Fantasist's Scroll

Is that a star or a satellite in the sky?

Well, with the information, and links, in this article from TechTV, you could find out! It’s a list of information about NASA’s J-Track program that lets you track satellites, and other space objects, right from your browser! It’s really pretty cool and, best of all, it’s free. Hey, your government dollars working for you!
There’s also some information about other NASA software that they use in space missions. So, if you’re interested in just what that light was over your house, here’s how to find out.

Have fun!

On the cheap!!

Here’s a website called Fontifier that lets you make your very own, hand-drawn font. For free. At least, it’s free right now. It might cost something eventually, but this week, it’s still free. So, get it while it’s hot!
You just go to the website, download the template, fill it out, scan it and send it back. Then, you get a personalized font. The only thing you need is a printer to print the template, a felt-tip pen to write the font, and a scanner to scan it in. They pretty much do the rest. Cool stuff.
Make sure to read the FAQ if you’re interested in doing a font for your conlang.

Why We Fear Friday the Thirteenth!

I always thought it was because Judas was the Thirteenth Apostle or something like that. No, according to this article on GlobalPsychics.com, it has to do with the plot to suppress the Knights Templar. Hey, stop laughing! That’s what it says!! And, I quote:

The modern basis for the Friday the 13th superstition stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against “the Knights Templar”. The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified. A Black Friday indeed!

So, there you have it, Friday the Thirteenth is a global conspiracy!
Enjoy it.
(Yes, I also posted this on my other blog.

I was Wolverine.

No, really, stop laughing. Or, better yet, go take the darned quiz for yourself. It’s right here on Liquid Generation. But, as a quick disclaimer, I cannot be resonsible for what else you find on this website. I don’t think all of it is best viewed at work, if you know what I mean.

Happy Friday.

He said “bone”, heh, heh, heh…

Yep, “bone phone”. According to this article on AustrailianIT, Sanyo has built a phone that “…transmits sounds through vibrations that move from the skull to the cochlea in the inner ear, instead of relying on the usual method of sound hitting the outer eardrum.” Apparently, it’s quite good and clear, too. There are some early adopters who claim this technology really works well in the field, so to speak.
Personally, I find the implications interesting. Imagine a phone that’s implanted behind the owner’s ear and resonates directly into their ear. It would be the ultimate mobile phone. Hmm, how would you dial, though? With your tounge? Or, by blinking? Well, still not perfected, but at least there are some real posibilities there. Especially for science-fiction authors.

Well, it’s just as good as dreaming about winning the lottery!

A long time ago, I remember seeing a list of things not to do if you ever become an Evil Overlord. Well, the other day, I found it. Twice, actually. Bull’s Place has the “short list” and EvilOverlord.com has the “long list”. The second list also has some history about how the list was developed.
Something to think about the next time you design a villian. Or, try to take over the world.

Oh, yeah, this is cool!

Finally, we have the high-tech windows that we were promised in Blade Runner! According to this article on Wired News, Andersen Windows of Bayport, Minnesota, and media giant Time Warner have put together a “concept house” of sorts that feature the highest of high-tech windows. These windows have fiber-optic LCD screens built into them that let them become opaque and be used as a display. Yeah, that’s right, a window that’s also a TV or computer monitor. In fact, these babies even work as a touch-screen so you don’t need a keyboard. Imagine a whole house of these things. Oh, I’m all a-quiver with the possibilities!

Go read the article and dream big, high-tech window dreams!

No, I mean really psycho toys…

It all started with a harmless, little article on Wired about new cube toys. (Make sure to read the article. It explains a lot about the rest of this.) Then I Googled on a few of the artists and came up with SweatyFrog Toys, KidRobot and finally XL-Shop online. Oh, my stars and garters, as a favorite comic-book hero was known for saying. The toys are truly mad and more fun than a barrel full of developers! They do get a bit pricey, though. SweatyFrog Toys has the best prices, but the other two have a better selection. In any case, it’s great fun to window shop there. And, hey, it’s Friday, go have fun!