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Oy! This just sets off my CDO (oh, I mean, OCD)! Whew.
The new music video from OK Go, made in partnership with Chevrolet. OK Go set up over 1000 instruments over two miles of desert outside Los Angeles. A Chevy Sonic was outfitted with retractable pneumatic arms designed to play the instruments, and the band recorded this version of Needing/Getting, singing as they played the instrument array with the car. The video took 4 months of preparation and 4 days of shooting and recording. There are no ringers or stand-ins; Damian took stunt driving lessons. Each piano had the lowest octaves tuned to the same note so that they’d play the right note no matter where they were struck. For more information and behind-the-scenes footage, see http://www.LetsDoThis.com and http://www.okgo.net.
Director: Brian L. Perkins & Damian Kulash, Jr.
Director of Photography: Yon Thomas
Editor: Doug Walker
Producer: Luke Ricci
I’m in awe of this amazingly cool painting.
The first in a series of 12 paintings I hope to complete by February, in time for my solo art show at a local museum, AND to apply for graduate schools for the fall of 2012.
I went through an artistic depression a few weeks ago. Nothing I did worked. I painted myself into a rut. And then I started to break out everything in my arsenal: ink pen, watercolour, pastels, acrylics. And viola. Spell broken.
This is called The Dreaming Place. I think it’s a good start to what will hopefully become a trend of works.
15in x 22in at 140lb watercolour paper.
P.S
You may recognise the composition as similar to my Sketchbook Project 2012 composition. That was a study for this one.
On 23 January 2012, a magnitude M8.7 (M9-class) X-ray flare erupted in NOAA Active Sunspot Region (AR) 1402. The long-duration flare peaked at 0359 UTC. This flare triggered a proton event, resulting in an S3 (Strong) Radiation (Proton) Storm and a Polar Cap Absorption (PCA) event over the polar regions.
This PCA event caused a complete radio blackout over high-latitude and polar regions. This results in any trans-polar radio paths to become as dead as a rock.
This solar proton radiation storm is the strongest since September, 2005, which was during the last solar sunspot cycle, Solar Cycle 23. An S3-level radiation storm causes airlines to divert air traffic away from the polar regions. This level of a storm could also cause satellite issues, with GPS and communications being affected. Additionally, those living and working in polar regions must take precautions not to be exposed to this radiation.
At the end of the video, you will see the Coronal Mass Ejection that was released by this flare. This is a fast-moving CME and it is expected to arrive at Earth on January 24, 2012, triggering a G1 to G3 level geomagnetic storm.
X-ray flares are huge explosive releases of energy, including X-ray and light energy. This light and X-ray energy reaches Earth at the speed of light—eight minutes later. When it reaches Earth, it causes the ionosphere to become highly energized, so much so that the D-region (the lowest region) absorbs shortwave, and medium wave, frequencies, blocking them from going any further (and being refracted or propagated long distances around the world).
Credit: NASA SDO / AIA / LASCO / STEREO
(Source: youtube.com)
Big Dog to Little Dog:
“They say that SOPA will end our ability to watching Kitty Videos!”
(Source: thefluffingtonpost)
True Visionaries of the Future, in 1922
For what it is worth, there were moments of incredible vision and clarity in the magazine staff of “Radio News”. Here is an example. On the cover of the January 1922 edition, this picture predicts a time in the future when radio will become the “Street Organ of the Future.” Remember the Boom Box craze of the 1980s? And, now, as we have all our personal devices? This was truly visionary, back in 1922.
Amateur Radio Expedition (a DX-pedition) to “Lost” Arctic Islands
In April 2001, a team of amateur radio operators and support team members embarked on a journey to the “Lost Islands of Central Arctic”, an area above Russia, just shy of the permanently-frozen arctic circle. These Islands were at one time never marked on any map, as they were strategic military ‘assets’ of the USSR. Now, they are documented and in this Diary, you get to journey with the expeditionary team. Narration is in English, by Igor Belozerov.
The first Island in this journey was Ushakov Island.
They went from Island to Island, spending time at each, to ‘activate’ the island on the amateur radio bands. This is a fantastic documentary of this expedition (known as a DX-pedition by the amateur radio community), as shared with the radio community Alex, RX3AEX
Islands included in the near hour long movie:
+ RI0B (AS-156) USHAKOVA Island (IOTA New one)
+ RU0B (AS-057) UYEDINENIYA Island
+ RS0B/P(AS-057) ISACHENKO Island
+ RS0B/P(AS-068) MONA Island
+ R3CA/0
Radio team members:
+ RA0BM - Victor
+ UA9OBA - Yuri
+ R3CA - Vladimir
+ RW3GW - Valery
+ RZ9OO - Alexender
+ RV0AR - Pavel
+ UA0BA - Andrey
+ RX9ULT/9 - Andrey
There were also other supporting team members, like Evgeniy and Boris, plus the helicopter crew, including Igor, Leonid, the Mi8 Helicopter crew with Sergey.
More Detail:
Visit this page from the Russian Robinson Club.
(Source: youtube.com)
The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio
So many people still look at ham radio as ancient and obsolete. However, we have our own satellites, we create new and innovative communications protocols, we build and invent new electronic devices, and that’s just a sampling of activity. We’re also not just about emergency communications, though that is a definite service we provide. We are a community of scientists, astronauts, teachers, students, wives, husbands, children, and clubs. Check out this video, and share it around.
This video, “The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio,” is an 8-minute video released by the ARRL that follows some of the innovative, imaginative and fun ways “hams” use radio technology in new and creative ways. The presentation is directed toward the DIY (do it yourself) movement, which is inspiring a new generation of creators, hackers and innovators. The message should be helpful for existing members to shape the ways they understand and talk about ham radio. For more information and related resources, visit http://www.arrl.org/wedothat-radio-org
From my friend, Bill:
This video took us the last 14 months. It is now available for viewing on YouTube. My personal thanks to everyone involved in its production for making it a reality. You are all listed in the credits (and I pray I didn’t forget anyone). Special thanks to our Director Dave Bell, W6AQ; our Writer Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ and our Principal Cameraman Dave Booth, KC6WFS who freely donated their time and creative talent to this project. We sincerely hope that all of you will enjoy it.
If you are interested and want to ask me about it, feel free to contact me. You can also follow me on Twitter - @NW7US - while I have a set of topics about which I typically tweet, amateur radio is on the top of my list. Just Tweet me your question. I’ll do my best to answer you. - Tomas, NW7US
(Source: nw7us.us)
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