Finally installing Windows 7 on the machine, chose the upgrade install over a full install that would require me to reformat (completely flush the hard-drive of data).
Here's something new I haven't seen in a Windows install before.
"This upgrade may take several hours..."
We'll see how fast my 8-gigabytes of RAM punches through this Windows install.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Next land-speed record on the horizon? Teams chase quadruple digits
We're at it again America, that great crusade to best our brethren from the British Isles.
But this time, we do so through speed, raw rocket-powered speed.
Richard Noble of guess where, has been developing a rocket with wheels that instead of traveling up into the atmosphere, shall travel parallel with the ground in an attempt to top the current land-speed record (which Noble set at 763 mph in 1997) by breaching 1,000 mph (1609 kph) with his latest machine, the Bloodhound Project built from the ground up.
On our side of the great pond, Ed Shadle and Team North American Eagle have taken a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (Cold War era fighter pictured above) and converted the interceptor into a drag racer. So far the former fighter has propelled past 400 mph, a modest climb north to their goal of 800 mph. The reason, data data data.
For a land vehicle to travel at 800 mph it must do one thing all supersonic jets do, break through the sound barrier. Granted this doesn't seem to hard right? But you have to take in the physics of a barrier breach before you break through it, to not could cost you your life.
At subsonic speeds, bodies in motion project sound waves in front of their direction of travel. These waves force air molecules to move releasing the possibility of pressure building up from too much matter being forced into such small of space. However, once bodies in motion reach the speed of sound, they catch up to these sound waves. Once that occurs the pressure within that space builds to a breaking point. And once the body breaks the speed of sound, the barrier of pressure that had built up erupts with a sonic boom. This eruption is not simply noise, those waves are physical and tangible, thus under that amount of pressure they could also shake the vehicle apart.
Which is why Shadle and TNAE have taken their time to top the land-speed record by July 4, 2010.
Lots of tests need to be conducted and finalized before they attempt to break the sound barrier. They must know the Starfighter can hold it's own on the ground, like it did in the air.
For Noble, he's thrown the Bloodhound (shown above) into the wind-tunnel to shake the dog to it's bones. But the question on each designer's mind is, how will the supersonic interaction with the ground effect the vehicle's underside. If that sonic boom erupts in a sphere, will the down force push the vehicle upward slightly? Like a kid doing a bunny-hop jump on his bike? No one knows, and there is only one way to properly find out, shoot for the moon. But for Noble, he'll keep science as his six-shooter, although the wind tunnel is insufficient to test these effects explained above, he's gone to supercomputer computations of fluid dynamics to simulate the pressures his Bloodhound will have to endure. So far, the computers have estimated at 1,000 mph, 12 tons of air pressure will squeeze in on every inch of the vehicle.
But this time, we do so through speed, raw rocket-powered speed.
Richard Noble of guess where, has been developing a rocket with wheels that instead of traveling up into the atmosphere, shall travel parallel with the ground in an attempt to top the current land-speed record (which Noble set at 763 mph in 1997) by breaching 1,000 mph (1609 kph) with his latest machine, the Bloodhound Project built from the ground up.
For a land vehicle to travel at 800 mph it must do one thing all supersonic jets do, break through the sound barrier. Granted this doesn't seem to hard right? But you have to take in the physics of a barrier breach before you break through it, to not could cost you your life.
At subsonic speeds, bodies in motion project sound waves in front of their direction of travel. These waves force air molecules to move releasing the possibility of pressure building up from too much matter being forced into such small of space. However, once bodies in motion reach the speed of sound, they catch up to these sound waves. Once that occurs the pressure within that space builds to a breaking point. And once the body breaks the speed of sound, the barrier of pressure that had built up erupts with a sonic boom. This eruption is not simply noise, those waves are physical and tangible, thus under that amount of pressure they could also shake the vehicle apart.
Which is why Shadle and TNAE have taken their time to top the land-speed record by July 4, 2010.
Lots of tests need to be conducted and finalized before they attempt to break the sound barrier. They must know the Starfighter can hold it's own on the ground, like it did in the air.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tech Trix
Vegetables, aside from being tasty and health-abiding also have electrolyte properties. What does this mean? It's got more than juice you drink, it also has juice your electronics thirst for, electricity.
Some of you may remember making potato batteries in school, although we only used them to light a flashlight bulb, comprising certain vegetables and metals in larger quantities can generate enough "juice" to power some of our everyday devices...like your iPod.
How? By the magic of physics.
Zinc and oxidation bring about a wonderful result when properly combined, electricity. That means you can take zinc, stuff it into a vegetable (potato, apple, etc) and make some juice without a squeeze. Wrap some copper into the mix and guess what, you have a completed electrical circuit, just apply some wiring to attach the circuit to a device and voila!...power.
Theodore Gray decided to use apples when putting vegetable power to the test. He corded the apple into rods which he then sliced into disks. He placed pennies (zinc...and copper!) between the slices making penny-apply power sandwiches. After comprising 6 "batteries" with 20-25 cells (penny-apple sandwiches) Gray wired them to an iPod cable giving the device enough power, for 1 second of operation.
Although vegetables can't hold a candle against chemically manufactured batteries, in rough times or post-apocalyptic Earth, it may keep your iPod running, imagine if Hurley from Lost knew of this, he'd still be listening to his CD player on that beach.
Some of you may remember making potato batteries in school, although we only used them to light a flashlight bulb, comprising certain vegetables and metals in larger quantities can generate enough "juice" to power some of our everyday devices...like your iPod.
How? By the magic of physics.
Zinc and oxidation bring about a wonderful result when properly combined, electricity. That means you can take zinc, stuff it into a vegetable (potato, apple, etc) and make some juice without a squeeze. Wrap some copper into the mix and guess what, you have a completed electrical circuit, just apply some wiring to attach the circuit to a device and voila!...power.
Theodore Gray decided to use apples when putting vegetable power to the test. He corded the apple into rods which he then sliced into disks. He placed pennies (zinc...and copper!) between the slices making penny-apply power sandwiches. After comprising 6 "batteries" with 20-25 cells (penny-apple sandwiches) Gray wired them to an iPod cable giving the device enough power, for 1 second of operation.
Although vegetables can't hold a candle against chemically manufactured batteries, in rough times or post-apocalyptic Earth, it may keep your iPod running, imagine if Hurley from Lost knew of this, he'd still be listening to his CD player on that beach.
Blue Line to Black Diamond
I just got back from seeing Kiss live at the Staples Center. Luckily my mom entered a drawing at work and scored some free tickets, but the drive wouldn't be free...and neither would be the parking.
So instead of dealing with the traffic-gauntlet that is the OC to LA connection on one of the busiest traffic nights of the year, we parked her car at work and jumped on the Los Angeles County Metro Rail Blue Line.
That's right, public transportation...why you ask?
The parking at the Staples Center is a price I don't know because I've never parked there, but either way, its way more than $5.00, the cost of a day pass on the metro. Add in a 15 minute car ride to my mom's work with free parking on location, and we still stayed well under the average price of personal vehicular travel to the Staples Center. (And considering the trip from the Willow Station in Long Beach to the Pico Station at the Staples Center took only 30 minutes we even beat traffic)
But what about the walk from the station to the Staples Center? Would I be willing to drop $10 - $15 more for convenience of distance? Luckily, the Blue Line's Pico Station is literally right across the street from the Staples Center's front doors.
Since it's opening in 1990, the LA Metro Blue Line has ferried 60,000 to 80,000 passengers from downtown Long Beach into the heart of LA on a daily (weekday) basis. It's estimated yearly ridership is around 24 million.
For the 22 mile 22 station track, that's a lot of people moving cheaply, effectively, and less harzardous to the environment, fantastic contraption isn't it in the land of drivers?
The light rail (or smaller than train) system utilizes high voltage electricity to create traction and friction that propels the tram down the track. Seriously, I saw one of the power stations at the Pico Station. And let me warm you, its deadly electric and illegal to enter, apparently unauthorized personal found within the premises are subject to California Penal Code 555.
So the next time you find yourself considering a trip to LA, consider the Metro.
So instead of dealing with the traffic-gauntlet that is the OC to LA connection on one of the busiest traffic nights of the year, we parked her car at work and jumped on the Los Angeles County Metro Rail Blue Line.
That's right, public transportation...why you ask?
The parking at the Staples Center is a price I don't know because I've never parked there, but either way, its way more than $5.00, the cost of a day pass on the metro. Add in a 15 minute car ride to my mom's work with free parking on location, and we still stayed well under the average price of personal vehicular travel to the Staples Center. (And considering the trip from the Willow Station in Long Beach to the Pico Station at the Staples Center took only 30 minutes we even beat traffic)
But what about the walk from the station to the Staples Center? Would I be willing to drop $10 - $15 more for convenience of distance? Luckily, the Blue Line's Pico Station is literally right across the street from the Staples Center's front doors.
For the 22 mile 22 station track, that's a lot of people moving cheaply, effectively, and less harzardous to the environment, fantastic contraption isn't it in the land of drivers?
The light rail (or smaller than train) system utilizes high voltage electricity to create traction and friction that propels the tram down the track. Seriously, I saw one of the power stations at the Pico Station. And let me warm you, its deadly electric and illegal to enter, apparently unauthorized personal found within the premises are subject to California Penal Code 555.
So the next time you find yourself considering a trip to LA, consider the Metro.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Shell "Spars" with the Gulf of Mexico
Early next year Shell expects to flip the on-switch for the deepest oil well yet drilled.
The Perdido Spar, constructed in Finland by Technip, is a 555-foot 50,000 ton cylindrical oil-rig that Shell successfully secured to the sea floor earlier this year in the Gulf of Mexico.
Shell is now in the process of drilling 22 wells into the sea floor that will grant the spar access to approximately 130,000 barrels of crude oil and natural gas each day. That seabed, known as the Perdido Foldbelt, is about the size of Houston.
A unique aspect of the Perdido is how it will get the oil 9,627 feet (depth of deepest well) up.
Above you can see a number of pumping stations littering the sea floor, but only 5 risers lifting oil from those stations up the rig.
Offshore oil rigs normally have 1 pipeline per well, a direct line from the oil's natural resting place into the rig for production and use.
However, shell intends to built 13 additional wells up to nine miles away. With just 1 two-mile pipe weighing 500 tons the additional wells offered a nightmare for engineers. Add on the 22 other wells within proximity to Perdidio and the task seemed too burdening.
So Shell dropped the short-cut and instead installed massive risers that will shoot the oil from the pumping stations top-side.
The Perdido rests 200 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas.
Total length of pipeline laid, 184 miles.
What is a Spar?
Technologies making this possible
Shell's safesty challenge
Shell is now in the process of drilling 22 wells into the sea floor that will grant the spar access to approximately 130,000 barrels of crude oil and natural gas each day. That seabed, known as the Perdido Foldbelt, is about the size of Houston.
A unique aspect of the Perdido is how it will get the oil 9,627 feet (depth of deepest well) up.
Above you can see a number of pumping stations littering the sea floor, but only 5 risers lifting oil from those stations up the rig.
Offshore oil rigs normally have 1 pipeline per well, a direct line from the oil's natural resting place into the rig for production and use.
However, shell intends to built 13 additional wells up to nine miles away. With just 1 two-mile pipe weighing 500 tons the additional wells offered a nightmare for engineers. Add on the 22 other wells within proximity to Perdidio and the task seemed too burdening.
So Shell dropped the short-cut and instead installed massive risers that will shoot the oil from the pumping stations top-side.
The Perdido rests 200 miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas.
Total length of pipeline laid, 184 miles.
What is a Spar?
Technologies making this possible
Shell's safesty challenge
When you're an Xbox and you wanna go "Wii"
In 2006 Nintendo finally released the infamous "Wii" into the videogame mainstream. For the idea behind the Wii was initially laid down by Nintendo guru Shigeru Miyamoto in 2001.
That idea? Completely innovate the console "controller" by completely renovating its mechanic.
No longer would people simply press buttons to manipulate their games on console, now they would have the power of manipulation not just in their hands' fingers...but in their movements. No more calloused thumbs!
Since then the rather primitive motion-sensor-controlled Wii has dazzled people by forcing them into a new echelon of videogame interaction. Coming close to body-movement-sensor-control but not quite there.
A police shooter I've found at a few movie theaters does just that, you stand square-shouldered feet facing forward on top of a platform with footprints, from there you use the plastic gun to shoot but move your body to find cover, seriously...after a few goes I decided to drop back and watch someone else play it...its quite hilarious due to the sluggish response of the game, grown people killing time by shooting computer-generated gangsters while performing what looks like a Richard Simmons workout in slow motion.
Thus spoke Microsoft! Project Natal..."you are the controller."
This marvelous addition to the Xbox 360 is home to a color video camera to detect your movements from 48 body parts (joints, head, neck, shoulders, facial features, etc), an infrared emitter and sensor for depth perception (to visually gauge your distance from the Natal system), and a microphone (for detecting your voice commands and for hearing how far from the Natal system you are).
Toss a microprocessor into the device to compute all that data on the fly and bam! The "Wii" becomes a "Bii" for innovation.
But the truly remarkable dynamic shift is it's detail. It has the ability to read your facial features, subtle hand gestures, while recognizing your voice; this quite frankly may take the role-playing genre to the extent of realism.
That idea? Completely innovate the console "controller" by completely renovating its mechanic.
No longer would people simply press buttons to manipulate their games on console, now they would have the power of manipulation not just in their hands' fingers...but in their movements. No more calloused thumbs!
Since then the rather primitive motion-sensor-controlled Wii has dazzled people by forcing them into a new echelon of videogame interaction. Coming close to body-movement-sensor-control but not quite there.
A police shooter I've found at a few movie theaters does just that, you stand square-shouldered feet facing forward on top of a platform with footprints, from there you use the plastic gun to shoot but move your body to find cover, seriously...after a few goes I decided to drop back and watch someone else play it...its quite hilarious due to the sluggish response of the game, grown people killing time by shooting computer-generated gangsters while performing what looks like a Richard Simmons workout in slow motion.
Thus spoke Microsoft! Project Natal..."you are the controller."
Toss a microprocessor into the device to compute all that data on the fly and bam! The "Wii" becomes a "Bii" for innovation.
But the truly remarkable dynamic shift is it's detail. It has the ability to read your facial features, subtle hand gestures, while recognizing your voice; this quite frankly may take the role-playing genre to the extent of realism.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Volvo...thinking for you
How many times have you found yourself in a moment of panic as you realize turning the dial on the radio took your focus away from the car in front of you bringing on eminent impact?
Scary isn't it? The locked up feeling you get in your chest, the terror of the oncoming collision freezes you in place, you can't apply the breaks, hell...you can't even move, you're petrified by your damaging decision.
If you find yourself doing this commonly, noticing too late how close you are to the car in front, then buy a 2010 Volvo XC60, in cases like this it will break for you.
THAT"S RIGHT! THE VEHICLE WILL BREAK FOR YOU!
So how does it do it?
The front-end of the XC60 has a laser sensor that constantly scans the area in front of you tracking any vehicles it contacts.
Get too close or approach too quickly and the vehicle will apply the breaks as needed. That means if you let loose on the break at a stop the car will gently correct your move. Coming screaming like a demon towards a red light and it will slam on the breaks.
Scary isn't it? The locked up feeling you get in your chest, the terror of the oncoming collision freezes you in place, you can't apply the breaks, hell...you can't even move, you're petrified by your damaging decision.
If you find yourself doing this commonly, noticing too late how close you are to the car in front, then buy a 2010 Volvo XC60, in cases like this it will break for you.
THAT"S RIGHT! THE VEHICLE WILL BREAK FOR YOU!
So how does it do it?
The front-end of the XC60 has a laser sensor that constantly scans the area in front of you tracking any vehicles it contacts.
Get too close or approach too quickly and the vehicle will apply the breaks as needed. That means if you let loose on the break at a stop the car will gently correct your move. Coming screaming like a demon towards a red light and it will slam on the breaks.
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