Evan Tessier has created a great little midi rendition of Carol of the Bells. Now all we need is an animated GIF of Mario and Luigi dancing…they do wear red and green!
Month: November 2005
MIT study on aluminum foil hats:
David Pescovitz:
Earlier this year, MIT engineers conducted an empirical study on the efficacy of aluminum foil helmets to block mind control rays. They’ve published the detailed results of their experiments online. From the abstract:
Among a fringe community of paranoids, aluminum helmets serve as the protective measure of choice against invasive radio signals. We investigate the efficacy of three aluminum helmet designs on a sample group of four individuals. Using a $250,000 network analyser, we find that although on average all helmets attenuate invasive radio frequencies in either directions (either emanating from an outside source, or emanating from the cranium of the subject), certain frequencies are in fact greatly amplified. These amplified frequencies coincide with radio bands reserved for government use according to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). Statistical evidence suggests the use of helmets may in fact enhance the government’s invasive abilities. We theorize that the government may in fact have started the helmet craze for this reason.
Link (via Fortean Times)
[from Boing Boing]
Driving back from Beaumont (where almost every house has a nice ‘blue roof’ (tarps covering storm damage from Rita), saw unleaded has now dropped to $2.139 at the TA truck stop, and many places with $2.199.
The following is by Russell Roberts, professor of economics at George Mason Univeristy, and author of the most-excellent The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism.
Unlike the editors of the NYTimes editorial page who think that high prices and profits have no redeeming social value, their counterparts at the Washington Post (rr) nail the economics:
When oil prices spike, it is because of scarcity — for example,
scarcity caused by hurricane damage to petroleum infrastructure on the
Gulf Coast. The best way to manage that scarcity is for producers to
make a special effort to get oil to the market and for consumers to
make a special effort to cut back. Higher prices encourage both of
those responses; rather than complain of price gouging, Congress should
celebrate price signals. By contrast, controlled prices create no
pressure for extra production or conservation. They just create gas
lines: Witness the 1970s.A tax on windfall profits is less counterproductive but still bad. For
one thing, it’s not as though the profits are socially useless. Even in
the absence of a special tax, they generate regular tax revenue for
both federal and state governments as well as dividends for retirement
plans. For another, the profits are a spur to new investment; taxing
them reduces the return that companies will expect to make on new oil
finds or refineries, with the result that there will be less oil and
gas available in the future and hence higher prices.
The title of the editorial is the lovely, “A Call to Inaction.”
Woke up about 7, then came down and played some blackjack. The first round was incredible: I had one push, and the rest were wins! I should have just stopped then, but, alas, I did not. It was nothing but ugly from then on. Over the next four hours, I proceeded to have my worst loss *ever*. Nothing went right. I’d have 20, she’d draw a 6 card 21; I’d double down with 11 versus her 6, and I’d invariable get a 2 while she drew to 18. After brunch, drove over to the Stardust, where I played to even after a couple of hours (thought it really hurt when I had split and double to four hands and didn’t win a wn. Went on downtown to the Plaza, where I proceeded to lose some more. Headed over to Binion’s to play some Omaha, got on the list, and decided to play while waiting…bad move…lost some more. Game never developed, so drove back to Luxor. Played for over 4 hours, hovering around even for the most part, then took another dive south. When I was really starting to despair, I managed to split/double out to 7 hands and won them all!, which brought me back to even (for the session, not the day, obviously). Came back to my room to find a very nice gift basket from Chris, my Casino Host. Made the day a little better. 🙂