Amphipolis's Xanga

There is a war going on

Tue, 01 May 2007 03:10:14 GMT

Michael Yon has some excellent recent dispatches - see this and this.

The Gravity of the Future

Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:01:53 GMT

See this

It demonstrates that a superconductive gyroscope is capable of generating a powerful gravitomagnetic field, and is therefore the gravitational counterpart of the magnetic coil. Depending on further confirmation, this effect could form the basis for a new technological domain, which would have numerous applications in space and other high-tech sectors

This too

Their startling measurement might point towards a new quantum theory of gravity. It might even herald a futuristic technology that could be used to pull, push or levitate any object, regardless of its composition, electrical charge or shape.

Media Bias

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 15:51:47 GMT

Another excellent example:

The Associated Press, like nearly all mainstream media outlets, runs interference for the global warming hysterics by misrepresenting the nature of the debate, misrepresenting the positions of those who oppose the hysteria, and subtly (or perhaps not so subtly) suggesting that all who question the anthropogenic global warming theorists can safely be dismissed as cranks.

And in other news, the latest story on what I call the Great European Evacuation (of the Netherlands, in this case):

This year some 32% are seriously considering a move as opposed to 26% last year according to the ‘Emigration Monitor’. What is even more revealing is that the 20 to 30 age group constitutes the largest group of leavers, a trend that got further momentum when one polling group figured out that about half of the nation’s adolescents would, given the chance, prefer to pack up and go.

Or this from last year regarding Great Britain. Germany too.

One more thing: I finally found the commentary on Pelosi's Syria visit that I was looking for:

Apparently incapable of recognizing irony in the same way animals are said to not recognize color...

And, while I'm posting, a digital April Fools prank

Frisbee Pollution

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:45:16 GMT

According to Justice Scalia, the Supreme Court's reasoning could make frisbees qualify as air pollution:

It follows that everything airborne, from Frisbees to flatulence, qualifies as an “air pollutant.”

May 11

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:13:53 GMT

Deliberate media manipulation of fact Exhibit A:

It’s interesting how the Times repeatedly says “May 11″ without reporting the year.

The correction, if it appears, will change the date without withdrawing the entire bogus story that is based on it.

I know it's true because I read it in the newspaper!

Preserve this Card for future reference

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:52:52 GMT

This is the front and back of a piece of junk mail sent to Henry George, my great great grandfather, who was a tanner. He was the guy who bought the pump organ in our house for his daughter (my great grandmother).

He apparently took the imperative statement on the left very seriously.

Robotic Parking Garage

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 21:54:06 GMT

This is just too cool.

a machine that stores (or retrieves) your car—unmanned—in 90 seconds

h/t Instapundit

The Fake Pianist

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:33:31 GMT

He put the disc into his computer to listen, and something awfully strange happened. His computer's player identified the disc as, yes, the Liszts, but not a Hatto recording. Instead, his display suggested that the disc was one on BIS Records, by the pianist Lászlo Simon. Mystified, our critic checked his Hatto disc against the actual Simon recording, and to his amazement they sounded exactly the same.

From the Archives

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:54:36 GMT

Not a flattering photo. I was probably in 8th grade. In the middle from left to right are George Tomlinson, Charles Fox, and me. Looks like Resica Falls.

Photo from the Southern Susquenannock 50-mile hike. George Tomlinson is in the middle back, I'm to the right of him, Charles is on the left of the photo, same hat - was it the CAT Diesel hat?

And another, George and Charles in back with me in front of them. At the Germania Hotel.

In Memory of George Tomlinson

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:31:41 GMT

I met him in Kindergarten. We knew each other through 12th Grade. We lived in the same neighborhood, I used to dig for buried treasure in his back yard.

We were in Boy Scouts for seven years - hiked around 250 miles together, canoed another 100.

We lost contact in college. After 25 years or so I got an email from him - that was a few weeks ago. We sent a few emails back and forth. Said we should get together, meet each other's children. He liked my web site. He was worried about his father's health.

His father called yesterday to tell me that George died of a massive stroke Thursday.

Goodbye, George.