Researchers have gotten back to nature looking at shapes and structures in the natural world to dictate robot design. In the video below from New Scientist, there are self-configuring robots, bots that interact successfully with cockroaches, and faux-salamanders and geckos. It’s a quick view and if you’re interested in robotics, a fun video to watch. Enjoy!

Well, you knew it was going to happen, the Democrats seem to be able to find a way to screw up the equivalent of a two car parade. The states will be seated with a 50% impact to their votes. What a pitiful joke. With all due respect to the voters in those states, the primaries were moved and the penalty (not being seated at the convention) was announced well in advance of any notion that there would be a close race for the nomination.

What I’d like to know is: Where was the fire to include these states results were in January? Back when Hillary was the front runner, she didn’t seem to care if the state’s votes counted. Now that she’s lost the nomination, she cares deeply that these people’s votes count. Now that there votes count and she’s still not the nominee, she’s trying to change the rules again.

Someone in the Democratic party (Nancy Pelosi, this would be a good role for you…) needs to sit her down and explain that she has lost the nomination and if she wishes the future support of the party in any elected office that she’d better tow the party line…I can’t help but notice that John McCain when faced with losing to Bush in 2000 could have continued to be a pain in the ass or join in with the party. Had he not joined in, he would not be the nominee now.

Coming back to the Democratic National Committee for the moment, if I were running a state primary, I’d move it wherever I wanted. There is obviously not backbone or conviction about following the rules, which were clearly set out in advance. The only saving grace in this comical compromise is that the outcome of the nomination process was not changed.

Get a clue Democrats!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an entry about Hacked Gadget’s Guess What this isn’t Contest. This morning there was a note waiting indicating that my comment was the winner, what a pleasant surprise. Actually, I didn’t think I stood a chance because there were so many funny and creative comments posted there.

As a reminder, this was the picture posted:

The object of the contest was to describe what this machine wasn’t. A couple of my favorite descriptions were:

AdamG Says:
May 10th, 2008
It’s Diebold’s new polling machine for Florida and Ohio. Not only does the software record an incorrect vote, but the machine also produces a hardcopy ballot, complete with hanging chads, assuring you that you’ve been screwed out of your vote either way. The added bulkiness of this device further acts as a deterrent to those less technically minded as means of intimidation.

– and –

Jordan Says:
May 10th, 2008
It’s part of the Industrial Barbie playset.

– and –

William Says:
May 14th, 2008
This is a leaked photograph of President George Bush’s commissioned but as-of-yet unfinished mind-control machine. The caution tape design was implemented soon after Mr. Bush and vice President Cheney mistook its long trough for a urinal after an evening of whiskey shots and prank calls to the Vatican.

Lucky for me that I commented early in the process, I noticed a number of comments following mine had the same sort of feel to them. Here’s the winning comment:

Mike Says:
May 10th, 2008
It’s the brand new *-Flex Machine, a combination weight loss and exercise innovation. Yes, for just 360 payments of $39.99 you too can exercise along with our patent-pending fat-sloughing system. Just think, as you work to firm your love handles, you’ll be drenched then wrung dry to get the most out of your workout session. But wait, that’s not all, for a mere 19.99 per month, we’ll provide you with our special formula diet meals that will increase your weight loss even more!
*Testimonial* I used the *-Flex Machine and lost 150lbs of excess weight in just 6 weeks, try it and you can too! ** Results not typical; paid posthumous endorsement.
Disclaimer: The FDA has not certified the *-Flex Machine for weight loss. Certain side effects, including increased appetite, broken bones, diarrhea, flu, ebola, and death, may occur as a result of using the *-Flex Machine. All sales final, contract binding under the fair credit act of 2006.

Thanks Alan, Hacked Gadgets is a great site that yields nearly endless entertainment. And, I excited to have won the contest. Here’s what will be coming:

That was really fun (and for the record, it would have been fun even if I hadn’t won…)

Sorry to keep up with the videos, but it’s another one of those weeks…This would have been funnier in January when all the characters were still in the running, but it’s still funny now. Enjoy!

HT: Tom

We live close to the Golden Gate National Cemetery, which is located at the intersection of I280 and I380 in San Bruno. The image below shows the view from above.

Aerial View of Golden Gate National Cemetery

Attribution: Google Maps

Golden Gate National Cemetery is a 160 acre facility and presently inters 138,542 people and is not honoring new requests for interment. It is one of 125 such facilities around the US.

View looking east from the flag mound

Attribution: Mike Harding

When visiting the cemetery, there are numerous roads that wind through the facility. The next photo was taken facing south about half-way down Plaza Drive.

View looking south from the middle of Plaza Drive

Attribution: Mike Harding

Finally, I decided to select one grave at random. From Plaza Drive I walked into the cemetery and took a photo of Second Lt. Bert E. LaRue’s headstone, visible below.

Second Lt. Bert E. LaRue’s headstone

Attribution: Mike Harding

When I returned home, I decided to see what I could discover about Lt. LaRue. It turns out that he served with distinction in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War II. He was a participant in the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines and was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in action. A quote from the son of one of the men in LaRue’s unit, “He was always at the front with his men. He was my father’s platoon leader.” When looking at the date of his death, April 11, 1945, I was struck that he almost made it through the war, hostilities ended in August, 1945. I couldn’t find details about Lt. LaRue’s family or what his life was like before the war.

It’s one thing to remember the sacrifice that our service men and women have made, it’s another to actually experience it, to be surrounded in one area by nearly 140,000 casualties. To be able to select a soldier at random and find some of the specifics behind their service. Suffice to say, I am thankful for the service and sacrifice of people like Bert LaRue. To all of our veterans and their families, thank you.