Lone Locust Productions

Author: Eugene Glover

  • A New Miracle Diet

    New Scientist => Invention: The TV-advert enforcer

    This might just be the greatest, healthiest invention ever made by mankind.

    Philips has filed for a patent that would allow utilization of a “commercial-flag” in television broadcasts that could be deciphered by your TV and VCR and prevent you from changing the channels or fast-forwarding.

    Personally, I think something like this would lead to millions of people turning off the damned TV and getting a life. (They could take up blogging, for example.) People would be more active, loose weight and just generally eat more granola.

    Presumably version 2 of this device will prevent the TV from being turned off and physically restrain you from leaving the room or taking your eyes off the screen.

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  • No Big Deal

    Here’s an article (Columbus Dispatch => Discovery of Evolutionary Link Was a Scientific Inevitiability) that not only dismisses the significance of the recent discovery of Tiktaalik Roseae but makes me feel good about it at the same time.

    Tiktaalik Roseae is one of those “missing links” we’re always hearing so much about. These are transitional animal forms not yet discovered in the fossil record. Critics (note that I didn’t say “serious” critics) of Paleontology sometimes argue that without these missing links, the Theory of Evolution is just speculation without evidence. This is nonsense designed to cloud the fact that we have collected thousands if not millions of data points in Paleontology, Geology, Physics, Biology, Molecular Biology and a host of other scientific fields supporting it.

    Many such “missing links” have been found over the years. Each time one is found, the gaps in the record get smaller and the “missing links” just move to the gaps. There will always be gaps because, without every single skeleton of every animal that ever lived there will always be a little shadow in the corner that someone can try to drag up and claim renders everything else discovered before anomalous.

    Pelontologists knew that Tiktaalik Roseae had to be out there somewhere. They knew roughly where it had to be (in time) and they went searching for it and found it. This certainly is not meant to diminish the work that went into the task, because I’m certain it was an impressive feat, but the initial implication is that they essentially “proved” something that was already well-known.

    Here’s to Tiktaalik Roseae for coming out of the shadows!

    (Note:, OK, OK, the article in the Columbus Dispatch doesn’t really dismiss the significance of the discovery.)

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  • They Never Sleep When You Want Them To


    My wife’s been under the weather and I had to stay home and help take care of her and the kids today.

    Michelle has been a bit of a royal pain the last three days and today was no exception. All day she argued and whined and generally paid no attention.

    I had to run out to Costco to buy supplies and Michelle insisted on going along.

    No sooner was she in the car, she fell asleep. Normally that means when we get to Costco, she’s wide awake, but today she just kept falling asleep in the cart.

    Annoying that she couldn’t take a nap at home during the day, but kind of cute nonetheless.


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  • They Just Keep Getting Bigger

    And I don’t mean my kids either.

    Mapusaurus Roseae a new species of carnivorous dinosaur has recently been discovered. Discovered in Argentina, this brute weighed in at 8 tons and 43′ long. (Tyrannosaurus Rex being only a wimpy 39′ long.)

    The fossil find was discovered as a group of different individuals, leading paleontologists to speculate that Mapusaurus was a social, pack-hunting animal. One possible prey for this massive carcharodontosaurid was the largest known dinosaur, the massive sauropod, Argentinosaurus.

    ABC News => Huge Meat-Eating Dinosaur Discovered

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  • Doctor Who – New Earth – Review

    If you’re reading this review, you should realize that it might contain “spoilers”. You’ve been warned.

    The first episode of the new series of Doctor Who featuring David Tennant as the good Doctor was transmitted by the BBC today.

    Although Tennant made his debut in the Christmas Special, he really spent most of the time in a post-regenerative coma and barely did anything till the end – but what he did do towards the end left me with great hope for the future. He actually saved the day, something the last Doctor never really did.

    I had a lot of concern when I learned that Lady Cassandra, a particularly stupid character from last year’s “End of the World” would be returning in this episode. Despite that, now having watched the full episode I can safely say,

    David Tennant is The Doctor!

    Hurrah and congratulations all round.

    There are two major sub-plots in “New Earth” really have nothing to do with one another, in fact, the Lady Cassandra plot seems to have been brought in just to (a) bring back her character, (b) provide an opportunity to make it look like Rose and the Doctor kiss each other in the previews and (c) kill time because the main plot isn’t fleshed out enough for a full 45 minute episode.

    The first plot involved Cassandra putting her mind into Rose’s body. Later on, hilarity ensues as she keeps her mind leaping from body to body like a brain version of musical chairs. With a little luck, Cassandra is really dead this time.

    The second plot, and, presumably, the main plot, concerns a hospital on New Earth, which has amazing restorative powers, far beyond what technology should have at this point in time. The Doctor has received a psychic call from the Face of Boe, who has something important to tell the “timeless wanderer god” before he dies.

    Of course, something is afoot, and the sisters who run the hospital are not as merciful as they first seem.

    Unlike the previous series of Who, when the chips are down in this episode, the Doctor steps up to the plate, risks his life and limb and saves the day and brings the dawn of the new human race.

    Even though the story was a bit weak, the Doctor’s character is wonderful and it looks like he’s going to be a man of action.

    Here’s to a long tenure for David Tennant as the Doctor!

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  • Leonardo!

    I was perusing the archives of New Scientist Magazine when I ran across an older article that I can’t believe I’d missed.

    It’s the tale of Leonardo, the 77 million year old brachylophosaurus (hadrosaur) discovered in 2000. The really amazing thing about Leonardo is that he fossilized in a mummified state, meaning that 90% of his soft tissue was preserved.

    The specimen is so well preserved that his beak, nails, musculature and even his stomach contents were preserved for study. It was an amazing find, and I can’t believe I never heard this one.

    Anyway, he can apparently be seen at Judith River Dinosaur Foundation in Montana, and you can read about him here too, or buy a DVD.

    Better than reading about him, you can also go on a real dig and learn to use a toothbrush the way a paleontologist does.

    Maybe this summer I’ll let my wife and kids go to Taiwan for 5 days while I go to Montana!

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  • Mail Order Pizza??

    While researching that previous answer, I chanced upon this little gem:

    Giordano’s sells mail order pizza – presumably for those lost Chicago souls desperate for their favorite taste of home. Despite the fact that they won’t ship a meat pizza, I’m really tempted to try this.

    It can’t be any good, it’s impossible to reheat a pizza and achieve the flavor and subtlety of the original… but still, just to say I did… I might.

    Stay Tuned

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  • Chicago Pizza?

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    I got this question on my flickr page:

    Gridman, I’ll be going to Chicago in a few weeks. Any recommendations for “best” pizza in town?

    My reply:

    Sadly, I’ve not had the opportunity to rate pizza in Chicago. I passed through there once when I was a few months old, but have managed to miss it since then.

    I’ve been told by a couple old-time Chicago residents that Pizzeria Uno and it’s sister Pizzeria Due are some of the best local pizza. Pizzeria Uno opened a branch here in AZ, but I’m told it just isn’t the same as the original.

    Other ones that I’ve heard of are Aurelio’s and Giordano’s.

    Those would probably be the three I’d start with if I ever hit town. I believe they are all Chicago style.

    Of those, I’d probably try Giordano’s first, based on what I’ve heard (which isn’t much.)

    Anyone in Chicago like to make a recommendation?

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  • T.C. Luigi’s Pizza

    04-11-06_1957
    04-11-06_2021

    I must say, I have a certain trepidation about eating in a pizza restaurant whose logo appears to be the forgotten Mario brother.

    Sometimes pizza is a cruel mistress and last night I found myself eating at T.C. Luigi’s Pizza under the watchful eye of Luigi himself (see picture).

    To further add to my discomfort, the place was virtually empty. One couple were ordering a couple slices when we arrived (7:30, Tuesday evening) and no one else came after us and there was only one phone in order during that time. We left at nearly 8:30.

    The staff were friendly, efficient and helpful. They were particularly helpful by saving us money and getting us more pizza by telling us about their Tuesday $1 pizza special. It wasn’t written anywhere I could see and they could have just let us order our higher-priced order but they didn’t and I appreciate that.

    Last night I was feeding the A and B furniture moving teams with pizza (The A team lifts and fetches, the B team provides transportation and baby-sitting services) so I needed to buy more than just a small review pizza.

    Luigi’s smallest pizza is a 12″ (113.1in) and costs $8.99 (w/pepperoni) or $0.08 (0.079)/in2.
    Their next sized pizza is 16″ (201.1in2) costs $11.49 or $0.06 (0.057)/in2
    With their $1 pizza deal, you get a second pizza for $1, so we had 2 12″ pizzas (226.2 in2) for just $9.99. That works out to a very economical $0.04 (0.044)/in2! That’s a price point you rarely see in anything less than the really big pizzas, which are never fully cooked, making this a great deal.

    Economics aside, the pizza itself was lackluster. The cheese was just a little too bitter, the sauce a little too sweet. Instead of canceling each out, they seemed to accentuate each other in an unflattering way. The pepperoni was… come to think of it, I never noticed the taste of the pepperoni.

    The crust would have been passable, but nothing outstanding, but it was undercooked. One pizza was a bit more underdone than the other, leading me to believe the more cooked pizza was the one that came out of the oven last. What difference another minute in the oven might have made, I cannot say.

    Despite all that, we consumed the pizza and the consensus was, “eh, it wasn’t too bad.”

    While no culinary pizza triumph, I’m going to rate this pizza just barely on the “recommend” side, but specifically for Tuesdays when you get a lot more pizza for your money. If you’re looking for cheap pizza, this pizza beats the pants off discount chains like Peter Piper.

    Recommended (on Tuesdays)

    T.C. Luigi’s Pizza
    1805 E. Elliot Rd. #109
    Tempe, AZ
    (It’s a chain, there are others)

    Price (Normal Conditions) 12″ pepperoni, $8.99, $0.08 (0.079)/in2
    Price (Tuesday) 2 12″ pepperoni, $9.99, $0.04 (0.044)/in2

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  • Freemasonry – look out for Dan Brown!

    04-08-06_1448

    I was looking around Fry’s Electronics the other day in the book section, hoping to find some really compelling book on Web Services, when I chanced upon a copious stack of Freemasons for Dummies sitting between a Java Programmer certification guide and a text on Python (programming, not Monty, not snake).

    I suppose, if you listen to the Loony Brigade, you could make the leap that since they claim the Freemasons, the Trilateral Commission, the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati and the alien reptilians bloodlines control the entire population of this planet, this might be an appropriate book to place in the “programming” section.

    Clearly, based on quantity, Fry’s certainly thinks there’s going to be an upsweep of Freemason programming.

    With a little more research, I see that Dan Brown has got a new book coming out where he uses the Freemasons as a plot device. Looks like people’s knowledge of history is about to get further warping.

    I’ve not read Freemasons for Dummies, but if you want more information, check out the info on Amazon.com. You can follow the picture link below.

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