First human-powered ornithopter

or·ni·thop·ter   
[awr-nuh-thop-ter]  –noun
a heavier-than-air craft designed to be propelled through the air by flapping wings.

See full-screen video of flight.

"Built from carbon fiber, foam, and balsa wood, the Snowbird weighs just 94 lbs. and has a wingspan of 105 feet, which is comparable to that of a Boeing 737–amazingly, the Snowbird weighs less than all of the pillows on board."

article. 

Ornithopter.net

Another Ray sky

Ray took this nice picture, nice for wallpaper.
The second version I have adjusted to my taste for contrast, color, and noise-suppression.

Gittin' Pentax K-r

I've decided to git the Pentax K-r.

The K-x is my current go-to favorite. It is a tremendous camera for the size and price. And the K-r has all the K-x has, but souped up. A bit higher ISO settings, a bit stronger, a bit faster. In short, a bit more professional.

I admit I rarely need the pretty astounding 6 frames per second this one takes (the Canon 5D Mark II only does 3), but I think that speed is indicative of ruggedness and also of responsiveness, and when I have used a speedy camera (like the Nikon D200), I like it. It feels more trustworthy and at the same time feels more like a living thing working with you.

If you have a K-x, stick with it, but if you're considering a Pentax camera, I think the K-r or the fully pro K-5 are excellent options. Compared to Canon and Nikon, they have in-body stabilization which works with any lenses, including the many outstanding compact prime (non-zoom) lenses Pentax has (which is a weakness for the otherwise strong Nikon and Canon systems).

If you prefer working with a standard zoom, they now have built-in stabilization, and then Canon or Nikon will do you fine. They are all very good these days. (Note, Canon and Nikon also have some outstanding prime lenses, but they tend to be very big and heavy, and very expensive.)

Dancing at the Movies

[Thanks to Henry]

Waking up is hard to do

A new world order

I've been putting a little further order in my apartment (though not started on the closets yet), and I feel grand about it. I think I'll take a relaxy-time over t'weekend.

Speech recognition trial

I am writing this with the new app Dragon Dictate for Macintosh. This is going surprisingly well.


My long-term readers  will be aware that I have had many problems in this area. And there are still a few. For example, when I wrote “long-term readers”, Dragon Dictate wrote "long-term weakness”.  Pretty funny, I think. Of course I have some training to do and yet, but already I can correct most of the mistakes with speech instead of using the keyboard. This is definitely a step up.

I tried first with a couple of different headset,s but none of them worked. I heard the sound recorded from the first one,  and it sounded like I was speaking from under 2 I'm doints [20 blankets]. I cannot believe how bad that sound was, and I can't blame the program for not being able to work with it.

I am now using the blue Snowball, ambiguously microphone. That should have bene [been] a big USB microphone.

There are also some issues wiht some of Ms. tidings, I mean but missed five things, I mean I'm Ms. tidings of, I mean some misprints. And the computer little confusing. I meant it can be a little confusing.

So I guess instead of sayign “surprisingly well”, I should say “reasonably well”. And I don't know wh go to end of document areu can't spell saying unto symptom to a
 I guess I will try to dictate into
 Dragon Dictate's own notepad
-----

Perhaps Dragon Dictate's own notepad is more precise. I'm not sure why this should be, but it might be, so I'm trying it.

An issue issue is that I can't even sigh or make any other noises without Dragon Dictate typing in some kind of word.

But I think it's going better than the multiple of different machines apps and solutions and microphones I have tried in the past.

If I get it going really well, you will hear about it.

Update 28 Oct:
Well, it did not continue to go so well for me as it did right in the beginning. It still bogs down at a level where I have to stop and do corrections all the time. Sigh.

One fine night at 2am in the industrial district...

(Canon 5D2, at 3200 ISO, 85mm F:1.2.)

Clearing out stuff

I'm in a project of clearing out unneeded stuff. Space-wise, I'm about halfway now, and it feels great. Much more space in my home now.
I'm looking forward also to have cleared out and sorted all the old junk I've been having stuffed away in the multitude of closets in this place. (Really, six huge closets.) That'll free some attention units for sure.
A friend is working with a charity for battered women, they get most of the benefit, so that's kewl too.

One more benefit is it forces you to make decisions about your life. Like: "I haven't used or even thought of this thing for years now. Realistically, is it really something I need or want in the future?" Whatever the answer is, it makes it clearer in your head, instead of this blurry indecision which is a black hole for attention.

A tricky point will be finding some sort of sorting system for all the gadgets and gadget accessories (chargers, sleeves, cords...). I have two shelves filled with them, and I can never find anything in there. But I just don't know how to sort it so it'll become easier.

Another tricky point which will also feel freeing when finally done, is sorting out the stacks of paper which have built up. Official information of various kinds which I might need, or not, things I might decided to use soon, etc. It holds a mystery in the minds as to what is really in those stacks, and surely at least 80% can just be tossed now, and the rest filed or done something about. It can be a little stressing, for there was a reason it got pushed away. But so much better when it gets done. 

Multitasking is a lie - your brain needs a break

Multitasking is a lie - your brain needs a break, article.
A long article, but a very worthwhile one.

"You shouldn't be afraid of boredom. Boredom serves a purpose, whether or not those few minutes you spend free from pursuing goals and sensory stimulation is actually cleansing your brain of foul ichorrs and humours. It's just good to let your mind off of its leash and run around free for a few minutes. That's when creativity happens. [...] 

All that's really required is that you carefully observe yourself as you interact with the world. Ask yourself 'Why did I excuse myself from a fine meal with good friends so that I could close the bathroom door behind me and spend a little time harvesting fake crops on my make-believe farm?'"

-

The ScottEvest in the airport

I'd written:
"Actually they say it's perfect for air travel, you can carry much more aboard, and in security you just slip off the vest and slap it onto the scanner band."

Phlocalist commented:

Don't try this unless you have a great sense of humour, a tolerant nature, and PLENTY of time to spare before the flight.........

I flew out a few days back, and in front of me at security was a garment similar to this, without too much empty space in the pockets ... was this guy smug or what? :-)

Off comes the coat, onto the belt, into the box and it beeps ... at which point the guy is 'invited' to step aside.

Something set off the sensor; EVERYTHING came out of the coat, much to the amusement of the other passengers.....

Now this  is a bit confusing, because the reason they have the x-ray machines is because there it is expected that there'll be metal items in there, and the x-ray shows them just what it is. (For example, I once had a Swiss army knife in a carry-on, and I had to send it via baggage claim.) So I think it should only be a problem if for some reason they can't identify an object and it might conceivably be a weapon. (Or perhaps if you're really being a pest.)

I also thinks that Scottevest would have heard about it if it were a common problem:

Mountain goats on the Diga Del Cingino dam in Italy

It beggars belief what these fellers can climb on.