons would be willing to show you around, next time.

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Oktoberfests

Posted on October 7, 2003 by Arthur

I noticed something when I was mindlessly browsing around. I ran into Oktoberfests, fests that are apparantly celebrated everwhere in this part of the world and are originally part of German heritance.

Over in the New World, it’s natural to remember or celebrate your heritance. First, I thought it was irritating. Why celebrate your Irish-ness, German-ness, if your ancestors have already died hundreds of years ago? I generally thought it was obnoxious to think about your beloved country. Life goes on. Get with it or lose it.

Lately I’ve started to become aware, I’m actually doing the same thing. I’m stuck in Dutch behaviour and typical Dutch culture. I remember old things, social patterns, apparantly engraved in my brains by teachers, parents and siblings. Those small things that lead to asking questions why things are so different in each single little culture. Eventually they get to you and you know it when you find yourself staring into absolute darkness looking for a little light. A little single light.

Millions of people have come to the New World before me. Just like they struggled, I struggle too. Apparantly there’s nothing wrong with celebrating one’s origin, inheritance or culture.

Posted in Truro NS | 2 Comments

HAL’s 130th anniversary

Posted on October 6, 2003 by Arthur

Via RNW (the Dutch World Broadcasting Service), a note that the Holland America Line (Dutch: Holland America Lijn) is celebrating its 130th anniversary.

There’s more information on the unofficial HAL website. Naturally, the company has a website too.

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A disturbance in the Force

Posted on October 6, 2003 by Arthur

vi

rules

Posted in Hyperlinks | 4 Comments

More pictures from Juan

Posted on October 6, 2003 by Arthur

The following pictures have been shot by Donald Cox (FailSafe Computers of Truro) and are reprinted with permission (© 2003 Donald Cox). To ease the load on Alf’s server, I have downsized most of the pictures to a comfortable 300 x 200 pixel format.

Images should now be working. Forgot to close a tag.

Continue reading →

Posted in Truro NS | 2 Comments

When there’s no power…

Posted on October 5, 2003 by Arthur

you have to write with a pen. Slashdot’s question of the day is ‘Which pen is the best when you don’t have a wordprocessor?‘.

In earlier days, I remember Alfons’ obsession to find the best pen. If I’m not wrong, it took him hundreds of pens before he found the perfect one, which happened to be a Mt. Blanc Sheaffer Lamy. Stainless steel. Naturally, at that time I thought it was ridiculous. A pen is a pen was my slogan and I was the proud owner of hundreds of BIC, Parker and others. I wonder if he still has the same pen. And if he does, I envy him.

Update: Sheaffer instead of Lamy. See comments.
Update 2: I’m goofing up. I remember that pen was actually a Mont Blanc.

Posted in Hyperlinks | 2 Comments

JFK’s TWA terminal

Posted on October 5, 2003 by Arthur

The Gothamist has an item about the TWA terminal at JFK’s which apparently was designed by Eero Saarinen. The terminal has been closed for a couple years: it reminds me of a map for Half-Life, or better yet, for any third generation Quake-driven game. See for yourself (picture courtesy of Lightningfield).

Saarinen, a Finnish-born American was clearly obsessed with curves. His Gateway Arch (St. Louis) is still one of the most discussed objects. Whether you like it or not, it has clearly redefined St. Louis’s skyline.

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Recap of Juan

Posted on October 5, 2003 by Arthur

It’s over 5 days ago hurricane Juan made landfall and ploughed through the province of Nova Scotia, leaving many without electricity, food or even homes. When the hurricane’s landfall started, I decided to keep a close eye on the storm’s progress by blogging on regular intervals until we experienced our own power outages. Pictures here, have been taken (and reprinted, retouched whenever necessary) from the Truro Daily News. Feel free to add comments or leave corrections in the comments.

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Posted in xsamplex | 4 Comments