All posts by Scraper Dave

Watch World’s First Live 360 Degree Video of Rocket Launch Today

NASA, Technology

NASA, in coordination with United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Orbital ATK, will broadcast the world’s first live 360-degree stream of a rocket launch. The live 360 stream of the cargo resupply mission liftoff to the International Space Station may be viewed on the NASA Television YouTube channel starting 10 minutes prior to liftoff at https://go.nasa.gov/2oI2epW. Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft will launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket carrying more than 7,600 pounds of science research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory. Launch is targeted for today, April 18, during a 30-minute window that opens at 11:11 a.m. EDT.

To view in 360, use a mouse or move a personal device to look up and down, back and forth, for a 360-degree view around Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Note: Not all browsers support viewing 360 videos. YouTube supports playback of 360-degree videos on computers using Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera browsers. Viewers may use the YouTube app to view the launch on a smart phone. Those who own virtual reality headsets will be able to look around and experience the view as if they were actually standing on the launch pad.

While virtual reality and 360 technology have been increasing in popularity, live 360 technology is a brand-new capability that has recently emerged. Recognizing the exciting possibilities opened by applying this new technology to spaceflight, NASA, ULA, and Orbital ATK seized this opportunity to virtually place the public at the base of the rocket during launch. Minimum viewing distance is typically miles away from the launch pad, but the live 360 stream enables viewers to get a pads-eye view.

On the technology front; good news this week.

Computing, Technology,

Two advances in technology come to be this week that will have substantial impact (hopefully for good) on the future.

First being the heavily recognized Net-Neutrality.
Although the legal battles will begin, the Supreme Court potentially overturning, and possible loopholes in the FCC ruling; this will make everyone that uses the Internet very happy.
Net-Neutrality is the premise that the Internet should be available for everyone like it always has been.
Basically, you are for Net-Neutrality unless you are an evil person (or entity).
If you still don’t understand (and more importantly care to know) check out the tid-bit from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Net Neutrality.

The second lesser known is that the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) (via the IESG) approved the new HTTP/2 protocol for release. It is an update to the currently used HTTP 1.1 protocol that you use to browse the web with. It’s what makes those HTTP:\\ and HTTPS:\\ work.
This change should be virtually transparent to the user and will make websites load faster. Potentially bring new features to websites that currently cannot be done.
I do have some reservations that this technology will also be used for some nefarious purposes. The obvious one being new methods of sending advertisements to you, that may not be able to be blocked by Adblock/AdblockPlus tools.
The second would be much worse; as those same advertisement redirects could include crackers (bad hackers), attacking and using your computer in new ways that currently we don’t have any protection against.
Eventually those problems will resolve themselves over time and HTTP/2 will be come the new bedrock that HTTP 1.1 has been.

So amidst the chaos, confusion, and the sad loss of Leonard Nimoy (known for Mr. Spock from Star Trek). There is some good news this week that will (hopefully) have some substantial impact towards our future.

#Utopia2040/60

Microsoft and Windows 9

Computing, Technology, , ,

Two videos of the preview of Windows 9 give hope to Microsoft and the Windows Desktop.
They have finally integrated some long wanted features into the desktop. For example, a standardized Notification Center, multiple desktops (behavior similar to Mac OSX), and downscale of the Metro interface.
http://bgr.com/2014/09/15/windows-9-features-videos/

Along with those; the rumored integration of Cortana will make it a completely competitive desktop to Mac, Linux, and ChromeOS.

With the addition of Microsoft’s relationship with Osterhout Design Group. ODG has some amazing tech including Augmented Reality glasses (http://www.osterhoutgroup.com/)
Which will hands down beat Google Glass and Oculus Rift as the interface of choice.

If you’re unsure, check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrDgFjBSVuE#t=447

The whole video is pretty cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrDgFjBSVuE

The future..
microsoft-augmented-reality-glasses

She Uses Her Hands to Tell History, but Not How You Think

Fun

Ukrainian artist Senia Simon does what no one else can; she tells history and stories with sand. Yes, you read that correctly. Using a special lightboard, incredible technique, moving music, and a whole lot of flair, she “paints” pictures on a continuously evolving canvas. In this spellbinding clip from Ukraine’s Got Talent (which she won), you can watch her weave an entire moving World War II saga in sand. You’ll just have to see it to believe it.

Want to be happy? Be grateful.

Personal

Want to be happy? Be grateful.

Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast reveals the one master key to happiness that we hold in our own hands: gratefulness.

Along with his insight-fulness, I love this quote:
“The revolution of which I’m speaking is a non-violent revolution, and it’s so revolutionary that it even revolutionizes the very concept of a revolution.”

Yuri’s Night Celebrations 2014

Fun, NASA,

Yuri ImageCome celebrate human spaceflight with the global annual celebration of Yuri’s Night! Saturday, April 12, marks the anniversary of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin (1961), and the first space shuttle flight (1981).
Locations across our planet will be celebrating in unique ways, and Cape Canaveral has an assortment of activities for you to participate in.
Check out these amazing events right here on the Space Coast.

When: Friday, April 11
What: Yuri’s Night Kickoff with the 4th International Workshop on Lunar Science Applications (LSA 4) Yuri’s Night Central Florida International Space Apps Challenge Hang Out

When: Saturday, April 12
What: Yuri’s Night Space Coast Rocket Bike Pub Crawl
Yuri’s Night Soviet Block Wines

Abraham Lincoln: Did you know?

Fun Facts

Abraham LincolnPresident Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and is well-known for ending slavery in the United States. However, there are other facts that are not so widely known. Benjamin Franklin isn’t the only American political leader who demonstrated an inventive mind. After being aboard a steamboat that ran aground on low shoals and had to unload its cargo, Lincoln, who loved tinkering with machines, designed a method for keeping vessels afloat when traversing shallow waters through the use of empty metal air chambers attached to their sides. For his design, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 in 1849.

President Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He was born Feb. 12, 1809, and assassinated April 14, 1865. On April 14, 1865, Lincoln signed legislation creating the U.S. Secret Service. That evening, he was shot at Ford’s Theatre. Even if the Secret Service had been established earlier, it wouldn’t have saved Lincoln: The original mission of the law enforcement agency was to combat widespread currency counterfeiting. It was not until 1901, after the killing of two other presidents, which the Secret Service was formally assigned to protect the commander in chief.

Wealth Inequality in America

Economics, Political,

Published on Nov 20, 2012

Infographics on the distribution of wealth in America, highlighting both the inequality and the difference between our perception of inequality and the actual numbers. The reality is often not what we think it is.

References:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2…
http://danariely.com/2010/09/30/wealt…
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011…
http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/19/news/…